Bromley, Greater London

For the keen historians who have visited the London galleries one too many times, Bromley offers several lesser-known historic attractions. Down House, in Downe, might look like an ordinary house, but it was actually the family home of Charles Darwin. Visitors can wander in the gardens and visit the rooms where he wrote his most famous book, ``On the Origin of Species``. Bromley is also the unexpected home of a labyrinth of 13th century man-made caves 30 metres below the ground. Visitors can book a tour of the dark passageways at Chislehurst Caves and learn about the caves' various uses over the years from an air raid shelter to a mushroom farm. For those keen to travel even further back in history, the Crofton Roman Villa foundations and its artifacts are an archaeology fan’s dream.