A local’s guide to the best places when you’re homesick in London with corners that echo Istanbul, Paris, Rome, Barcelona, China, Japan, Poland, Morocco…
I left my hometown, Troyes in France, when I was 18, then left Paris for London when I was 24.
What I’ve learned, over my years living in London, Rome, Barcelona and Istanbul, is that homesickness isn’t always about longing.
Sometimes, it’s actually closer to forgetting.
Forgetting how light hits a certain building back home, how bread smells when it’s freshly torn, or just how slowly people walk where you come from.
And then, suddenly in London, you hear just the right word, or catch the scent of something cooking, and it all comes rushing back – and it hits me straight in the heart.
Homesick in London: 19 Places That Feel Like Somewhere Else
I’ve been meaning to post this guide for a long time now.
Actually, ever since I posted my first city and country itineraries here;
This is a special guide for me, truly – I’m Moroccan; Arab and Berber, and French.
I’ve split my time between beautiful Rome and striking London for years, never being able, as a true digital nomad, to settle down because I just don’t know which holds my heart more tenderly.
Some of my closest friends, since I left my country so early, were/are Romanian, Polish, North American and Turkish.
I’ve spent a few months here and there, in Barcelona, in colorful Istanbul, and at this point in my life, a round 30 years old, I can admit that I often feel homesick for all these cities.
Maybe you do too – and each of the places mentioned in this guide offers a moment of recognition, and a sense of belonging.
Reminders that, when you’re homesick in London, matter way more than you’d expect.
Homesick in London: A Walk Through Tottenham’s Turkish Streets
Tottenham’s bakeries open early; tea is served in glass.
From the High Road in Tottenham all the way down to Bruce Grove, you’ll find plenty of Turkish supermarkets, cafes, and grocery shops with olives in tubs, biscuits, dolma and visne juice from Dimes (sour cherry juice, so delicious!) that I used to survive on in Istanbul.
Men gather outside barbershops talking loudly in Turkish and the grocery shops sell blocks of halloumi and olives in tubs you carry home with string bags.
If you follow the smell of hot simit past the butcher’s and across the high road, the rhythm shifts.
There’s less rush here, more time, everything about the signage and produce feels straight out of the suburbs of Istanbul.
Read: Marylebone’s Hidden Gems: A Quick Itinerary in Central London
Homesick in London: French Meringues in South Kensington at Aux Merveilleux de Fred
Aux Merveilleux de Fred smells like butter and sugar, and it feels like stepping into the same bakery in Paris – the one off rue de Rivoli, the one in Montmartre; doesn’t matter, the feeling’s the same.
The glass counter shines and everything is arranged like it should be admired before it is eaten.
Because it should.
The meringues are so soft they collapse into your spoon and the way the staff wrap your pastry in waxed paper feels unmistakably Parisian.
For a few minutes the white townhouses of South Kensington feel like the quieter ends of Le Marais.
Read: London’s 2 Day Itinerary: Attractions & Old-Meets-New Spots
Homesick in London: Edgware Road in the Early Evening
There are rare hours when Edgware Road doesn’t sound like London.
Arabic music plays low from the cafés and the scent of ma’amoul mixes with the warmth of just-baked bread.
Some shops sell oud from narrow glass shelves, and Edgware Road, definitely, is a great spot to have on your Muslim Friendly London bucket list.
Others shops sell date syrup and string-wrapped cheese.
You’ll hear the murmur of conversations in Arabic, the scrape of metal chairs on pavement, and smell, and feel like you’ve left London
It’s easy to forget how close the West End is when the sun sets here, when you finally, for a bit, feel a little bit closer to home.
Read: Visiting London: A Covent Garden Itinerary in 10 Top Spots
Homesick in London: Mint Tea and Msemen on Golborne Road
Golborne Road doesn’t wait to be discovered – and still, it’s a must-visit in Notting Hill.
Hidden all the way down from Notting Hill Gate, the scent of mint tea and grilled flatbread hits you as soon as you leave Portobello Road.
You’ll hear Arabic and French and see pastries stacked high in windows.
Moroccan cafés serve breakfast without rush and the shelves in nearby grocers are stocked with spices in familiar packaging.
This is a place that feels, for me, like a continuation of home.
And of course, for any Portuguese peeps missing Portugal, I can’t recommend Lisboa Patisserie enough, on the very same road.
You enter, you see the same stacking of pastries so common in Lisbon, bolo de arroz, pastel de nata, and all around you, people just speak, look, and feel Portuguese.
Read: Rotherhithe’s Hidden Gems: A Unique London Itinerary
Homesick in London: The Chinatown That Wakes Up Early
Most people come to Gerrard Street for dinner, for the lights, for the backdrops, but in the early hours it belongs to the delivery vans.
The streets are washed down and the windows glow with condensation; we can see a few ducks in the windows, the smell of fresh noodles from secret basement shops rolls through the air.
I love spending time in Chinatown; there are even halal Chinese spots in there!
It’s not exactly quiet, and yet, there, steps away from Leicester Square and Covent Garden, it doesn’t feel like London either.
If you’re looking for breakfast spots, do pop by Chinatown Bakery.
It’s one of my favorite bakeries in London, still very affordable compared to London prices, and their coconut and peanut fluffy cakes are amazing.
Read: A Quirky Bookish Itinerary in London
Homesick in London: Japanese Light in Holland Park
Kyoto Garden is where you go when you want to hear your own footsteps; the perfect spot for overthinkers in London.
Come early, as soon as it opens at 7 am so you avoid the crowds and can really take in the water moving steadily, the beautiful of the waterfall, and admire the peacocks, the koi and the stone sculptures.
The maple trees are always trimmed just so, and if you’re looking for blooming flowers in London, that’s the it spot for cherry blossom.
You walk slower here not out of respect, but because the space quietly asks you to; silence feels designed and it’s an amazing place to write, read, or just reflect.
Read: How to Spend 3 Days in London: A Fun Itinerary
Homesick in London: An Italian Morning in Little Venice
Little Venice isn’t grand per se; not as striking as the Italian Gardens of Kensington Gardens, but the architecture is soft and old.
The reflections on the water, the feeling that you’re lost in nature, all that seems like it’s been lifted from Venice.
I won’t go as far as pretending this looks and feels like Rome: Bar Italia in Soho, a famous vintage cafe, feels way more Roman.
If you’re looking for more Italian places in London, you’ll also find plenty of Neoclassical buildings in the City of London, adorned with sculptures, and even a secret spot, the Tivoli Corner, which offers vibes of Rome.
I know that these are all spots I spend time at, slowly, when I really miss Rome and know I won’t be going just yet.
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Homesick in London: Barcelona Vibes at Tottenham Court Road Station
Just seconds away from the immersive experience at the Outernet, there’s a slight vibe of Barcelona’s Gaudi buildings inside the Tottenham Court Road station.
Did I dare? Yes I did.
Sometimes, you miss a city so much that anything reminds you of it – and while I broke my ankle there and stayed bedridden for the most part of my time in Barcelona, I miss its tiles, its mosaics, and its curves.
Read: How to Make Friends in London
Homesick in London: Morocco and Algeria Behind the Bus Station, Finsbury Park
Finsbury Park holds its own rhythm; the phone shops sell calling cards to Oran and Marrakesh, the cafes smell like semolina bread.
Finsbury Park and, higher up, Manor House and Seven Sisters, are quite North African – you’ll hear darija between aisles and just be able to buy food from back home.
Yes, it’s mixed with Oxfam shops and other more independent, secret cafes; but it still feels a teeny, tiny bit like Morocco and Algeria.
Read: How to Save Money on Groceries in London
Homesick in London: Gold and Silence in Bayswater’s Orthodox Churches
Step into the Orthodox church just off Moscow Road, Saint Sophia, and the temperature drops. Candles flicker without moving and the walls seem taller than they are.
We’re in Bayswater, one of London’s poshest places, and while the church is Greek, it feels everything else I love too; Russian, Roman, and even medieval.
The mosaics are incredible; this is one of the most secret, and yet most beautiful churches in the city.
Read: London on a Budget: 20+ Travel Guides For Your Bucket List
Homesick in London: Polish Bread in Tottenham at Szampion Polskie Delikatesy
Szampion Polskie Delikatesy looks like any other supermarket from the outside, but inside you’ll find shelves of poppyseed cake and rye bread in thin plastic bags.
That’s where, when I used to live up the road in Tottenham, I’d go for Tymbark juice, fresh cakes and pierogi ruskie.
The checkout staff speak Polish to each other; it so feels out of London as soon as you step inside!
Not only this, but while Szampion is a Polish grocery shop, I’ve found items from other countries there, like my favorite salata cu icre from Romania and even bread that looks like the rosette from Italy.
Read: The Things I Wish I Knew Before Going to London
Homesick in London: Burnt Oak’s Romanian Shops
While we’re on the Romanian subject, Burnt Oak in Edgware is Little Romania – you’ll find minimarkets and supermarkets there with everything you need to remind you of home.
Patisserie Romana on the Broadway is probably one of the most famous Romanian places in London; artisan cakes and pastries, and savory picks are all to be found there.
In Burnt Oak, you can find sunflower oil in one-litre bottles and jars of zacuscă you haven’t seen in years.
And, if you’re closer to North London, there’s also a shop seconds from the Colney Hatch Lane bus stop, in North Finchley, that I used to pop by a lot when I lived in the area.
Read: 10+ Hidden Peaceful Places Near London
Homesick in London: Egypt at the British Museum
The Egyptian galleries at the British Museum are kept cool; if you’re looking to find Egypt in London, there are many spots, and the first one I’d go to is Edgware Road we’ve talked about already.
But I love the feeling I get when I step into the British Museum and can see the Rosetta Stone and the alley filled with sarcophagus.
The light is dim and the stone statues tower in silence; you don’t need a tour guide, just walk slowly and look at the carvings, the huge sculptures, and the silence that goes with them.
Read: 12 Historical Buildings in London With Great Architecture
Homesick in London: Jamaica in Brixton Village
Walk into Brixton Village and the air smells like spice – that’s my number one stop to get black soap and shea butter for one pound or two.
There’s music from speakers tucked above stalls and steam rising from grills. You’ll see patties behind fogged glass and plantains laid out in baskets.
Brixton Village is not just Jamaican – when I lived in East London, I’d make a day of going down South to get fresh mint for my tea and other Moroccan items.
Read: The Best Secret and Free Museums in London
Homesick in London: Paperbacks in the European Bookshop
The European Bookshop near Gloucester Road feels like an academic corridor in Rome or Paris; the shelves are arranged by language, not theme, and there are titles in Italian, French, Spanish and German, among other languages.
I remember buying my first Harry Potter book in Italian, back when I was learning Italian and still working at Oblix at the Shard.
Just slow browsing and the smell of paper, and the thought that maybe, one day, I would be fluent 🙂
Read: The Best Things to Do in Smithfield, City of London
Homesick in London: Japanese Garden in Chiswick Business Park
You wouldn’t expect it from a business park, but there’s a garden in the middle of Chiswick that holds Japanese symmetry; still water and curved bridges that don’t call attention to themselves.
We know more about the Kyoto Garden when looking for Japanese places in London, don’t we?
And yet, nestled in one of London’s secret neighborhoods is a Japanese garden that becomes quiet after five, when the office windows start going dark and you’re left alone with the quiet.
Read: The Best Things to Do in Muswell Hill, North London
Homesick in London: Sowa Patisserie for Polish Cakes, Sutton
What makes Sowa Patisserie in Sutton so interesting is the fact they already have many branches open across Poland.
Trays upon trays of cakes, paczki lined up behind glass, and the kind of soft rye bread you have to ask for by name.
Unhurried, local, with a feeling that just lasts.
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Homesick in London: Japanese Stillness in Kew Gardens
The Japanese Garden in Kew doesn’t try to impress: it feels quieter than Kyoto Garden, and holds space and time together.
You do have to pay to enter Kew Gardens, which may be why Kyoto Garden or the Japanese Garden at Regent’s Park are so popular, since they’re completely free spots.
But Kew Gardens have their own charm; you don’t only find gorgeous bonsai there and soft paths, but also beautiful Christmas decorations and various festivals and shows during the year.
Come when London’s rainy and you’ll find the sounds deepen there, helping you find poetry in even the simplest walk in a secret garden.
Read: First Time Travel to London: All There is To Know
Homesick in London: Roman-style Mosaics at Shepherdess Walk
In Hoxton, East London, not that far from Columbia Road Flower Market or the Museum of the Home, there’s a quiet stretch of pavement that hides beneath buildings.
It’s actually just far enough from Shoreditch to be overlooked, and yet, the Shepherdess Walk mosaics, although recent, will remind you of old pavements and museums of Rome.
A few tiles are chipped, adding to the overall feel that when I pop by, I’ll be immediately brought back to the floor of Santa Maria in Trastevere or the hidden cloisters I love so much in Rome.
Read: How to Live in London on a Budget
Free Printable: Homesick in London Bucket List
Homesick in London: 19 Places That Feel Like Somewhere Else
London doesn’t offer exact matches for the places we leave in search of a better, more exciting life.
It offers echoes in the shape of a hidden mosaic, in scents, in small details that unequivocally will bring you back home.
The way a sales assistant folds your change, or says goodbye with that specific accent.
You see pieces all stitched together into the city, and for those who ever feel homesick in London, a small detail can make your entire day!