Head off the beaten track to London's lesser-known cultural hotspots
Sir John Soane's Museum
Nearest SWR station: Waterloo
It's free to enter this incredible house, once owned by the eponymous English architect and today still set up as it was when he died in 1837. View paintings by Hogarth, Turner and Canaletto as well as treasures including the sarcophagus of Egyptian pharaoh Seti I or join a tour to have a nose around the private apartments upstairs. After a visit to the museum, walk over to Covent Garden for lunch at Lima Cantina, where you'll get 20 per cent off your food bill with SWR Rewards.
Florence Nightingale Museum
Nearest SWR station: Waterloo
This small museum celebrates the life and work of the founder of modern nursing, through objects that tell the story of her life including books she wrote, jewellery she wore and even her beloved pet owl, Athena. Learn her story, from her Victorian childhood through to her work in the Crimean War and how she campaigned for better healthcare for everyone.
It's also not too far from Italian restaurant Azzurro in Waterloo, where you can enjoy two for one pizzas and pasta dishes with SWR Rewards.
Cinema Museum
Nearest SWR station: Waterloo
Love film? So do the volunteers at this quirky museum that's devoted to keeping the spirit of cinema alive. Book onto one of the regular two-hour tours to visit and you'll be guided around the incredible collection of memorabilia and equipment dating back to the 1890s – look out for the surprisingly chic ushers' uniforms and a series of impressive illuminated signs. The museum also hosts screenings of forgotten classics and talks with movie makers.
Afterwards, head to French-style brasserie Auberge in Waterloo and use your rewards to get two main meals for the price of one.
Skylark Galleries
Nearest SWR station: Waterloo
Tucked away in riverside Gabriel's Wharf, this contemporary art gallery is a great place to shop for affordable London art. The collection changes regularly and artists are often on-hand to discuss their work; everything you see is for sale, and usually includes paintings, photography and sculpture. If you head in after 2pm, and head back out after 7pm, you can make the most of SWR's Evening Out ticket offers, visit the gallery before it closes at 6pm, then enjoy a 15-minute stroll to Bala Baya, where you can enjoy an Eastern Mediterranean meal and get 20 per cent off your food plus a glass of complimentary bubbly when you present your SWR train ticket.
Oxo Gallery
Nearest SWR station: Waterloo
Located on the ground floor of the Oxo Tower, this riverside exhibition space hosts a varied programme of pop-up exhibitions covering everything from printmaking and textiles to sculpture and wearable art. Also here at Oxo Tower Wharf, you'll find the shops of independent fashion, homeware and jewellery designers. Afterwards, stroll along to Bread Street Kitchen in Southwark for seasonal dishes by chef Gordon Ramsay and enjoy 20 per cent off your main courses with SWR Rewards.
World of Rugby Museum
Nearest SWR station: Twickenham
Located in the south stand of Twickenham Stadium, and conveniently located on the SWR network, this is a must for rugby fans. Here you can view the world's most extensive collection of rugby memorabilia, including more than 40,000 objects, and have a go on high-tech simulators to test your power, strength and kicking skills. There's also a 'have a go' commentary booth and how-to guides for becoming a referee, coach or physio and you get 2-for-1 tickets with SWR Rewards.
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You wait ages for a bus to come along and then, all of a sudden, there are… 28. Not any old buses, mind; most of those heading my way are Routemasters, those legends of the London road looking resplendent in their bright red liveries and positively glowing in the late-afternoon sun. They are not in London, either, but rather lined up in formation alongside the long-lost village of Imber in the middle of Salisbury Plain, an area that is more commonly the scene of military training and strictly off limits to the public. The buses are preparing to return in convoy to Warminster, the Wiltshire town from which they departed several hours earlier at the start of what must be one of the most extraordinary days out in Britain. I am sitting on the front bus's open-air top deck, marvelling at the sight of so many magnificent vintage buses snaking their way through glorious – and rarely visited – countryside. 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