“If you’re curious, London is an amazing place.” And curiosity can be top level. For the first-time visitor, the London bucket list might include a visit to a royal palace, shopping and a dash of culture. Perhaps a pot of tea. And a photo with a Beefeater. Think Buckingham Palace and the changing of the guards. Harrods, Covent Garden, Big Ben and a play in the West End. Check, check and check.

To me, London is one of the most, exciting, easy and engaging city in the world. If you have visited London on more than one occasion, it is time to step beyond Oxford Street and the other guidebook checklists. First off, I always top up my Oyster card for exuberant Tube and bus exploration. Anyway, nowadays it is also possible to pay with a contactless credit card so there is no need for the Oyster card in your wallet. On each trip I tackle a new neighbourhood and I simply love getting lost before righting myself.

London is a food lover’s capital. Forget the once-prevalent conception of British cooking: the capital offers every ethnicity and sensibility, at every price point. Even local chains – among them, my favourites Mexican Wahaca, Italian Carluccio’s and pan-Asian Wagamama – don’t feel cookie-cutter and are spot-on choices for inexpensive meals. But I have many other list-toppers. After shopping at Regent and Oxford Streets, I settle for lunch at The Fountain in the culinary department store Fortnum & Mason: try the Welsh rarebit paired with a cool sauvignon blanc before shopping for epicurean wares upstairs.

For drinks, dinner and postprandial activities, beeline for the underground Brasserie Zedel which is a one-stop shop just off Piccadilly. Being your evening at the art deco-style Bar American for a sidecar before hitting the sprawling room next door for spirited selections amid a wonderful hustle and bustle. Afterwards, the complex’s Crazy Coqs cabaret boasts an ever-changing roster of performers, including Lorna Luft and the rollicking Miss Hope Springs, a Sunday night staple.

England is decidedly a country of gardeners. My favourite secret horticultural sanctuary is the Chelsea Physic Garden. Housed behind high brick walls along the Thames embankment in the heart of posh Chelsea, this verdant oasis dates from 1673 and spans four acres. Amble amid the lush greenhouses and verdant parterres that include presentations devoted to medicinal and pharmaceutical plants. Finish off your visit with lunch at the Garden’s charming cafe. Plant lovers should also hightail across the Thames to the little-known Garden Museum, which occupies the former St Maryat-Lambeth, an exhibition celebrating the renowned garden designer Russell Page.

To visit Buckingham Palace’s staterooms, it is only available in August and September when the queen decamps to Balmoral. But Syon Park is an easy Tube ride (via the District line to Gunnersbury) and short bus ride away. It is the ancestral home of the dukes of Northumberland. Stepping into this massive park with its grazing sheep and pastoral landscapes, it is hard to believe you’re still within the confines of greater London. The massive Robert Adam-designed Great Hall is made for ogling before you pass through wedding cake-like public rooms, including the massive Long Gallery. The Park has served as the backdrop for films such as Belle and Gosford Park.

For more city-meets-country pleasures, Hampstead perfectly fits the bill. Hampstead is a moneyed, magical and leafy London neighbourhood that has maintained its village like quality – albeit a village with tarted up pastry shops and sleek French bistros. The rural Hampstead Health, with its 790 acres of unfettered landscape (adjacent to the renovated, stunning Kenwood House) is the star attraction. But it is Fenton House and Garden that tops the list. A National Trust property, this 17th century former merchant’s home sits in the middle of Hampstead Village and hunkers on a residential side street. The creaky, china-filled rooms are charming, but the walled gardens exploding with springtime colour are more spectacular.

The National Gallery is tops, together with the British Museum, Tate Modern and the Tate Britain. Another lesser known one is the Wallace Collection, just steps from Oxford Street. Housed within the sprawling, standalone Hertford House mansion, the Wallace includes 25 galleries packed with treasures. The sensational Great Gallery has been called “one of the most jaw-dropping collections of old master paintings anywhere in the world” by The Guardian and “best room in London” by The Times. After my culture fix, I settle for lunch at the glass-roofed Wallace, inspired by the rococo brilliance nearby, and enjoy a light French fare.

London’s retail options are wildly impressive, from inspirational department stores such as Selfridges, House of Fraser and Liberty to the ABSc of global luxury – Armani, Bulgari and Chanel – that glitter on New and Old Bond streets. Other shopping streets include Marylebone High Street and Lamb’s Conduit Street, for bespoke, unique options. Marylebone sits between the madding crowds of Oxford Street and Regent Park, offering a chic High Street vibe. Atmospheric cafes such as The Providores and Coco Momo sit along boutiques such as Daunt Books, Designers Guild and The Conran Shop. Nearby, in the heart of Bloomsbury, head for vest pocket-sized Lamb’s Conduit Street and one-off retail options such as Ben Pentreath’s design shop, Oliver Spencer and Persephone Books – as well as cozy cafes such as Cigala and Ciao Bella.

There you have it. Now go out and enjoy my version of London, if you are tired of the guidebook one.