London’s Top Unusual Attractions Revealed As Visitors Seek Out Quirky Celeb Hotspots
Bingeable TV shows, movie hotspots and celebrity music videos inspire Brits to venture to less-known parts of the capital
- The bookshop from the movie Notting Hill and the Ted Lasso walking tour in Richmond feature in a new list of unofficial London attractions
- Over half of Brits say they are keen to explore less well-known parts of the capital in 2026
- 40% of Brits say they are more likely to visit spots that their favourite celebrities have frequented
- Five attractions on the list are free to visit
- Travelodge has 80 hotels in Greater London providing the perfect base for exploring the capital
A Portobello Road bookshop made famous in the movie Notting Hill and the Ted Lasso walking tour in Richmond are among the top ‘unofficial’ attractions in London.
New research* of the capital’s lesser-known sites includes an escalator in a tucked away Croydon shopping centre and Beyonce’s favourite chicken shop, while a Clapham nightclub notorious for its sticky floors also made the list.
The cultural bucket list has been unveiled by budget hotel chain Travelodge as over half (58%) of Brits say they are keen to explore more of central London and the surrounding boroughs this year, peeling away the city beyond just the big tourist hotspots of Oxford Street and Big Ben.
Topping the list is the disused Jubilee line part of Charing Cross Tube station, where London Transport Museum runs one of its Hidden London guided tours. The closed platforms and concourse have been used as a set location for films including Skyfall and Paddington, and The Notting Hill Bookshop which is a pilgrimage site for fans of the 1999 classic film Notting Hill.
A Ted Lasso walking tour which takes fans of the series around various filming spots in Richmond ranks at number three in the list; die-hard enthusiasts can round out the experience by making the additional trip to Selhurst Park to see AFC Richmond’s fictional home.
The research revealed that 40% of Brits are keen to visit somewhere if it is star-studded in any capacity, as has been the case with Chicken Shop on Baker Street, where Beyonce reportedly bought £2,000 of chicken from, as well as a North London kebab shop, Kentish Delight, made famous by Taylor Swift.
Wildly popular with Londoners south of the river is Clapham’s Infernos nightclub, famously known for its sticky floors, which Margot Robbie couldn’t stop talking up during her Wuthering Heights press junkets, describing the moment she was kicked out of the club ‘that no one could be chucked out of’.
According to non-Londoners who have visited the capital in the past couple of years, the excitement comes from sights not yet seen, with over half (52%) keen to visit ‘unofficial’ cultural attractions they’ve found on social media.
It’s not just celebrity haunts that made it onto the list. Tourists also voted for quirky attractions such as Thames mudlarking tours to ‘beachcomb’ for treasures in low tides, and Highgate Cemetery in North London where visitors can visit the resting place of singer George Michael and poet George Flint.
Over a third of Brits (39%) are most excited about London’s food scene, whilst a quarter (24%) say they look forward to visiting spots featured in movies.
THE UNOFFICIAL LONDON ATTRACTIONS THAT BRITS ARE MOST KEEN TO VISIT
| Ranking (%) | Attraction | Location | Detail | Cost |
| 1 (33%) | Charing Cross station Hidden London tour | Charing Cross, WC2 | Filming location for films including Skyfall and Paddington | £46.50 to £43.50 concessions and children |
| 2 (28%) | The Notting Hill Bookshop | Notting Hill, W11 | Featured in the movie Notting Hill | Free |
| 3 (25%) | Ted Lasso Walking Locations Tour | Richmond, TW9 | Filming locations for TV Series Ted Lasso | £27 (adult) £16 (child) |
| 4 (22%) | Mudlarking Tours Along Thames | Thames Foreshore, SE1 | Treasure hunting activity | £30 (per adult and child aged 8+) |
| 5 (22%) | Highgate Cemetery | Highgate, N6 | Resting place of singer George Michael and poet George Flint | £10 (adult) £5 (child aged 8-17) |
| 6 (20%) | Infernos | Clapham, SW4 | Nightclub visited by Margot Robbie | From £10 |
| 7 (19%) | The Whitgift Centre | Croydon, CR0 | Featured in Taylor Swift’s Opalite Music video | Free |
| 8 (19%) | Kentish Delight | Kentish Town, NW5 | Taylor Swift’s favourite kebab shop | Free |
| 9 (18%) | Chicken Shop | Baker Street, NW1 | Beyonce’s favourite chicken shop | Free |
| 10 (15%) | The Amy Winehouse Mural | Camden, NW1 | Mural for famous singer, Amy Winehouse | Free |
A day out in the city can come with a price tag and 80% of Brits said they would prioritise free of charge attractions, with a further 61% willing to book accommodation further away from the capital’s centre to save cash for activities and dining. Half of the quirky attractions on the list have no admission fee.
A Travelodge spokesperson said: “A trip to the capital is about far more than ticking off the usual tourist hotspots. London is full of hidden gems to explore.
“The city’s appeal may speak for itself but when international celebrities shine a light on their favourite haunts, it serves as a reminder of just how many remarkable places are still waiting to be discovered.
“From kebab shops in Kentish Town to the infamous dancefloor at Infernos, there are countless unexpected experiences to uncover. With 80 hotels across the capital, there’s never been a better time to get a Travelodge and step off the beaten track. After all, why just simply admire the Crown Jewels when you could eat at the very same chicken shop as Queen Bey?”
To book your next London adventure today and get a great deal, check out Travelodge’s Best Price Finder.
-ENDS-
For more information, please contact:
The Travelodge Press Office
T: 01844 358 703
E: pressoffice@travelodge.co.uk
Notes to Editors
*Online survey to n=2,000 adults in the UK aged 18+ years old, completed between 1st and 5th May 2026. The survey was conducted by 3Gem Research and Insights to their in-house panel of “double opt-in” respondents and was compliant with the Market Research Society code of conduct.
The Greater London area has been geographically calculated in accordance with the London Boroughs listed here: https://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/london-directory
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