London does a beautiful alleyway. They come in all flavours: perfect shortcuts, purposeless meanderings, grimy with a frisson of danger, blossom-strewn and cinematic. Here are some of our favourites.

Matrimony Place, Clapham

This one’s leading between Clapham and Wandsworth Road, with St. Paul’s Clapham — and its tiny, not-as-ancient-as-it-looks graveyard — on one side, and Eden Community Garden on the other.

Conduit Street, Covent Garden

Disco vibes. Semi-constant queue of selfie-takers.

Faulkner’s Alley, Farringdon

This one’s 350 years old, and would’ve then overlooked the River Fleet, now deep underground. Not a very efficient shortcut to anywhere unless you’re looking for an atmospheric way to get to The Castle pub, at one end.

Shad Thames

In the 1800s this was London’s largest warehouse area, now mostly — you’ll never guess — luxury flats and pricey food spots.

Rowans, Finsbury Park

No list of London alleys could ever be complete without it.