Places you (probably) don’t know about in London

DEEP underneath this bustling city lies a world of intrigue and mystery. This is what you’ll find when you step off the tourist trail.

LONDON is a cultural and historical icon that’s swarming with tourists. It’s constantly changing, always exciting and the city is irresistible to Australians. And once you’ve checked off the top attractions then this city has plenty more in store. Here are some offbeat picks.

A MUSEUM WAY MORE BIZARRE THAN THE GUIDEBOOK CLASSICS

This Victorian-era operating theatre is the oldest in Europe and remained hidden for over a 100 years. (Flickr John Pannell)

Hidden in the shadow of the Shard (a flashy skyscraper by London Bridge) is a little known gem of a museum, the Old Operating Theatre (just South of London Bridge, and opposite Guy’s Hospital). Enter via a humble wooden door and climb up the narrow, 32-step spiral staircase into the attic of what was once St Thomas’ Church.

Once inside you’ll find a grisly, Dickensian world of surgeons and their crackpot remedies. It boarded up for over 100 years and was only rediscovered in 1956 when Raymond Russell, who was researching the history of St Thomas’s Hospital, decided to investigate an odd opening into the attic.

A SAUNA WAY MORE INTERESTING THAN A DAY SPA

The beautiful and modern Finnish Church, located in a southeast London cul-de-sac, is a meeting place for Finns living in the UK. They’re a welcoming bunch and anyone can visit the church for a traditional Finnish sauna (Tuesday to Sunday, with separate times for men and women). And if you need a place to stay you can also book a room, which come equipped with attractive Scandinavian furniture.

A GRAVEYARD FOR SKATEBOARDS

The damaged skateboards left on one of the Hungerford Bridge’s supports are a tribute to skateboarder Timothy Baxter, who was murdered in 1999. (Flickr Garry Knight)

Below the Hungerford Bridge, which crosses the River Thames, on one of the piers you’ll find the “Skateboard Graveyard”, which consists of many broken skateboards. This is a place where boarders remember friends who have passed and where old decks are hurled once their backs are broken.

INSIDE THE WORLD OF SCIENTOLOGY

L. Ron Hubbard, who is best known for Dianetics and Scientology, lived at Fitzroy House while in London. Step inside the house, which is free to visit, and you’ll discover a 1950s time capsule where you can view original manuscripts, rare first edition books and artefacts relating to the authors life.

BODIES EXHUMED BY A FAMOUS POET

A famous poet had the shocking job of relocating graveyards near St Pancras Old Church and placing them near this ash tree. (Flickr Andrea Vail)

In the churchyard of St Pancras Old Church, hundreds of old gravestones circle an ash tree. They were put there by poet and novelist Thomas Hardy who was working as an apprentice architect in the King’s Cross area in the mid-19th century. Hardy had the grisly task of exhuming and moving the bodies to make way for a railway line. The original tombstones were re-erected around the base of a nearby ash tree, which still stands today.

DON’T PAY A CENT FOR THE BEST VIEW IN TOWN

The One New Change shopping centre in the heart of the city has all the major fashion chains. But the centre, opened in 2010, also has one of the best views in London. There’s no entrance fee and a fast lift will get you on top, where there is a roof terrace from where you can enjoy the surrounding views of St. Paul’s Cathedral.

ENROL IN A VICTORIAN ERA SCHOOL

The Ragged School Museum is housed in a group of three canalside buildings which once formed the largest “ragged” or free school in London. On the first Sunday of every month you can attend classes in a Victorian classroom where actors in period costume give lessons centred around the three Rs.

MEETING PIGS IN THE CITY

To escape the hustle and bustle of the city head to Mudchute, a community charity, with a working farm, stables, a children’s nursery in the heart of East London. Another option is Freightliners City Farm, which is in the heart of Islington. Animals here range from rare breed pigs and goats to new born lambs and chicks.