When some think of London, they see it as the glittering, historic city that's home to mysterious government spy organizations like those in a James Bond film. But there's more than meets the eye in London, home to several different spy organizations throughout the years.
Travelers who'd like to experience London's secretive past can find it if they look hard enough.
Home to MI6 is perhaps the easiest to find in London, as it sits in plain sight. 85 Vauxhall Cross has been featured in James Bond films, and it's available to admire-from a distance, of course.
The Audley Square spy lamp post box sits outside the historic University Women's Club in Audley Square. During the Cold War, KGB spies would use the dead letter box to pass on information to others.
Travelers who visit St. Ermin's Hotel can truly step into a world that was once filled with espionage. From the 1930s through the Second World War, the luxury hotel was a secret base of operations for some British spies. Today, it welcomes travelers and guests to enjoy historic spy artifacts and learn about the hotel's history.
Waterloo Bridge was the scene of the mysterious assassination of Bulgarian writer Georgi Markov. In 1978, the writer who had defected to London after his anti-Communist writings put his life at risk, crossed the bridge. Along his way, a stranger bumped into him and poked him with an umbrella. He died a few days later, and doctors discovered he'd been poisoned with ricin from his encounter with the stranger with the umbrella.
True espionage enthusiasts will recognize the name of South Kensington's Cafe Daquise. London's first Polish restaurant and the unofficial headquarters for Polish exile Edward Raczynski, the cafe is the site of the Profumo Affair and is the alleged meeting place of a Russian spy named Christine Keeler and the Secretary of State at the time.
Travelers who'd like to experience London's espionage-filled history can do so on Atlas Ocean Voyages' 13-Night London to Dublin or the 12-Night Hamburg to London itineraries.
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