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LA DOLCE CHEAPER
I visited the free UK attraction that looks like an Italian villa – and even locals don’t know it’s there
And the other places in the UK where you can feel like you're abroad
ITALY is, in my opinion, the greatest country to visit in Europe.
It's got everything you could ever want from a holiday, along with some of the best food in the world.
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Sadly, getting there is expensive and can't really be done on a simple day off work, although I'm often tempted to give it a go when I'm in desperate need of a break.
Luckily for me, there are places where I can go to get a taste of la dolce vita, without having to leave the UK, or without having to pay so much as an entry fee, let alone airfare.
One of those is the Hampstead pergola and hill garden in London, which plenty of others have likened to villas in Tuscany.
It's a comparison I would entirely agree with, particularly on a hot sunny day, when it truly does feel like you're wandering through the grounds of a grand stately home in the Italian countryside.
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The pergola's architecture is reminiscent of the Italian Renaissance gardens that inspired its construction, with ornate pillars, floor mosaics and grand archways all entwined with vines and exotic flowers.
The main part of the pergola is a raised walkway that offers views out over the rest of the gardens, which are surrounded by wooded areas that block out the noise and chaos of the London streets beyond them.
What they also seem to block out are visitors, with apparently very few people realising the gardens are there for them to peruse at their leisure.
On the several occasions I have visited the pergola, I have been one of only a handful of people there, with wedding photographers seemingly the only other people who make the most of the truly remarkable surroundings.
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This makes it the perfect place to head to for some much needed respite from life in the middle of one of Europe's biggest cities.
My favourite way to do that is to pack a bag with a book and a picnic, so I can sit and enjoy a few hours in the elaborate surroundings, while feeling like I'm just a stone's throw from Florence.
The European ‘water village’ compared to Venice where there are no cars - and you can get there without a flight
The calming settings found there today are a far cry from what they would have been when the pergola was first built, however.
The history of the fancy feature dates back to 1904 when philanthropist and gardening enthusiast, Lord Leverhulme, bought the house that overlooks the gardens.
The Lord wanted to create an ostentatious setting both for his family to enjoy in the summer, and for his friends to use for extravagant parties in the evenings.
The design was loosely based on Italian Renaissance architecture from the 15th and 16th century, with the aim of creating a Tuscan vineyard out of a large back yard in North London.
Other UK attractions that look like they're abroad
The pergola isn't the only attraction in the UK that looks like it's from another country.
The Neasden Hindu Temple
The largest Hindu temple outside of India can be found in London and it's a very impressive sight.
Around 1500 sculptors spent three years carving more than 26,000 individual pieces, which were then shipped to London for its construction.
The temple is Europe’s first and was funded entirely by the Hindu community. It's constructed using traditional Hindu architectural methods, so has no steel in it at all.
The Buddhapadipa Temple, Wimbledon
Elsewhere in London, Brits can get a taste of Thailand, by visiting the Buddhapadipa Temple in Wimbledon.
It is believed to be the first Thai Buddhist temple to be built in the UK.
Designed by Thai architect Praves Limparangsr, the newly-renovated temple opened to the public in 1982.
The temple was crafted in a traditional Thai style, featuring white walls with gold and red accents and an ornate roof, and cost around 33 million Thai baht (£825,000) to build.
Portmeirion village, Gwynedd, Wales
The village of Portmeirion in Wales is known for resembling the Italian Riveria.
It was built by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis between 1925 and 1975 who denied claims that he based the village on Portofino.
Even so, the village has become famous thanks to the striking resemblance between the two places.
However, after Lord Leverhulme's death in 1925, the parties stopped, as did maintenance on the pergola, which began to fall into disrepair.
It remained a crumbling ruin until London County Council took the structure and surrounding gardens into its care in 1960.
Since then, it has been lovingly restored and its original opulence, along with the overgrown vines and plants, creates a unique and atmospheric setting in which Londoners can meander and take a break from city living.
The best part about the pergola is it's free to enter, with gates opening from 8.30am to 7.30pm every day.
It's easy enough to find too, with Hampstead tube station just a 15 minute walk away.
Buses like the 210 will also take you right next to the hill garden, from where it's just a couple of minutes on foot.
So, the next time you feel like you want to take a trip to Italy, you might not have to head to the airport after all.
Instead, you could just get on the bus to Hampstead, where an authentic, albeit artificial, Tuscan experience awaits.
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Meanwhile, the beaches on this UK island have been compared to some in the Caribbean.
And tourists keep comparing this UK city to Venice.
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