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Aman Spa
Aman-junkies no longer need to travel to far-flung locales to get their fix. London’s Connaught Hotel opened the celebrated Asian brand’s first spa. This little jewel on the lower ground floor of the Mayfair hotel has only five treatment rooms,...
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Charles Dickens Museum
The Charles Dickens Museum occupies the only surviving London residence of the famous author, and it includes a treasure trove of memorabilia, including the portraits, rare editions, manuscripts and furniture such as the desk. It was while living in this...
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Charles Worthington
The refurbished Covent Garden headquarters of Charles Worthington occupy a lovely five-story Georgian townhouse with original fireplaces. Customers can be forgiven for forgetting they’re in a hair salon. Services start at £10 for a fringe trim; £55 for a blow...
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Cockpit Arts
A former site for cockerel fights in the middle ages, the Cockpit Arts is now a warehouse building that serves as an arts and crafts incubator, where artists can rent studio space by the month. Today, many talented jewelers, furniture...
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Columbia Road Flower Market & Shops
Columbia Road, located in London’s East End and not far from Shoreditch, is transformed every Sunday into a bright, beautiful flower market that sells everything from succulents to climbing clematis. Behind the stalls that line this quintessentially British road are...
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Divertimenti Cookery School
The beloved gourmet kitchen shop offers great cooking programs for both adults and children. Among the recent options for serious chefs were classes with a Michelin-starred chef and a Borough Market tour with a noted chef and cookbook author. The...
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Donmar Warehouse
One of London’s most acclaimed theaters, the Donmar Warehouse is perhaps best known for the heady period when Sam Mendes (of American Beauty and ex-husband-of-Kate-Winslet fame) was its artistic director in the 1990s. Creative mastermind Michael Grandage came on board...
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Dorchester Spa
The Dorchester's glitzy spa, designed by Fox Linton Associates, is not a place to detox but to luxuriate. From petit-fours at the Art Deco-inspired Spatisserie to the floor-to-ceiling glass cabinets lined with fluorescent bottles of nail polish (a throwback to...
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Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art
The foundation of Erick Estorick, an American political scientist and writer, displays his collection of early 20th-century Italian art as well as temporary exhibitions. The collection includes works by Boccioni, Carrá, Serverini, as well as Modigliani, Sironi, and de Chirico.
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Four Season Park Lane Spa
The tenth-floor spa at the Four Seasons Park Lane is everything one would expect from the five-star deluxe hotel, namely friendly staff, quiet, gleaming white dressing rooms, granite steam, a sauna with a view and a vitality pool. But what...
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Gazelli House Spa
The spa by cult beauty brand Gazelli skincare is beloved by London beauty editors. Gazelli products (also sold in Harrods) were crafted by Dr. Zarifa Hamzayeva, an Azerbaijan-born leader in the field of genetics. The blossoming business is run by...
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Hatfield House
Hatfield House, a Jacobean home built in 1611, is one of the few stately estates people can easily visit by train. It’s only about an hour’s train ride from London’s King’s Cross station, and it also has a play area...
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Hauser & Wirth Somerset
Global art dealers Iwan and Manuela Wirth opened their sixth gallery in an unlikely location—the gorgeous, rural Somerset two hours west of London where the Swiss couple have a family home. Set in renovated 18th-century farm buildings, Hauser & Wirth...
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Highgrove
Every year, Prince Charles opens his gardens at Highgrove, in Gloucestershire, from March until October. Highgrove offers exclusive tours (the only way to get onto the estate), which can be booked online. The Champagne Tea Tour includes tea in the...
- Photo by Stepher McKayRead More
Hyde Park
One of the largest parks in central London, Hyde Park is famous for its Speakers’ Corner, an area in the north-east corner public speaking is allowed (as long as the subjects are lawful). The park, which seems to seamlessly merge...
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Hyde Park Stables
Take an early morning walk in Hyde Park, and you're likely to see smartly dressed equestriennes out for a ride. While they're most likely Londoners who have been approved to exercise the Queen’s Household Cavalry, it's possible for visitors to...
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ICA (Institute of Contemporary Arts)
With two galleries, two cinemas, a theatre, bookshop, bar and café—all with free admission—the Institute of Contemporary Arts is a one-stop showcase of the best new art from Britain and around the world. Covering visual arts, music, cinema, educational talks...
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Indagare Tour: British Museum
The massive museum in Bloomsbury grew out of a private collection of manuscripts purchased in the mid-18th-century. The offerings include treasures like Chinese porcelain, a major Egyptian wing, Indian sculpture, and prehistoric and Romano-British collections. It also hosts major traveling...
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Indagare Tour: Buckingham Palace
As the Monarchy’s working headquarters, much of the palace remains off-limits to visitors. The Changing of the Guard is still a popular attraction, however, and the nineteen State Rooms are also open. The Royal Mews stables are directly next door...
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Indagare Tour: Churchill War Rooms
Churchill and his Cabinet stowed away in this underground bunker during the Blitz, and it now serves as one of the most interesting looks at London life during WWII. Interactive displays cover Churchill’s life as well as offering a glimpse...
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Indagare Tour: Historic Houses & Castles
With a treasure trove of spectacular historic estates situated just outside of London, a daytrip beyond the city walls is an excellent addition to any itinerary. Indagare members can contact our bookings team to arrange for a visit to the...
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Indagare Tour: Kensington Palace
Kensington Palace has served as a royal residence since the 17th century. Once Queen Victoria’s childhood home, today it is the official London residence of several members of the Royal Family, including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and is...
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Indagare Tour: Museum of London
In 2010, the museum emerged from a three-year, £20 million overhaul to become one of London’s most fascinating institutions. Galleries tell the story of London and its people from 1066 to today, with all the accompanying grit and glam. Films...
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Indagare Tour: National Gallery
Located in Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery is London’s premier art gallery; thanks to free admission, it aims to educate and enrich as many people as possible. Spanning seven centuries and with masterpieces by the likes of Rembrandt, Leonardo and...
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Indagare Tour: Royal Academy of Arts
The Academy, founded in the 18th century, has a sizable collection, with treasures including works by Michelangelo, Constable and Blake. There are also excellent temporary exhibitions throughout the year. If you’re looking for a nearby place for lunch or dinner,...
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Indagare Tour: Tate Britain
Located at Millbank near Vauxhall Bridge in Pimlico, the Tate Britain is the most prestigious of the Tates. It houses the British national collections, ranging from the 16th Century to present day, and some international works. Older Highlights might include...
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Indagare Tour: Tate Modern
This museum is a definite must-see. Housed in a former power station that was beautifully redone in 2000 by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron, Tate Modern was voted the capital’s favorite building. Debuted in Spring 2016 was Switch House; a...
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Indagare Tour: Tower of London
Founded by William the Conqueror and added on to by successive British monarchs, over 900 years, the Tower of London is a landmark that provides a dramatic way to explore the history of England, and in particular, life in London....
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Indagare Tour: Victoria and Albert
You should plan in at least a half-day to visit this, the world’s largest museum of decorative arts and design. More than 140 galleries hold objects that include textiles, costumes, jewelry, furniture and ceramics. There are also massive changing exhibits...
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Indagare Tour: Wallace Collection
This little known gem of a museum was established from the private collection of Sir Richard Wallace (1818-1890), an art collector and philanthropist. See paintings by Old Masters Rembrandt, Velázquez and Titian, along with superb collections of arms and armour,...
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Indagare Tours: Westminster Abbey
Just behind the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey was built in the 11th century and has been where the royal family holds its weddings and coronations. It is also where Queen Elizabeth, Mary Queen of Scots, Charles Darwin, Sir Isaac...
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Intelligence Squared
For those seeking some intellectual buzz, Intelligence Squared is where the London cognoscenti flock for a bit of brain food. The evening debates last ninety minutes and not only are the topics relevant and wide-ranging but the sparring speakers are...
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London Eye
To call the London Eye a giant ferris wheel captures none of the architectural drama or thrill of discovery that this feat of engineering, which soars more than 442 feet above the Thames, offers. Passengers ride in thirty-two capsules, which...
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Meantime Brewery
This award-winning brewery in pretty Greenwich (worth an entire morning or afternoon of exploration in itself) offers behind-the-scenes tours and tastings with knowledgeable, passionate guides. Classic tours start at 6.30PM, last ninety minutes, and cap off with tutored tastings of four...
- Courtesy Victor Mara LTD, Prudence CumingRead More
Newport Street Gallery
In 2015, Damien Hirst commissioned Caruso St. John architects to create a 37,000-sq.-ft. public gallery exhibiting rotating highlights from his private collection and Newport Street Gallery was born. Vauxhall is widely considered London’s newest art district, and the area received...
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Ordovas
Pilar Ordovas made a name for herself at Christie’s, where she worked for more than thirteen years, specializing in post-War and Contemporary Art in Europe, then spent two years running Gagosian Gallery. Now, she runs her own gallery in Mayfair,...
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Pfeffer Sal
Established in 2015 by Andrea Pfeffer when she grew frustrated by the unconvincing facials on offer in most day spas, this petite but perfect skin clinic has earned an enduring reputation for the best functional facials in the West End....
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Photographer’s Gallery
The city’s only public gallery dedicated solely to photography, this space hosts frequently changing exhibits, promoting and showing the works of exciting up-and-coming artists.
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Reflexions
For a break from shopping, ease your tired feet at Reflexions, a beloved massage parlor that's been open since 1996 and is known for its seriously good reflexology (sessions start at 30 minutes). Walk-ins are accepted and you can also...
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Royal Mews
It’s not easy to get an invitation to Buckingham Palace—most visitors are thrilled to see the Changing of the Guards out front—but it is possible to go just around the side of the palace and visit the stables, or Royal...
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Saatchi Gallery
Charles Saatchi’s gallery, in a 70,000 square-foot Duke of York HQ building in Chelsea, remains one of the most cutting-edge places to see contemporary art. Admission is free.
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Santander Bikes
A great way to beat London’s notoriously congested traffic is to rent a Santander Bikes, the citywide bike-rental program. All you need is to swipe a credit card at one of the stations dotted throughout the city, select an access period,...
- Photo by John OffenbachRead More
Serpentine Gallery
A much-loved gallery for modern and contemporary art, the Serpentine showcases a wide variety of special exhibitions including an annual site-specific installation that typically kicks off the spring and summer arts season. The Serpentine North Gallery was designed by the-late...
- Photo by Neil CliftonRead More
Shoreditch
The equivalent of New York’s Meatpacking District, Shoreditch in the East End near London’s financial district, is full of art galleries, one-off shops and hip restaurants.
- Courtesy Alastair WiperRead More
Sipsmith Gin Distillery Tour
Sipsmith Spirits is one of the UK’s best-loved distilleries and Soho House Group serves their gin internationally. You can tour their delightfully atmospheric distillery in pretty Chiswick on select evenings every week (6.30—8PM; £25) with occasional Friday happy hour sessions...
London

Courtesy of Visit London
Sight-heavy cities like Paris, Rome and Vienna have a clear-cut “best of” list that a first-time visitor can tackle. Not so London, which may be the only city in the world (besides New York) with such a wealth of sights and activities that it can overwhelm even the most seasoned of travelers. The best way to get your bearings is to go with a guide who can offer a quick introduction to the icons (Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey), then immerse yourself in the corners of London that speak to your interests. Indagare members can contact our Bookings Team for help with trip planning, including customized recommendations, expert guides (including some specially trained to educate and engage children) and itineraries.