CARNAVAL 2026
VIERNES 13 FEBRERO 2026
British Airways desde T4 Madrid a Heathrow Terminal 5.
Línea Picadilly hasta Hammersmith.
Nos hospedamos cuatro noches en London Hammersmith (Shepherds Bush Road) hotel.
Cenamos en Duke of Hammersmith, una brewery casi enfrente del hotel https://drink.brewdog.com/uk/duke-of-hammersmith
SÁBADO 14 FEBRERO 2026
Por la mañana hicimos un itinerario por la City, siguiendo el libro I Never Knew That About London by Christopher Winn
El libro recoge muchos lugares curiosos para visitar en diferentes zonas de Londres. Es una guía para aquellos que ya conocen bien la parte más turística.
14 secret spots in London that most tourists miss
The City of London hides remarkable, lesser-known spots, including the picturesque, bomb-damaged ruins of St Dunstan in the East, the ancient Roman Temple of Mithras, and the secluded Postman’s Park with its memorial to heroic self-sacrifice. Other treasures include the Roman history at the Guildhall Basilica, the free rooftop views at Garden at 120, and the hidden Twinings tea shop and museum.
Here are top hidden, secret places in the City of London:
- St Dunstan in the East: A former church ruined in the Blitz, now a tranquil public garden covered in vines near Monument.
- Roman Temple of Mithras: Located beneath the Bloomberg building, this immersive, free, ancient site allows you to see the foundations of a 3rd-century temple.
- Postman’s Park: A small, quiet park near St. Paul's featuring the Watts Memorial to Heroic Self-Sacrifice—a wall of beautiful, sad Victorian tile plaques.
- Garden at 120: A free, public rooftop garden on top of 120 Fenchurch Street, offering panoramic views of the city skyline.
- The London Stone: A mysterious, ancient stone encased in a wall on Cannon Street, believed to be the spot from which the Romans measured distances.
- Leadenhall Market: While well-known, its intricate Victorian roof and cobblestone alleys, often used in films, are a stunning, somewhat tucked-away escape.
- Queenhithe Mosaic: A 30-meter-long mosaic on the wall of Queenhithe Dock, documenting the history of the City from Roman times to 2012.
- Twinings Tea Shop (216 Strand): A tiny, historic, and narrow shop operating since 1706, complete with a small, free "tea museum" at the back.
- The Barbican Conservatory: A tropical oasis hidden inside the brutalist concrete Barbican Centre (requires pre-booked, free tickets).
- Guildhall Roman Amphitheatre: The ruins of a Roman amphitheatre hidden in the basement of the Guildhall Art Gallery.
Por la tarde-noche, fuimos a Richmond, a cenar a casa de unos amigos.
DOMINGO 15 FEBRERO 2026
Pasamos el día en Milton Keynes, en casa de unos amigos.
LUNES 16 FEBRERO 2026
Elegimos otra zona del libro mencionado anteriormente, en este caso el este de Londres, Aldgate, Whitechapel y Spitalfields.
Aldgate, Whitechapel, and Mile End hide rich historical secrets behind their modern, busy facades, including the invisible, abandoned St Mary's Underground station, the hidden 18th-century cottages of Mile End Place, and the medieval Mile End Green meeting site. Once considered the dangerous edge of London, these areas feature hidden alleyways, early worker housing, and remnants of wartime air-raid shelters.
Secret Locations & Historical Gems
- St Mary's Station (Whitechapel): An abandoned Underground station closed in 1938 that served as an air-raid shelter during WWII. It is located on the south side of Whitechapel Road.
- Mile End Place: A charming, secluded 19th-century street tucked away behind modern buildings off Mile End Road, resembling a tranquil village lane.
- Assembly Passage: A small, historic passageway reflecting the area's history as a site for public gatherings, including during the 1381 Peasants' Revolt.
- St Katharine Cree Church (Aldgate): A 17th-century church with a rare, ornate design, hidden just off the bustling Aldgate High Street.
- The Whitechapel Bell Foundry (near Aldgate): While now closed, the site of the oldest manufacturing company in the UK, which cast Big Ben.
Historical Context & Hidden History
- Medieval Training Grounds: Mile End was once an open, rural area used for training citizen forces,, as well as being the site of a 14th-century lazar house and public hangings.
- Migrant History: The area is a tapestry of migration, featuring the Jamme Masjid Mosque on Brick Lane, which served as a Huguenot chapel, Methodist chapel, and synagogue before becoming a mosque.
- Underground Secrets: The District and Hammersmith & City lines often pass through the derelict remains of the aforementioned St Mary's station between Whitechapel and Aldgate East
The route from Aldgate to Mile End via Whitechapel is steeped in "hidden" history and unexpected pockets of quiet. Here are the top "secret" spots along this stretch of the East End:🕵️ Hidden Landmarks & Secret Spots
- Mile End Place: A "secret oasis" tucked off the busy Mile End Road. It features a row of early 19th-century workers' cottages that feel like a country village, invisible to those who don’t know the narrow entrance.
- St Mary's (Whitechapel) Ghost Station: Located under Whitechapel Road between Whitechapel and Aldgate East stations, this "nearly invisible" station closed in 1938. Its remnants served as a WWII air raid shelter.
- Bevis Marks Synagogue: Discreetly hidden down a side street near Aldgate, this is the oldest synagogue in the UK, still in use today.
- The Mail Rail: A secret 6.5-mile underground railway that once carried 4 million letters a day. While it stretches to Whitechapel, the rideable portion is based at the Postal Museum.
- Stepney Green Conservation Area: Encloses historic buildings like those in Assembly Passage, a remnant of when the area was a popular meeting spot for Londoners.
🏛️ Cultural & Historical Context
- Origin of names: Mile End was named for being exactly one mile from Aldgate, the eastern gate of the City of London.
- Altab Ali Park: The site of the former "White Chapel" (St Mary Matfelon) that gave the district its name.
- The "Secret" Walk: A popular local route proceeds from Aldgate East through the heart of the East End, concluding at Whitechapel Station.
Key Locations at a Glance
| Feature | Location | Why it's "Secret" |
|---|---|---|
| Mile End Place | Off Mile End Rd | Tucked-away 19th-century village feel |
| St Mary's Station | Whitechapel Rd | Abandoned Underground station |
| Bevis Marks | Near Aldgate | Hidden, historic 1701 synagogue |
| Assembly Passage | Mile End | Historic meeting place hidden from main roads |
MARTES 17 FEBRERO 2026
Regreso a Madrid.
BRITISH AIRWAYS
Flight BA466 from Heathrow terminal 5 to Madrid. Tuesday 17th February.
We had carry on luggage and were forced into checking it in. ONLY passengers with SPANISH PASSPORTS where forced into doing that. Not a single British one was obliged to do that (I can assure it as I saw every single person from the queue getting on the plane) . We begged the woman to keep our cabin luggage with us as we carried valuable fragile items in the cases.We asked what criteria was followed to force passengers to check in carry-ons and we were answered that it was "British Airways policy to check in carry-ons from boarding groups 4 and 5" (what is false as we saw people from those groups 4 and 5 boarding with their cabin luggage).
I have read all the company policies regarding hand luggage and THAT said before appears NOWHERE. And it is rather strange that no British citizens are included in both boarding groups... Amazing!!!
Well,discriminatory off-the-law behaviours can be reported. That's exactly our formal report, the out of the company policy praxis.
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