After finishing the last of my exams at the end of May, I started what is to be my last ever summer holiday before I start my graduate job in July. Without anything to do, and with the weather being unusually good, I decided to walk around London and go to places I haven’t been to, because I haven’t done a lot of that in the 4 years I studied in London. Here are some of the places I think you should visit as well.

1. Ruislip Lido Beach

Out of all the places here, this is the furthest away from Central London, being all the way in Zone 6. It is by no means hard to get to though, from Ruislip Station on the Metropolitan and Piccadilly lines, it’s only a 20 minutes bus journey (H13) or a 30 minutes walk away. When you get there, you will be greeted with a sight you never thought would be geographically possible within London. It’s a beach. Yes, a sandy beach, with sand; and one that is large enough to actually accommodate a couple dozens of families on a hot sunny day. Admittedly, there are signs all around the beach warning you not to go in the water because there’re no lifeguards, but it’s a nice place to enjoy the sunshine nonetheless. Furthermore, after you have had enough of the sun, Uxbridge is just 3 stations away from Ruislip where you can shop and eat comfortably in one of the shopping arcades.

To get there: Take the Metropolitan/Piccadilly lines to Ruislip then get the H13 bus to Ruislip Lido.

2. Tate Modern

If you like modern art, you have probably visited this place many times. If you don’t have a particular interest in modern art, you probably don’t have a great desire to spend time in a place that has Picasso paintings, a giant statue made of radios, and an enormous sculpture dangling from the ceiling resembling a male sexual organ. However, even if you don’t like modern art, I think you should still visit Tate Modern just for the viewing level. It’s located at the top of the Blavatnik Building, and offers you a spectacular 360 view of Central London, for free. You can always have a walk on along the south bank afterward, whether you walk towards London Bridge or Waterloo, it’s always a pleasant experience.

To get there: Take the Jubilee line to Southwark then walk for 8 minutes.

3. Barbican

I haven’t got a lot to say about this place because depending on the kind of person you are, you will either be amazed by the spectacular 1960s brutalist architecture, or it will bore you to death because it is literally just a housing estate. If you’re one of the former, be sure to walk around the place using the elevated walkways because the estate is larger than you think it is, and the view is impressive no matter which corner you turn. If you’re not as enthusiastic, you may want to pop into the Barbican Centre for a nice quiet place to have a cup of coffee and relax, or walk for a bit to the nearby Museum of London, and immerse yourself in the history of the City of London, if that’s your thing.

To get there: Take the Circle/Hammersmith & City/Metropolitan lines to Barbican, or the Northern line to Moorgate.

4. Hampstead Heath

This is the place I go to whenever I feel like going for a little hike or just generally getting away from the busy city. I say hike, it’s more like going up an incline, but there are great views at the top. On a sunny day, you can see all the way from the BT Tower in Bloomsbury, to the Shard, and One Canada Square in Canary Wharf. I always go to the Westfield in Stratford afterward for a nice dinner to end a great day out, which is only a quick Overground journey away. On a hot sunny day, it’s also a great idea to go for a swim at the nearby Parliament Hill Lido, albeit a little expensive at £7 per entry.

To get there: Take the Overground North London line to Hampstead Heath/Gospel Oak.

5. Greenwich Park

Another great place to go “hiking”, which also happens to be a popular tourist spot because of the Greenwich Observatory. The view isn’t as impressive as Hampstead Heath’s, you can only really see the skyscrapers of Canary Wharf, but it’s a nice view nonetheless. The vast green fields are good though if you just wanted to find a spot to lie down and relax. The nearby National Maritime Museum is a great place to visit if you’re into that sort of thing and there are also plenty of shops and restaurants near the DLR station if you feel peckish.

To get there: Take the DLR to Cutty Sark.