NON TOURISTY THINGS TO DO IN LONDON

February 12, 2023 10 Comments

NON TOURISTY THINGS TO DO IN LONDON: Chiswick Mosaic House

Do you live in London or have been too many times? Had enough of Big Ben? Then you’re in the correct place.

London is undoubtedly the best city in the world. Well, I may be biased, but it is pretty awesome. Part of its awesomeness is that there are unlimited things to do which range from simply the unknown to the most ridiculous. Below you’ll find a comprehensive list of non touristy things to do in London. The list is never ending: as soon as I experience more non touristy things to do in London, I will include them here, so remember to pin this post.

NON TOURISTY THINGS TO DO IN LONDON

QUIRKY THINGS TO DO IN LONDON

Have afternoon tea at a Cat Cafe

If you don’t know it already, Cat cafes are a thing. And London couldn’t be left behind in this feline trend. Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium offers a chance to have tea with kittens roaming around. To add more to the fun, it’s vegan friendly! Just remember to book in advance.

Hit up an immersive experience!

As a Londoner, one of my favourite absolutely non touristy things to do in London is immersive experiences! An immersive experience is the perception of being in one place when you are actually in another. It is essentially the suspension of reality, even if just for a few moments. London has tons of immersive bars, theatre and dining experiences. Check out the best here.

non touristy london — NON TOURISTY THINGS TO DO IN LONDON – Cat Cafe

Rave before going to work

Yes, this is also a thing! Morning Gloryville is becoming increasingly popular in London. It offers you the chance to rave from ~6 to 10.30 AM, on an alcohol free environment. Superfood smoothies, massages and lots of dancing instead. And yes, tickets sell out early so do book.

Check out a house made with one million mosaic tiles: Chiswick Mosaic House

Carrie Reichardt’s is the artist behind this house, which is hidden away on a quiet, suburban street in Chiswick. It is covered from top to bottom in colourful mosaic tiles. It tells a thousand stories, each reflecting the various artists who have helped to create this masterpiece, ever since the project first began in the 90s.

BYOC: Bring Your Own Cocktails

The BYOC bars invite you to bring your own bottle of your favourite spirit to then have a skilled bartender create cocktails designed just for you. The bars, spread across four locations in London, are set with a 20s prohibition style to add more to the experience. And yes, in this one you also need to book quite in advance.

England, London, United Kingdom

BERMONDSEY BEER MILE: LONDON’S CRAFT BEER CRAWL

February 12, 2023 7 Comments

Disclaimer: I wrote this article on the Bermondsey Beer Mile as I was starting my travel + London blog and it became insanely popular. As such, I will update it every 2 months as there are more and more breweries appearing in the area by the minute. The last updated date is at the top of the article.

Are you a beer fan and a londoner? Or maybe just a beer fan visiting the city? Then you must not miss the Bermondsey Beer Mile!

Turns out that Bermondsey has become the hub for microbreweries in London. And the good news for you is that they open as taprooms so you can go taste their golden liquid right from the brewery. What’s even better is that they are conveniently located in a straight line over a mile. Hence why it’s called the Bermondsey Beer Mile. That, my friend, makes the perfect beer crawl.

Scared of getting hungry? Well fear not. There are also three food markets conveniently located along the Bermondsey Beer Mile. I’ve created a map for you to follow and I’ll walk you through the whole thing.

Don’t want to do this on your own? Luckily the folks at UK Brewery Tours have got you covered with three amazing tours of the Bermondsey Beer Mile area:

Bermondsey Microbrewery Experience: My top pick! Visit a number of breweries on the Bermondsey Beer Mile, learn about how beer is made, tour the equipment, speak to the brewers and sample the beers straight from the taproom. It’s been going on since 2014 and the guides are super knowledgeable: I did it with beer writer Des de Moor.
Bermondsey Beer Tasting Tour: A guiding tasting tour of three of the Bermondsey Beer Mile venues listed below.
Bermondsey Cheese Meat and Beer Tour: For those who want some food paired with their beer!

Day Trip, England, London

LONDON DAY TRIP: DORSET & THE JURASSIC COAST

February 12, 2023 12 Comments

Around over two hours from London by car, the Jurassic Coast makes a wonderful day or weekend trip from London if you are looking for stunning seaside views and cute towns.

Wait! Jurassic Coast? Am I going to see dinosaurs?

You wish! The 154km long Jurassic Coast is a World Heritage Site on the English Channel coast of southern England. It spans from Exmouth in East Devon to Studland Bay in Dorset.

Why is it called Jurassic Coast? Well, this site has around 185 million years of geological history. Erosion in the coast has exposed rock formations from the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, and this is why it is a World Heritage Site. The fossils of the various creatures who lived here have been preserved in the rocks. You can actually see sea shells, and who knows what else, encrusted in them.

Day Trip, England, London

BRIGHTON BUCKET LIST

February 12, 2023 No Comments

[DISCLAIMER] This article was written during the Coronavirus pandemic with the hopes things go back to normal soon. They may not and I’ll revise the article once they do as some of the venues mentioned may have closed permanently.

Brighton is so close to London and is the perfect destination for a weekend trip! It’s only an hour away by train and has tons of cool things to do as it’s a decently sized city…with a beach! Here’s a run down of all the things Brighton.

Brighton Bucket List: Things To Do in Brighton

Admire Brighton’s street art

Brighton has earned international reputation over the last few years for its stunning and original graffiti artwork dotted around the city. Check out a replica of Banksy’s ‘Kissing Cops’ at Prince Albert’s Pub as well as the Music Mural in the same place. If you are into street art you can find more arts locations here.

BRIGHTON BUCKET LIST: Prince Albert's Pub — BRIGHTON BUCKET LIST: Prince Albert’s Pub

Take a cycling tour of the city

Take this Grand Brighton Bike Tour as soon as you hop off the train. You can also enjoy the city at twilight by taking this 1 hour 30 minute tour visiting iconic landmarks, through Brighton’s colourful past to the present. Discover the real history of Brighton. There are many stops along the way, and a great chance to take some haunting photos!

Get brunch and buy vintage clothes at North Laine

North Laine has a happening, bohemian vibe with vegetarian cafes, vintage clothing stores, and jewelry stalls centred on busy Kensington Gardens pedestrian road. The vintage stores are really well curated and have prices that are a lot more reasonable than London’s.