Any that won’t do, will it? So, if you promise not to tell anyone else about them, I’ll share with you the strangest and most secret drinking holes in London. Deal? OK then, here they are.

1. Cellar Door – Aldwych, Covent Garden.

What’s that? A public toilet that’s been turned into a bar? Yep, that’s right. But don’t worry, when they got rid of the (no doubt) grimy loos, they got rid of the stinky smell too. Instead, you’ve got yourself a luscious cabaret bar that’s decadent, sexy and a gorgeous little secret. Can’t find it? Can you see those steps that go down to nowhere? That’s it.

2. The Friendly Society – Wardour Street, Soho.

There’s something wonderfully seedy about the drinking hole under the lingerie shop in the middle of seedy Soho. This place is a gem. It really is as friendly as its name suggests, and you’ll be welcomed by a lovely landlady and staff who can pour a decent cocktail of three. It’s got a lively gay crowd, but then you’re in the middle of Soho, what did you expect? It’s worth noting that they close bang on 11pm, no matter what day of the week. Shame.

3. The Rake – Winchester Walk, Borough

Possibly the smallest bar in London, this is a tiny little place but somehow still find space for over 120 different beers and ales. Impressive. That said, it is expensive. You can pay up to £7 for a beer. That’s a lot of money for an ale in my opinion. (Yet, I have no problem spending that on a cocktail so whatever works for you). This place has got charm and it’s certainly novel, although I do hear bad things about the gent’s loos.

4. Vertigo 42 – Old Broad Street, Bank

For some of the best views in London, dress up and book ahead at Vertigo 42. The champagne bar located at Tower 42 can get a bit ’suity’ given its City location. However, with a view like that out of the window, you won’t be looking at what people are wearing. Prices for bubbly start at £7.50 and that’s pretty darn reasonable.

5. Cork and Bottle – Cranbourn Street, Leicester Square

Considering the hideous tourist trap that Leicester Square is, this little wine bar is doing a great job of staying hidden. Not that I have anything against tourists, but this bar does stand out in a pool of generic restaurant chains. Grab a table (really, it’s not always packed) get some wine and cheese and then stay hidden until it gets warm again. Or, until they kick you out. Whichever is sooner.

Top 5 Hotel Bars in London:

• The Long Bar, Sanderson Hotel, Leicester Square
• The Gazebo, Landmark Hotel, Marylebone
  
• Light Bar, Hotel St. Martins Lane, Soho
• Blues Sports Bar, Millennium And Copthorne Hotel, Chelsea FC Stamford Bridge complex
  
• William’s Bar & Bistrot, St. James Hotel & Club, Westminster

Photo of Vertigo 42, London, UK, by Another Pint Please

If you think Carnaby Street has lost its appeal of late, and is a bit to cool for school despite being full of chain shops, Kingly Court will put a smile back on your face.

Vintage boutiques, tiny little jewellery shops and enough crafty little places to grab any ‘last minute birthday presents’ in your lunch break. Here are my favourites:

Twinkled – 2nd Floor

Twinkled is a huge vintage Mecca on the second floor of Kingly Court. You’ll find anything from retro dresses to tableware and jewellery. The best buys are the household goods and accessories, but whatever your taste, you’ll find some retro and vintage goodies to suit you. The perfect antidote to all of the chain shops on Carnaby street.

Traffic People – Ground Floor

If you’re looking for a perfect timeless dress, this is the place to come. Reasonably priced at around the £50 mark, you’ll find a variety of colours, although the styles can be a little limiting. The staff are very friendly, and you’ll have fun. This shop has a concession in the flagship Topshop on Oxford Street, don’t pay extra in there, come here instead.

Bird Cage – 1st Floor

Bird Cage is the place to come for one-off gifts and lunchtime treats. Handmade purses in kimono fabrics, perfect jewellery, or lanterns. Whatever takes your fancy. If you don’t plan on spending any money until pay day, give this shop a wide berth. Otherwise you’ll come out with scented candles and all sorts of little trinkets you really didn’t need.

Black Pearl – 2nd Floor

This shop is great if you want to pick up something a little bit saucy. Nipple tassels ahoy! This is a great little shop to treat yourself to something fun. You can also pick up some great jewellery here. This is the perfect store for out of the ordinary items. Watch out for their special events as well, Cocktails and discounts all at the same time. Brilliant.

Mnini – 1st Floor

Mnini, despite it’s rather silly name, is cute. If you like your clothes to be one off ‘pieces’ then you’ll adore the collection in here. Well cut jackets and tailored items are the best buys, the rest of the items are a little over priced for what you’re getting. Hit this place in the sales and you’ll pick up some great bargains.

Marshmallow Mountain – Ground Floor

As well as a fabulous name, this vintage store is one of my favourite in London. Despite it’s highly sough after location, the prices aren’t too shocking, and you can pick up dresses for about £40. The shoes are fantastic, although as with most vintage shops, they do tend to be in the smaller sizes which is a shame. Everything is well laid out and the staff are helpful. It’s a joy to shop here.

Top 5 Trendy Hotels in London

• Haymarket Hotel -  Westminster, London
• Sanderson, A Morgans Hotel – Soho, London
• Hotel Sydney House – Chelsea, London
• Chiswick Moran Hotel – West London
• St. Jame’s Hotel & Club – Westminster, London

Photo of Kingly Court, London, UK by Lenkolaf

But now, London businesses are cashing in on the new change of pace in which we live our lives. Since the change in economy, we can’t afford to go out for dinner every night anymore. But we still want to have fun so instead we stay home and entertain. Now London is teaching us to cook. And they’ve got the fun factor sorted too.Here’s some of the best, most accessible cookery courses in London.

L’atelier Des Chefs

Cook your own lunch, then eat it. A simple enough idea, and one that’s proving very popular indeed. It’s about £18 a head, but for this you get a quick lesson, and of course, your lunch. So this is a great little starter course to try. If you’re lucky you might pick up a 2-4-1 offer making it even more fun. The lunch menu includes Monkfish with bacon, apple and ‘crema di tartufo e balsamico’ which sounds lovely, even if I don’t know what it is. You can do dinner courses as well, for about £55.

L’atelier Des Chefs- Wigmore Street, Fitzrovia.

Melt

Mmmmmm….. chocolate making. There’s nothing more decadent than playing about with tasty treats and learning a bit about how they’re made. Of course, while sampling the goodies as well! The open kitchen at Melt is lovely and even if you’re just browsing you can poke your head round the corner and watch the chocolatiers at work. They’ve got children’s chocolate classes advertised at the moment, but get a group together and they’d be happy to give you a course.

Melt – Ledbury Street, Notting Hill.

Eat, Drink, Talk

The place to go if you’re a rubbish cook. Eat, Drink, Talk can make a Gordon Ramsay out of anyone (minus the swearing). You can do courses in anything from Gastropub meals to Thai food so you should be able to find something to suit your palette! Classes are held in a stunning loft flat, and run by Jennifer. She’ll take you through your menu, over 2-3 hours, getting you tipsy along the way. All for about £65.

Eat, Drink, Talk – S. John Street, Clerkenwell.

The Kitchen

Now this is a strange concept indeed. Prepare your food in The Kitchen, take it home with you on the bus, and then cook it at home! What? Make it myself? This seems to be a strange cooking class indeed. But, it’s run by Michelin starred Thierry Laborde and that sounds pretty cool. Plus, they do give you instructions on how not to ruin it when you get home so that’s something, I guess. Still, if you can’t be trusted not to burn things, it might be easier to buy takeaway. This will set you back about a fiver a head though, so it’s a pretty good option if you’re planning a dinner party and can’t be bothered with cooking. Just pretend you whipped it up yourself.

The Kitchen – New Kings Road, Parsons Green

Photo of beater and eggs by Steve Wampler

TBut it’s truly vast. There’s no way you can see everything in one day. And honestly, it’s not worth trying to. You’ll end up not paying attention to what you are seeing, and whizz around the whole place in an hour not taking anything in. So how do you get the most of your trip? Here’s my guide:

1. Accept that you’re not going to see everything.

Knowing that you can’t see everything will make the trip so much more fun. Unless you’re going to live here for the whole weekend, realise that unless you make a return trip, you won’t get to see all that you want. There’s so many fabulous treasures in the museum that realising this is half the battle.

2. Aim to fit in a least one temporary exhibition.

The temporary exhibits are the real jewels of this museum. Don’t get me wrong, all of the permanent stuff is worth the trip alone, but it’s not every day you get to see the Terracotta Warriors, is it? Sure, these exhibitions cost a bit, but they are worth every penny. Wait a week or so after opening if you can, and you’ll avoid most of the huge crowds. You can still book these in advance, but be quick, some of them sell out in days.

3. Visit the museum by area.

This is the easiest way to get around the museum. Each area is split into countries or continents, both old and new. You can visit everything Asia related in one go, or, hop around Europe through Ancient Greece and Rome. By splitting it up into sections, you’ll feel like you’ve got a really good insight into one area. You’ll also remember which bits you’ve seen if you get the chance to go back. Every time you go back, you’ll get to explore something new.

4. Join a tour.

Yes, this might be a very touristy thing to do, but the guides here know their stuff. The information cards in the museum aren’t brilliant; there’s just too much on display to have a detailed explanation about all of the artefacts. So if there’s something you really want to learn about, find the tour guide post, or, hire a headset and listen at your own leisure.

5. Don’t rush!

This is the most important way to walk around a museum, but in somewhere this vast, it can be difficult not to get drawn into seeing as much as possible. If you’re attracted to the ancient jewellery (my favourite part of the museum) then linger over it. Enjoy the bits you really want to. So you didn’t see the gold Kate Moss statue? So what! It’s your trip. See what you want to see. Enjoy what you want to enjoy.

The British Museum is a beautiful place and you’ll always enjoy coming here if you get to see something new. Hopefully if you tackle the museum in sections and take your time, you’ll really enjoy yourself. After all, the museum is meant to be fun not hard work!

The British museum is located on Russell Street. It is free, but there are donation boxes. If you can, do donate. They need those donations to keep those excellent exhibits open.

Photo of the Great Court at the British Museum, London by jon hanson

Until you realise that actually, without venturing into Soho or Covent Garden, there’s apparently little around here. Apart from a few secret little venues you might not know about.

• Gordon’s Wine Bar

If you sneak down Villiers street you’ll come to a cute little garden by Embankment station. Just next to there is Gordon’s wine bar. Established in 1890, Gordon’s is probably London’s oldest wine bar. It’s also London’s best. You can only buy wine, port or Madeira here, but it’s worth it. Grab a bottle and a plate of cheese and sit outside if it’s warm, or hide in the catacombs for a romantic chat in candle light.

• The Chandos

If you’re not in the mood for wine, and The Coal Hole on the Strand is full, head up to The Chandos on St. Martin’s lane. This is a great boozer owned by the Samuel Smiths brewery. Samuel Smiths means many things, but most importantly, it means cheap. You’ll get change from five pounds for two beers. It makes a nice change from the sometimes extortionate prices you can be charged in town. The Chandos is also huge. You’ll always be able to find a seat in here – there are lots of sofas upstairs too.

• National Gallery Café

The National Gallery has also got a few options that might surprise you. If you’re having a nose around all the paintings, make sure you pop into the cafe when you’re done. They’ve got a great selection of cakes which you’ll spend for too long pondering over. You’ll have no trouble finding a seat in the simple but charming cafe. If you want something a little more swish, the National Dining Room will take care of this. You’ll can just have a bit of lunch or a bottle of champagne in this gorgeous but unpretentious restaurant and bar.

• Ship and Shovel

It’s best to avoid the rather predictable Sherlock Holmes pub on Northumberland Avenue and head to the historical Ship and Shovel tucked away on Craven Passage. Here, you really do have a pub of two halves as it’s split on either side of the street. There’s a large bar on one side but the other side is much more fun with its upstairs seating and really tiny snug which is just big enough for two people.

As long as you avoid all of the generic and plasticy pubs and bars in Charing Cross, you should be able to find somewhere fun. As great as London is, areas surrounding stations aren’t always wonderful drinking spots. Sometimes it’s worth venturing a little further into town. Unless you decide to stay in Gordon’s all night that is. In which case nothing could be more perfect.

Photo of Gordon’s Pub, London originally posted by L-plate big cheese

1. The Greenwich Union

Royal Hill.

The Greenwich Union is a brilliant little hidden away pub. It brews its own beer and is tucked away into ‘the posh bit’ meaning you’re always able to find a table away from tourist traps near the market. The staff are always friendly (not to mention very attractive) and they let you eat ice cream at the bar if you ask very nicely. They’ll also make sure your dog is well watered and fussed over. Their chef deserves a medal and if you’ve got plans for the rest of the day, don’t venture into the beer garden in the summer. You won’t want to move anywhere in a hurry.

2. The Painted Chapel

Royal Navel College.

Part of what’s now Greenwich University, The Painted Chapel is one of the most beautiful little secrets south of the river. It’s still used a chapel to this day but you can go in an look around (except during the Sunday service) and you can even get married here if you want to. Tucked away in the fabulous buildings designed by Sir Christopher Wren, you won’t find a more perfect quite spot in London.

3. Greenwich Park

Nelson Road.

Not just a big bit of grass, Greenwich Park is one of the best in London. Where else would you be able to walk through a rose garden, feed the very friendly squirrels and go and visit the deer in the deer enclosure? That’s not forgetting the views from the world famous Observatory. If you’re lucky, you might even be able to find the scary tree which was rumored to be used as a prison.

4. Oliver’s Jazz Bar

Nevada Street.

Greenwich can be a bit quiet in the evening. Unless you know how to find Oliver’s Jazz Bar. Tucked away in a courtyard and hidden down some stairs, this is truly the best bar in Greenwich and one of the best live venues in London. You’ll be treated to a warm welcome by the French staff and blown away by the live music. It’s quiet and relaxed on Fridays but much more lively on Saturdays. Get there early, grab a table and settle in for the evening with a bottle of wine.

5. Red Door

Turnpin Lane

Red Door is a tiny little gift shop with erm, a red door. But it’s not just about the girly ornaments and jewelery and the “Oh my god I don’t really need it but I really want it” stuff that you can buy here. The place is so small, but they somehow manage o have a little art gallery right at the back. You’ll see the work of local artists and in some cases you’ll be able to buy their work. It’s a pleasant surprise in what’s already a gorgeous little shop. Galleries shouldn’t be a secret, but this one works so well with the occasional visitor. Sometimes you’ll have to battle with the cutest little guard dog to get there as he’s often in the doorway. Don’t worry, he’s fluffy and harmless.

Picture of Greenwich, London originally posted by judepics