A visit to London will surely keep you busy in the central districts like the City of London and Westminster. But London is a huge city and there are some seriously interesting and culturally diverse districts that you simply cannot pass off.
One of the most famous districts is right next to the City. It’s the East End, and it is home to the globally-renowned English accent Cockney, which movies and obsession have made famous. There are plenty of hotels in this part of London town, and it also is one of the more affordable areas to stay in.
But what can you do in the home of Cockney? Well, the most obvious thing is to just walk around and experience the life and sounds of the streets. Not as many tourists come down this way, which will make your experience all the more personal, and therefore authentic.
Brick Lane
You will find your way one way or another to Brick Lane, a flamboyantly alive neighborhood that you’ll either love or hate. It’s an epicenter of Indian and Bengali residents, full of restaurants specializing in food from the subcontinent.
Another place you can check out is Whitechapel, which begins right next to the City of London and ends at Cavell Street. You might not want to walk around there at night if you’re susceptible to imagining Jack the Ripper—for it was here that the old killer haunted the streets.
Distract yourself by visiting the Whitechapel Art Gallery, which has a history of exhibiting master artists—and it’s free!
Brick Lane is north of here and you might want to stop in to the Brick Lane Gallery if you’ve caught the art bug and are itching for more. From there you can find Mile End, which is an economically higher-class neighborhood than the aforementioned. It’s here that you can experience the wonderful tranquility of Victoria Park.
Victoria Park
When night rolls around, you might find sanctuary with new friends bar hopping in Shoreditch. The area is known for being one of bars and clubs that stay open to the wee hours of the morning, and there’s always something for everyone.
If you have a day or two to spare, you should take your time strolling along in the Docklands. This is the district where the old London docks are. It has changed a lot since the docks themselves were left to rot after the war.
Shoreditch town hall, London, England
Nowadays there are a lot of developments that have popped up on the prime real estate that the river front offers, interspersed between bits of historical quays. You’ll walk from the City, through Wapping and Limehouse, to Canary Wharf.
Victoria Park, London, England
Canary Wharf
The Wharf is the most interesting part of the Docklands, with the massive modern towers that you’d expect a city as big as London to have. There’s tons of shopping here, and the business vibe is sizzling on the air during lunch hour.
Before you leave the Docklands, you should check out the Museum, which describes the entire history of the district all the back to the days of the Romans, to those of the Vikings, to colonial times, the wars and modern day.
Photo by D Pavlov
Canary Wharf, London, England
The East End has yet more to offer, but these places should get you started on the path to discovering what hasn’t yet been mentioned here.
