1. Whispering Gallery, St. Paul’s Cathedral
Not so much a gallery, but a walkway that leads around the inside of the St Paul’s most recognisable bit – its dome. While on this walkway you’ll be able to hear someone speaking from the opposite end, even if they’re whispering, thanks to some impressive early eighteenth-century acoustics.
2. Saint Dunstan in the East
Originally built in the 11-12th centuries and refurbished several times after that, this medieval church was partially destroyed during WWII and the Anglican Church decided not to rebuild it. What’s left is an incredibly successful architecture project where the remaining walls of the church have been incorporated into a pretty little garden. It’s a green quiet oasis and one of the absolute best secret finds in London.
Located in between the Tower of London and London Bridge. 10 minute walk from Tower Bridge.
3. The Vaults in Waterloo
Sitting beneath Waterloo Station, The Vaults is literally and figuratively home to underground culture in the area. It’s an arts venue and theatre that shows immersive, experimental and alternative programming and runs an annual festival every January to March.
Enter via the graffiti-covered railway passage on Leake Street to discover a maze-like series of cavernous spaces, filled with bright lights and outlandish décor. The Vaults play host to jazz nights, art classes, immersive performances and all kinds of other weird
and interesting events.
4. Sir John Soane’s Museum
The former residence of Sir John Soane, architect of the Bank of England. Over 20,000 architectural drawings, antiquities and works by Turner, Canaletto and Piranesi as well as two sets of paintings by William Hogarth and the Egyptian Sarcophagus of Seti I can be found here.
Amongst the most incredible antiquities he acquired is the sarcophagus of Egyptian king Seti I, which now sits alongside Peruvian pottery and Napoleonic art in the museum. Meanwhile, an active research library and conservation initiatives support the museum’s collections.
5. The Postal Museum
Travel back through London’s first “social network” at a museum dedicated to the postal service. This family-friendly museum showcases how sending, delivering and receiving messages via post revolutionised our lives. For added fun, take a ride on the Mail Rail through the stations and tunnels of London’s 100-year-old postal railway.
6. Postman’s Park
Postman’s Park is one of the few gardens you can find in the old City of London. It’s just north of St. Paul’s Cathedral.
It’s home to the touching Memorial To Heroic Self-Sacrifice. It contains 54 plaques, each dedicated to an ordinary person who did something most extraordinary: gave their life in an attempt to save someone else.
