December 2023: We don’t want to alarm you, but somehow December is here. The city is officially peppered with its annual supply of ice skating rinks, Christmas markets and winter pop-ups, while some of our favourite London venues are busy with carol services and Christmas theatre shows in the run-up to the most wonderful time of the year.
But, it’s not all Michael Bublé on repeat and disappointing glasses of mulled wine. There are also satanic flea markets to explore, secret islands to mosey around, iconic film exhibitions, wonderfully sobering theatre and mind-expanding art shows to see.
So wrap up warm and get out there.
No matter what your vibe, tastes or interests, there is always something to do in London. When the sun’s out, London’s parks turn into leafy social clubs, restaurants dust off their outdoor seating and fountains erupt from dusty concrete squares and suddenly the city air is filled with alfresco theatre.
Whether you want to see cutting-edge art exhibitions, iconic attractions, secret spots, world-beating theatre, stunning green spaces, it’s all here and you can probably fit all this in and more still barely feel like you’ve scratched the surface of the city. And that’s before you factor in all those historic London pubs, the latest must-visit restaurants and vibrant LGBTQ+ venues. And if you need somewhere to stay? Check out London’s best hotels or Airbnbs.
This London bucket list (curated by our editors and always hotly debated in the Time Out office) is a good place to start because exploring this city can be a little daunting. There’s something for everyone here, but you need to know where to look.
Plus, if you want to know what’s happening in London, like, right now, check out things to do in London this week and things to do in London this weekend. After a few days pottering about in the capital, you’ll be more than ready to reel off Dr Samuel Johnson’s famous quote: ‘When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.’
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