London is brimming with history, from the Romans to WWII. Any history lover could spend a long time exploring everything the capital history has to offer. Most people, however, only have a day or two to do some fun activities. If you love history, your first instinct might be to head straight to the museums. But there’s a lot more to experience in London for history lovers, including many historical monuments and sites. If you’re planning a trip to explore historical London, you can check out some of the following fascinating things to do.
Museums
If you enjoy learning about history from the comfort of a museum, there’s no better place in the UK than London. There are, of course, the major museums, such as the Natural History Museum and the British Museum. But you also have a huge number of smaller museums to explore, both free and with an entry fee. Whatever type of history you’re interested in, you can find somewhere that fascinates you. Try the V&A Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green if you want to know about growing up in London through the ages. Or visit the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich if naval history gets you excited.
Tours
While you can take a tour of a museum, you might feel a little trapped. Some people prefer to explore history on the move. There are different types of tour available in London if you want to cover as much ground as possible. Some tours involve a vehicle, such as a bus, to get you around. However, many historical tours in the city are walking tours. The Jack the Ripper Tour shows you the streets of Whitechapel and Spitalfields, the sites of the horrific crimes committed by the infamous London figure. Some walks focus on a specific period of history, such as the Roman era.
Historical Sites
Another way to learn about history in London is simply to visit some interesting historical sites. London is full of old buildings, structures, and monuments that are hundreds of years old. You can choose somewhere with some grisly and gruesome history or a sparkly palace (although they are sometimes the same place). There are some famous sites you might not want to miss out on, such as the Tower of London or Buckingham Palace. But be aware that some of these sites will be packed with tourists.
Seek Out Unusual Places
If you prefer your history to be a bit more obscure, you can also go looking for unusual historical sites. Some of them are understated and hidden away. For example, there’s St John’s Gate in Clerkenwell, built in 1504 when it was the entrance to the priory of St John. Or there’s Apothecaries’ Hall, the oldest livery hall in London. Some old sites are now unrecognisable as what they once were. A Cafe Nero on Tottenham Court Road was the site of a V2 rocket blast in 1945, which destroyed much of the area.
History buffs won’t run out of ways to explore London. No matter what you love, you’ll discover something fascinating.