The past (nearly) two years have been a wild ride, that’s for sure. It’s been a rollercoaster of endless emotions with more vertical loops and 360 degree turns than we’d like to count. Yet, the release on restrictions has kind of been an experiential rebirth. How, so? Well, we get the chance to look at London and all the things the city has to offer with fresh eyes. All the attractions, insane museums and crazy art exhibitions are ready and roaring to go, so let’s get set to explore the delights once again. Both by day and by night, London has a lot to offer.
To get you started with a little inspiration, we’re giving you six of our favourite things to do across the capital, right now. See what’s happening and what’s new, with a hefty dose of rediscovery. London, it’s been too long.
1. Check out some art at Tate Modern
We’re kicking off strong with one of the best museums. Why is the Tate Modern so great you ask? This iconic museum on London’s South Bank contains incredible, contemporary collections from artists like Warhol, Patrick Caulfield, Matisse, Francis Bacon and Picasso, which are all part of the free and permanent collection.
The architecture alone is worth going for. Originally a power station, there are amazing views of London’s epic skyline to take in, and you can walk over Millennium Bridge, also known as the Wobbly Bridge, or the Harry Potter Bridge.
2. Go wild for greenery at Columbia Road Flower Market
Let’s talk about Columbia Road Flower Market, one of my favourite places to go to in London. It’s the oldest and (I can vouch for this) most-loved flower market in the city, with loads of vibey cafés, shops, galleries and antique dealers. It certainly has that vibrant, East London feeling. Plus, you can get your green fingers on anything here, from cacti and blooms to banana trees.
For the top tier selection, you should get to the market when it opens at 8am, but if you want to find bargains, we suggest going later in the day when they’re closing up at 3pm. You can usually get a deal out of the unsold stock towards the end of the day.
3. Discover the Tower of London
The Queen’s Royal Palace and fortress - what a place to visit! This 900-year-old monument is one of the country’s best historical attractions to see and you can definitely spend a big part of your day there. Most people come to admire all the shiny bling, the collection of diamonds, tiaras and sceptres that make up the Crown Jewels. The Royal Family still use these jewels from time to time, for example when there’s a coronation ceremony.
4. Get theatrical and book a musical, drama or comedy
Digitally viewing live theatre got many of us through those difficult months of sitting in the house, thanks to the amazing, often free to watch productions, streaming directly to your couch. Now we can, let’s return the favour by buying a ticket for a real-life performance.
5. Find some cool antiques at Portobello Road Market
Did you know Portobello Road Market is the world’s largest antique market? Located in Notting Hill, you can currently browse without traffic, as they’ve introduced a vehicle ban to aid social distancing. Besides antiques, you can also buy loads of fruit and veg. Hello, combined shopping trip. There are many treasures and trinkets to be found, from cheaper second-hand goodies to more expensive pieces.
6. Visit Hogwarts (yes, we had to include this one since we have Luke Jekyll in our office)
You’ll find loads of Harry Potter locations around London, and if you paid close attention, we already mentioned one in this article. However, a trip to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour in Watford is something else - you could say it’s truly magical.
Feel like a wizard whilst you learn everything about the making of Harry Potter, and see all the insane props and sets they used for all eight of the famous movies. Drink butterbeer and fly your own broom. You can even walk in the forbidden forest and pose in the Great Hall. Say no more, I think we’ve sold this one to you.