Around Town

Outdoor eating and drinking
Laze away a summer's day with a drink in one of London's best beer gardens, or supersize your seasonal dining experience with a sizzling pub barbecue. If you'd rather be waited on then there are plenty of restaurants offering fine alfresco dining. Markets are a reliable source of outdoor snacking, playing host to exciting, great-value street food. Meanwhile, head to London's food markets for picnic-time treats - or eat on the hoof with some great tasting street food.
See more restaurants.

Enjoy parks and gardens
Going green in London has never been a problem. Its major parks provide picture-perfect locations for escaping the city traffic, with handy local parks serving the fringes - and if you want somewhere to take the hamper, then take your pick from the best picnic areas in London.

Festivals
London's vibrant and diverse culture is reflected in its eclectic festival line-up - from the river-happy Thames Festival to Watch This Space's summer of street theatre and the ever-spectacular Notting Hill Carnival.
See all London summer festivals.

Outdoor entertainment
Dust off your picnic blanket and take in some culture under the sun, stars (or clouds) with one of the alfresco theatre performances or film screenings happening this summer. For art-lovers, there's the annual Serpentine Pavillion to check out, or a day Banksy-spotting on our tour of the street art dotted around the East End.

Get active outdoors
We've steadily built up a comprehensive collection of great walks that will keep you enthralled and inspired as you explore London. If you fancy taking your bike off the beaten track, test out one of our secret cycle routes, or cool off in the sun and splash down with some outdoor swimming. Feature continues