London has a long and interesting history, and there are all sorts of stories you'll hear as you go around and look at all its attractions. However, that's not all there is to London - it also has its more offbeat side, the kind of things you wouldn't really get to know unless you lived there. But it's your lucky day, because I'm going to give away a few of the secrets.

The most popular route on the tube for tourists is from Leicester Square to Covent Garden - two essential things to see, and you've got to get between them somehow, right? What you might not have realised, however, is that the two stations are actually less than 300 metres apart - it's much quicker to just walk!

Another tube fact: Angel station actually has the longest escalators in Europe, with 318 stairs altogether. Go and have a look sometime - it's pretty scary to stand at the top and look down.

When you fly into London, the chances are that you'll come to either Heathrow or Gatwick airport. Here are two fun facts: Heathrow airport is the busiest multi-runway airport in the world, while Gatwick is the busiest single-runway airport in the world. Whichever you choose, you're in for an interesting time.

Not impressed? How about this one: London has over 12,000 restaurants and 5,000 pubs. That's so many pubs that you could go in a drink in a different one every day for 14 years! If you ask around, you'll find that many of London's residents are, in fact, trying this out (nah, only kidding).

Finally, my favourite fact of all: in London Zoo, you can go into a giant monkey cage and actually meet some of the monkeys! I have never spoken to anyone who doesn't think that's simply brilliant.

So you see, London's not all Beefeaters and Palace Guards - there are plenty of other things going on too.