A complete Central London itinerary walking around Marylebone’s hidden gems, beautiful streets and mews, and discovering quirky architecture!
While one of the reasons you might be acquainted with the Marylebone area is Daunt Books, a resident of Marylebone High Street, the area is more, much more than just shopping.
Museums, unusual buildings and colorful mews – all blend together in this village area of Central London.
Take a couple of hours to discover this oh so posh neighborhood.
You’ll find yourself looking at tiny buildings sculpted on a building, a botanical food spot, and hidden corners that you would probably not expect in Central London!
Central London’s Marylebone Itinerary: The Best Hidden Gems
Let us start our discovery of Marylebone’s hidden gems in one of the most famous streets of the area, Marylebone Lane.
We are only a few minutes away from Bond Street station, which means you could go for some shopping on Oxford Street before starting this itinerary… or after.
Marylebone Lane is located in the heart of what is known as Marylebone Village, a winding street in which Paul Rothe & Son would be a great place to have breakfast, if only for a sandwich and a snack to nibble on while walking around.
This is a must-visit family-run deli established in 1900, with a cute shop window and an interior that takes you back in time.
If you wish to do so, a short walk to Marylebone High Street will show you other shops of the area, including the famous Daunt Books, a gorgeous bookshop.
Walk down Marylebone Lane to feel its vibe, take a left on Henrietta Place, and keep walking until you reach Welbeck Street and Henrietta House, a quirky building covered with tiny houses.
This frieze depicts the evolution of architecture in Britain, really takes you aback the first time you see it, and proves that many of London’s hidden gems are located up high.
As you keep going, you will come across a dark brick church; St Peter’s on Vere Street: admire its austere architecture, enter if you wish to see the beautiful chapel, and then let’s take a left on Wimpole Street.
As soon as you turn the corner, you will see, on your right, a gorgeous Neoclassical building: it is none other than the Royal Society of Medicine – Italianate architecture at its best.
Italianate up to a certain point, though, since at the end of Wimpole Street, you will reach a crossroads in which the buildings all have turrets of another quite extravagant style.
Cross the road to stay on Wimpole Street, and that is where architecture lovers will very much be satisfied – check the blue plaque commemorating Sir Frederick Treves, a 19th century surgeon who lived on the street, and the beautiful buildings covered in climbing ivy.
We’re in one of Central London’s prettiest streets, and somewhere on the left, Welbeck Way allows you to discover even more hidden and colorful buildings.
Cross Queen Anne Street and keep walking down the road until you reach a very orange building, very much a reminder of the one on Surrey Street near The Strand, with its frescoes, carved windows and doorways.
Then, you can choose to walk around New Cavendish Street which makes the crossroads.
I would however recommend we’re going to keep walking down the street to discover even more gorgeous doorways which make for perfect photo spots, also because we will come back to New Cavendish Street later.
Marylebone is one of London’s poshest areas, and it shows – here, the streets are wide and clean, and the buildings are well-maintained.
As you cross Weymouth Street, you will see on your left a curious orange, beige and black house – look right, and you’ll spot the famous BT Tower closer to Tottenham Court Road and Warren Street station.
This little mews-side house is only one of many that were built during the 1900s, characteristic of the Marylebone area, and if you walk around Weymouth Street, Devonshire Street and Harley Street, you will find many more.
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Wimpole Street becomes Upper Wimpole Street, and if you take a right on Devonshire Street, you will keep having that soothing feeling that you get when walking the streets of London’s village-like neighborhoods.
Keep walking and on the left, spot Devonshire Mews West – a cute mews street with climbing ivy welcoming you as soon as you enter the street, and a myriad of colorful houses; pale blue, yellow, white…
For whoever loves discovering Camden Town’s and Notting Hill’s colorful streets, that’s a place you will love, and so local that you pretty much won’t find tourists there.
Or anyone else, for that matter.
When you are done visiting, let’s walk back to the street – facing Devonshire Mews West is another mews street, Devonshire Mews South, and one of my favorite colorful places in London.
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Here, from white to grey, mint, pale blue and pink, we have some of the cutest houses in town, very much worth a visit as it’s unexpected to see such colorful mews just minutes away from Oxford Street.
Keep going until the end, and you will see, across the road, yet another mews street – Wimpole Mews.
A tad less colorful but with gorgeous cobblestones, dark brick buildings, and yellow, blue and black doors, it’s another one of those secret spots you wouldn’t think of finding in Central London.
As we reach the end of these mews, we will arrive on New Cavendish Street, which we spotted some time ago – take a left, cross the road to stay on New Cavendish Street, and marvel at the beautiful architecture.
Number 59 New Cavendish Street shows beautiful columns and an impressive threshold – you can’t miss it as you’re walking past.
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Weymouth Mews, on the left, is another mews street you can pop by, but it is way busier than the others we’ve seen.
If you love hidden gems, then cross the road and you will see Duchess Mews, a very clean, quiet and cobblestone street with that same village vibe.
As we’re passing all these streets, we’re getting closer to Central London, so enjoy the feeling of peace while it lasts – soon, we’ll be reaching bustling Fitzrovia.
At the end of Duchess Mews, take a right on Duchess Street, and then a left on Mansfield Street.
More gorgeous buildings await, and you will even spot some Greek/Roman columns between two buildings of the street.
They are part of a private property, but definitely not something you’d expect to see in Marylebone!
At the end of Mansfield Street, take a left, and you will find yourself on a square that very much feels like a Harry Potter location; Grimmauld Place, to be exact…
Although the real Grimmauld Place is located near Angel, in North London.
Keep going down the road, and you will see a gorgeous building, that of the Medical Society of London founded in 1773 – it looks so brand new compared to the dark-brick buildings that you really can’t miss it.
Let’s go back on our steps to discover Portland Place – the Langham is one of London’s fanciest restaurants, and the impressive entrance, with arches and Greek-style columns make it a place you can’t miss.
We’re spotting a curious sight in front of us, the round entrance to All Souls Church, with columns galore.
Cross the street, get closer and you’ll spot clocks near the top – this place really is a hidden gem to see at least once, and shows a blend of the old and new that London knows to do all too well.
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The surrounding buildings are all beautiful in some way, including the short glass BBC building!
Walk around the church, and you’ll arrive at Langham Street, a narrow street in which you’ll see the Algeria Embassy – we’re going to walk down this road to reach our next hidden gem...
Which is none other than Great Portland Street. Get a drink at Clutch Cafe or GT Corner, do some shopping, and we’ll keep going on Riding House Street.
Again, you’ll find that village feeling: take Middleton Place on the left, and you will find yourself in yet another one of the secret streets London is filled with.
This is a very local place (understand: super empty) with at the end, Yorkshire Grey, a gorgeous pub, and a white building.
This quirky white building, covered in black glazed brick mosaics, was built in 1901 as a nurses’ home, and now houses the Gem Langham Court hotel.
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Take a right when facing the hotel, and at the end of Langham Street, you will start to see more of London’s life, bustling with people and shops.
Cross the road and take Foley Street.
That’s where you will spot The Attendant, an instagrammable coffee shop established in former Victorian toilets: walk down the stairs to get a specialty coffee and a slice of cake, and why not a couple of pictures!
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Alternatively, you will find further down Foley Street other places to grab a drink and some food.
Take a right on the place, and you will reach Riding House Street again – take a right on Nassau Street, and again, plenty of beautiful, very British buildings await.
Take a left at the end of Nassau Street, and we are now in one of my favorite parts of Marylebone.
Greyhound with its terrace is great to relax, and you’ll find plenty of cafes in this area, including a spacious Pret a Manger.
In the distance, a flower-clad doorway announces Mr Fogg’s House of Botanicals.
Even if you don’t drink alcohol, like me, it’s one of the prettiest places to nibble on some food and chug down non-alcoholic cocktails.
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Look up past the Mr Fogg’s sign, and you will see frescoes carved under the roof; really a gorgeous sight.
We’ll then keep walking and you will see more and more places to eat at – Old Chang Kee is a favorite for Singaporean street food, and you will see, a few doors down, a really great Oxfam shop.
I love charity shopping in London, and this Oxfam not only has affordable prices, but also, given that we’re in a sophisticated area, second hand designer bits on the regular.
When you spot Charlotte Place on the right, go down this secret alley – pop by Lantana for amazing coffee, or pay a visit to Salumeria Dino, one of London’s best Italian delis.
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At the end of Charlotte Place is Charlotte Street, which is already the beginning of the Fitzrovia neighborhood.
We’re not going to go there and instead, we will go back on our steps: at the end of Charlotte Place, take a left.
Going straight for about 15 minutes will bring us to the Wallace Collection, a striking and completely free museum which will be the end of our Marylebone itinerary.
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Central London’s Marylebone Itinerary: The Best Hidden Gems
Thus ends our couple of hours strolling around the dreamy Marylebone neighborhood – hopefully, you will have discovered here a few spots you did not think you’d ever come across.
And if you’ve been tempted to discover what there is after Charlotte Place, then, keep your eyes peeled for my itinerary of Fitzrovia’s hidden gems!