London receives millions of visitors each year, with attractions and landmarks such as Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, London Bridge and Madame Tussauds all drawing in crowds.
Then there’s the home of English football, Wembley, the vibrant shopping street of Oxford Street, the inviting food stalls of Borough Market, and, to soak up the general vibe of London, Covent Garden and Soho.
However, our own leafy patch of the capital, south west London, also has its fair share of not-to-be-missed sights to see and activities to do. Below are some of the best ones.
Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew
Kew Gardens is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of London’s true treasures.
It’s a short journey away from central London, so easy enough to fit in if you’re only in the city for a few days.
The gardens boast the world’s largest Victorian glasshouse, which houses rare and endangered plants, and the site spoils you with a bright, bordered walkway into Kew.
There’s also a woodland garden, a Japanese garden, a bamboo garden and a children’s garden. This peaceful attraction is just the ticket for nature lovers.
Wimbledon
If sport is more your jam, head to the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet, on Church Road, Wimbledon Lane.
It’s the home of tennis and the biggest event in grand slam tennis: Wimbledon.
You can buy tickets for the event, which is currently taking place, or if they’re out of your price range, you may just wish to visit the Wimbledon Museum.
The museum features exhibitions and displays, plus an interactive gallery. If you choose to book a tour of the club, you can view the prestigious centre court and other notable areas, such as the press writers’ room, players’ entrance and Henman Hill.
Stroll around Battersea Park
Battersea Park sits about three kilometres south of Hyde Park and is another zone of tranquillity in the city.
A highly beautiful one at that, too, rewarding visitors with 200 acres of green space.
That includes more than 4,000 trees and several different gardens, including a subtropical garden, a winter garden, an old English garden, a herb garden and, if you’d like to take in a view of the Thames, a promontory garden.
The local authorities are in the process of creating themed walks for the park, which makes it even more of a treat if you go for a stroll around the park.
As you’ll have noted, this is a massive park, so you may wish to explore it by bicycle so you can see more of it, and it’ll be a bit easier on your legs.
Nightlife
London has some of the greatest nightlife in the world, and the south west is no exception.
From the post-punk bands at the Windmill in Brixton to the sticky floors of Infernos nightclub in Clapham, you can find anything you want.
London is as glamorous as any other city, and you might want to get in on that action by visiting one of its casinos.
If you’re staying in the south west of the city and want a taste of the gaming world, the boroughs of Kensington & Chelsea and Hammersmith & Fulham are the places to visit.
Of course, you don’t have to don your best attire and leave your hotel room to experience casino thrills and spills.
If you’re too busy playing darts in a local pub or listening to live music at a venue, you can hop onto sites like Casino.org to get your fill of online casinos as an alternative instead.
Another slice of life you should take part in is the London pub scene.
While most of the oldest pubs are generally in central London, the south west also has some hidden gems.
The Alexandra in Clapham is over 150 years old and proudly wears every year of it. The Duke’s Head in Putney holds Grade II listing and Victorian history, with something to suit everyone.
Finally, the Devonshire in Balham is a great example of a historical British pub that has kept many of its features from times gone by, while also combining it with a modern twist for a unique and captivating place to drink.
Go on a river cruise along the Thames
The Thames is beautiful to look at, but even more beautiful to get out onto and see some from the side of a boat.
Several boat cruises along the river are available, with the price depending upon whereabouts you get on.
In the south west, you can take some tours between Kingston Upon Thames and Richmond Upon Thames.
London, one of the world’s finest and most popular cities, is packed with things to do wherever you go.
If you manage to fit in all the activities above and are still looking for more, you may wish to visit the London Wetlands Centre, which is a must for birdwatchers, or if you have time and a love of history, you can venture just a little further and visit Hampton Court, the home of Henry VIII.
