It bus be love: six double-decker dates for Valentine’s Day in London

There are endless reasons to make the journey to Henry VIII’s delightfully over-the-top palace: the impressive architecture shaped by consecutive dynasties, the opulent Tudor chapel that is still used today, and, of course, the jaw-dropping royal maze.
Bus stop Hampton Court Palace.
Bus numbers 111, 216, 411 and R68.
£4.50 maze entry (or included with £10.65 palace ticket).

South of the river lies a lovingly restored 1950s art deco ballroom with a pop-up cinema. In keeping with loved-up February, the venue will be showing ‘The Notebook’, ‘Pretty Woman’ and ‘Romeo + Juliet’. We’re already feeling a bit weepy…
Bus stop Crofton Park.
Bus numbers 122, 171, 172 and N171.
£10.

North London’s gorgeous and secluded Hampstead Pergola is a favourite of local artists – and it’s not hard to see why. The wild flora is pretty as a picture, and you get uninterrupted views of the London skyline. Take a moment to relax below the pergola, which is festooned with wisteria.
Bus stop Inverforth House.
Bus numbers 210, 268 and N5.
Free.

Former home of the Victorian artist Frederic Lord Leighton, this Holland Park beauty (which is only open on weekends) was created by award-winning architect George Aitchison. Every inch of the space has been adorned; be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the astonishing collection of sixteenth-century Islamic glazed tiles.
Bus stop Kensington High St/Earl’s Court Rd.
Bus numbers 9, 23, 27, 49, C1, N27 and N28.
£9.

Sometimes a journey can be a destination in itself. Begin your ride at North Greenwich, where you’ll board the UK’s first urban cable car and take to the skies for a 0.7-mile ride. Want to really up the romance factor? Book a Champagne Flight in a private cabin and soar above the Thames in style.
Bus stop North Greenwich.
Bus numbers 108, 129, 132, 161, 188, 422, 472 and 486.
From £3.50. Champagne Flight: £28 per person.

The capacious events space in London’s latest Boxpark hosts everything from comedy events to creative workshops and, of course, loads of live music and parties. Rock up on V-Day for a huge, free ‘Massaoke’ session: that’s next-level karaoke, with a live band where everyone sings along together. Date night sorted.
Bus stop Wembley Park.
Bus numbers 83, 92, 182, 206, 223, 297 and N83.
Free.