10 great places a London tour won't take you

— -- When visitors descend on England's capital for this summer's Olympics and the Queen's Jubilee, Craig Taylor hopes they will look beyond Buckingham Palace and Big Ben. "People have this notion of a city fixed in amber, as a place where men walk around in bowler hats," says the author of Londoners (HarperCollins, $29.99), an oral history. He shares with Larry Bleiberg for USA TODAY some favorite excursions through a city he considers one of the world's most vibrant.

A British Museum shortcut

You'll feel quite cultured on this Bloomsbury neighborhood walk. First, browse Judd Books, which specializes in used and bargain volumes. Then cut through the free-admission British Museum, entering on Montague Place and exiting on Great Russell Street ( britishmuseum.org). Taylor says the detour always inspires him. "I can't stress how cool it is to cut through there and stand in front of some of the best exhibits in the Western world." End the stroll with a slice of lemon cake at London Review Bookshop café ( lrbshop.co.uk).

From royals to the Middle East

Start a whirlwind journey in Kensington at the Windsor Castle pub, which enthusiastically celebrates the monarchy ( fancyapint.com/Pub/london/windsor-castle/3176). "It's so over the top, packed with photos of every royal you can possibly imagine," Taylor says. Then stroll through a nearby Middle Eastern neighborhood to Patogh, a wonderful Iranian restaurant on Edgware Road. "This one street is like wandering through the heart of Beirut," he says.

Strolling Hampstead Heath

Hampstead Heath could be the best park in the world, Taylor says. "It's a chunk of wilderness set down in the city. It's probably the salvation of most Londoners." After wandering its paths, stop by the Southampton Arms pub ( thesouthamptonarms.co.uk), which serves meat pies and locally brewed beer and cider. "It's my favorite in London," he says.

Turkish delight

Although the northeast London neighborhood of Dalston is becoming trendy, Taylor is drawn by its diversity. At the Ridley Road Market, you'll find Nigerian action films on DVD and cut-rate kitchenware. Then head to Mangal Ocakbasi, a Turkish restaurant centered on an enormous grill ( mangal1.com). "I lived nearby, and I could always smell them roasting meat," Taylor says. Men might want to visit Pasha, a Turkish barbershop, for a straight-razor shave.

A Spanish kick

Taylor suggests starting this north London excursion at Clerkenwell Tales ( clerkenwell-tales.co.uk), a bookshop "so well curated and welcoming you'll leave feeling like a more intelligent person." Then stroll through Exmouth Market and stop at Café Kick for coffee, cocktails or foosball. Top off your visit with dinner at Moro, a famous Spanish restaurant, or its adjacent offshoot, Morito ( moro.co.uk). The former is a date-night classic. "It's a place you have to dress up for a bit, but it's worth it."

Pizza and people-watching

Taylor used to live in Brixton, one of the city's most ethnically mixed areas. Start with lunch at Franco Manca, where the sourdough pizza and people-watching are both top-notch ( francomanca.co.uk). Then visit Brixton Market, great for cheap phone cards. "To understand London is to understand the markets," he says. "It's a fantastic mix."

Dinner and politics