life

5 quirky places you need to visit in London

Published 09:37 12 Jul 2017 BST

Updated 09:43 12 Jul 2017 BST

Alice Murray

5 quirky places you need to visit in London

Forget Big Ben and ditch Buckingham Palace.

London is a great place for a weekend away. It's easy to get to, it's teeming with culture and there's just so many things to see. But if you go to London this year don't just go to all the usual cliche spots. If you want to see the real London, ditch the tourist traps and go to some of these more unusual places instead. Trust me, you won't regret it. Sketch Sketch is a quirky 18th-century townhouse tearoom that transforms into a cocktail lounge every evening. A firm favourite among Instagram-seeking travel bloggers, Sketch is famous for its unusual interiors and brilliant food. I mean, just look at how amazing their toilets are. It is pretty pricey though just pop in for one.

A post shared by sketch (@sketchlondon) on May 29, 2017 at 7:19am PDT

Neasden Temple It's hard to believe that this temple exists in Europe, never mind London. The Neasden Temple, also known as BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is Europe's first traditional Hindu stone temple and easily accessible from the city centre by train.

A post shared by The Illuminated Life (@theilluminatedlifee) on Mar 24, 2017 at 9:43am PDT

God's Own Junkyard Tucked away in the sleepy village of Walthamstow lies God's Own Junkyard, a quirky neon light museum filled to the rafters with various lights, signs and memorabilia. The museum is a real treasure trove and the best part is you don't even have to pay to go in. But you really should grab a pint or a slice of cake in their little cafe.

A post shared by Alice Murray (@itsalicemurray) on May 29, 2017 at 1:48am PDT

Sky Garden OK, not such a hidden gem per say but lots of people will overlook this iconic landmark on a trip to London. The Sky Garden is completely free to enter and a great place to stop off for a spot of lunch. If you want to try something really different then try the sunrise yoga in the gardens. It's well worth the early start.

A post shared by Amy Murray (@amymurraymint) on Oct 14, 2015 at 9:14am PDT

Kingston's phone box dominos David Mach's ''Out of Order'' is a piece of installation art consisting of twelve telephone boxes toppling over like dominos. Locals have started several petitions to get the installation removed so you better go and see them before they're gone.