London and unique places to see

Over the years been extremely lucky to have enjoyed many stays in London. In 2024 spent six weeks.

Suggestions:

Tudkin and The Victoria pub for meals when you are near Lancaster Gate.

Visit Granary Square and nearby Coal Drop Yards then stroll along the Regent Canal Path past Gas Holder park up to The Constituion. Opens at 11am.
Have lunch. Then continue on the pathway to Regents Park

If a nature lover consider exploring the Walthamstow Wetlands. There’s a nice coffee spot called DeJa Brew right around the corner from Blackhorse Road tube station.

Tube to Finsbury Park station and follow the Parkland Walk to Crouch Hill Road. Follow the road to Crouch Hill Station.

Have you been to Holland House and Holland Park?

Have you attended a trial at the Royal Courts of Justice? If you go there be sure to enjoy lunch at the nearby Seven Stars pub. Especially if you like pub cats. The General owns the place.

Been to the Hunterian Museum?

Lots a street markets these days.

https://www.timeout.com/london/shopping/best-london-markets

Columbia Flower Market is interesting and you could take a 25 minute walk to the Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities from there.

Great city. Enjoy your return.

Have you been to Leighton House or Sambourne House? Both are near the Kensington High Street (I haven't had the chance to visit these yet but they are on my list).
Near the Barbican: Have you been to Charterhouse? How about St Bartholomew The Great church?
You may already know this, but just a heads up that The Conservatory at the Barbican must be prebooked: https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2025/event/visit-the-conservatory
Near Waterloo station are the Leake St tunnels with graffiti art. I also like the preserved architecture of nearby Roupell St.
In June, the roses in Queen Mary's rose garden (Regent's Park) might be in bloom. Nearby: I've enjoyed many walks along the Regent's Canal. There is a new development behind Kings Cross station called Coal Drop Yards. This and Granary Square are accessible from the Canal path. When I was at Kings Cross last fall there was a small daytime market set up in front of the station.
Also on my very long list but I haven't gotten around to it yet: The Sigmund Freud House, Highgate Cemetery, Highgate neighborhood, Hampstead Heath, Kenwood House.

Thanks for all the great suggestions. I'll map them out to check walking distances, etc. I have some mobility issues and try to keep walks around 15-20 minutes before needing a rest.. Including getting to the tube stations. I know about pre-booking Barbican. Thanks again for all ideas. I will check them all out.

I will add to Claudia’s recommendation for an off the beaten path idea which will require a tube journey from your hotel: “The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities, Fine Art & UnNatural History”. Also is known as The Last Tuesday Society.

I saw this rather unique place a decade or so ago in The Getaway London episode. It was a short lived series on The Esquire Network consisting of celebrities spending 48 hours in a far off city. Rashida Jones (actress, daughter of Quincy Jones) was the celebrity for the London episode and went to this rather dark “museum” and it piqued our interest. It was enjoyable and I have been there twice. Do NOT stay and have a beer there, though. Their expertise is charging people to see their weird collection, not serving fresh and economical ale.

Last Tuesday Society is not far from where I live. I've been in a couple of times too. Once for an event and once just for a look. I've been hesitant to mention it here. Wow it's freaky! You need to know what you're getting into. Not for everyone, to say the least :)

London Fields or Cambridge Heath on the Overground from Liverpool Street or a 55 bus from New Oxford Street / Tottenham Court Road.

If you are American (or even if not but you have an interest) Benjamin Franklin's house near Charing Cross station is an interesting little museum. He lived there nearly 16 years. https://benjaminfranklinhouse.org/ Note at least for now it is open only on Fri, Sat, Sun. Enjoy the planning!

For off the wall things to see, there is the Texas Legation building, Pickering Place (site of the last dual in London), the last sewer gas destructor lamp, Temple Church, Roman wall walk, John Snow water pump, Victoria Park and the Burdett-Coutts fountain (first fountain that provided clean water to that area of London), Peter Pan statue in Hyde Park, Camden Lock area, Cleopatra’s needle, the former Whitechapel Bell Foundry where the Liberty Bell was cast, cheese shops Neal’s Yard dairy and Paxton & Whitfield, St. Clement Danes, RAF chapel, Albert Bridge, and London Peace Pagoda in Battersea Park.

If you like Banksy works, there are a few in London. There are also the blue plaque buildings where famous people used to live, e.g., George Orwell house or the house Churchill died. There a website where you can look them up.

Check out London Walks (https://www.walks.com/). They do walking tours and for me their specialty is finding little corners of London you would not otherwise notice.

Dennis Sever’s house?

I found the Paddington Basin a very nice place to stroll. There are also boat tours that will take you up into Little Venice. The one I saw was a bit pricey, but even without mobility issues, I imagine this would be a nice way to see the area. I was there on a sunny day in March, don't know what it would be like in June.

It's not a place to see but a thing to do. The tea bus! https://b-bakery.com

If you like music, you may enjoy the Handel Hendrix House. It’s a small and nicely-done museum about both musicians who lived there. I really liked it. They have staff around who will tell you about the rooms and some audio stations so you can listen to some of the music. There are some stairs, but there’s also a lift.