This summer has not quite turned out to have the glorious weather this season usually promises but as Londoners we always make do.
On top of that with the cost-of-living crisis, foreign travel is not as accessible for many as it once was.
Fear not, our capital has many tourist hotspots that will transport you to lands afar.
There are buildings, venues, green spaces and experiences in the capital that make you feel like you’re in another country.
From the tranquillity of the Kyoto Gardens in Holland Park to the hustle and bustle of Chinatown, we’ve rounded up some of the most iconic spots in London that will make you feel like you’re abroad.
1. Richmond Park
Want an escape to the wild but can’t get out of London? A trip to Richmond Park’s National Nature Reserve and Deer Park should do the trick. At almost 2,500 acres it’s almost three times the size of New York’s Central Park and its rugged foliage houses no less than 630 red and fallow deer, which have roamed the grounds freely since 1637.
2. Kyoto Gardens, Holland Park
The beautiful Kyoto Garden is an oasis of calm in the heart of Kensington’s Holland Park. Originally built to celebrate the 1992 Japan Festival in London, this garden is a thing of pure beauty. Not quite a trip to Japan, but the next best thing.
3. Little Venice, Paddington
Who needs a gondola ride when they can they can sail through London’s most picturesque narrowboat haunt? This tranquil spot in Paddington has all the charm and romance of its Italian counterpart without having to leave the capital.
4. The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, commonly known as the Neasden Temple
Fancy a trip to India but don’t have the funds? The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden is beautiful, traditional Hindu temple carved entirely out of stone. For a time, when it was first completed in the mid-90s, it was the largest Hindu temple outside of India. Today the temple in Brent attracts half a million visitors every year.