While in London, Visit Brick Lane and Exmouth Market–and Big Ben

In a GoNOMAD.com travel story titled “A Local’s Guide to London,” Londoner Helen Whitehead suggested a number of unique and fun things to do that won’t cost you a pound.

While she nods to the greatness of the typical sites a visitor would see, Big Ben, the Tower of London, and Westminster Abbey, she points instead to places like the Exmouth Market where there are outdoor tables and cafes like Cafe Kick, a bar filled with vintage foosball tables, or tapas at Moro, one of the city’s top Spanish restaurants.

Helen also recommends a little street called Brick Lane, where there are more than 50 curry houses. There are also chic boutiques, pop-up galleries and stores full of vintage clothes.

So where do you stay when you’re in London?  A place that’s also recommended by locals would be Grange hotels in central London, recommended by TripAdvisor and many others.

Here is a recent accolade for Grange by a Londoner from TripAdvisor: “A well located and clean hotel – definitely one of the better hotels in the city! The hotel seemed to be gearing up for the Paralympics during my stay so there were a lot of random people milling around – but nothing to disrupt my stay!”

If you’ll be staying in and around a swankier neighborhood, you can find a slew of luxurious hotels in Earl’s Court, such as the Grange Strathmore hotel. Just remember, London is more than The Eye and the Tower, so check out these less known attractions that are lauded by locals.