Amy Houghton

It’s easy to leave planning New Year’s Eve to the very last minute – often you get so tangled up in the tinsel-decked glories of Christmas that you forget there's another big bash, just a week later. But New Year’s Eve is the kind of night that you forget at your peril. Attempt to wing it and you might well end up stuck at home with a glass of flat prosecco in front of Jools Holland’s Hootenanny, because all London's best clubs and parties book out weeks or months in advance.  But fear not, we’re here to make sure you give 2026 a seriously good send-off. Here’s our list of London best NYE bashes for ringing in 2027, from never-ending club nights to LGBTQ+ friendly celebrations. Assemble your crew, book your tickets, plan the perfect ‘fit and prepare to say a big fat goodbye to the year gone by. RECOMMENDED: Find things to do in London on New Year’s Day.

July 2026: If you’ve had the pleasure of strolling down Exmouth Market recently, you’ll know the historic Clerkenwell strip is the buzziest pedestrianised street in London, full of al-fresco fun, convivial pintspeople and sidewalk tapas as far as the eye can see. Which is pretty much all down to the new Number 1 in our list of the best bars in London. Congratulations are due to Cafe Kick, the breezy Euro-chic sports bar about to celebrate 30 years of tricking your brain into thinking you’re on holiday. The rest of our Top 50 features bars old and new, posh and divey, and cheap and pricey, but all of them with great drinks and an unparalleled vibe. Fancy a drink? You’ve come to the right place. This is Time Out’s list of best bars in London, our curated guide to London’s drinking scene, which features the greatest bars in the capital right now. These are the places we’d recommend to a friend, because we love drinking in them and have done many times over. From classy cocktail counters to delightful dives, sleek hotel bars, rooftop bars and places to sip wine, London’s got them all. You’ll find historic drinking holes here as well as brand new openings. But what makes a truly good bar? Our critieria is simple; a menu of great drinks is important, but so is the overall energy of the place – there’s no point having the perfect paloma if you have to drink it in a bar that smells of bin juice. To make it into our Top 50, a bar has to be fun, friendly, convivial and inclusive, as we

Let’s be honest, with all the pressure that gets put on New Year’s Eve, it can often endsup as a disappointment. You’re lying if you say you haven’t spent at least one countdown with your head over a toilet after getting too razzed before midnight, or the night is spent jostling with what feels like everyone in London to get into an average club night. This year, spare yourself the pain and save the hardest partying for New Year’s Day instead.  New Year’s Day raves have taken off over the last few years. They tend to last longer than the events of the night before and there aren’t the same enormous NYE crowds to battle with. Of course, celebrations on Jan 1 needn’t be instead of NYE revelries – soldier through your hangover and combine the two to create one big 48-hour blowout.  The capital’s venues are ready to welcome you with open arms for the first rager of 2027, with all manner of day and night parties to check out. Because who says the fun needs to stop as soon as the countdown’s over? Here are London’s best New Year’s Day parties.   RECOMMENDED: Find New Year’s Eve parties in London.

Manchester’s well-known for its belting nightlife, brilliant cultural venues and of course, its offering of football. But heading to the pub in the afternoon isn’t everyone’s cup of tea – sometimes you want something a little classier, a little more genteel.  Thankfully, Manchester has a splendid pick of afternoon teas, from pan-asian inspired nibbles and seats with dazzling city views to your classic jam and cream (or cream and jam) scones. Whatever your preference, you’ll most definitely be catered for, so here are the very best afternoon teas in Manchester.  📍 Discover Time Out's ultimate guide to Manchester At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

As the August sun sets on the river in front of us, heavy bass is reverberating off the 330-year-old limestone walls of the Old Royal Naval College in southeast London. Formerly Greenwich Palace, this UNESCO Heritage Site witnessed the births of King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I, Lord Nelson’s lying-in-state and William Shakespeare’s theatrical performances. Today, tens of thousands of revellers have swarmed the grounds to see it-girl DJ Peggy Gou headline the second annual edition of Labyrinth on the Thames. RECOMMENDED: Europe’s best music festivals Photography by Sienna Lorraine Gray | Labyrinth EventsPeggy Gou at the Old Royal Naval College, London The Naval College is one of the latest (and youngest) in an ever-growing lineup of heritage and protected sites around the world hosting dance music festivals. The concept isn’t entirely new, but there has been a notable surge over the past five years. This summer, Italian party organisers Aura launched a festival at the Parco Archeologico di Segesta, a protected archaeological park near Castellammare del Golfo in Sicily. There’s also been Stone Techno Festival at the nineteenth-century Zollverein coal mine industrial complex in Essen, Germany; the BSH Festival inside the 2,000-year-old Pula Arena in Croatia; Black Coffee at the 700-year-old Buda Castle, Hungary; Fort X Festival at the fifteenth-century Mokrice Castle and Qixi festival inside the 466-year-old Yu Garden.  In many cases, these historic venues in all their

There's something so deeply joyful about shopping at a market. When you're buying from people who're passionate about their wares, the familiar business of picking up supplies becomes a treat, not a chore. Why chain yourself to a supermarket trolley when you could be strolling past stalls piled high with lovingly-sourced cheeses, gleaming fruit and homemade cakes? Why hunt for an unimaginative chain store gift for your bestie when you could give them painstakingly crafted trinket they won't see anywhere else? As a lifelong Londoner, I've never been able to resist the lure of this city's markets. If I'm in London Bridge, I'll stop into Borough Market for a quick chai and pastry. If I want a dose of Paddington Bear nostalgia I'll head to storied Portobello Road. If I want to feel bad about my fashion choices, I'll wander down Broadway Market alongside this city's fittest and trendiest denizens. And if I want to take my life into my own hands, I'll make for Camden Market on a Saturday afternoon in search of whatever viral snack the teens are obsessing over this week. London's best markets are full of local flavour, and each will have its own specialities. Pick up muddy, delicious veg at a farmers’ market, try out new looks at a fashion market, consume the latest trends in street food or rifle through crates of antique gems. Whichever you opt for, you'll be supporting the little guy by buying from small businesses that really care about what they're selling.  London’s best market

There are few things that we’d willingly brave the chill for during winter in London. But ice skating is one of them. From early November each year, ice rinks decked out with towering Christmas trees and twinkly fairy lights start to fill London’s squares and courtyards, hosting everything from DJ takeovers and kids’ skating lessons to date nights and family outings over the festive period. Pretty soon you’ll get to pretend you’re in a festive London rom-com, as you romantically glide (or awkwardly stumble) with your loved ones under the gaze of landmarks like Somerset House, Battersea Power Station and Hampton Court Palace.  Keen to flaunt your best ice moves? Determined to skate at least one lap without clinging onto the wall for dear life? We recommend you book a spot at your chosen rink as early as you can. Here are the best rinks in London for the 2026/27 season. We’ll be adding more as they’re announced.  How much does it cost to go ice skating? The cost to skate at London’s various permanent and pop-up ice rinks varies quite significantly. Last year’s cheapest option is Queens Skate Dine and Bowl, where adult tickets are available from £8 (during off-peak hours). But some skating sessions can be as much as £25-£37. For cheaper tickets, consider visiting at less popular times.  London’s best places to go ice skating this winter: ⛸️ Best for the biggest rink in town: Winter Wonderland, Hyde Park 💃 Best for ice dance parties: Somerset House, Aldwych 🏛️ Best for south

From Arts and Crafts and the pre-Raphaelites through to pop art and the YBAs, the UK has borne several of the planet’s most important visual movements. Fitting, therefore, that we’ve also got a world-leading roster of galleries. But these institutions don’t just show off British art: between them they boast a truly formidable collection of global art. You name a major artist – yep, any artist – it’s pretty much a dead cert that a UK gallery exhibits their work. Better yet, the UK’s finest art galleries are diverse in purpose and spread evenly across the land. You’ll find all sorts of exhibition spaces in major cities, sure, but there are also arty gems in smaller towns, alongside attractions ranging from blustery seaside enclaves in Scotland to dazzling sculpture gardens in Cornwall. To top it all off, plenty are free to visit.  When putting together Time Out’s guide to the best art galleries in the UK, we didn’t just take into account which places have the biggest names. We also wanted to spotlight the boldest programming and our favourite curators, as well as pick out galleries that feel like a spectacle. After all, art is even more special when you’re viewing it within another piece of art. Art-ception, if you like.  The vast majority of the list below features art galleries outside London (for the capital’s top art destinations, see this list). And if you’re looking for non-art attractions, you can find Time Out’s guide to the best museums in the UK here. RECOMMENDED: 📍

Whether you’re in one of the UK’s diverse, underrated cities, our picture-perfect seaside towns or anywhere in between, there’s always a museum to educate, explain, enlighten. Far from just places to hide from grim weather, Britain’s greatest museums tell stories, explore histories and get you fascinated by stuff you’d never previously spared a thought for. Here at Time Out, we are, obviously, huge museum nerds. You’ll find countless of the cultural institutions peppered throughout our UK city guides, whether that’s a mighty, storeyed national behemoth or an adorably niche local exhibition space. Even better, plenty of those museums are totally free to visit (and they remain so, despite suggestions of change). But which British museums are most essential to visit this year? Which ones are having a moment, basking in a refurb, putting on the most tantalising exhibitions? We’ve rounded up the most unmissable, all chosen by Time Out UK editors who’ve recently visited them. Before we get stuck in, a quick note. The vast majority of the list below is outside London, and that’s intentional. If you’re looking for stuff in the capital, we have an excellent guide to the city’s museums here. We’ve also steered clear of conventional art galleries – you can find our favourite art spaces here. RECOMMENDED: 📍 The UK’s top places to visit in 2026.🎵 The best music festivals in the UK.🥾 The greatest walks and hikes in the UK. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by writers who

We’re firmly past 2026’s halfway point and it’s already been a stacked year for excellent new music. The race for song of the summer is a packed field, big-name pop titans – Olivia Rodrigo, Madonna – have delivered lauded albums and there’s been a formidable number of breakout bands. 2026’s end-of-year round-ups are already looking like contentious business indeed.  Looking to inject something new into your mid-year listening habits? Time Out’s music geeks have got together to put together a list of the albums we’ve loved so far in 2026. Raving dance-pop, grotty death metal, stratospheric jazz-funk, paranoid techno, the year’s biggest pop records… whatever’s your jam, you’ll find it here.  Read on for the best albums of 2026 as of July, according to Time Out editors and contributors (they’re in alphabetical order – you’ll have to wait until the end of the year for the definitive ranking). RECOMMENDED: The 10 songs of the summer for 2026.

We never thought we’d say it, but this summer’s never-ending heatwave has got us dreaming of cooler days and chilly nights cosied up with a hot bev and wool blanket. There are still a few months to go before autumn hits, but that doesn’t mean it’s too soon to start planning how we’ll spend it.    For some, it’s is all about spooky season, for others it’s about candle-lit evenings in front of the telly with a steaming mug of hot chocolate. For others, it’s about pumpkins galore – a golden excuse to get picking, carving and cooking. If you fall into that final category, you’re in the right place.  As the weather drops, farms in and around London become gourd wonderlands, littered with bright yellow and flaming orange pumpkins. Often there’ll be photo opportunities, craft workshops and spooky goings on thrown in so you can make a real outing of it. Just make sure you book in advance to make sure you get a decent pick of the crop. So, whether you want to stock up on pumpkins to carve into Halloween lanterns or to make masses of soup and pies, here are our favourite places near London for pumpkin picking in 2026.  London’s best places for pumpkin picking at a glance: 🎃 Pumpkin smashing fun: Rogate Pumpkin Patch, Petersfield 🪄 Magical village vibes: Marsh Farm, Chelmsford 🧙🏻‍♀️ Best for witches on a budget: Cobbs Farm, Essex ⚡️ Best for little adventure-seekers: Hobbledown Heath, Hounslow   

The UK is a glorious place to eat, drink and generally be merry. Sure, there are loads of great restaurants in London, but there are hundreds more across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; ones where you’ll make napkin-stained memories that you’ll carry with you for the rest of your life. Especially if you head to Cumbria, which is home to the most Michelin stars in the UK outside of the capital. But as well as the diner’s paradise that is the Lake District, here is where else you need to head in order to sample some of the finest food and downright transcendent restaurant experiences the UK has to offer.  The best restaurants in the UK at a glance: 💸 The best for a big budget blow-out: Ynyshir, Ceredigion. 🧆 The best for vegetarians: Queen of Cups, Glastonbury. 🐚 The best for a seaside getaway: The Sportsman, Whitstable. 🥧 The best for experimental foodies: Osip, Somerset. RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in the UK. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Tower House in Richmond is so beautiful that I’m sure it would hardly matter to most punters whether its food is groundbreaking or not. It spans two floors inside an oh-so-grand converted Victorian clock tower on the Thames, right on the edge of Richmond Bridge. We’re here on an early October evening, so the sun has gone down long before we can appreciate the leafy views over the Thames. But in the summer, the 100-capacity outdoor terrace and those views are surely Tower House’s pièce de résistance.  It’s the latest venue from Gold’s exec chef and River Cafe alum Theo Hill, and has been welcoming diners since November 2025. Upstairs, the vibe is sultry and hushed, with only a few occupied tables. Probably because it’s a drizzly school night, we theorise. Downstairs, though, Tower House is teeming. In fact, it’s full. Well-to-do couples and giggling groups of girlfriends relax into cushioned brass chairs while waiters carry dishes from the open kitchen, ducking under hanging lanterns, slaloming around trees that twist out of the terracotta tiled floor, and setting plates down on tables with unwavering enthusiasm.   Once we’re sat, it becomes clear that the Gold team has stuck to what they know. The dinner menu at Tower House comes wax sealed and is chopped and changed daily according to what’s in season following its Notting Hill counterpart’s tried-and-tested formula of Mediterranean dishes: raw, cheese and charcuterie, salads, vegetables and large plates. It’s also very long

You can spot Past Trash by the intense red vinyl benches parked on the pavement outside. This boutique was born on Depop in 2015 and after stints in Covent Garden and Peckham, it launched on Dray Walk in Shoreditch in 2025. Bright and spacious, the space is a dream to navigate. Find a beautifully arranged assortment of whimsical glasses, vases, bottle openers and bookends alongside a masterful curation of vintage jewellery and men and women’s garms. Comb through the colour-coded rails on the right day and you may come across preloved Vivienne Westwood, Robert Cavalli or John Galliano.

Shepherd’s Bush feels like an unlikely home for the British entertainment industry. But sure enough, it’s where Charlie Chaplin performed in the early stages of his career, where The Who used to regularly rehearse and where major film and TV studios have lived, most notably, of course, the BBC.  Hotel Indigo K West sits inside one of those former studios. BBC’s Kensington House was where major stars would go for recording sessions – we’re talking the likes of David Bowie, Bob Marley, Amy Winehouse and Jimi Hendrix. Those days are long gone now, and the building has been a hotel since 2001. It closed in 2023 in order to undergo a multimillion pound transformation by IHG and reopened earlier this year as Hotel Indigo London K West.  The previous hotel here was loudly done out in garish metallics, fringed chandeliers and swish furnishings. Its new look is, thankfully, much less aggressive.  To deck out the new and improved abode, IHG enlisted the help of art consultancy Art Story (whose other recent credentials include 1 Hotel Copenhagen, Great Scotland Yard Hotel and Treehouse Hotel Manchester). The result is a far more tasteful look and a reassuring sense that this place, though immaculate, doesn’t take itself too seriously.  You’ll find K West down a residential street,  a stone’s throw from Shepherd’s Bush Station, but far away enough that you’re wholly undisturbed by the hub’s notorious chaos.  What are the rooms like?  Hotel Indigo’s seven floors (floor three is at ground

Step onto the pebbles of Folkestone Beach and it won’t be long before your eyes catch the gleaming white, wave-like behemoth that stands on its western side. That’s Shoreline, a fancy new block of 84 apartments, duplexes and penthouses, completed back in 2024. Most of those apartments are on sale right now for upwards of £375k, but there are two reserved for anyone staying in Folkestone for a short foray.  The View at Shoreline is an incredibly sleek, tastefully furnished self-catered townhouse, ideal for a foursome of friends or two couples. If you’re after somewhere conveniently located with splendid vistas, you won’t get much better.  What’s it like inside The View at Shoreline?  You’ve got five storeys at your disposal. On the ground floor, which has a front door opening directly onto the beach, you’ll find the smaller of the two double bedrooms (facing directly out onto the beach) and a separate little bathroom. Skip the basement – it’s empty save for some deckchairs and beachy bits. Upstairs is where things get a bit more exciting. The spacious kitchen with its wooden finishings has every bit of equipment you could ask for (including a Nespresso coffee machine) and more storage than I imagine four people could possibly need (case in point: a wine fridge that could fit at least 12 bottles). The palatial high-ceilinged living room is on the next floor. This is where you can enjoy the best view in the house – I could have quite easily spent the entire morning people-watchi

You don’t have to venture all the way up to Edinburgh for a cracking dose of comedy in August. The Roundhouse has been hosting its comedy fest since 2023 and every year curates a line-up full of the biggest stars on the circuit. Across 18 days this year, you can expect gigs from the likes of Joe Lycett, Ed Gamble, Katherine Ryan, Sam Campbell, Ed Gamble, Sara Pascoe and Vittorio Angelone. Beyond the stand-ups, there’ll be live podcast recordings, theatrical comedy and interactive shows to watch too. Cult US comedy streaming platform Dropout will bring live editions of its hit shows Dirty Laundry, Um, Actually and Crowd Control, Jack Rooke (writer of Bad Boys) will present his first solo show and Adam Buxton and Alexei Sayle will host podcast recordings with special guests Ayoade Bamgboye of SNL UK and last year’s Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Sam Nicoresti. If you’re under 30, you can get your hands on tickets for just five quid. 

A month after the long-awaited ‘Frida: The Making of an Icon’ opened at the Tate Modern, it was only a matter of time before the gallery hosted one of its Friday Lates in dedication to the Mexican visionary. Publishing studio Calaca Press will have an archive of books, magazines, images and music from Mexico City produced during Frida Kahlo’s lifetime for visitors to explore and to inspire zinemaking. Elsewhere, writer and curator Hettie Judah will be in the Starr Cinema to talk about the relationship between Kahlo and photographer Nickolas Muray. Up on the rooftop, DJ Tiffany Calver will play an exclusive set inspired by Frida’s legacy (with the promise of a ‘very special guest’). And down in the gallery’s Corner Bar, there’ll be an energetic mix of Cumbia Sonidera, Cumbia with electronic, African and Balkan influences brought to you by Mexican DJ Ritmos Cholulteka. 

Nothing inside Fulham Pier Hotel indicates that you are, technically, at a football stadium. Then again, said football stadium is often considered the poshest in the country, so perhaps it tracks that it’s now home to one of the glossiest boutique hotels in the city.  Fulham Pier Hotel backs onto Craven Cottage (London’s oldest football grounds) and is part of a major redevelopment of the whole venue by Fulham FC’s billionaire owner Shahid Khan. But there are no framed football shirts given pride of place on the walls, no photos of iconic Fulham FC moments, no echo of cheers from fans and the pitch isn’t visible unless you’re peeking over from the sprawling terrace of the penthouse. To boot, the hotel’s discreet entrance (a gold door to the side of the building that can only be opened with your key), limited number of rooms, and private access to the swanky member’s club next door makes the place feel incredibly exclusive.  What are the rooms like at Fulham Pier Hotel?  Each of the 13 rooms are – thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows facing the waterfront – gloriously flooded with natural light. From the wide private balcony of our Junior Suite (which spans the whole length of the room), we sit and watch countless rowers glide down the river while a collage of runners and dog-walkers make use of the leafy Thames Path on the other side. The space directly opposite the pier is a designated conservation area, so those pretty vistas and the mesmering, unobstructed view of the su

A star-studded roster of London’s funniest people will be taking to the roof of the Bill Murray Comedy Club for the annual Angel Comedy Street Party on sunday. So far, the lineup features Barry Ferns, Paddy Young (of Saturday Night Live UK), Spencer Jones and star of Time Out’s Love Thy Neighbourhood podcast Helen Bauer. The day will be rounded off with special musical chaos from Chloe Petts alongside duo Flo & Joan. We don’t know exactly what that chaos will involve, but we do know that the trio have been dubbed themselves The Spooky Richards. Tickets are free of charge but donations are encouraged. All the money collected will go towards Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants, which helps people seeking sanctuary, providing English classes, expert advice, and a welcoming community. 

Peckham’s finest will be out in full force at a free festival on bank holiday Monday. The second annual On the Rye festival will take over the south London park with non-stop sets spanning lovers rock, soulful house, Afro-Cuban rhythms and more from the likes of the Handson Family, Buena Vista Social Club, Donut, Rebel Clash, Carroll Thompson, Born n Bread and Marcia Carr. Local vendors will line the green selling street food, drinks and artisan crafts and there’ll be loads of family-friendly goings on from a bouncy castles and face-painting to a kids’ festival rave and chess classes with local club Say It With Your Chess. 

London Rivers Week has been committed to celebrating and restoring London’s rivers for 10 years now. In that decade, the need to appreciate our city’s waterways has only grown. The theme of the charity event this year is ‘Know Your Local River’, encouraging Londoners to connect with and take pride in the river nearest to them. To help you do that, there’ll be guided walks, exhibitions, volunteer sessions, lectures, workshops, clean-ups and talks going on in every corner of the capital. See the full programme here. 

Large, blocky and wrapped in sage green, 1 Hotel Copenhagen is, frankly, unimpressive from the street outside. But any doubts about the place evaporate the moment you push through its revolving doors. Within seconds, the divinely soft scent of pine that ripples through the building has you sighing into a state of bliss. Straight ahead is a cascading set of wooden stairs that look like a flora adorned version of the Met steps, beckoning you up to the palatial, plant-filled atrium and lobby above.  Hotel 1 Copenhagen flung its doors open in August 2025 and is the brand’s second European outpost (after London). The place fits the city like a glove – it’s hard to imagine somewhere better suited to 1 Hotel's simple glamour, laid-back luxury and eco-conscious ethos than the Danish capital.  What are the rooms like at 1 Hotel Copenhagen?  All of the 282 rooms at 1 Hotel are all appropriately Scandi – bright, airy and done out in soft, organic tones. We’re set up in the Junior Suite, which was soaked with natural light and filled with plush cream, reclaimed wood and canvas furnishings. Wherever there’s space for a plant, there is one – on every coffee table, peaking out of  the middle of the sofa or perched next to the bathroom sink.  A lot of thought has gone into making the rooms ultra sustainable, and encouraging the guests to live mindfully. There’s a sand-timer opposite the rainfall shower that keeps you conscious of how much water you’re consuming (in a gentle, non-pass-agg way

Bar Flor is laden with loveliness. You’d expect little else from Aaron Potter and Laura Hart, the chef and interior stylist duo who gave us the ever-so-elegant Wildflowers. One floor above that restaurant is Bar Flor, which comes complete with whimsically hand-painted walls, reminiscent of the interiors of Charleston House, pale wood finishes, cosy velvet-clad pews and gentle, romantic light.  Bar Flor bills itself as a more playful, more spontaneous sister (the Type-B sibling, if you will) to the pristine Type-A restaurant below. The menu is Basque-country inspired – a copious lineup of European wines, vermouths and sherries alongside lager, Basque ciders and cocktails, complemented by a snappy selection of pintxos.  I was pulled towards the cocktails, which range from the house Adonis, made up of Cocchi Torino vermouth, Manzanilla sherry and a dash of orange bitters, to the luxuriously smoky Flor Margarita. Plates of dangerously moreish bar snacks filled the table throughout the evening, arranged on pretty floral plates that look like they’ve been pulled from a Spanish abuela’s kitchen cupboards. Dishes change on a weekly basis, but standouts on the night we visited included the delicate triangles of cave-aged manchego doused in honey, as well as shudderingly salty, briny gildas and (the showstopper) a fried calamari sandwich with garlic aioli oozing over the edges of the crusty bun.  Order this I couldn’t keep my hands off Bar Flor’s Peschiole Martini – a sugary, tangy co

For luxury hotel brands, London is an obvious choice of location. It’s one of the greatest cities in the world, home to cutting-edge culture, world-leading chefs, rich heritage and an abundance of high-end and designer stores. A new ranking has just revealed the world’s leading luxury hotel chains, and it’s little surprise that the number one brand has two properties here in the Big Smoke.  Luxury Travel Intelligence (LTI) is a members-only website which provides advice on high-end hotels and holiday destinations. Over the past year it has kept a close eye on 20 luxury hotel brands, evaluating them on a staggering 134 different touch points. Those touch points centred around the brands’ ability to uphold their ethos, values, and commitments, plus the quality of their management and staff. Each metric was individually weighted and added to a maximum score of 4792. The scores were then converted into a percentage. With all the scores totted up, the brand at the top of the ranking (for the fourth consecutive year) was Mandarin Oriental, with a score of 81.1 percent. The group has 47 hotels worldwide, including two here in London: one in Knightsbridge that overlooks Hyde Park, and another in Mayfair. Photograph: George ApostolidisDeluxe room at the Mandarin Oriental Mayfair Mandarin Oriental’s design and philosophy is inspired by east Asia. At its Mayfair outpost, you’ll find two restaurants helmed by renowned Korean-American chef Akira Back, and an incredible spa with signatur

With more than 33 million people crossing its concourse every year, Leeds railway station is the UK’s third-largest outside of London (after Birmingham New Street and Manchester Piccadilly). Passenger numbers are only going up, and are projected to increase by as much as 12 million by 2043. If it wants to handle all those extra people, Leeds is going to need a major upgrade. And a major upgrade it’ll get.  In last week’s government budget, the Department for Transport confirmed that it would be putting an extra £200m towards improvements at Leeds station over the next five years. It brings the overall investment to a grand total of £303 million.  Imaged: Network RailPlans for the north concourse at Leeds station So, what’s planned for the hub? Firstly, the ticket barriers will be moved and the main concourse will be opened up to reduce bottlenecks and the number of ticket barriers will be increased by nearly 40 percent. Three new entrances will be installed to improve access to the city centre; a new walkway over the tracks will help passengers get to platforms more easily and platform 14 will be extended so that it can handle more people. There’ll also be new toilets and a new first-class lounge.  Work is set to begin later this year and it’s hoped that all will be completed by 2030. As with any major construction project, there will be disruption to services to and from Leeds station every now and again, so be sure to check the Network Rail site to see if your journey’s

Have you seen Time Out’s roundup of the 23 most beautiful places in the United Kingdom? Our team of writers and editors have chosen the buildings, towns, mountain ranges, beaches and woodlands that have left them most in awe on their travels across Britain – and put them all in one long list for you to feast your eyes on.  There are breathtaking man-made landmarks like Castell Coch in Wales, Wells Cathedral in Somerset and Neasden Temple in London alongside a number of natural beauties, like the 280-million-year-old Thor’s Cave in the Peak District, the majestic Glen Coe in Scotland and the Benone Strand in Northern Ireland.  Another absolute stunner on the list? The gorgeous, glistening Seven Sisters in Sussex. The parade of white chalk cliffs is one of the longest stretches of undeveloped shore on the south coast, spanning from Seaford to Birling Gap. Their beauty has long been celebrated – in Rudyard Kipling’s 1902 poem ‘Sussex’, he describes a ‘half-wild and wholly tame’ turf which ‘cloaks the white cliff-edge’. Years later, the poet was involved in a campaign to stop a town being built above the cliffs.   Photograph: ShutterstockSeven Sisters on a sunny day Time Out travel writer Liv Kelly said: ‘The chalky geology of the area (which is why the cliffs are so brilliantly white) doesn’t just make it beautiful, it’s also responsible for a remarkably diverse ecosystem – head here in the summer and keep an eye out for some of the 20 species of butterfly that flutter around.

This weekend marks the second Sunday of November, meaning that millions of people across the UK will take two minutes to honour all those who have died serving in the British and Commonwealth armed forces. The country’s largest Remembrance Sunday service takes place at its chief national war memorial, the Cenotaph in Whitehall. More than 10,000 veterans and loved ones of veterans will march through central London on Sunday morning. Senior politicians, royal family members and Commonwealth and faith representatives will also be in attendance to lay wreaths at the memorial, and thousands of members of the public will gather to watch the service and pay their respects.  Whether you want to watch the Remembrance parade in person, or you’re keen to catch it on television, here’s everything you need to know.  What time will the London Cenotaph Remembrance Sunday march start? According to the government website, all detachments will form up at 10.30am and proceed towards the Cenotaph at 10.50am. The march past will commence at 11.25am, following the service.  Photograph: Alla Sheptiienko / Shutterstock.comRemembrance Sunday march, London Can the public attend the Cenotaph in Whitehall?  Members of the public are invited to watch the proceedings from the pavements along Whitehall and Parliament Street. Whitehall will open from 8am for members of the public to find a space. It fills up quickly so the earlier you get there, the better. There will also be video screens broadcasting th

This weekend, millions of people will gather to honour military personnel across Britain and the Commonwealth. There’ll be Remembrance Sunday parades, services and wreath-laying ceremonies happening all over the capital, but the biggest one of all will be the Cenotaph Remembrance Sunday March. More than 10,000 people will take part in the parade down Whitehall, including members of the royal family, politicians, veterans and serving military personnel. Thousands of members of the public will also be there, paying their respects from the sidelines.  Of course, roads will need to be blocked off to allow for such a large occasion. Disruption will be minimal, though. The only road that will be closed to the public all day for the Cenotaph March is Great George Street. The public will be able to access Victoria Street and St James’s Park via Storey’s Gate instead. If you’re travelling to Whitehall to watch the parade, keep in mind that surrounding tube stations are expected to get particularly busy before and after the service. There will also be some closures across the Overground and Underground to watch out for.  See our full guide to the London Cenotaph Remembrance Sunday March 2026 here.   Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.

It’s not Christmas in London until the city’s festive illuminations come to life. Now that it’s November, the capital is beginning to turn into a glorious winter wonderland, with hundreds of thousands of twinkling lights bringing a magical touch to our streets, parks, piazzas and arcades. Several major displays, including those at Leicester Square, Carnaby Street and Regent Street, have been switched on. And there are many more festivities still to come. The switch-ons are worth putting in your diary, not just to be the first to see the lights in all their glory but also to enjoy the special performances, food stalls and family activities that accompany them.  From Bond Street to Kew Gardens, Fleet Street to St Katharine Docks, here are all the switch-on dates for London’s biggest festive light displays, in chronological order.   When London Christmas lights are being switched on for 2026  Leicester Square Among the first major displays to be flicked on was at Leicester Square. The plaza’s star-shaped illuminations, which celebrate the area’s celebrating its film and entertainment heritage, will remain in place until January 6.  Switch-on date: Sunday November 1.  Image: Heart of London Business AllianceLeicester Square Christmas lights St Martin’s Lane In the lead up to the lights being switched on at St Martin’s Lane, there were loads of festive food samples to tuck into and a live performed from the cast of a mystery West End production. The street was officially lit up

Bit by bit, central London is being Christmassified. It started with the festive lights being turned on at Leicester Square, then Regent Street’s ‘Spirit of Christmas’ illuminations were brought to life. Next week, the sparkling lights on Oxford Street will be switched on, and a few days later it’ll be Bond Street’s turn.   Bond Street boasts the most regal of London’s festive displays. Once again, it’ll be decked out in 90,000 LED lights arranged to look like glistening tiaras, pearl necklaces, golden filigree and the Imperial State Crown. This year is your last chance to lay eyes on the Crown Jewels-inspired display, as a totally new design will be unveiled in 2027.  Alongside all that, the luxury stores that line the street will also show off their displays for Christmas 2026. Here’s everything you need to know if you want to watch the Bond Street Christmas light switch-on.  Bond Street Christmas lights switch-on date The Christmas lights on Bond Street will be lit up on November 12 at 7pm. Photograph: David Parry/PA Media AssignmentsBond Street Christmas lights inspired by the Imperial State Crown What else can we expect from Bond Street’s festive event? Jubilations commence at 4pm, with the whole street shut off to traffic for the evening. There’ll be live music, brand activations such as an exclusive calligraphy experience by Montblanc, and a selection of festive food and drinks hosted by brands including Sketch, Fendi and Burberry. Visitors will also get to see the

The fifth of November has been and gone, with London’s skyline coming alive with sparkling colours. But Bonfire Night is no longer a one-day occasion. The celebrations continue over the next few days, with huge fireworks displays happening all over the city.  Most bonfire bonanzas in the capital are ticketed, as they often involve much more than fireworks or are using ticket sales to fundraise for charity or the local community. At Alexandra Palace, a £21 ticket gives you access to karaoke led by Shaun Williamson (AKA Barry from EastEnders), a German beer festival and a performance by a Queen tribute band. Over in Battersea Park, the £18.60 ticket on Saturday includes a disco ceilidh, a DJ set from Rudimental and a live Latin band. You can find displays with ticket availability here. There’s just one free Bonfire Night event remaining in London (though Coram’s Fields was totally free on Thursday), and it’s only partially free to attend. Alternatively, you can view the displays from a nearby vantage point. You won’t get the live music or buzzy atmosphere, but you may be able to enjoy several dazzling shows going on at the same time. Here are all your options if you want to enjoy Bonfire Night fireworks for free.  The best free Bonfire Night displays in London Photograph: ShutterstockFireworks in London Harrow Fireworks  Make sure you’ve got stamina because this event only has free entry between 12pm and 3pm. After that you’ll have to pay £20 per person (£15 for kids) at the

Bonfire Night is over, but the celebratory fireworks displays certainly aren’t. In fact, this year several major London fireworks shows aren’t on November 5 at all but on the weekend of November 7-8 – meaning we have a full weekend of rockets, catherine wheels and sparklers ahead of us.  You know the drill – on the fifth of November, skies across Great Britain will be set alight to celebrate the failure of the Gunpowder Plot more than 400 years ago. Over the centuries, what started as a serious commemoration (bonfires and church services celebrating the king’s survival were written into law) is now a much more fun tradition, and simply a great excuse to get out the sparklers, chew on toffee apples and indulge in outdoor entertainment.  Most shows are taking place over the weekend to make time for a whole load of revelries beyond the pyrotechnics. We’re talking DJs, drone shows, fairground rides, tribute bands and more.  Much-loved local shows at Coram’s Fields in Camden, Dulwich and Walthamstow Cricket Club all sold out, but tickets for the capital’s most extravagant fireworks displays are still up for grabs. Here are four Bonfire Night 2026 shows you can still attend this weekend. RECOMMENDED: The best free Bonfire Night fireworks displays in London. The best Bonfire Night weekend fireworks displays in London 2026 with tickets still available  Photograph: Lloyd WintersFireworks at Alexandra Palace   1. Alexandra Palace Fireworks and Drone Festival Every year, Ally Pally h

All around the UK’s towns and cities, you’ll find cool pockets bursting with culture and community spirit. Nottingham has Beeston, Glasgow has Govanhill, Newcastle has Heaton, Belfast has the Cathedral Quarter. Those places are among the 11 neighbourhoods that made it onto Time Out’s list of the UK’s coolest for 2026. Over the last few weeks, we’ve been going through each postcode one by one to highlight just why it needs to be on your radar. Last but by no means least on the list is Bristol’s Old Market. The locale is a short walk from Temple Meads station and has everything you could want: exceptional shopping, a plethora of cool cafes and restaurants and a solid set of venues supporting grassroots music, theatre and art.  ‘Old Market has been Bristol’s “gay village” since the 1990s and the likes of Bristol Bear Bar and Old Castle Green are still popular with the city’s queer community,’ said Time Out contributor and Bristol local Michal Grant. ‘But inclusivity is only part of the area’s charm, with dining tables spilling into the streets, guitar solos blaring from small music venues and an abundance of pubs.’ It’s where you’ll find a cluster of Bristol’s most exciting eateries, like Cali-Mexican joint Chido Wey, Japanese spot Tomo No Ramen and NYC-style vodka sauce pizza institution Gigi’s. Michal also recommends the homemade baklava at family-run Greek café Bean There Too, the lamb kofta at Middle Eastern restaurant Anaya and a pint at Wiper and True’s taproom.  Photogra

With a nail-biting live cooking showdown and rigorous rounds of judging, the final for the 2026 National Pizza Awards took place in London on Tuesday November 3. Sixteen pizza chefs from across the UK went head-to-head at this year’s event, all vying for the grand prize of National Pizza of the Year. But that wasn’t the only prize that was up for grabs. There were three other categories in the awards, as well as medals for runners-up in the headline category. As usual, the pizzerias that came out on top were mostly London-based, but there were two places outside of the capital that got their flowers.  Stretch in Hove was the first runner-up in the National Pizza of the Year category. Its silver medal-winning ‘za was ‘The Herd’, which is topped with arrabbiata sauce, fior di latte, cured pork loin, pecorino cheese, extra virgin olive oil and seasonal herbs.  The only other non-London pizzeria that took home a medal was Newcastle’s CIRCO. It won the Alternative Slice Award (handed out to pizzas made with free-from products) for its ‘Hot Like Gigi’ pizza, which features a vodka tomato sauce base, fior di latte, ‘nduja sausage, burrata cheese and a heavy Parmesan crust.  Five Feet, a London pizza place that hasn’t even officially opened yet, won National Pizza of the Year for its Sicilian-style sausage and broccoli creation. Also from London, Indian pizzeria East West won Bloggers’ Choice Award and Bad Boy Pizza Society was second runner-up.  View this post on Instagram

In a city as vast as London, reliable public transport is as essential to a good night out as a great venue. The Big Smoke offers both. A new joint report by Time Out and Transport for London (TfL) has revealed that London is the best city in Europe for nightlife and late-night travel.  The London After Dark report analysed nearly 6,000 survey responses from 26 European capital cities. We combined two scores from Time Out’s Best Cities survey 2026: nightlife and transport. London didn’t get the highest score in either of those categories individually, but it came out on top when the two were added together.  Our city scored 75.9 percent for its nightlife (fourth to Paris, Berlin and Madrid) and 84.1 percent for transport (second only to Vienna). Combined, it’s top of the leaderboard with a score of 80 percent. We also spent a week speaking to 200 Londoners, who shared their experiences of London after dark through surveys, diary entries, creative tasks and personal stories. Interviews with experts on the capital’s night-time economy gave us even more insight.  Nine in 10 people told us that they enjoy longer nights out in London because they know that they can still travel on the night tube and Overground in the early hours of the morning. After midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, Londoners can still catch the Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly, Victoria and Windrush lines home. Since the night services were introduced in 2016, they’ve supported an average of 81,000 journ