Hidden London revealed

Vast, vibrant and diverse, London can also be overwhelming. You want to do more than take a few snaps of Buckingham Palace, but where to begin? Take the clichés and turn them on their head. Forget fish and chips and sample real Cockney fare at a pie and mash shop. Ditch the Tube and try navigating the city by bike. Avoid the throngs of shoppers in the West End and get your retail fix at an urban mall like Westfield. Skip the queues to the London Eye and take in a panoramic view of London from a more picturesque vantage point like Primrose Hill. A creative approach to your trip will reap rich rewards.

London is less a city and more a network of villages. To experience urban life at a gentler pace, skip well-heeled Hampstead or gentrified Highgate and head for Stoke Newington. A Sunday afternoon stroll along Church Street will give you a flavor of a laidback London you'll be hard-pressed to find in the city center. Once you've explored the vintage boutiques, secondhand bookstores and antique shops, stop off at a cozy pub like The Daniel Defoe or the Rose and Crown for a traditional roast dinner with all the trimmings. If you would rather indulge your sweet tooth, pop into the adorably retro Tea Rooms for clotted cream and scones. Alternatively, you could pay a visit to The Spence, a local organic bakery-come-café and sample one of their fantastic homemade cakes. A little less grand than the famous Claridge's hotel in Mayfair, perhaps, but easier on the wallet and certainly more authentic.

When it comes to retail therapy, those in search of high-street labels usually head for the West End. While Oxford Street certainly boasts an impressive array of flagship stores, attempting to navigate its overcrowded pavements can cause even the most hardened shopaholic serious consternation. One alternative is a few stops away on the Central Line: Westfield. The largest indoor urban shopping center in Europe, Westfield houses 255 stores including well-known British brands such as French Connection, Topshop and River Island, along with perennial favorites H&M, Mango, Reiss and Zara, all of which can be explored without being exposed to the notoriously unreliable British weather.

Craving proper English grub? Pay a visit to a pie and mash parlor. At F. Cooke Restaurant on Broadway Market, braver diners can opt for jellied eels, the Cockney signature dish, but a bowl of pie and mash served with ladles of "liquor," or parsley gravy, comes without any hazardous bones and is equally tasty and filling. You won't find many other lunchtime options that satisfy both your hunger and your desire to escape the tourist traps - all for a very reasonable ?3.40 (100 Kč).

If it's a taste of multicultural London you crave - along with something spicy - check out Brick Lane. The countless curry houses point to the presence of the Bangladeshi community; indeed, it's the waiters who eagerly hustle for your business as you pass by who help give the neighborhood its legendary buzz. There's more on offer than copious portions of chicken masala, though. Head toward the Truman Brewery and you'll see ample evidence of the most recent wave of newcomers - über-cool Londoners - with boutiques like the Boden Showrooms showcasing up-and-coming designers, lively music venues like 93 Foot East or grungy café-eateries like Café 2001.

However, some claim Brick Lane is no longer the East End epicenter of cool. For those who strive to out-hip the hipsters, make a turning into nearby Redchurch Street, an easily overlooked side road replete with boutiques, bars and cafés that was recently declared London's hottest place to shop by Time Out magazine. The street is also home to numerous art galleries, and on the first Thursday of every month, the area comes alive as visitors have the chance to see exhibitions after-hours. Madonna fans will want to pay a visit to Lounge Lover, where the Queen of Pop once held her birthday party. As you search for a night bus or a black cab home, take a detour via Middlesex Street and admire the handiwork of street artist Ben Eine, who recently shot to fame when David Cameron gave one of his quirky canvasses to Barack Obama as a gift.

There's nothing more quintessentially English than the Royal Family and no more iconic symbol of their presence in the capital than Buckingham Palace. However, with a steep entrance fee, which only permits access to a limited number of rooms, many visitors find a visit to her Majesty's home a bit of a letdown. Legend has it even the Queen dislikes her official London residence: Apparently, it's rather draughty. There are other options for those with an interest in the monarchy. Hampton Court, residence of Henry VIII and several of his eight wives, is well worth the hourlong train ride to Richmond. Similarly, Windsor Castle, the oldest and largest inhabited building of its kind in the world, more than merits a visit.

When it comes to museums, culture vultures are spoilt for choice. As well as big names like the National Gallery and Tate Modern, there are numerous smaller museums offering access to fascinating collections free of charge. One well worth exploring, especially if you have a secret fondness for poking around other people's homes, is the Geffyre Museum. A walk through its chronologically arranged galleries, which include a Renaissance hallway, a Restoration parlor and a Victorian drawing room, provides a fascinating glimpse into the domestic life of past generations of Londoners. Should you be in the mood for something more contemporary, the White Cube gallery on nearby Hoxton Square hosts both established and up-and-coming contemporary artists: The enfant terribles of the British art scene, Tracy Emin and Damien Hirst, have both exhibited there.

London's public houses have far more to offer the visitor than just a pint. Follow in the footsteps of your musical heroes by making a pilgrimage to Camden's The Dublin Castle, where bands like Madness, Blur and Supergrass cut their teeth. Some hostelries such as the Kings Head in Crouch End pull in the punters by hosting award-winning comedy nights. Others like the White Bear in Kennington focus on fringe theater: Emily Watson and Tamsin Outhwaite both performed there before conquering Hollywood. Gastro pubs like the Duke of Cambridge in Islington give foodies a chance to indulge in ethically sourced fare and have a selection of organic beers on tap to sate your thirst after a day of alternative sightseeing.

London is a world city. Exploring it can sometimes be as exhausting as circumnavigating the globe. However, taking a sideways approach to your trip, you'll soon discover the truth of Dr. Johnson's pronouncement: "When one is tired of London, one is tired of life."

Lisette Allen can be reached at
features@praguepost.com