What's a good bit of London to potter around?

[Greenbeanmcgee]

I don't want to go to Central London. At least not the touristy bits. Nothing wrong with touristy things btw, I'm just not in the mood for them right now and I want somewhere slightly quieter.

Somewhere with some book shops(or charity shops that sell books), nice cafes and restaurants(Not looking for Michelin star) and independent shops that I could just potter around over 4 or 5 days. A small museum or similar place of interest would be a bonus.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

TIA

Came here to say Greenwich. You can get there on the river bus, there's a fantastic market, the Cutty Sark, the Naval College and Royal Observatory and for a bit of contras there's the weird Hong- Kong vibe of Canary Wharf just across the river.
Southwark is also pretty cool with Borough Market and the Globe and all the riverside stuff.

And from Greenwich you can also walk through the park and across the heath to Blackheath Village, or take the DLR to the Docklands Museum.

I also like the City just for pottering. Not so much for shops, but interesting little courts and alleys, old churches, some less frequented museums.

Islington (angel end)

Walthamstow Village...nice museum there and places to eat

Agree with the suggestions you've had for Greenwich, Wimbledon and Richmond. Lots of SW London is lovely, more potterable than other parts in my view

Agree with this. There are loads of places mentioned in eg Dickens where the street name is the same and you can kind of see the 'ghosts' of old setups. Eg the debtor's prison in Little Dorrit - there's a bit where the pavement dips, that indicates where the old courtyard used to be. Also some truly beautiful churches with interesting history behind them and fascinating artefacts and iconography. And interesting museums - Temple of Mithras museum is wild!

Oh I LOVE UCL where my son is at uni. I absolutely love it around there. Full of life and students, yet it’s calm and peaceful. There’s the fabulous Waterstones on Gower Street, the British Museum (sometimes I go there just for a coffee and a browse in the gift shop… the Great Court is wonderful), Regent’s Park, and too many lovely places to eat! It’s just London at its best.

That's the City btw, not Greenwich. Agree that it isn't great for shopping but it's fab for history. If there's a juicy criminal trial on in the Old Bailey you can sit in on it. And walk across the bridge to the Tate Modern.

Wimbledon Village

Buckingham Palace is pretty good. It's also traditional to set off firecrackers nearby in celebration of our beloved former Queen.

More central than the other suggestions: WC1. Lincoln's Inn, John Soane Museum, shops & lunch on Lambs Conduit Street, Dickens Museum on Doughty Street, up into Bloomsbury for a drink.

With an interesting bookshop nearby on Hanbury St:

https://libreria.io/

And more independent cafes and shops than you can shake several sticks at, especially if you walk north towards Boundary St and carry on towards the re-opened Museum of the Home. From there walk east along the canal until Broadway Market when the cafes and bookshops and just interesting unique places starts all over again. Finish at the Victor Wynd Museum of Curiosities (advance booking essential) with a drink.

I've done exactly this today in Hampstead. It's perfect OP.

I did this in Greenwich over the weekend

Whitechapel is lovely
otherwise if that's too central croydon is great

I've never heard Whitechapel called lovely before. And I live there.

Same for Croydon (and I used to live there).

Are you living up to your name @mexicanandafewdrinks and you've had a few drinks? 😜

Another vote for Richmond and definitely go to Petersham Nurseries. Have a Google or look on Instagram. It's absolutely gorgeous and perfect for a wander.

Greenwich. Massive green spaces, loads to do and see. Barely feels like London!

There's a market but not sure which days.

I love Peckham for a mooch. Not especially chichi but such an interesting place with a proper local community, independent shops, fab restaurants and cafes and libraries etc.

Prefer Blackheath to Greenwich. Dulwich village also nice.

of course I am@HundredMilesAnHour left dh at home on the lash absolutely we'll have all the solo nights out

I agree with Hampstead but would also add West Hampstead and Queen’s Park which are nearby

Hampstead - absolutely beautiful.

Am I the only one who doesn't think Hampstead is all that? The heath is lovely, great views of London, Keats' house etc also v nice and a couple of decent pubs. But the high st itself is pretty unremarkable, nothing special beyond places that overcharge because Hampstead. Not really much to 'potter' at imo.

Hampstead.

If you want cafés, Crouch End.

The high street has loads of nice shops! The Freud museum is also lovely.