The Most Unusual Places in London
This walk is for the days when you do not just want to see London, but want to catch its hidden details: haunted pubs, miniature squares, old signs, strange sculptures, pelicans, shell huts and tiny city secrets that usually stay out of frame.
I chose 20 places across Belgravia, Westminster, St James’s and Mayfair. You can do them in one long day, but the more elegant version is to split the route in two: Belgravia + Westminster, then St James’s + Mayfair.
- Best time: a weekday morning or Sunday before lunch.
- Route: start near Victoria, walk through Westminster and St James’s, then finish in Mayfair.
- Pace: 4-6 hours with coffee, lunch and slow stops.
- Main idea: look for details, not only the big landmarks.
Full walking map: open the route on Google Maps.
20 Unusual Places in London
1. The Grenadier Pub, Belgravia
Map: Open this spot on Google Maps.
Why it is worth it: A tiny pub hidden in one of Belgravia’s prettiest quiet corners. It is easy to miss because it sits away from the obvious streets: white facade, red details, a narrow lane and that old-London feeling that does not try too hard.
The story: The Grenadier is often described as a haunted pub. The best-known story is linked to a young guardsman who, according to legend, was punished after a card-game debt. That is why you may see banknotes left inside by visitors as a symbolic payment to the ghost. Believe it or not, the atmosphere is wonderfully cinematic.
Where to eat or drink nearby: For food, try The Orange. For coffee, Tomtom Coffee House is a good nearby stop.
2. Belgrave Square and Hommage de Leonardo
Map: Open this spot on Google Maps.
Why it is worth it: Belgrave Square is one of those London squares where the city suddenly becomes very grown-up, diplomatic and calm: embassies, grand facades, wide streets and a quiet, almost museum-like mood.
The story: The unexpected detail here is Hommage de Leonardo, a sculpture inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man. It works beautifully as a small pause on the route: you think it is just another elegant square, and then there is a Renaissance reference in the middle of Belgravia.
Where to eat or drink nearby: After the square, walk towards Motcombs or Elizabeth Street for cafes and pretty shopfronts.
3. Eccleston Yards
Map: Open this spot on Google Maps.
Why it is worth it: A pedestrian courtyard between Victoria and Belgravia that feels like a small lifestyle quarter: restaurants, studios, bars, plants, outdoor tables and far less chaos than Victoria Station.
The story: This is modern London rather than old London: not a classic monument, but a good place to pause between historic streets, galleries and the station. It is especially nice on weekdays, when the courtyard feels relaxed rather than crowded.
Where to eat or drink nearby: For food, look at Wild by Tart. For coffee nearby, try Ole & Steen Victoria.
4. Cabmen's Shelters
Map: Open this spot on Google Maps.
Why it is worth it: London’s green wooden cabmen’s shelters are one of the sweetest details in the city. They look like miniature cottages that someone accidentally placed on very serious streets.
The story: The shelters began appearing in the nineteenth century so cab drivers could have tea and food without leaving their cab too far away. Many still primarily serve cabbies, so you cannot always walk in, but they are lovely to spot from the outside.
Where to eat or drink nearby: Pair this stop with coffee at Iris & June or a quick bite around Victoria.
5. Grosvenor Gardens Shell Huts
Map: Open this spot on Google Maps.
Why it is worth it: The two tiny shell-covered huts in Grosvenor Gardens look like something from an old postcard. They are strange, delicate and very satisfying to stumble across.
The story: The shell huts are linked to Franco-British friendship and to the garden tradition of using shells for decorative huts and grottoes. This is not a loud landmark. It is exactly the kind of hidden detail that makes London rewarding.
Where to eat or drink nearby: From here, walk to The Ivy Victoria or grab coffee on the way to Little Ben.
6. Little Ben by Victoria Station
Map: Open this spot on Google Maps.
Why it is worth it: Little Ben is a perfect London oddity: most people rush past it on the way to a train, while it stands there like a theatrical miniature of its famous relative.
The story: Little Ben dates back to the Victorian era and became a local landmark by Victoria. It is a short stop rather than a destination, but if you are in the area, it is absolutely worth noticing.
Where to eat or drink nearby: For breakfast or coffee, try Iris & June or Chestnut Bakery Belgravia.
7. Westminster Cathedral
Map: Open this spot on Google Maps.
Why it is worth it: Many visitors rush to Westminster Abbey and almost ignore Westminster Cathedral. That is a shame: it is one of London’s most unusual churches, with striped brickwork, a Byzantine feel and a huge, calm interior.
The story: This is the mother church for Catholics in England and Wales. Inside, it feels very different from Gothic London: mosaics, arches, gold, shadow and silence. If the tower is open, the view over Westminster is a brilliant bonus.
Where to eat or drink nearby: For food, look around Cardinal Place or stop at Ole & Steen Victoria.
8. Dean's Yard
Map: Open this spot on Google Maps.
Why it is worth it: Dean’s Yard is a green courtyard beside Westminster Abbey that feels almost like a closed schoolyard from a British film. It is close to the crowds, but much quieter once you step inside.
The story: It belongs to the old Westminster precinct connected with the Abbey and Westminster School. Come here to look at the architecture, walk slowly and breathe before the more official side of Westminster.
Where to eat or drink nearby: For lunch, try Cellarium Cafe. For something more special, look at The Cinnamon Club.
9. Jewel Tower
Map: Open this spot on Google Maps.
Why it is worth it: Jewel Tower is one of those pieces of medieval London that sits in plain sight, yet many people miss it. It is small, severe and especially striking next to the huge Parliament buildings.
The story: The tower was built in the fourteenth century as Edward III’s treasury. It survived the 1834 fire that destroyed much of the old Palace of Westminster, so this is a real remnant of the medieval royal complex.
Where to eat or drink nearby: Afterwards, walk to Regency Cafe or book The Cinnamon Club.
10. The Burghers of Calais by Parliament
Map: Open this spot on Google Maps.
Why it is worth it: Rodin’s sculpture sits near Parliament, but it is often overshadowed by Big Ben. Stop properly and it becomes one of the strongest public artworks in central London.
The story: The Burghers of Calais depicts citizens of Calais who were prepared to sacrifice themselves during the fourteenth-century siege of the city. Rodin did not make them look triumphantly heroic: he gave them fear, dignity, weight and exhaustion.
Where to eat or drink nearby: Combine it with Parliament Square and coffee at Storey’s Gate Cafe.
11. St James's Park and the Pelicans
Map: Open this spot on Google Maps.
Why it is worth it: The pelicans in St James’s Park are almost absurdly wonderful. You walk between Buckingham Palace and Westminster, and suddenly there are pelicans living on the lake.
The story: Pelicans have been part of the park since the seventeenth century, when they were given to Charles II by a Russian ambassador. Today they remain one of London’s most unexpected traditions.
Where to eat or drink nearby: For coffee or something sweet, stop at St James’s Cafe in the park or walk to Fortnum & Mason.
12. Pickering Place
Map: Open this spot on Google Maps.
Why it is worth it: Pickering Place is often described as London’s smallest square. Hidden behind a narrow passage off St James’s Street, it is exactly the kind of place you want to show someone and say: how many people even know this is here?
The story: The tiny square has a rich backstory: duels, old diplomatic addresses and even a link to the Republic of Texas, when Texas existed as an independent state. It is small, but it carries a lot of London history.
Where to eat or drink nearby: Nearby classics include Berry Bros. & Rudd for wine and The American Bar at The Stafford for a beautiful drink.
13. Lock & Co. Hatters
Map: Open this spot on Google Maps.
Why it is worth it: Lock & Co. is the oldest hat shop in the world, and it looks exactly how you want St James’s to look: wood, windows, tradition and a little bit of British theatre.
The story: The shop dates back to the seventeenth century and is linked to the history of the bowler hat. Even if you are not buying a hat, the window alone is worth the stop.
Where to eat or drink nearby: After Lock & Co., walk to Fortnum & Mason, The Wolseley or a coffee spot around Piccadilly.
14. Charing Cross Memorial Cross
Map: Open this spot on Google Maps.
Why it is worth it: At Charing Cross, most people think about the station or Trafalgar Square and treat the cross as background. It is actually a beautiful Victorian reconstruction of a medieval Eleanor Cross.
The story: The original Eleanor Crosses marked the route of the funeral procession of Eleanor of Castile. Today’s Charing Cross is not the medieval original, but it remains an important piece of city memory and a lovely starting point.
Where to eat or drink nearby: Stop at Notes Coffee or book The Portrait Restaurant nearby.
15. Mayfair and the Old May Fair
Map: Open this spot on Google Maps.
Why it is worth it: Mayfair now means hotels, galleries, expensive shops and private members’ clubs. But the name comes from the old May Fair that once took place in the area.
The story: That history makes the neighbourhood more interesting: behind the polished facades is the memory of a noisy, public, sometimes chaotic fairground culture. Mayfair is not just a luxury district; it is a place where London kept changing masks.
Where to eat or drink nearby: For food nearby, try Mercato Mayfair, Hideaway or The Audley Public House.
16. Mount Street Gardens
Map: Open this spot on Google Maps.
Why it is worth it: One of Mayfair’s most beautiful small gardens: red brick, benches, shade, a church nearby and the feeling that the city has been turned down for five minutes.
The story: This was once a burial ground and is now a public garden. Places like this make Mayfair more layered: behind the grand facades, you suddenly find a quiet green room.
Where to eat or drink nearby: Pair the garden with The Audley, Mount St. Restaurant or coffee on South Audley Street.
17. Mouse Mansion by Hedonism Wines
Map: Open this spot on Google Maps.
Why it is worth it: The tiny mouse door on Davies Street is the kind of micro-detail that rewards looking not only at facades, but literally down at street level.
The story: Mouse Mansion looks like a miniature address with the number 5: a tiny sculptural house hidden by Hedonism Wines. It is not an important monument. It is pure urban delight.
Where to eat or drink nearby: After finding it, pop into Hedonism Wines, Hideaway or Mercato Mayfair.
18. Berkeley Square and 50 Berkeley Square
Map: Open this spot on Google Maps.
Why it is worth it: Berkeley Square is one of Mayfair’s most elegant addresses, but it also has a darker side: number 50 is often remembered as one of Victorian London’s most famous haunted houses.
The story: The legends around 50 Berkeley Square were especially popular in the nineteenth century, with stories of strange sounds, madness, deaths and a locked room. Today it is more urban myth than fact, but it gives Mayfair a little Gothic edge.
Where to eat or drink nearby: Nearby options include Sexy Fish, The Audley or coffee around Berkeley Street.
19. Coach & Horses Pub, Mayfair
Map: Open this spot on Google Maps.
Why it is worth it: This small historic pub on Bruton Street feels especially charming among Mayfair’s expensive windows and galleries. It brings the neighbourhood back to a human scale.
The story: Coach & Horses is often described as one of the oldest buildings on Bruton Street. Nearby was the house where Elizabeth II was born, so around this tiny pub you get pub history, royal history and Mayfair polish all at once.
Where to eat or drink nearby: Stay for a drink at the pub or walk to Sketch, Hakkasan Mayfair or Hideaway.
20. Sekhmet at Sotheby's on New Bond Street
Map: Open this spot on Google Maps.
Why it is worth it: On New Bond Street, it is easy to only look at the shop windows. But outside Sotheby’s stands an ancient Egyptian statue of the goddess Sekhmet, which may be the most unexpected object on this luxury shopping street.
The story: The statue is far older than London itself: Ancient Egypt in the middle of Mayfair. That contrast is what makes it powerful. You are standing among boutiques, looking at an object that has outlived civilisations.
Where to eat or drink nearby: Nearby, try Ralph’s Coffee, Sketch or walk towards Burlington Arcade.
21. Police Call Boxes
Map: Open this spot on Google Maps.
Why it is worth it: Old police call boxes are not only a Doctor Who association. In London, they are reminders of the city before mobile phones, when communication with the police was built into the street.
The story: These call boxes were used to contact police stations. Today they are rare, and every surviving one feels like a small portal into another urban rhythm.
Where to eat or drink nearby: One convenient area to look is Earl’s Court. Afterwards, try Over Under Coffee or The Blackbird.
How I Would Do This Walk
For a beautiful route without rushing, start in Belgravia: The Grenadier, Belgrave Square, Eccleston Yards, the shell huts and Little Ben. Then continue to Westminster Cathedral, Dean’s Yard, Jewel Tower and St James’s Park. After the park, move into St James’s for Pickering Place, Lock & Co. and Charing Cross. Save Mayfair for the finale: Mount Street Gardens, Mouse Mansion, Berkeley Square, Coach & Horses and Sekhmet at Sotheby’s.
The best version of this walk is not about ticking off a list. Choose the mood. If it is sunny, spend more time in gardens and parks. If it rains, lean into pubs, shops, galleries, Westminster Cathedral and coffee. If you want a James Bond mood, focus on St James’s, Mayfair, old bars and details like Pickering Place and Lock & Co.
What to Save Before You Go
- Charge your phone: most of these spots are small and easy to miss without a map.
- Save the full route and the individual map points.
- Wear comfortable shoes: this is central London, but it is still a proper walk.
- Do not make it only about sightseeing. This route works best with pauses for coffee, a pub or a small lunch.
- Look up, down and into the passages between buildings. Half the charm is not directly in front of you.
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Map links for unusual London
For unusual London, maps are best used in clusters. Save a few points in Belgravia, Westminster, St James’s and Mayfair, then walk them as small neighbourhood routes instead of crossing the city for one hidden detail at a time.