We Found 12 Of The Very Best Things To Do In London This Weekend

If you need to recover from the work week, we've got you.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that every sunny British week must be in want of a drizzly, grey aftermath. Even though blossoms are blooming, daffodils are flowering, and the sun is starting to get up before 8AM, something about this work week feels a bit like we've reverted to winter, doesn't it?

BBC

Still, London seems to have missed the miserable memo. With the launch of the Big City exhibition in Guildhall, the beautiful blooms in Culpeper's community gardens, and – yes – some very good crepes knocking about, I reckon I can just about find some energy for the weekend ahead. Besides, the sun's due to come out on Saturday, so if you're as ready to forget the midweek drizzle as I am, here are 12 of the best things we found to do in London:

1. Craving some nature, but not keen on hitting yet another busy park? I've always considered Islington's Culpeper community gardens to be a bit of a hidden gem, and early spring is the perfect time to visit.

Instagram: @culpepergarden

You didn't ask what my dream Sunday looks like, but I'll tell you anyway – I love walking from Camden Lock to Victoria park's market along the canal, not least because I get to stop at this beautiful community garden along the way. Stroll among its beautifully-maintained flora, snap an IG-worthy pic of its pondside tiles or dramatic wooden terrace, and then potter around the nearby Oxfam bookshop that I'd probably live in if I could. Oh, and if you're peckish after, there's a Buns From Home outlet close by (among the best pastries I've tried in London). You're welcome. 

Price: Freeee

Location: 1 Cloudesley Rd, London N1 0EJ

Hours: 10 AM-6 PM Friday and Saturday, 10 AM-2 PM Sunday.

2. Missed out on pancake Tuesday, or just reckon it's worth a redo? Crêpes à la Carte in Kentish Town is my go-to spot year-round.

Instagram: @crepesalacartelondon

I don't care what people say – the best holiday is not Halloween or Christmas. It is, and has always been, Pancake Day. The instructions are as simple as they are magnificent; you must make pancakes, eat them, and then do that again. Still, it's amazing how many people (myself included) manage to mess those orders up – I found myself settling for a rubbery, supermarket American pancake situation this year, so I'm heading to Crepes a la Carte this weekend to atone. After all, their perfectly-cooked offerings do me well the rest of the year; I recommend their goat's cheese La Biquette galette and their apple crepe. If you can, go as a duo and split the (huge) sweet and savouries between you, but if you can't... look, there are worse challenges than finishing a pair of these by yourself.

Price: £8.90-£11.90 for a (massive) galette, and £4.50-£5.90 for their perfect crepes.

Location: 112 Kentish Town Rd, London NW1 9PX

Hours: 11 AM – 2:30 PM and 6 PM – 9 PM Friday, 10 AM - 4 PM Saturday and Sunday./

3. Head to Guildhall's art gallery for their brand-spanking-new Big City exhibition.

Instagram: @guildhallartlondon

Love London? Then I reckon you'll adore Guildhall's new exhibition that features beautiful (and bloody massive) paintings of this city. The gallery has a pay-what-you-can policy for this show, so it's perfect if you're on a budget – and TBH, you'll get some serious bang for your buck even if you do decide to splash out. 

Price: whatever you can pay :)

Location: Basinghall St, London EC2V 5AE

Hours: 10:30 AM -4:30 PM daily. 

4. Speaking of stunning shows, Alice Neel's 'Hot Off The Griddle' exhibition in the Barbican isn't to be missed.

Instagram: @barbicancentre

I've been an Alice Neel fan for ages now, so you'd best believe I snapped up a ticket the second I realised her most iconic works were hitting the Barbican – nobody makes you really look at a subject as she does, IMO. Head to her show for a peek at her famous portraits (including one of Andy Warhol that extracted an approving nod from my most cynical art degree-wielding pals). 

Price: £18.00 (concessions are available)

Location: Barbican Centre, Silk St, London EC2Y 8DS

Hours: 10 AM-7 PM Friday, 10 AM-5 PM Saturday and Sunday.

5. As a fish and chip connoisseur, I'd recommend you get your batter-loving boots on and head to 1AA Michelin Rosette-owning restaurant The Mayfair Chippy ASAP.

Amy Glover / BuzzFeed

If you're thinking 'why is Michelin chat happening near my fish and chip dinner?', I understand – to be honest, I was with you until I headed along to this gorgeous Mayfair restaurant. Once I got there, though, the impeccably crispy, perfectly-delicate fish and immaculate chunky chips answered any questions I had immediately. Everything is filling without being stodgy, crisp without being overly oily, and flavourful without detracting from the oh-so-fresh fish flavour. You'll get little pots of curry sauce, mushy peas, and tartare sauce too, so you can add what you like to your meal (if it means anything to you, the curry sauce reminded me of the legendary takeaway recipes back home in Ireland. Iykyk). Don't skip dessert, either – I loved my gooey, treacly-y date pudding. Take me back.

Price: £21.95 for the 'classic' fish and chips

Location: 14 N Audley St, London W1K 6WE

Hours: 11:30 AM-9:45 PM daily.

6. Well hello there, London bookshop crawl.

Евгения Матвеец / Getty Images

I don't know about you, but this weekend I'm ready to saturate my mind with great literature instead of just-okay beer – so it's a good thing this London bookshop crawl offers so many options. Go as a group in multiple locations across the city, or just take yourself on a Wordsworth-worthy wander among one of its handy maps. Bookworm bliss. 

Price: £12 per guided tour.

Location: various locations across London. 

Hours: 1-5 PM; days vary according to location.

7. Catch the free exhibition Addicted To Love at Quantus Gallery (and nab yourself a pic from their gorgeous walk-in photo booth while you're at it).

Amy Glover / BuzzFeed

Featuring UK-based artists Eve de Haan and Sara Pope, this contemporary exhibition combines pop art-style lips with witty neon signs to explore 'notions of love in many guises'. Expect glitzy, gem-encrusted paintings, glowing affirmations, and a walk-in photo booth with handmade props from both artists (read: an absolute IG goldmine). Catch you there?

Price: £0!

Location: 11-29 Fashion St, London E1 6PX

Hours: 9:30 PM-6 PM weekdays.

8. Kew Garden's visual feast of an orchid festival is an early spring must-visit.

Instagram: @kewgardens

I wish I could come up with a decent spiel to sell this event, but 1) I can't seem to find the words to express how stunning this year's floral masterpieces are and 2) I reckon I don't really need to. Just look at this stuff. Breathtaking.

Price: £19 if you book before 4 PM, £11 if you book after

Location: Kew Gardens, Richmond, TW9 3AB

Hours: 10 AM-5 PM daily.

9. The Vaults' subterranean festival of all-new work is still running strong.

Instagram: @thevaultslondon

Londoners have told me how much they missed this alternative arts bonanza during its three-year hiatus, but I reckon its 500-show-strong 2023 itinerary is more than making up for lost time. Comedy shows, experimental theatre, drag acts, and even a one-day wrestling festival (yes, really) are all taking place in The Vaults' impossibly cool maze of underground venues during the eight-week-long festival, so you're bound to find something truly exciting among its delightfully chaotic displays. And if that all sounds a bit overwhelming, fear not – their site's clever ticket selector allows you to filter events by what mood you're in, what genres you like, and whether or not the event is accessible. It's just good (show)business, people. 

Price: it varies – check out that cool ticket selector (that recommended me a v v enticing Drag Queens vs Vampires show), or peek at their worth-every-penny festival passes.

Location: it also varies, but most events are in or around Leake St, London SE1 7NN

Hours: say it with me now – it varies! I reckon the hours between 4:30 PM and 10 PM are your best bet overall, though.

10. Saatchi's Beyond The Streets is the most comprehensive graffiti and street art exhibition ever to open in the UK, making it more or less a must-see.

Instagram: @saatchi_gallery

The exhibition (curated by graffiti historian Roger Gastman) contains work from over a hundred artists; expect drama, fun, and an explosion of colour across all three floors of the Saatchi gallery. Among its enormous murals, dainty squiggles, and achingly stylish fashion pieces, I reckon you'll see something touchingly universal about that irrepressible human impulse to create and express – and, uncultured as it might be of me to say, make sure you bring your most skilled photographer friend with you when you go. The show is an important celebration of the legacy and history of a much-maligned art form, and it is also grid-worthy IG gold (something-something Walt Whitman, something-something containing multitudes). 

Price: £25.00 (concessions are available).

Location: Duke of York's HQ, King's Rd, London SW3 4RY

Hours: 10:00 AM-4:30 PM daily.

11. Think you're up on your Suffragette history? Catch hip-hop musical Sylvia at the Old Vic and come back with a whole new perspective on the fight for women's rights.

Instagram: @oldvictheatre

Sylvia Pankhurst, a lesser-known pillar in the Suffragette movement, has been ignored for too long – so it's a good thing this energising preview quite literally sings her praises. Originally commissioned as a dance show, Sylvia has blossomed into a full-blown musical that's wowed crowds since its 2018 WIP debut. Director Matthew Warchus says he'll continue honing his work for a 2024 re-release, but 'til then, I reckon the engaging story of the Pankhurst family and their role in the Suffragette movement is more than worth a watch as-is. 

Price: £10-£65 depending on seats.

Location: The Cut, London SE1 8NB

Hours: from 7:30 PM Friday and Saturday.

12. I am very, very excited about free exhibition People Make Television. It shows tonnes of DIY TV from the '70s, including – unexpectedly – a collection of experimental episodes from the BBC that have remained mostly unaired since their initial broadcast.

Instagram: @raven__row

If you're anything like me, you come across about five articles a month that become your favourite conversation topic/obsession/personality trait for a while – and this week, mine is a piece about the BBC's Open Door series. The genuinely fascinating experiment involved handing a telly crew and complete editorial control over to activists, campaigning groups, and other usually-unheard voices. It feels unthinkable for the BBC to give an entire crew and complete creative direction to, let's say, a local food bank worker in 2023, so I cannot imagine how groundbreaking doing just that with farm workers, trans activists, and unemployed teens must have been in the '70s. People Make Television boasts over a hundred eps from that series, alongside rare (and delightfully amateurish) DIY footage from Bristol, Sheffield, Swindon and Milton Keynes – my history-loving mind has died and gone to telly heaven.

Price: £0 

Hours: 11 AM-6 PM on Friday 3rd, Saturday 4th, and Sunday 5th.

Location: 56 Artillery Ln, London E1 7LS – Raven Row (the venue) has been shut for the past five years, so I'm glad they're opening back up with such a bang.