Discover These Three Wonderful Hidden Spots In London

London is made up of 32 boroughs and many more districts, meaning that there’s a lot to see and do during your stay at the Park Grand Paddington Court. However, most first time visitors to London tend to stick to the central boroughs – Westminster and the City of London ceremonial borough. This comes as no surprise, the centre of the city is teeming with attractions, but they tend to overshadow those more intimate, subtle landmarks and areas. This might be that they’re slightly harder to find, or perhaps that they are simply not signposted, but many of them are imbibed with a certain London charm that could help you experience the city in a new light.

Below you’ll find a selection of the great secret spots in London, which may not be advertised on billboards or the lobbies of accommodation Paddington London, but offer a unique insight into the English capital and its history.

Hackney Marshes

Though most London visitors will know about Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens and Regent’s Park, there are many other green spaces in London that exemplify why London is known as an official “green city”. Hackney Marshes is a green belt in the east of the city bordering Hackney, Tottenham and Walthamstow to the north. This green belt of parkland, canals and nature reserve is actually the endpoint for the Lea Valley, which stretches all the way up into Hertfordshire.

Though named the Hackney Marshes, this stretch of green space and riverway actually incorporates former reservoirs turned wetland nature reserves in Walthamstow, to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park near Stratford and the Tottenham marshes as well. Perfect for a sunny weekend, these many miles of walking trails are often overlooked but easy to reach via Overground and Victoria line services.

Little Venice

With many cafes, pubs and restaurants near Paddington Station in the vicinity, Little Venice’s proximity to Hyde Park can mean it is often overshadowed by the royal greens. The canal ways of the area are bordered by gorgeous townhouses and hold many surprises along its banks. Little Venice, aptly named after the Italian sunken city, is home to a convergence of canal routes that have a long history of trade into the Midlands but in modern times, eschew an air of quaint luxury.

Leadenhall Market

This historic market is often forgotten due to the more visible and regularly Instagrammed likes of Portobello Road and Borough Market. Hidden by the City of London skyscrapers, Leadenhall Market is situated close to Fenchurch Street Station and has existed in some capacity as a market for more than 600 years.

The market itself, with a shelter built by famous architect Horace Jones in the Victorian era, is actually situated in the heart of old Roman London. Evidence of mosaics from the first century can still be seen here today. Guests of London hotel deals less interested in the high end shopping available in this arcade will still marvel at the beautiful interior of the market, which has been used as a film location for the likes of Harry Potter, and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider.