” These graveyard gardens are the most peaceful of our London sanctuaries and their dead the quietest”
– Virginia Woolf
Those unfamiliar with London could be forgiven for believing it to be large and noisy, a place filled with cars and people all vying for the same space. Of course there are aspects of this which are true, but this is only one part of London. The other part is much calmer, more peaceful and pleasingly quiet. If you are able to see London as the series of villages and communities, each one loosely connected to make a whole it becomes much more manageable.
As a first timer to London it is natural to want to see visit all the iconic tourist spots. Buckingham Palace, Piccadilly Circus, Covent Garden, The Tower of London, Tate Modern. These are all likely to be at the top of first timers list. They are all exciting and interesting places to visit and yet spending all your time hopping from one busy place to the next can feel overwhelming and exhausting. Who has not spent a day sight seeing in London, only to end it with aching feet and a craving for somewhere quiet to retreat to.
London is a complex and at times quite baffling city with its eclectic architecture, vast array of places to eat from all over the world and wonderfully clashing cultures. The tube system is a fabulous way to get around but it can be frustrating too. Crushed up against the bodies of complete strangers, trains that stop and start for no apparent reason, and the sheer volume of people crammed onto platforms at rush hour can all make you tense and anxious.
London is not for everyone and many will decide after just a short time that it is the rural idyll they crave or a much smaller town life. For those of us who do make London our home, knowing where to escape and how to make the most of this glorious city without the constant buzz of traffic and barrage of people is so important to not just surviving here, but thriving too.
Walk Whenever You Can
The best way to navigate London’s streets is by foot. This is the way to discover all those places you would never see when underground or even on the top deck of the bus. When you walk you can veer off main streets, take the longer way round peek around corners or veer off into unknown territory when it all gets a bit much. The real London treasure is often found in the quieter smaller streets.
Visit Museums and Galleries off Peak Time
If you are visiting some of London’s bigger museums such as The Natural History Museum, The British Museum or The Victoria and Albert Museum then I highly recommend visiting them very early or towards the end of the day. If you are there at opening time then you have the privilege of having some of the museums greatest works of art or cultural gems all to your self. There is little more thrilling than standing in front of a great work of art without another soul around. This is one of my favourite London things.
Look beyond the bigger world famous London museums to some of the smaller ones. There are so many, and each of them has something special to offer. One of my perennial favourites is The Garden Museum
Be Curious and Look Beyond
A huge joy is discovering that behind every famous London attraction or tourist hot spot, there will be a quieter, more gentle place also waiting to be discovered. So when you have had your fill of people and busy buildings, step away and look for the quieter alternatives. Find the places where you can regroup, regain your equilibrium and return into the fray refreshed and ready to go again.
Just moments from Oxford Street is Brown Hart Gardens, a raised terraced garden with plenty of places to sit a while. When you need to escape from the busy South Kensington museum trail, wander into Princes Square. There are two lawns surrounded by imperial college buildings and plenty of benches and places to sit. Bookshops are always a peaceful place to retreat to. Heywood Hill Books in Mayfair is always a wonderfully bookish retreat.
Don’t Forget about Churches
Many of London’s churches and places of worship are open throughout the day and are lovely places to retreat when you want to escape for a while. The cooling interiors, stained glass windows and tranquility within can be real balm to a weary body and mind. The Actors Church in Covent Garden is a wonderful example of this. Some of the churches even have cafes. Host Cafe & St Mary Aldermary has a lovely cafe and is very close to St Paul’s Cathedral and is a world away from the hustle and bustle which surrounds the city of London.
Use Specialist Guide Books
I’m a huge fan of Lonely Planet Guidebooks and have used them to navigate my way all around the world. However by the very nature of their popularity they may not take you to the hidden, quieter corners. This is why even as someone who lives in London I will regularly turn to the smaller more specialist guide books. There lots to choose from and many will focus on one particular aspect of London such as parks and gardens or bookshops. Some of my favourites are the Quiet London Books by Siobhan Wall and Peaceful London by David Hampshire.
If you would like more ideas on quieter places to visit in London :
- You might enjoy my post on Calm Places to Visit After Lock Down.
- Discover some of London’s Quiet Garden Squares
- Sign up for my newsletter to automatically receive my Mini Guide “London 15 Quiet Places and Hidden Spaces”
- Coming soon is my E-book of Quiet London Walks
