Here Are All The Best Things To Do In London Around Valentine's Day

Just call us Cupid.

Like it or not, love (and a little bit of sun) is set to stay in London's air for the next week or so. Valentine's day dominates menus and event listings, but don't be fooled by the seemingly monotonous red-hued relentlessness; galleries, bars, and restaurants are really pushing the swan-shaped pedal boat out this year, and anti-Valentine's day events abound.

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So whether you're happily beau'd up or keen to avoid the lovelorn masses, we've got your back with 13 of the best things to do in London around Valentine's Day!

1. 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 P.M.-6 P.M. weekdays.

2. Fellow singletons, breathe a cynical sigh of relief: PopHorror's anti-Valentine's ball gets us.

Instagram: @pophorroruk

If your Valentine's plans are less 'chocolate and roses' and more 'panic-scrolling your situationship's cousin's IG' this year, we have something in common. Or, more accurately, had something in common: since learning about PopHorror's power ballad singalong, damaged goods tombola, and broken-hearted disco, I've begrudgingly rescheduled my Feb 14th plans. And while it's not my place to tell you what to do with your week, I'd like to gently suggest joining me if your socials' search history currently reads like your ex's emergency contact list – pinkie promise I'll go hoarse singing 'Since U Been Gone' with you if you do. 

Price: £15

Location: 372 Kennington Lane, London, SE11 5HY

Hours: 7 P.M.-12 A.M.

3. After a classic, failsafe Valentine's meal out? Look no further than Quaglinos.

Instagram: @quaglinos

There's a time and a place for an edgy, wildcard date, but if you ask us, a dinner table on February 14th is neither. Flattering lighting, perfectly-cooked bistro classics, live entertainment, and swanky decor are more the order for Valentine's day, IMO; and having popped along to the restaurant myself, it looks like Quaglino's agrees. I adored the springy and crisp pain d’epi bread that came with my meal, and my perfectly-tender chicken main stunned. I've been dreaming about the spiced red cabbage side since I tried it, too – faultlessly seasoned with a gentle bite. Live jazz tinkled far more softly beside our meal than I'd expected (i.e., we could still talk comfortably), and the relentlessly glamourous art deco settings made us feel like we were on an old-school Hollywood set. If it ain't broke, Quaglino's knows, please, please don't put a fusion menu and ~challenging~ colour scheme in it – the restaurant provides a cartoonist's idea of a romantic night out, and if you ask us, it's all the better for it. 

Price: I tried the £40pp set menu and was pretty impressed by the value. They're also offering a (much more decadent) £165 Valentine's Day set menu that includes lobster, caviar, foie gras, and black truffles.

Location: 16 Bury St, St. James's, London SW1Y 6AJ

Hours: £40 set menu is available Mon-Weds from 5:30-9:30 P.M., and Valentine's menu is available on 14th Feb.

4. Land yourself some seriously stunning Cupid-inspired cocktails in Brixton's ~vibey~ Beetle Juice bar.

Beetle Juice

Both their lychee, lime, and gin 'Heartbreaker' cocktail and their candyfloss-topped raspberry and Bacardi 'Cupid's Kiss' offering sound incredible, so you'd better believe I'm taking advantage of their two-for-£15 offer this Valentine's Day. Doesn't hurt that the adorable van and stunning booze are so IG grid-worthy either, right? 

Price: £10 for one cocktail or £15 for two.

Location: 24-25, Granville Arcade, London SW9 8PR

Hours: 5-11P.M from 14th-18th Feb.

5. After something special for the coffee fan in your life, or on more of a Palentine's roll this year? You can get your caffeine-craving claws on a limited-edition, hand-drawn Starbucks cup this weekend.

Instagram: @starbucksuk

Mosey on down to Brompton Road this Saturday, where the first 100 customers to buy one of Starbucks' hot white reusable cups or frosted cold cups will receive a hand-drawn option from artist Bee Illustrates. Whether you're after one for a date, a mate, or just yourself, it's hard to think of a gift in this price range that'll nab you quite as many brownie points.

Price: £1.50 for a white hot cup and £4.50 for a frosted cold cup.

Location: 4-48 Brompton Road Unit 4a 44-58 SW3 1BW

Hours: 9 A.M. – 5 P.M. Saturday 11th Feb.

6. When J-Lo sang "Love Don't Cost a Thing", I'm *pretty* sure she was referring to Hampstead Heath's endlessly romantic pergola.

Alena Kravchenko / Getty Images/EyeEm

Now that it's light before 10, a stroll through the Heath seems more appealing than ever – and it doesn't get much more butterfly-inducing than the park's endlessly romantic pergola. Wander among its classical and artfully-weathered columns, or snap up a sweet couple's pic (or 67) underneath its beautiful blooms – bliss. 

Price: £0 

Location: The Pergola, Inverforth Cl, London NW3 7EX

Hours: 24/7

7. Five words: Natural History museum after hours.

Instagram: @natural_history_museum

If (like us) you reckon swooning is about fifty times better when you do it beside a stegosaurus, you might want to check out the Natural History Museum's Valentine's day offerings. Events include a salsa class, some science stations, multiple talks about the love lives of animals, and some rather romantic live harp music. The ticket also includes an after-hours view of their galleries, a peek at their all-new Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition, and a digital picture from their Magic Memories photo booth (phew), and there'll be a full bar too. Race you to the checkout. 

Price: £35 for non-members

Location: Cromwell Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 5BD

Hours: 6:45 P.M.-12 A.M., Friday 16th Feb.

8. Romeo and Juliet's romance has nothing on the perfect, timeless pairing of fish and chips, so what better way to celebrate your union than by grabbing a seafood afternoon tea from 1AA Michelin rosette-owning Mayfair Chippy?

Instagram: @mayfairchippy

With items like a Cornish crab on toast, Atlantic crab claws, and Carlingford oysters on the menu, it's hard not to fall head-over-heels for Mayfair Chippy's afternoon 'sea'. The meal comes with a wine buff-approved bottle of Piper-Heidsieck champagne and some seafood-awaiting sourdough, too – and yes, of course there will be chips. Heaven.

Price: £125 per couple. 

Location: 14 N Audley St, London W1K 6WE

Hours: the afternoon tea is available from 10th-14th Feb; restaurant hours are 11:30 A.M.-9:45 P.M. daily.

9. Champagne + a romantic rotation on the London eye = a truly unforgettable Valentine's treat.

Instagram: @londoneye

If someone asked me what the most romantic plan I could possibly make in London would be, I reckon taking a ride on the London Eye with my (hypothetical) beau while sipping on some crisp champagne would probably rank pretty highly. Good thing they're offering just that this Valentine's day, then – and if you want to go the extra (vertical) mile, you can book an entire pod for you two with a full bottle of Pommery Brut Royal Champagne and a box of luxury truffles. Fairytale-level stuff.

Price: £60 for a glass of champagne, some Hotel Chocolat pink truffles, and a spin in a shared pod, and £550 for your own pod with a full bottle of champagne and a box of Hotel Chocolat pink truffles. 

Location: Riverside Building, County Hall, London SE1 7PB

Hours: 11 A.M.-6 P.M. daily.

10. Why settle for a single bouquet when Kew Garden's visual feast of an orchid festival is so stunning?

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 A.M.-5 P.M. daily.

11. The Vaults' subterranean festival of all-new work is still running strong – I can't think of a better resource for live entertainment-loving couples.

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 P.M. and 10 P.M. are your best bet overall, though.

12. Take a nighttime stroll at the Battersea Power Station's light display.

Instagram: @batterseapwrstn

It's free, it's endlessly Instagrammable, and it involves a comically large light-up bathplug. What's not to love?

Price: £0.00

Location: Circus Rd W, Nine Elms, London SW11 8AL

Hours: 8 A.M.-11 P.M. daily.