There are a handful of tourist attractions in London that are inarguably essential if it’s your first time visiting the city. Sighs like Big Ben, the Tower of London, and Borough Market are inescapably tourist-y, but also must-visit spots if you’ve never been. But what about the true hidden gems of our city? If you’ve exhausted the guidebooks and want to escape the queues of tourists, it’s time for one of London’s underrated tourist attractions.
If you’re wondering where exactly those are to be found, The Times is here to help. Inspired by Emperor Naruhito of Japan’s comments about where he was most excited to visit in London, The Times has named the Thames Barrier London’s most underrated tourist attraction. But they didn’t stop there. For those who are tired of overly busy attractions, they also put together a list of other underrated tourist attractions.
The Thames Barrier
The Thames Barrier is “one of the largest movable flood barriers in the world“. Comprising 10 steel gates, it spans a whopping 520 metres across the River Thames, protecting “125 square kilometres of central London from flooding caused by tidal surges”. It’s also absolutely enormous. Each of the 10 gates weights 3,300 tonnes and is as wide as the opening of Tower Bridge.
Clearly, there was a reason why Emperor Naruhito was so excited to see them. They’re truly impressive. And you can see them in operation once a month (for testing and maintenance purposes). During the tests, you’ll see them lifted as high as a five-storey building into the air!
If you want to learn more about the Thames Barrier, be sure to visit the Thames Barrier Information Centre. Inside guests can learn about the history of the Thames, and the Thames Barrier’s past, construction, and function.
As if that all wasn’t enough, there’s also the nearby Thames Barrier Park, which The Times describes as “one of London’s least-visited green spaces“. Science, nature, and awe-inspiring machinery all in one place – no wonder it’s popular (to those who know about it, at least)!
London’s underrated tourist attractions
What if you’ve already seen the Thames Barrier? Well, it’s likely there’s at least one attraction on the list that you’ve yet to visit! The Times recognised the following attractions as being truly underrated hidden gems:
- Thames BarrierGreenwich and Newham
- Chelsea Physic GardenChelsea
- The oldest botanical garden in the capital.
- Lock & Co hattersMayfair
- “The world’s oldest hat shop” and “inventor of the bowler hat”.
- Estorick Collection of Modern Italian ArtIslington
- A hidden museum with an impressive collection of modern Italian art.
- Inns of CourtBloomsbury
- A hotbed of London history – where Charles Dickens studied and Shakespearean plays were performed for the first time.
- Emery Walker’s HouseHammersmith
- Printer Emery Walker’s house provides an insight into “life during the Arts and Crafts movement… (of) 1880-1914”.
- The Cinema MuseumElephant & Castle
- A volunteer-run museum aimed at keeping alive the spirit of cinema from the days before the mighty multiplex.
- Wwt london wetland centerBarnes
- “A 105-acre wildlife haven…. (with) everything from otters to 200 bird species”.
So, even if you think you know all of London’s sights and sounds, there’s sure to be an underrated tourist attraction on the list for you to check out.
Find out more about the Thames Barrier here.
Read The Times’ article on underrated London attractions here.
