Even if you’ve been a Londoner your entire life, the chances are, there are so many hidden gems you’re still yet to discover. In such a sprawling city, there’s always a new favourite spot to be found. So we’ve partnered with TfL to crowdsource some recs from the North, East, South, and West London locals themselves.
Did you know you can travel free on rail and Tube after 4 off-peak journeys? The £8.90 daily cap in Zones 1-2, means your 5th and every journey after is free.* If you’re travelling by bus, you can keep take advantage of the £1.75 Hopper fare**. Plus you can get unlimited bus and tram travel for £5.25.*** Keep reading to find out where the people of London love to hang out in their local area…
Use the TfL Go App to plan your journey.
North
1. MAP Studio Cafe
Part cafe, part recording studio, part event space, this Kentish Town spot has more to offer than just great coffee. Locals love it for the weekly and monthly community events, ranging from live music to games nights. You can watch The Equinox Jazz Quartet, from 2pm-5pm on the first Sunday of every month. Or for our chess-loving audience, there’s a free Chess Club every Thursday at 5pm, open to all aged abilities – just turn up and play!
Price: Free, with some events ticketed
Closest station: Kentish Town West Rail Station
Nearby bus routes: 46, 393, 88, 134, 214
2. Sam’s Cafe Primrose Hill Book Club
There could be no cosier setting in which to discuss your latest reads with other bookworms, than this beautifully designed Primrose Hill cafe. Their bi-monthly book club runs on Mondays from 7-8:30pm, and is centred around exploring The School of Life – so think psychology, psychotherapy, philosophy, art, and culture! Prebooking is required for this one as slots fill up quickly – and you’ll get a drink included in your ticket.
Price: £8
Closest station: Chalk Farm Underground Station
Nearby bus routes: 274, 1, 31, 393
Accessibility: step free access and accessible toilets
3. Camley Street Natural Park
Located in the bustling heart of King’s Cross, Camley Street Natural Park boasts two acres of greenery, offering you a peaceful oasis in which to relax and unwind in the heart of London. Here on the banks of Regent’s Canal, you’ll find an abundance of plants and wildlife, including mallards, kingfishers, and herons. The park also runs free wildlife weekends with fun activities that are perfect for families who want to get immersed in nature.
Price: Free
Closest station: King’s Cross & St Pancras International
Nearby bus routes: 46, 214, 390
Accessibility: fully accessible toilet and visitors site, however some paths are not wheelchair friendly
East
1. London Fields Lido
You’d be surprised how many people were totally unaware of the lovely lido, sitting in pride of place in London Fields. This inconspicuous spot is a great place to enjoy a swim all year round, as the 50m Olympic size pool is slightly heated. But if you are visiting in the summer months, you can also find a sunny spot to catch some pool-side rays on your towel after.
Price: £6.40 (adult ticket)
Closest station: London Fields Rail Station
Nearby bus routes: 394, 55, 106, 236, 254, 277
Accessibility: The lido has step-free access, a pool hoist, a PoolPod water wheelchair, and accessible toilets
2. Go East Vintage Flea
We all know the woes of rifling through piles of clothes and pre-loved paraphernalia just to find one diamond in the rough. But in this sustainable vintage market, so much of the hard work has already been done for you. Created by East Londoners Louisa and Onur, Go East Vintage Flea is a market where you can find great pieces, carefully handpicked from some of London’s best traders. The East London markets take place in Hackney Depot and Walthamstow Trades Hall, and you can find out about their upcoming events here.
Price: £4 (pre 11am), £2 (11am onwards, booked online), £3 on the door (11am onwards)
Closest station: Cambridge Heath Underground (Hackney Depot) Forest Gate Rail Station (Walthamstow Trades Hall)
Nearby bus routes: 26, 55, 106, 254, 388, 294 (Hackney Depot) 34, 97, 215, 275, 357, 123 (Walthamstow Trades Hall)
Accessibility: all events are wheelchair accessible, with accessible toilets on-site
3. Viktor Wynd Museum
A cultural experience like no other, Viktor Wynd by The Last Tuesday Society subverts the concept of museums as we know them. This tiny space is filled with mysterious and macabre things that aim to amuse rather than educate, ranging from rare Dodo bones, to old McDonald’s Happy Meal toys, two headed kittens, and occultist paintings and pop art prints. In displaying these miscellaneous items next to one another, the Viktor Wynd speaks to the pre-enlightenment origins of the museum as a Wunderkabinett – a place where categorisation is bound to fail.
Price: free (gallery entry) £12 (cabinet entry)
Closest station: Cambridge Heath Rail Station
Nearby bus routes: 106, 254, 388, 26, 55
Accessibility: no step-free access to the museum
South
1. Vauxhall City Farm
At this 1.5 acre inner city farm, you can get up close with a wonderful array of animals, including Rolo, Cookie, and Toffee the alpacas, as well as Aviary Birds of all colours and sizes, ferrets, farm cats, goats, pigs – the list goes on! If you’ve got any truly passionate animal lovers in tow, you can book a short session at Cuddle Corner, where rabbits, guinea pigs and chickens are waiting for cuddles!
Price: free (suggested donation £4) £5 (Cuddle Corner)
Closest station: Vauxhall
Nearby bus routes: 196, 36, 185, 436
Accessibility: fully wheelchair accessible
2. Otter Chaos Boardgame Cafe
Just beneath the railway arches in Brixton, Otter Chaos is a cosy, community-minded boardgame cafe, where you can challenge your friends to all of your favourite games. With over 500 on offer, they’ve got everything from silly party games, to the most tactical, immersive strategy head-scratchers. Want to indulge in your love of games whilst meeting new people? Check out their Dungeons and Dragons night, held on Thursdays, or join a Blood on the Clocktower: Open Session for a game of Mafia or Werewolf, led by an experienced storyteller.
Price: £2 per hour or £5 for 3 hours, £5 cover charge for events
Closest station: Brixton
Nearby bus routes: 322, 45, 59, 109, 133, 159, 250, 333, 35, 355, 2, 3, 196, 415, 432, P13
Accessibility: wheelchair friendly space, with step-free access to the cafe and accessible toilets
3. Peckhamplex
This beloved independent cinema has been keeping South London locals happy with cheap tickets since 1994. There you can watch mainstream, art house, and foreign language films, as well as concert films, pre-recorded plays, and theatre productions. So if you’re in South London, and you feel like a cosy movie day – you know where to go!
Price: £5.99
Closest station: Peckham Rye Rail Station
Nearby bus routes: 12, 37, 63, 78, 197, 343, 363, P13
Accessibility: all screens are step-free, with audio-induction loops available for hearing impaired guests
West
1. Chiswick Markets
With tree-lined streets, village charm, and vibrant weekend markets, Chiswick is a great place to pick up some hidden gems. The Antiques & Vintage Market takes place on the second Sunday of every month on Chiswick High Road, where you can browse over 60 traders offering vintage clothes, jewellery, embroidered postcards, and painted furniture. And be sure to check out Chiswick Carboot, held on the first Sunday of every month. Here you’ll find books, furniture, toys, vinyl, and much much more.
Price: free (Chiswick Antiques & Vintage) £1 (Chiswick Carboot)
Closest station: Chiswick Park Underground Station (both markets)
Nearby bus routes: 110, 237, 267, 272, 440, E3, H91 (Chiswick Antiques & Vintage) 190, 533, 272 (Chiswick Carboot)
Accessibility: wheelchair-accessible entrance, and parking is £3 for Blue Badge holders
2. Saint Mary Abbots Gardens
Just a stones throw away from Kensington High Street, these tranquil gardens offer benches and luscious green lawns, perfect for relaxing with a book away from the hustle and bustle. And the beautiful 12th century St Mary Abbots church (known for having the tallest church spire in London!) makes for a wonderful backdrop.
Price: free
Closest station: High Street Kensington
Nearby bus routes: 9, 27, 28, 49, 328, 52, 70, 452
Accessibility: level access to the park can be found on Kensington Church Walk
3. Sands End Arts & Community Centre
Both a cafe and an arts and community centre, Sands End is a hub of fantastic events, many of which are free to attend. At Free Music Fridays, you can enjoy live music, from a different local band or musician each week. Every Wednesday in August, the club will welcome people to a free, drop-in sketch and paint club from 4pm-6pm. Materials will be provided, but you’re welcome to bring your own! Find out all there is to do at Sands End Arts & Community Centre here.
Price: Free, with some events ticketed
Closest station: Parsons Green Underground Station
Nearby bus routes: 424, 28, 295, 22
Accessibility: step-free access, and accessible toilets
*Always use the same card or device when touching in and out. Excludes London Cable Car, River Bus, Southeastern highspeed services. Daily caps apply to journeys made between 4.30am and 4.29am the following day. For full details visit tfl.gov.uk/capping
** Travel as many times as you like within an hour for £1.75. Applies to buses and trams. Always use the same card or device. Full terms and conditions visit www.tfl.gov.uk/hopper.
***Always use same card or device when touching in and out. Daily capping applies to bus and tram trips taken between 4.30am and 4.29am the following day.