Hi guys,

I am traveling to London next week with a friend of mine that has never been before.
I have been to London before and although I will take her to see the normal touristy things of London, I am curious to find out what hidden gems there are in the city.

Anyones ideas will be greatly appreciated

Regards,
Ivan

Difficult to say without knowing what your interests are.
The Summer Exhibition is still on at the Royal Academy in Piccadilly and the V&A, Natural History Museum and Science Museum are all within a very short walk of South Kensington tube station and have free entry. The museums are open on Sundays too.
The Chelsea Physic Garden is well worth a visit at this time of the year and then there is the Imperial War Museum in Kennington, if you are interested in military history.
If you take the no. 11 bus from, say, Victoria Station, it trundles down past Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament, past the Cenotaph and the Horseguards in Whitehall, up to Trafalgar Square, along the Strand, past the Royal Courts of Justice and St. Paul's Cathedral and into the City ending at Liverpool Street station, where you can get the tube back to wherever you want to go. It's cheaper than the tourist bus and you'll have endless opportunities for photos due to the bus being held up in the usual traffic jams we have in London all the year round.

Thanks for the ideas

My interests are endless from art to museums, outdoor adventures to history
I have done most of the museums and galleries in central London.


My friend on the other hand is a more difficult nut to crack :P

Basically I have been giving carte blanche to plan the trip I have got things like Little Venice, Kew Gardens, Buckhingham Palace tour etc in the bag already. Now I am on the look out for maybe things off the beaten track.

I like your bus idea though I read sometime ago that some of the bus routes are doing basically the same (if not better tour) of the landmarks. I need to get hold of some more routes like that.

Do you have any more ideas

If you're going to Kew Gardens you could afterwards take the bus from the Kew Road into Richmond, walk through Richmond (you could look at the old palace on Richmond Green) go up Richmond Hill via the Terrace Gardens and into Richmond Park at the top. Richmond Park is beautiful.
Having said all that, if your friend is female, you might well have to fit in a fair amount of retail therapy.............which could take up any number of days in London, but avoid Oxford Street if you don't want to end up tearing your hair out in exasperation!

I am well aware of the amount of shopping that is planned haha, she has already warned me

The Highstreet is always over priced and crowded...
I was thinking of Westfield as a better area? What is your take on that?

Ghastly horrible place, but at least you can get the shopping over and done with because there certainly isn't much else to do in the Westfield Centre.
One trip to horrible Harrods might at least be rather more entertaining and you're less likely to spend money because everything is so overpriced.
Richmond High Street is much more relaxing and you can always go and sit by the Thames afterwards to enjoy the rain.

haha enjoy the rain... nicely put
I am though hoping for some sunshine as the summer in Switzerland has not been exactly sunny...

As a Londoner, I would nominate the City of London i.e. the Square Mile as London's "hidden gem".

In case you're unaware, the City of London is different from the city of London.

The City is well known as the financial district, which is probably why so few tourists bother exploring it. But it's also the oldest part of town and has endless fascinating nooks and crannies hidden in among the modern offices.

But instead of just going to Bank Station and wandering around, looking at the nice old windows and crooked alleyways and curious statues and tiny Wren churches and the quaint street names and ancient pubs, I would recommend joining a walking tour.

So this would be my main recommendation -- consult Google for 'London walking tours' or similar, and decide what flavour you're after -- pubs, ghosts, crime, Beatles, scandal, history, whatever. It's all there. London on foot, believe me, is 10 times as rewarding as bus tours, and especially if you are guided by someone who knows their stuff and has a bit of personality.

There are tremendous pubs in and around the City too, so after a few thirsty hours of fascinating walking, relax over a pint or two. Perhaps make your way over to Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese in Fleet Street, or Dirty Dicks. Tons of 'em.

And see something at the Globe Theatre, the open-air replica of Shakespeare's Globe.

Westfield? Bah!!

Go for a guided walking tour and also for a cruise in the Thames. Its a bit of a comedy that last one and if you get a good commentator you will remember the trip for years

I know someone who does east end Jack the Ripper walking tours as part of the Whitechapel Society. If you are interested let me know and I'll contact him see if theres any tours coming up and the details for you.

If you are a foodie do go to Borough Market. Lots of fantastic stalls and produce.

Also, this is supposed to be great fun. I've not managed to get there yet, but friends have been and said how good it is - great way to get a different view of the sights
http://www.londonducktours.co.uk/

Camden Town/Lock/Market; Hampstead Heath; Highgate Cemetery.

If you're there before the Olympics, it could be worth a look at the Olympic Park, at Stratford. Other stuff out that way: trip on DLR thru' Canary Wharf out to Greenwich - Cutty Sark (restored) and National Maritime Museum; stand astride the Greenwich 0° Meridian, then come back along the Thames to Tower Bridge (Tower of London, St Katharine's Dock)

Wander around Camden Market
Go clubbing at Fabric
Get a day ticket for the Royal Opera House
Try out some of the best restaurants in the UK

..and have a look at this website: http://www.secret-london.co.uk/Welcome.html

It's all a question of taste of course.

My favourite haunts in London are

- Kew gardens (worth it any time of year)
- The second hand bookshops on Charing Cross Road
- London Transport Museum

Although generally I try not to spend more time there than is necessary. The museums are really first class and you won't find anything like them anywhere in the world, but the rest of London is just too busy, noisy and unfriendly for my liking. There are many English cities that you will find far more welcoming.

Pachyderm is absolutely right. The walking tours of the City are very good value.
One of the most interesting historical walks I have taken is the tour of Lincoln's Inn Fields and the Inns of Court.
Members of the public can visit the precincts of the Inn at any time, but only guided tours are allowed into the Old Hall, the Great Hall and the Chapel.
The City of London is absolutely empty on a Sunday, which is when I enjoy it most. During the week, its rather like a turmite mound.
I'm sure Google would be your friend with this too if you're interested.

http://www.discovery-walks.com/

Worth a look, some good walking tours in London.

Agree that the City on a Sunday is a great experience. One drawback to be aware of is that several of the stations are closed, as are nearly all the pubs and restaurants.

A bit like Switzerland on a Sunday, now you mention it...

If you're in to art/architecture you can't miss the Barbican's exhibit on Bauhaus,

http://www.barbican.org.uk/artgaller...l.asp?ID=12409

and also the Serpentine Pavilion,

http://www.serpentinegallery.org/architecture/

designed by Ai Weiwei and the famous Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron.

The Borough market is good to have a walk around and buy things or get food. It's just be London Bridge. Also, Hyde park and Victoria park have lots going on with the Olympics. Easy London - Brick Lane and Shoreditch area are good for bars/ clubs.

If you like walking you can get to Borough Market from the Globe. Don't forget the fabulous cheese shop nearby (ooop forgot the name) and then go to the Georges pub, one of the few left where Shakespeare and troups played. (Shame an awful modern building was built across the courtyard- how on earth did they get planning permission).

If you go to the Tower, make sure you walk over to Kathryn's docks - with its old ships and pleasant watering holes.

If you go to Kew Gardens - why not go and have dinner at another of my favourite old pups, the London Apprentice, behind the West Middlesex Hospital and Syon house (a great visit too).

For a typical 'cream tea' (scones, raspberry jam and double Devon cream) go to my favourite shop, Liberty's, which is between Carnaby Street and Oxford Street. Wonderful old shop which is all oak panelled with a great octogonal central 'chimney'. Pricey, for a great place for classy souvenirs.