Last Minute London Valentines Guide
It's Valentines day and you've been so busy that you completely forgot the roses and chocolates. Check out our handy guides for each area of London to make it seem like you have had it all planned out all along! These Handy guides have been created by Hero.
Valentines Guide to East London (Shoreditch)
Build a Bouquet at the Flower market.
Columbia Rd market isn’t for the faint-hearted. Noisey, mental, pollen, hayfever and people. All these elements make for unique moments. Let your date choose the flowers.
Be warned the market closes at 2 pm. If you want to risk it get there just before closing time and get loads of flowers for pennies - but do you want your date to think you are a little cheap? Be Careful!
Munch on a Salt Beef Bagel at Brick Lane
A must to cure a hangover or just to lovingly wipe mustard off the face of your date. For about £3 you can get a hefty load of meat in a freshly baked bagel. It might not seem like a romantic meal but once you start sharing bites you will fall in love with that beef and know it was a great idea.
Share the best Hot Chocolate in London (in our opinion) at Dark Sugars
They shave chocolate into molten chocolate. I can’t handle it! It’s too much! Oh while you are there you might as well pick up some truffles for later.
Grab a cocktail or pint in a Shoreditch bar
People watching time! With so many bars to choose from, you are in the perfect place to people watch. Keep on Brick Lane or navigate around Spitalfields market. If you want to head further afield head up towards Old St. Our fave of the month is Portside Parlour, it doesn’t open to 5:30pm but is very intimate!
Time for a Dirty Burger
It’s been ages since that bagel, and I don’t know about you, but I’m a little tipsy (Hic). I’m ready for a burger and chips. Hello, Dirty Burger my old friend I'll have the onion rings!
Valentines Guide to South Lonon (Southbank)
The Southbank is the place to hold hands, walk along the Thames and relive moments from your favourite movies...
visit Bridget Jones' flat in Borough, notice it isn’t raining under Waterloo Bridge (Four Weddings and a Funeral) or fall for a Psychopath at Southwark Bridge - Meep Meep (Luther). My handy guide to South London should get you out of any last-minute emergency dates.
Take your date up The Shard!
If you want your date to start well you might as well impress them by walking to the 32nd floor of the Shard and enjoying a cocktail or two at Aqua Shard bar. You don’t need to book (it's a first come, first serve basis) and it's free to get in. If you get there at 12pm when the bar opens, you pretty much get a choice of seats with stunning views of London. If you get there a little later - sit at the bar and make friends with the barman.
Walk along the South Bank
Your date is impressed so far, now it’s time to hit the Thames path where your biggest challenge lies ahead. Do you go left or right? Go right and you can explore Tower Bridge and St Katherines Dock. For the purpose of this guide, we are heading left, but if you dream of owning a boat, head to St Katherines Dock and see if any of the super yachts are moored.
Wander around the free exhibitions at The Tate Modern
Time for some culture and nothing says culture better than a quiet whispering walk around the Tate Modern. With over 400 pieces of art on display in the free galleries, you are sure to find something to talk about. Our personal favourites are Rebecca Horn’s pieces (Level 2).
Snuggle on a sofa at the BFI Cafe
You're now cultured out and have walked a few good kilometres, you deserve a cuppa. My favourite place to relax is the cafe at the BFI. Head into the BFI box office where you can rest your feet and nuzzle into the comfy sofas. Oh, and ask for a fresh mint tea with honey.
Grab some street food
Behind the Royal Festival Hall is an excellent food market perfect for grabbing a quick bite to eat. You have a whole world of choice so fill your boots but make sure you eat before the market closes at 6pm. Our first choice is always The Frenchie
Valentines Guide to North London (Primrose Hill and Hampstead)
If you are a hopeless romantic, then this guide is for you. and my guide to north London is a little slushy! It's all about romance, sharing and making magic moment that you can tell people about on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday….
Book brunch at Greenberry Cafe
Greenberry should have tables for brunch, but you might have to wait. A suggestion is head in, book a table and if you have to wait... go exploring. We love the Shakshuka but, as it’s valentines day maybe go for something less spicy! The Waffle with maple glazed bacon is a great sharing dish.
Grab a coffee and head up to Primrose Hill
We did say this was for the hopeless romantics. So Join all the other couples on Primrose Hill to slurp lattes and people watch. You might even get to play with a dog or two. But, you are here for the views, to hold hands and see if your date has been keeping up with those cardio sessions in the gym!
Wonder up to Hampstead past the dream houses
Time to work off those waffles and to pose that burning question… ‘Who lives in a house like this?’ Oh, did you think it was that other Question? Ekkkk! If only! Taking a gentle stroll up to Hampstead is a beautiful way to get lost in a dream world and nit pick at some interior design choices in those multi-million-pound houses.
Grab a Crepe at Le Creperie de Hampstead
If you think you can handle more eggs, flour and milk then queue for a crepe! This is a Hampstead must. Go for sweet and keep it simple with Nutella (it contains two whole hazelnuts to know). Taking it in turns to take bites and jokingly placing Nutella on your dates nose. It’s romantic and playful.
Recite poetry to each other at Keats House
Rose and Red, Violet are blue…. No. It’s time to take it seriously. Ballads and Sonnets a plenty. It’s a chance to let your environment challenge you to write words of love and project them to the one you care about. Who knows, you could be a poet and you don’t even know it!
Valentines Guide to West London (South Kensington and Knightsbridge)
West London is the playground of the rich. It’s home to some of the most fantastic shops, museums and places to be seen at. It’s so stunning that even the Queen lives west! Our guide is a good mixture of things to do and places to be seen.
Sculpture gallery at the V&A
We love the V&A. For us, it’s the perfect mix of culture and beauty. The Science Museum is for boys, and the Natural History Museum makes us sneeze (dust issues). The sculpture gallery at the V&A is also home to some Rodin’s sculptures It’s the closest we are going to get to The Kiss right now! We could spend hours getting lost in here.
Hire a pedalo and navigate the Serpentine
Ok, it is a little corny, but sometimes we all need a little fun on a lake. Hire a two seater and get your date to do some of the work. By that, we mean all of the work. If you don’t fancy being one of "those couples", then grab a coffee and have a little walk around Hyde Park… but stay west!
Head to Knightsbridge and pretend to be a Millionaire
It worked for Julia Roberts on her second trip to Rodeo Drive! Spot the hot new looks, visit Harrods and imagine telling the staff you will have one in every colour! Plenty of people watching fun to be had as well. Just remember not to flash the plastic too much otherwise you might be in trouble at the end of the month.
Drink the night away at Jak's
Well, the shops are closed, and now it’s time to have a few cocktails. There are plenty of places to go in West London but Jak's is the place to be seen. If you can grab a sofa, if not find a corner and enjoy a cocktail or two.
Become a Community Contributor.
