London is a great city with a long and fascinating history, and it’s only logical for it to host some of the world’s weirdest tourist attractions. For all those who wish to stay in the extraordinary lane when visiting the capital of the United Kingdom, we present our choice of five quirky but authentic London attractions.
The Zoo Sleepover
If you’re a bit of a gambler and still looking for a place to stay in London, we might have a suggestion. The London Zoo hosts a sleepover for enthusiasts that like to wake up next to the lions (or spend a sleepless night, depending on the level of comfort you feel in the proximity of those carnivores). The world’s oldest scientific zoo opened its gates to the public way back in 1847. It is situated in Regent’s Park and currently holds a collection of over 650 different animal species.
Visitors who choose to spend the night at the zoo can stay in cozy traditional rooms with private bathrooms and a veranda, where they can sip their evening drinks while listening to the authentic sounds of the Lion Land. The zoo’s pajama party includes three tours of the premises (sunset, after-dark, and early-morning walkabouts), a private seeing of various animals, a complimentary drink, and two meals. Hence, the great cats will have you for both dinner AND breakfast. Figuratively speaking.
The London Loo Tour
After surviving the night at the zoo, what could be more appropriate than spending a day in the loo? The London Loo Tour is possibly not the Number 1 or 2 choice for sightseeing. But, the walk itself tells more about the city than one would initially imagine. The public lavatory-themed walkabout provides tourists with (un)necessary information about the history of hygiene, toilet evolution, and the sanitary achievements of the famous plumber and businessman Thomas Crapper. One can also learn all about how that name got incorporated in our everyday jargon.
While some people would rather go on a Harry Potter tour or have fun teasing the guards in front of Buckingham Palace, this restroom trip can both entertain and educate. If nothing else, those who finish the tour will be genuinely and literally potty-trained.
The Casino Ride
Those who like to gamble, but want to stay away from the big and flashy parlors can take one peculiar and authentic London casino for a ride. This betting site is the smallest one in the world, and you would be its sole customer. No, we do not refer to playing slots on your phone while in the bathroom, although according to https://casinosnow.com/, mobile gambling and sports betting are skyrocketing in popularity. We are talking of an actual casino ride.
In 2016, London’s Grosvenor casino launched a campaign to promote their online and offline businesses. It featured the invention of a traveling casino — a taxi where a croupier joins the passengers and gives them a quick course on how to play offline and online casino games. The cab is neatly equipped with a small casino table and a video screen showing live sports. It takes its travelers on free (and instructive) rides to any of the Grosvenor parlors in London or drives them to a location of their choice for a small donation to charity.
The cabsino sounds like a cool experience, even for those who don’t like to gamble. It beats real taxi rides and, what’s more important, it’s a casino that is not likely to drive you into bankruptcy.
The Museum of Curiosities
Hosting a display of many wondrous, rare, but also disturbing and horrendous pieces, this Mare Street exhibition space might turn out a night-Mare to more sensitive souls. The Museum of Curiosities, Fine Art and Natural History was founded by author, artist and a member of pataphysics society Viktor Wynd. The idea behind Wynd’s vision was to showcase the objects and practices omitted by the narrow and overly specialized mainstream history, art, and knowledge.
The bizarre museum is in itself an homage to parascientific practices and fantastic creatures (think unicorns, dodo bones, mermaids, and cyclops skulls) and a place that nurtures the miraculous, obscure, and chaotic nature of the pre-enlightenment Wunderkabinett. When delving into the small basement of the peculiar showroom of unusual items, be ready to get infused by preternatural phenomena, which include human remains, shrunken heads, erotic art, taxidermy, occult objects, and paintings, among other things.
The Murder Mile Walk
Speaking of gore, there is another tour of the city that was actually named one of the top three walking tours in London by Time Out Magazine. It is the murder mile walk through the Soho streets, which takes place every Sunday at 11 a.m. The tour, accompanied by a true-crime podcast, features numerous criminal cases and over 15 locations that explore 12 murderers and 50 deaths.
The tales of the walk include the secret of Soho Strangler and other Britain’s mass-murder enigmas. But, they also lead you through the vicious and vile paths of the serial killer Dennis Nilsen, WW2 Blackout Ripper, and the infamous Jack the Ripper, to name a few. Reserved only for those who have a strong stomach, the murder mile walk takes you on a grisly, but real murder-solving and mystery-unraveling experience.
Some people have developed a different or eccentric taste, and they like to stay true to it even when traveling. Luckily, the city of London has many more quirky attractions and locations for the curiosity-seekers to get a kick out of the unusual and obtain something new to showcase in their weird Instagram profiles.
Londontopia is simply the website for people who love London. It was founded by Jonathan & Jackie Thomas from Anglotopia.net as a place to post articles solely focused on London and its environs. Keep up with all the latest London news at Londontopia! This site is geared towards people who love to visit London and our primary audience is North American but everyone is welcome!