10 Secret Spots Every Londoner Should Know

It may not seem like it when you're waiting a good half an hour in the rain for a night bus to transport you to the other side of the city, but one of the beauties of London is its sheer sprawl. Its winding, nonsensical streets may have you consulting Google Maps every few minutes, but they're full of untapped mysteries and secret treasures that only the locals know about. Once you discover them — usually by accident — you feel like you've been inducted into a special club. You start to feel smug, true, but also more appreciative of the small wonders this city has up its sleeve.

In the spirit of celebrating that thrill of discovery, we're guiding you to 10 secret spots you may not have known before. We're not talking about hidden bars tucked under some viaduct or a blink-and-you'll-miss-it pop-up restaurant with secret passwords. These are little London landmarks that tour guides don't really trade in, though perhaps they should. Sure, the London Eye — pardon us, the Coca-Cola London Eye — provides nosebleed views of the cityscape, but it's not exactly something you'd stumble upon by happenstance. These finds are about tapping into your thirst for adventure and satisfying your yearning for a deeper knowledge of the metropolis around you. Isn't it nice to know that the city can still surprise you?