London

[March-Hare]

Can anyone recommend any usual tours in London - something you wouldn't expect to see, something not on the usual tourist top ten? Have thought of The Old Bailey, Lincoln's Inn - but where else?

[jno]

you could go on walks, which can be great if you get a good guide - we've had a couple of good ones with these people

http://www.walks.com/

You need to beware of places like Lincoln's Inn: if you actually want to get into the buildings, check their websites as they don't open that often. (Just seeing the gardens shouldn't be a bother though.)

You can also visit many city churches that are usually closed, but just one day a week

http://www.london-city-churches.org.uk/

[March-Hare]

Thanks Jno

[jamesnan]

How about The Old Operating Theatre Musuem http://www.thegarret.org.uk/visit.htm
looks to be very interesting.

[44949]

The John Soanes museum in Lincolns Inn Fields off Holborn Road is worth seeing especially for the Hogarth paintings of the Rakes Progress but the house is absolutely packed with all sorts of things. Opens at 10am on certain days (look on the website) but get there early as it is very popular and they only let so many people in at one time. Hope you enjoy London.

[ST24]

Soho.
Madame Tussaud's wax museum.
A couple of places you'd only be able to see from the outside would be BBC and Scotland Yard.

[jno]

you can get inside the BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/tours/

Tussaud's is tourist central, not exactly off the beaten track

[Maydup]

In addition to the places already mentioned, a few of my favourite visits included:

British Library -tours at 10.30am ( nothing much to see if you don't do a tour)
Docklands Museum by Canary Wharf
Royal Albert Hall tour
A river tour. - popular but worth it
Museum of London
Bank of England Museum

Plus Highgate Cemetery which i haven't been to yet but is on my list to do.

[johnny37]

Sorry if this is in the top ten but Greenwich is a great day out. You can get the boat from The Tower. Go in the park up to the observatory. Spend some time in the park. Fantastic views acrossLondon. Walk around the village and shops. Visit the palace and naval college. Some great riverside pubs. Sunday there is a market, not sure about other days.
Oh, and Cutty Sark.

[March-Hare]

Thanks everyone ...... am googling lots thanks to your ideas

[excelsior-1]

the planetarium?

[Graham-W]

If you are travelling by train there are many 2 for 1 offers here: http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/2for1-london

We found the "London Bridge Experience and London Tombs" macabre and nerve tingling. Excellent.

[Graham-W]

Full list of 2 for 1's here: http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/offers

[jake-the-peg]

Do you mean the Marvel superheros 4D attraction Excelsior?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Planetarium

Sorry :c(

[March-Hare]

Thanks again for your responses. Planetarium sounds good but as thinking of something unique to London ideally.

[jake-the-peg]

if you follow my link above you'll see the old planetarium is a superhero attraction now

There is one in the Greenwich observatory though

[emmie]

when are planning on coming first off, second thing, Madam Tussauds gets busy, as does the Planetarium. However visit Borough market during weekend, lots of interesting foods, plus some good pubs like the Market Porter right there if you want pub lunch, also gets busy. Greenwich is a good place for the Royal Observatory, it's a walk up the hill, but worth the view on a nice day. Definitely take a river boat if you can, as that offers some excellent views of all the interesting and not so interesting buildings, and if lucky you will get a good guide, one who actually knows his stuff.
Also Gabriels wharf along the south bank, and the National theatre, you can walk along way on the Thames path.
Covent Garden is ok, but is packed to the gunnels at weekends, but does offer some free entertainment, or where you put a quid in a hat for the entertainer. Do be wary of the hotspots as thieves lurk. Petticoat market by Liverpool street on Sunday only, most of it's tat, but worth a visit.
I could name a thousand places, most unknown to your average punter, have a good time

[emmie]

http://www.boroughmarket.org.uk/

[March-Hare]

Thanks em10 - been to Borough market and loved it ....... any other off the beaten track ideas would be welcome - especially looking for places to see the interior of building not usual accessible etc. And as for when ciming - anytime - frequent visitor - hence why have exhausted all the usual tourist places.

[mikey4444]

Go for a walk along the south bank of the Thames, starting at Westminster Bridge and finishing at Tower Bridge. You will pass lots of things to see on the way...South Bank Centre, Tate Modern ( free ! ) Shakespeares Globe, and lots of riverside Pubs. I especially like the Hornimans at Hays Galleria. You can stand outside and lean on the rails overlooking HMS Belfast.

On a sunny day...bliss !

[mikey4444]

By the way em10, the Planetarium next to Madam Tussauds closed years ago, in 2006.

I have never understood why Tussauds is so popular. It contains wax dummies so completely unlike the people that they are supposed to represent, that its only the signs that give you the slightest clue who the hell they are.

And yet there queues around the block every day, exceeded only by the ones for the Sistine Chapel in Rome.