The Atlas Obscura Guide To London
542 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in London, England
Updated May 19, 2025
Layers and layers of history are the hallmark of London, and you never know what amazing stories are hiding around each corner, from the buried remains of a street visible through a sewer grate to the actual painting that produced Monty Pythonʼs iconic squishing foot.
Unusual Attractions in London
Cool Places to Eat & Drink in London
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Atlas Obscura Itineraries
Gastro Obscura’s 10 Essential Stops on an Alternative London Pub Crawl
Think London, and it’s likely you’ll picture a cozy pub. The word is a 17th-century abbreviation of the term “public house,” a concept originally inspired by Roman-era taverns, but the pub as we know it today is one of the most quintessentially British and Irish cultural icons, with its own unique aesthetic and culture. Much has been written about the fact that pubs in the U.K. and Ireland are dying; a 2023 government report shared that every day in England and Wales, two pubs close their doors. Even the pubs in a modern, ever-evolving city like London can feel like a glimpse into a disappearing past. Much has also been written about London’s oldest pubs, but we wanted to share a collection of pubs with links to contemporary music, British food, literature, interior design, architecture and, of course, great beer, rather than just age.
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