Things to do in London this weekend
A locals-first shortlist of what's worth your time in London this weekend — from outdoor escapes to standout food and live music.
Top spots in London
Hampstead Heath
OutdoorsHampstead
320 hectares of meadow, ponds for swimming and Parliament Hill skyline.
Borough Market
Food & DrinkSouthwark
Centuries-old food market — salt-beef bagels, oysters and raclette.
British Museum
CultureBloomsbury
Rosetta Stone and Parthenon sculptures under Foster's Great Court roof.
Columbia Road Flower Market
CultureBethnal Green
Sunday-morning Cockney shouts, peonies and Shoreditch coffee crawls.
Sky Garden
NightlifeCity of London
Free indoor garden 155 m above the Walkie-Talkie — book ahead.
Tate Modern
CultureBankside
Turbine Hall installations and free Bankside views from the viewing terrace.
Where to eat
Dishoom Covent Garden
$$Bombay café · Covent Garden
All-day bacon naan and house chai in a Bombay Irani-café setting.
Lyle's
$$$Modern British · Shoreditch
Daily-changing produce-led tasting menu in a stripped-back room.
St. John
$$$British · Smithfield
Fergus Henderson's nose-to-tail classic — bone marrow and madeira.
Padella
$$Italian · Borough Market
Hand-rolled pici cacio e pepe; expect a 45-min queue.
Live & on stage
BBC Proms
Royal Albert Hall · Jul 18 – Sep 13 · Classical
BST Hyde Park
Hyde Park · Jul 4–13 · Festival / Pop
Notting Hill Carnival
Notting Hill · Aug 24–25 · Caribbean / Carnival
Winter Wonderland
Hyde Park · Nov 21 – Jan 4 · Christmas Market
Frequently asked
- Locals' favourites right now: Tate Modern, Borough Market, Hampstead Heath. The full list is curated weekly and balances outdoor, food, culture and live music picks.