St Dunstan in the East

The lowdown

St Dunstan in the East was a City church wrecked in the Blitz, and rather than rebuild it the city turned the shell into a public garden. The walls and the old tower still stand, but climbing plants now pour through the empty windows and trees grow where the roof used to be. It is free, and it is one of the most quietly magical corners of London.

Tucked down a side street between the river and the towers of the City, hardly anyone finds it by accident. Step through the arch and the traffic noise drops away, replaced by birdsong, a little fountain and green light filtering through the ruins. It feels centuries from the glass office blocks two streets over.

There is nothing to buy and nothing to do except sit, and that is exactly the point. Office workers bring their lunch, photographers come for the light, couples come to be quiet. Five free minutes here resets you better than anything you could pay for nearby.