India Lawrence

March 2026: Our latest update includes everything from an early morning Michelin-starred tasting menu to udon noodle bowls, South Indian platters and Hong Kong-style toasted buns. Of course, it wouldn't be a list of the best breakfasts in London without an appearance from Dishoom and their iconic-for-a-reason bacon naan, so that's here too, as is old school East End hangout E Pellicci - one of the best classic caffs in London.  The best breakfasts in London at a glance: 🌯 Best for a burrito: Bad Manners, Shoreditch 😎 Best for celeb-spotting: The Wolseley, Mayfair 🥓 Best for a fry-up: E Pellicci, Bethnal Green 🍛 Best for a South Indian feast: The Tamil Prince, Islington 🍞 Best for Hong Kong French toast: Hoko Cafe, Brick Lane 🍱 Best for Japanese brekkie: Ikoi, Kings Cross Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and luckily for London, the city caters to every possible morning whim. These days, London isn’t just home to the fry-up, but the ubiquitous smashed avocado on toast, bowls of shakshuka and many more besides. In fact, London genuinely might be the best place to eat breakfast in the world. Whether you’re the kind of person who favours a posh restaurant over a greasy spoon, or who champions a caff over a swanky hotel, we’ve rounded up the ultimate list.  RECOMMENDED: Breakfast’s a little too early for you? Try one of London’s best brunches instead. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial gu

The smog and stress of London can really take its toll on your skin. That’s why there’s nothing better than a regular facial (or a one-off treat) to give you that much-needed top-up, leaving you feeling glowing, fresh-faced and dewy.  Just thinking about what we put our skin through is enough to give you frown lines. That’s thanks to the combined efforts of pollution and air-conditioned offices, as well as the added bonuses of harsh weather, booze, sun exposure, dehydration and – our least favourite – the inevitable passing of time. Happily, there are loads of great spas, treatment rooms and estheticians in London who can give your face a break and a much-needed zhuzh. Whether you’re after a relaxing, soothing facial massage, some instant radiance, a total skincare overhaul or something a little more intense such as microneedling or laser treatment, read our pick of facials in London.  RECOMMENDED: The best spas in London. 

When it comes to art and exhibitions, London has it all. From the niche spaces, to the avant garde galleries, and the massive crowd-pleasing museums, our city is packed with shows that will perplex, challenge, inspire, educate and leave you feeling awestruck.  The problem is... there’s absolutely tons to see. Too much, you could say. Lucky for you, Time Out exists. For decades, our experts have been visiting and reviewing all the sculpture, painting, performance, photography, history, fashion and other types of exhibitions on offer. You name it, we’ve (probably, most likely) seen it. If you’re wondering what’s actually worth your time, start here. Check out the best museum exhibitions and art in London right now, and be sure to come back weekly for the latest picks. Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox. RECOMMENDED: Best photography exhibitions in LondonBest free exhibitions in London

April 2026: There's a brand new Number 1, with Holy Carrot's Spitalfields opening taking the top spot thanks to some seriously creative vegetarian cookery. Other fresh additions include Guirong Wei’s latest joint The Wei in Fulham, Cafe Kowloon in London Fields, the new Forza Wine and the super fun Osteria Vibrato (both in Soho), numbing Chongqing spice at Jiāonest in Hoxton, perfect produce at Dockley Road Kitchen in Bermondsey, perfect pasta at Burro in Covent Garden, Georgian classics at DakaDaka in Mayfair, veggie-friendly Thai at Kruk in Peckham and Mexican seafood at Cometa in Fitzrovia. Hungry yet? Every week, a frankly silly amount of brilliant new restaurants, cafés and street food joints arrive in London. Which makes whittling down a shortlist of the best newbies a serious challenge. But here it is. The 20 very best new restaurants in the capital, ranked in order of greatness and deliciousness. All of them have opened over the past 12 months and been visited by our hungry critics. So go forth and take inspo from this list, which is updated regularly. Check in often to find out what we really rate on the London restaurant scene. And look here for all the info about the best new openings in April 2026. London's best new restaurants at a glance: 🍝 Central: Osteria Vibrato, Soho 🍠 North: Ling Ling’s, Islington 🇹🇭 South: Kruk, Peckham 🍝 East: Holy Carrot, Spitalfields 🥗 West: The Wei, Fulham Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about

Covent Garden is so rammed with restaurants that decision fatigue can easily threaten the quality of your dinner. Weave through the tourists and theatregoing crowds and you'll discover that this area hosts many of the best restaurants in London, as well as the French-styled Story Cellar, The Portrait by Richard Corrigan and mega trattoria Burro, as well as old faves The Savoy Grill and J Sheekey. We’ve compiled a list of the best in the area, from cutting-edge eateries and classy counter joints to party-ready and casual hangouts, with pre-theatre favourites and cheap eats among them. Think of it as your Covent Garden bucket list. The best restaurants in Covent Garden at a glance: 🍸 Best for old school glamour: J Sheekey 🥦 Best for modern British cookery: Town 🥘 Best for Spanish tapas: Barrafina, Drury Lane and Adelaide Street 🍝 Best for perfect pasta: Bancone ⌛ Best for a fast feed: Adoh! RECOMMENDED: The 50 best restaurants in Soho. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

There are a million and one brilliant hotels (and Airbnbs) in Berlin, even with some of the world’s most strict restrictions on Airbnbs and other vacation rentals. Hotels are literally everywhere here, but fear not; we’ve done the hard yards and collated some of the best into one handy guide. These are the city’s top places to stay, from an iconic historic jazz institution to. Whatever you’re searching for, here are our top hotels in Berlin. Happy travels.  April 2026 update: We’ve just added five brand-new reviews to this list, based in Charlottenburg, Mitte and more. Oh, and we’ve crowned an all-new number one – that’s ridiculously affordable. Read on to see what it is.  ➡️ Discover our guide to the best hotels in Berlin Berlin’s best hotels at a glance 💸 Best budget: Michelberger Hotel 🏛️ Best for sightseeing: Hotel de Rome 🎀 Best boutique: Wilmina Berlin 📍 Best in Mitte: Château Royal Berlin 🥂 Best luxury: Das Stue How we curate our hotel lists Our team of writers and travel experts review hotels all over the world – new openings, old classics and everything in between – to bring you fresh, honest recommendations, all year round. We have personally reviewed most of the hotels featured below, but any we haven’t stayed in have been selected by experts based on their amenities, features, pricing and more. By the way, this article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

We’ve made it through the most depressing month of the year, the endless wait for that post-Christmas payday is finally over, and festival season 2026 is on our minds. By the time summer rolls around, Londoners will be absolutley spoilt for choice. With something taking place almost every weekend throughout the warmer months, you can forget trekking across the country to live in a field for five days; simply hop on the tube and before you know it you’re listening to your favourite artists, tinny to hand, knowing that there’s a hot shower and a cosy bed waiting for you once the day is over.  The future of events in Brockwell Park was thrown up in the air in 2025, but you’ll be glad to know that most of the south London park’s usual lineup of events will return in 2026, with Cross The Tracks, Field Day and Mighty Hoopla all in the diary for late May. And the line-up announcements for next year’s events are already coming in thick fast, with huge acts like Tyler, The Creator, Lewis Capaldi, Lorde, Lily Allen, Blood Orange and Deftones all set to take to London stages come the summer. Have a scroll through our comprehensive guide – which we keep meticulously updated with all the latest line-up announcements – and see what takes your fancy. RECOMMENDED: ⛺ The best UK music festivals🌍 The best festivals in Europe

June in London is pretty much as good as it gets. It’s hot but not too hot. Festival season is in full swing. And there’s the blissful anticipation of months more gorgeous weather ahead, perfect for picnicking, spilling out onto pavements outside pubs, exploring parks, or partying all day long.  There’s plenty of fun in store during the early days of summer, including the second edition of Lido festival (featuring CMAT and Maribou State), the return of SXSW London, and blockbuster exhibitions on Anish Kapoor and Frida Kahlo.  Plus, the capital truly comes into its own this month: beer gardens are at their prime, the city parks are at their prettiest, the open-air theatre season gets going and eating alfresco is on the cards at some of London’s best restaurants. Plus, expect to see long queues in south west London as tennis fans line up to bag a place at the epic Wimbledon championships.  RECOMMENDED: Plan a great summer with our guide to London’s best music fests Get ahead of the pack and start planning your perfect July in London. 

July is the month where London really lets its collective hair down and has some fun. It's just too hot to stay cooped up indoors so everyone descends on lidos en masse, or assembles in fun-seeking hordes at rooftop bars, beer gardens and alfresco restaurants. We can already taste the sweet, sweet golden hour Aperol Spritz.  And as ever, this year's July line-up of massive festivals and other prospects that are exciting enough tempt you away from yet another tinny in the park. Some massive music names are descending on central London for BST Hyde Park, ravers will be heading west for Junction 2, electronic music artists from around the world are playing Labyrinth by the Thames. Or, if you like your outdoor entertainment to be deeply weird and feline-inspired, spring for the long-awaited revival of Cats at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre.  Other London music festivals are popping off throughout the month, and it’s also a chance to take in the city’s lavender and sunflower fields, which are going to be at their blooming loveliest. Here’s our guide to the best exhibitions, shows and things to do this July 2026 in London.  RECOMMENDED: The definitive London events calendar

Strap in folks – it’s nearly time for another major, nail-biting international football competition. After four years of waiting, the World Cup is back, baby.  The month-long carnival of heroic performances, career-defining cock-ups, and TV camera cutaways to fans on the edge of euphoria (or despair) will take places in stadiums across Canada, Mexico and the United States from June. In 2022, England reached the quarter finals, only to get knocked out by France. Do we have a better chance of going all the way this time around? Well, we don’t want to get our hopes up but bookies have the Three Lions among the top five favourites to come out on top in 2026.  Practically every pub and bar in London will be getting in on the action and vying for your attendance during the World Cup’s biggest games (some of which will be kicking off as late as 5am BST). However, we’ve whittled it down to the places that offer the best atmosphere and the best view of the screen, wherever you station yourself. All you have to do is turn up, quickly google the offside rule and watch the action unfold. RECOMMENDED: The best football pubs in London. When are the England World Cup matches? At the moment we only know the dates for England’s first three group stage matches. The Three Lions’ first fixture of the tournament is on Wednesday June 17 at 9pm BST against Crotia. Then, they’ll take on Ghana on Tuesday June 23 at 9pm and play against Panama on Saturday June 27 at 10pm.   How can I watch England's m

How is it April already? This month on stage, London’s dance world is serving up red-hot scandal, Olivier award-winning hip-hop and reprised modern dance bangers. The Royal Ballet is bringing back Mayerling, Kenneth MacMillan’s 1978 ballet inspired by the gruesome murder-suicide pact of Rudolf the Crown Prince of Austria. Meryl Tankard has devised a new version of Pina Bausch’s Kontakthof, featuring many of the original cast. And award-winning hip-hop company Boy Blue is bringing its 2024 production Cycles to the Roundhouse. At Sadler’s Wells Elixir Festival takes place, a biannual celebration of dance which looks to challenge perceptions around dance and ageing.  India is in charge of dance listings at Time Out. She has been dancing since she could walk and has been reviewing dance in London since joining Time Out in 2022.  MORE STAGE: Dance classes in London Best theatre shows this yearBest theatre shows this monthBest comedy shows this month

We know that London is the best city in the world. But like any metropolis, it can also get a bit much sometimes. Occasionally, what you want isn’t to drink cocktails in a trendy bar after seeing the hottest Gen Z bedroom popstar at the Islington Assembly Hall, but a little peace and quiet, actually. Enter: the weekend getaway, invented by the Victorians (probably), there’s a reason why Londoners have been taking sojourns to the seaside on sunny bank holidays since the 1800s.  Together, we’ve come up with a cracking list of our favourite day trip destinations near London. There’s something for everyone here, from historic cities and cute villages to sandy beaches and rolling countryside. We've included some recommendations for ace restaurants, quaint little pubs, and our favourite things to do at each destination on the list – all of which are close enough to the city that you can get there and back in one sweet day.  Best day trips from London at a glance 🍔 Best for foodies: Margate 🎭 Best for culture lovers: Stratford-Upon-Avon ⛪ Best for history buffs: Canterbury 🛁 Best for families: Bath 🐴 Best for hikers: New Forest 🍺 Best for pub crawls: Lewes 🏖️ Best for seaside fun: Brighton RECOMMENDED:✨The best day trips an hour from London👪 The best family day trips from London☀️ The best weekend trips from London🏘️ The best Airbnbs near London🌳 The best quirky Airbnbs in the UK This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial conte

Before I enter The Music is Black: A British Story I’m handed a pair of headphones with a sensor on top. These will be my auditory guide through an exhibition that tells the story of Black British music from the past 125 years. As I move through the show, my ears are blessed with the sounds of composer and conductor Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, ‘Silly Games’ singer Janet Kay, Sade, jungle pioneer Shy FX and Little Simz. What is a music exhibition without the melodies, after all?  Kicking things off with a bang, the V&A East’s first exhibition explores the trailblazers, visionaries and unsung heroes of Black music in the UK from the 1900s to the present day. From swing and jazz, to jungle, grime and trip hop, no genre goes uncovered. More than 200 objects from the V&A’s collection are displayed, with photographs, instruments, fashion, sheet music and artworks on show.  The Music is Black doesn’t shy away from the murky past. At the beginning, you are confronted with the horrifying realities of slavery and colonialism – from a graphic showing the volume of slave ship voyages through the 16th to 19th centuries, to the 1633 Royal charter legalising the trade of enslaved Africans. There are items, like an Ethiopian prayer book, marked as looted by British troops (although there’s no mention of returning it). The stark opening is a grave reminder that early protest music paved the way for the tunes we listen to today.  It’s a comprehensive and triumphant ode to some of the best music

Big palladian windows. Forest green awnings on a manicured street. White marble surfaces. Workshop Coffee has got the kind of airy and pristine vibe you’d expect from a café in SW1. But it’s more than just a pretty brunch spot. Workshop is a café and coffee academy that takes its brews seriously. As well as all the usual barista drinks, this Belgravia caff has a monthly changing pour over menu as well as cold brews, matcha and chai. From massive cinnamon buns, to croissants and jam doughnuts, all pastries are supplied by the formidable St John bakery. I chomped on a hefty pain au chocolat with some of the finest lamination I’ve seen this side of the Channel. Bigger eats come in the form of eggs, focaccia sandwiches and salads. Perch yourself on an outdoor seat, or grab a stool in the window, and watch the west London ladies go by.

Once an art deco cinema and concert hall (and with a short stint as a monkey zoo, yes really), Scala almost closed down forever in 1992 after Stanley Kubrick sued the cinema for screening A Clockwork Orange. Today, Scala lives on as a brilliantly blank canvas venue that can accommodate huge, multi-floored club nights or gigs from bands on the cusp of real stardom in its banked main room. It’s programming is eclectic. Scala events span everything from the stalwart London pop night Club de Fromage, to reggaeton nights with Bad Bunny tribute acts, and gigs from the likes of Frank Turner, JMSN and edgy up-and-comers Bleech 9:3. 

Northern Spain is so hot right now. It feels like every Hackney dweller and their miniature schnauzer is heading for a long weekend in San Sebastian to snack on pintxos and sip sidra. But you don’t need to drop £200 on flights to try txistorra and cheesecake, because you can feast on Basque cooking at a host of homegrown London restaurants, from steak house Ibai and hip seafood bar Tollington’s to the newly-opened Alta. The crisp loaf resembles something from a fairy feast A serene oasis inside the hectic Kingly Court food hall from the same group who brought us the wonderful Moi, Alta feels calm and sophisticated. Neutral tones and natural materials will soothe your overstimulated mind; the walls are artfully caked in mud, and sculptural cracks are highlighted with warm spotlights – perhaps a hark to Cantabria’s paleolithic cave paintings? All manner of sharing plates are on offer, with an emphasis on open fire grilling. I feel a frisson of joy when our bread and butter arrives in an extremely whimsical fashion. The crisp, warm-in-the-middle loaf has perfectly pointed ends, resembling something from a fairy feast. Equally gorgeous is sea bream crudo, bite-size morsels of fish in a zingy mandarin dressing. Then cheese doughnuts: stuffed with smokey cheddar and drizzled in hot honey. Pure gooey indulgence.  Also excellent is Alta’s ode to arroz meloso, a bed of umami rice and sweet crab meat. It’s surprisingly light and we’re this close to licking the plate clean. For the gra

An excellent cocktail bar, a 15 minute walk from Berghain/Panorama Bar, and breakfast served until 2pm. If you’re partying in Berlin, or simply want some stylish digs to rest your head, the Michelberger is the place to stay.  A bit of a legend as far as Berlin hotels go, the Michelberger has been operating out of a former factory in Friedrichshain since 2009. Leaning into the factory setting, inside it’s all minimal and industrial, with light wood accents giving a warm, natural feel. So far, so Berlin. At the centre of the 113-room block is a lush, tree-laden courtyard, which becomes the centre of the hotel in the warmer months when it hosts alfresco food and wine pop-ups and live music. Come winter, the barrel sauna opens and a fire pit becomes the centre point of the square.   Most hotel lobbies aren’t somewhere you’d want to spend all day. Enter: the Michelberger. I’d happily situate myself in the bright communal area, where sun filters through the windows and people lounge on low Japandi style sofas, from noon until night. There would be plenty to sustain you, with pastries and coffee by day, and low intervention wines from local producers by night.  What are the rooms like at the Michelberger? There is a fantastic range of rooms, depending on budget. Prices vary, but rooms can start from around €100 per night for a ‘Cosy’ – a 130-square-foot nook with a king-sized bed – if you book far enough in advance. I stayed in an ‘Overlook’. It was calm, bright and more spacious th

Not only is this grassroots music venue an absolute stunner inside – it’s got gorgeous chandeliers and ornate cornicing – but it’s the perfect size for a gig: not so big that you feel alienated from the stage but not so small you turn into a claustrophobic, sweaty mess. Originally built as a dance hall in 1904, Bush Hall has been putting on independent gigs, which now also extend to club nights and podcast shows, of all genres since it was returned to its musical glory in 2001. 

Open since 1942, 100 Club is one of London’s most storied and legendary venues. Everyone from Louis Armstrong, Billie Holliday and Muddy Waters to the Kinks, the Sex Pistols and just about every notable Britpop band has walked the stage at this 350-cap basement venue. It has long provided a home for trad jazz, pub blues, northern soul and punk, and now it hosts an eclectic mix of genres from dance pop to electronic and indie. These days it’s rare to go to a small gig in central London, but 100 Club – at 100 Oxford Street – is one of the few venues keeping live music alive in W1.  Originally a restaurant, the 100 Club was first hired out as a live music venue in the ’40s and was popular as a hangout/bomb shelter during World War II owing to its underground location. It was threatened with closure in 2011 due to rocketing rent charges, but was saved thanks to securing backing from Converse, no doubt helped by vocal support for the venue from the likes of Mick Jagger and Liam Gallagher.

This former BBC theatre is one of the best things about Shepherd's Bush. Over the years, the 1903-built music-hall has hosted everyone from Charlie Chaplin to David Bowie, Kylie Minogue and the Rolling Stones. It’s got a capacity of 2,000 standing or 1,300 seated, and there’s decent sound everywhere (except the alcove behind the stalls bar). The 120-year-old venue is still in good nick having undergone a major renovation that improved sound, lighting and seating in September 2025. It’s had a long, storied history, starting out as an Edwardian theatre and now operating as an acclaimed gig venue, though the most widely reported event took place on March 10 2003, when The Chicks (FKA Dixie Chicks) singer Natalie Maines caused uproar by declaring on stage that she was ‘ashamed the President of the United States [George W Bush] is from Texas’. The Noughties, eh? What a wild time. 

Townhouse Spitalfields is a gorgeous little hidey-hole. Set in an early eighteenth-century building opposite Hawksmoor’s Christ Church on Fournier Street, from the outside Townhouse looks like a charming and cluttered antiques shop, but step inside and you’ll find all manner of hidden courtyards, cosy nooks, winding ancient staircases, an art gallery and a lovely little café on the lower ground floor. The café feels like being in a Georgian kitchen. Copper pots hang from the walls alongside cast iron lanterns; a range oven sits neatly under an alcove; a big farmhouse table in the centre is laden with all sorts of cakes and goodies. They serve all the usual teas and coffees as well as a few iced drinks (including a cordial gimlet), and food is strictly of the baked variety, all home made. In the shop you can peruse ceramics, contemporary artworks and olden-days treasures. It’s strictly a laptop-free zone, so leave the work at home and soak up the peaceful atmosphere instead.

Formerly known as Matchstick Piehouse, this gassroots music and arts venue near an old matchstick factory in Deptford has been hosting fringe theatre, live gigs, film screenings and more since 2018. It’s been through the ringer in the past few years, being threatened with permanent closure in 2023 after the pandemic left it with £36,000 of rent arrears. The community venue raised enough money to reopen in 2025 and is now back in business with a full calendar of independent arts events. The not-for-profit venue is fully accessible, offering wheelchair access and tiered pricing for all events. 

Were the Ancient Greeks really this horny? That was the main question running through my mind during Ancient Grease, a fringe musical parody of Grease, set in Ancient Greece, where the plot revolves around an orgy, olive oil is used as lube, and there’s a running joke about Ares the god of war being into butt stuff. If this description sounds all Greek to you, you are absolutely not the target audience for Ancient Grease. But if outrageous, ribald humour is your bag, then read on. I think you may enjoy this show.  Twists duly accepted, the plot is pretty recognisable as Grease. The monogamous and prudish goddess of marriage Hera (our Sandy) is looking for a loyal man to marry, but the three Fates, dressed in sparkling gold outfits with matching cat-eye sunglasses, have other ideas. They determine that Hera ends up with the bro-ish and philandering head of the Alphas, Zeus (this version’s Danny), played by the hilariously gormless Peter Camilleri who sports a fitting fuck-boy mullet. The action takes place during senior year at Olympus Academy as the gods get ready for the big event of the season: the school orgy. Ancient Grease is written by drag artist Lady Aria Grey and directed by Dan Wye, also known as the legendary drag act Séayoncé.  It’s a riot throughout. When it comes to dirty jokes, this parody musical really commits to the bit. From start to finish it’s a constant barrage of sex puns, gyrating, air humping and lewd gestures. There are other perhaps more intelligen

Most Londoners know about Forza Wine by now. This small plates restaurant and wine bar is a dependable place to have a Good Time. It’s where you go to meet The Girls to share a bottle of natty orange and crispy cauliflower fritti. It’s the sort of place you could take a date, but your mum would also quite like, and the kind of trendy establishment that’s perfect fodder for the Real Housewives of Clapton meme account. After seven years in the game, Forza knows what it’s doing, and it does it well.  A perfectly-melty mound of Genovese ragu is sweet and robust The cult resto has now arrived in Soho, launching its third outpost (alongside Peckham and the National Theatre). Already extremely popular, the space is large and airy; it’s got forest green banquettes, warm wooden accents and rattan chairs. Tables of two are positioned as closely as they can be. On a Tuesday night it’s rammed with dates, catch-ups and groups of food-conscious friends meeting for a cheeky post-work Lambrusco (my glass of Paltrinieri slipped down a treat).  The menu here is not wildly different from their other locations. That famous cauliflower fritti with aioli is as crispy and addictive as ever. Mussels in a creamy crusco pepper sauce are rich and tangy with a delightful kick. A perfectly-melty mound of Genovese ragu is sweet and robust, arriving on a square of fried polenta with a drizzle of fresh salsa verde. For drinks, the wine list is extensive, spanning cremants, chilled reds and orange tipples,

Swiss valleys, rolling Tuscan hills and medieval German villages. When searching for breathtaking views, Europe is an absolute goldmine.  Now travel editors at Travel + Leisure have named the 20 most beautiful places in Europe. Journalist Lydia Mansel interviewed two industry insiders: Jim Strong, a member of Travel + Leisure's Travel Advisory Board and president of Strong Travel Services, and Emma Major Schroeder, owner and luxury travel advisor at Major Traveler, to come up with the definitive list. Two British locations were ranked in the list of locations.   ‘Wee Mad Road’ in Scotland ranked in ninth place. Found in the northwestern part of the Scottish Highlands, this endlessly curving road is as beautiful as it is remote. Part of Scotland’s North Coast 500, Strong warned that this scenic road trip is ‘not for the faint of heart’: the 14-mile stretch is a rugged and treacherous single-lane road filled with hair-pin turns. However, braving the drive pays off, because along the route you’ll be rewarded with views of lochs, valleys and beaches. Strong added: ‘The western side of Scotland offers some of the most dramatic and strange sights while driving on small, one-lane roads.’ Photograph: Shutterstock The other UK inclusion (in fourth place) was Sissinghurst Castle Garden in Kent. Once called the ‘most famous 20th century garden in England’, Sissinghurst’s garden was created by writer Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson in the 1930s. The 16th-century tower on the g

You’ve probably heard by now, but even more tube strikes are on the way. RMT drivers will be walking out for six 24-hour periods in April, May and June. The first day of strikes will be next week, taking place on Tuesday, April 21.  Before you panic and sign up to a Lime bike subscription, you do have options. Here’s everything you need to know about using the Elizabeth line during the strike period.  RECOMMENDED:🚇 How to get around London during April’s RMT industrial action.⛔️ The full list of dates and train services impacted by RMT train strikes in April, May and June 2026✈️ How to get to London airports during next week’s RMT industrial action RMT union members voted in favour of action back in February, with strikes called for the London Underground. Walk-outs that were supposed to take place in March were suspended, but for now further action will still be going ahead. The action will only be affecting services on the Underground, meaning that the DLR, Overground and Elizabeth lines will all still be operating. London buses will be affected by separate strikes in April and May.  RMT drivers are striking over a proposal to condense the working week into four days, resulting in changing shift patterns.  A representative from RMT said: ‘Our members will not accept TfL's plan to condense the working week for tube drivers where shift patterns will become unpredictable leading to fatigue and increasing safety risks. ‘A majority of tube drivers when asked have rejected these

Hackney Art Week is back, and in 2026 it’s going to be even bigger than last year’s event.  The east London art festival has promised it will ‘expand across the borough’ this summer, with the fair taking place in Hackney from June 4 to 14. The extravaganza will bring together 60 artists and creatives across 50 venues in the borough, taking place across Dalston, Clapton, London Fields, De Beauvoir, Stoke Newington, Haggerston, and Hackney Wick.  Hackney Art Week was founded in 2025 by local residents Lisa Baker and Anna McHugh. Across 10 days, the borough will be taken over by exhibitions, markets, workshops, performances, immersive installations, street parties and even an art treasure hunt. Venues getting involved include Raleigh Chapel, Chats Palace, The Rose Lipman Building, St Augustine’s Tower, ESEACC at The Old Bath House and more. It will also take over pubs, bakeries, delis and other well-loved Hackney spots.  Photograph: Jeanne Gourlaouen / courtesy of Hackney Art Week Highlights from this year’s programme include the Dalston Cultural Quarter Takeover, on June 6 and 7, where workshops, artist open studios, a ceramics market and a street-level sound system will take over Arcola Street. The Sandwich Walk by Jeanne Gourlaouen will be a surreal installation on Wilton Way where absurd shoe-slash-sandwich sculptures will cause visitors to look twice. The Collagism™ Art Hunt will see the streets around London Fields transformed into a living collage, becoming a borough-wi

Calling all ’90s babies. A free exhibition has opened at the Barbican, and it’s celebrating the era of Cool Britannia with all things Spice Girls and Britpop.  Mel B’s leopard print catsuit, Gerri Halliwell’s union jack print boots and Liam Gallagher’s tambourine are some of the best things that will be displayed in the exhibition that will be focussing on one year specifically: 1996.  The free exhibit, called 1996: A celebration of the wildest year of Britain’s wildest decade – 30 years on, is created by former Sun editor and its ‘Bizarre’ columnist, Dominic Mohan. It opened at the Barbican Music Library yesterday (April 16).  Why 1996? This was the year the Spice Girls released ‘Wannabe’ and scored three number ones. Oasis played Maine Road and Knebworth, the Sex Pistols reunited, and Pulp, Blur and Suede were in the charts. The Trainspotting film came out, and Tracey Emin and Damien Hirst emerged as two of the most provocative voices in British art. England made it to the semi-finals of the 1996 Euros, and Tony Blair was Prime Minister, bringing in an era of New Labour.  Photograph: City of London Corporation Music fans and nostalgia hunters will have plenty to get stuck into in the exhibition. On display alongside the Spice Girls’ outfits will be previously unseen Oasis memorabilia; items from record producers and DJs Paul Oakenfold, Dave Pearce and Judge Jules; concert flyers and tickets; music magazines; and tabloids’ front pages. A Brit Awards trophy is also on displ

A decade in the making, the V&A East is finally here. Located on Carpenter’s Road in Stratford on the same stretch as the BBC, Sadler’s Wells East and UAL, the V&A East Museum is the final piece in the puzzle of east London’s shiny new creative quarter.  This new edifying hub on a former brownfield site is also the V&A’s final opening in a flurry of developments that have arrived in London over the past few years – including the V&A East Storehouse, the David Bowie Centre and the revamped Young V&A –  that have turned the museum group into a cultural megalith in the capital.  The museum officially opens this Saturday April 18. Time Out was lucky to get a sneak peek inside the new building ahead of its grand opening. Here’s what the V&A East Museum has in store.  What exactly is the V&A East? Not the V&A East Storehouse and not the V&A in South Kensington, the V&A East sits somewhere in between these two museums. It’s sort of like the Victoria and Albert Museum’s edgy, younger sibling. Instead of a west London gallery packed with ancient items, which could be considered stuffy or boring to some, V&A East feels like a museum for the masses.    Photogrpah: © David Parry/ V&A   Its permanent gallery, called ‘Why We Make’, explores creativity in all its forms. Across two floors, more than 500 objects from the V&A’s collection are displayed, spanning art, architecture, design, performance, and fashion. The display is arranged by theme, with topics including identity, wellbeing, s

Calling all history buffs! Shaw House, a Grade I-listed Elizabethan manor in Berkshire, has opened four new rooms to the public.  Built in 1581, the grand Elizabethan digs were used as a stronghold for the Royalists during the English Civil War. Now, it’s a historical landmark visited by thousands every year, as well as a venue for weddings, conferences, events and performances. It’s considered one of the best preserved Elizabethan mansions in England.  West Berkshire Council, which owns the house, has newly opened four abodes within the massive mansion: the public can now step inside the Tudor Oak Room, Queen Anne Drawing Room, Georgian Parlour and Edwardian Bedroom to see what life was really like at the manor in the olden days.  Nigel Foot, the council's executive member for leisure, sport and countryside, called the house one of the borough’s ‘most treasured heritage sites’. ‘We're incredibly proud to showcase four centuries of stories, craftsmanship and character, and to enhance the gardens and facilities for everyone to enjoy,’ he said. ‘Whether you're a regular visitor or discovering Shaw House for the first time, there has never been a better time to explore this wonderful place.’ In 1945 Shaw House was sold to be used as a school. It was first listed in 1952, and a restoration in the early 2000s turned the building into a conference and events centre. Renovations on the house’s Tudor Garden were completed last year, while work to replicate a garden that was featured

From James Bond, to Slow Horses, Brits famously love a good spy story. Soon a new museum will open in the capital unveiling some of Old Blighty’s wartime secrets: think espionage, deception and histories that have been hidden for 70 years. Trent Park House, in north London’s Enfield, has announced it will open the ‘House of Secrets’, a museum dedicated to Second World War spycraft inside a historic stately home.  During WWII Trent Park House became an key location for British espionage, and has been compared with Bletchley Park in its importance. Between 1939 and the end of the war senior German officers, including 59 generals, were held captive in the luxurious surroundings. They were treated with unusual privileges, but were unaware that their conversations were being recorded through a complex network of miniature bugging devices, hidden places such as plant pots, billiard tables and light fittings. Beneath the state rooms a team of ‘secret listeners’, many of whom were German-speaking Jewish refugees, listened in on the Germans from concealed basement rooms. These recordings produced intelligence that gave the Allies a crucial advantage against Germany. Visitors will be able to uncover this fascinating story inside Trent Park’s newly restored rooms.  Photograph: Courtesy of Trent Park House The mansion inside 413-acre Trent Country Park is also the erstwhile home of aristocrat and politician Sir Philip Sassoon, who was named ‘the greatest host in Britain’. Sassoon often

Cycling in London can be pretty intimidating. On the roads, cyclist have to avoid double decker buses, pot holes and errant foxes. But now there’s good news for two-wheeled folk, because the cycle paths in one part of northwest London are about to get much better.  TfL has announced a brand new £13 million cycleway in Brent, between Wembley Central and Harlesden. The C72 will be built over the junction of the A406 North Circular and Harrow Road/Brentfield, following quiet back streets wherever possible. It will include fully protected sections where the impact on buses and other traffic will be low.  In particular, Harrow Road will be get a segregated cycle lane. The busy A road had 90 collisions between January 2018 and December 2020. Of the 109 people injured, nine were cyclists and 14 were pedestrians.  TfL has worked closely with Brent Council to draw up the plans for the new cycling highway, which will also improve routes for pedestrians. The pathway between Wembley and Willesden Junction has been identified as one London’s locations with the greatest potential for future cycling demand, but TfL says people will only cycle there if there’s the infrastructure to do so. In a 2023 consultation, 87 percent of respondents said the scheme will encourage more people to cycle.  RECOMMENDED: 🚲 Brilliant bike rides from London to cycle out of the city. Councillor Muhammed Butt, Leader of Brent Council, said: ‘Cycleway 72 is a game‑changer for our borough. For too long, people in

Drivers: beware. London’s loveliest pink bridge will be closed to all vehicles until 2027, the council has announced.  Albert Bridge, the pink and white structure connecting Battersea with Chelsea, has been closed for repairs since early February 2026. Now an investigation into the bridge – which first opened in 1873 – has found that the structure might be in worse condition than was previously thought. As only one of two London bridges that have never been replaced (along with Tower Bridge), it’s no surprise that that Grade II-listed crossing is in need of some extra care and attention.  Kensington and Chelsea Council has decided that Albert Bridge needs a full repair and will have to be closed for at least another year. The investigation discovered that the cast iron component of the bridge has cracked, affecting a key component that supports a joint between the catenary/cable-stay/edge-girder. This joint is now unstable and is rocking when things like temperature, wind and traffic levels change. Simply: it’s not safe to drive over right now. However, Albert Bridge still fine to cross on foot, and the bridge remains open to pedestrians and cyclists. It’s currently being monitored by sensors that were installed to measure its movements and make sure its condition doesn’t worsen.  The council has now kicked off £8.5 million worth of works that are expected to take around 12 months. It will see the cracked part fully repaired, unseizing the axle in the structural joint that ca

When it comes to Britain’s most appealing neighbourhoods, everyone wants to call their corner of the country the best. That’s why there are all sorts of lists and rankings naming the UK’s top locations to live – from the coolest streets (our number one is Blackstock Road), to the trendiest areas (we crowned Camberwell one of the world’s coolest in 2025).  Now the Sunday Times has released its ranking of Britain’s best places to live in 2026. To determine Britain’s top neighbourhoods, the newspaper sent a team of judges to every corner of the country to chat to locals, soak up the atmosphere and try out the amenities. They also considered other stuff like the quality of transport and schools, as well as broadband speeds. Seven London locations were included in this year’s ranking. Here’s what they were.  Richmond   Photograph: Shutterstock This leafy southwest London borough is no stranger to accolades. It’s frequently named London’s happiest neighbourhood, and it often tops lists of the best places to live in the city. That’s why it was the Times’ overall winner for London this year. The paper called this area known for its peaceful parks and great schools with easy access into central London the ‘most serene corner of the capital’. The average house price in TW10 is a mega £916,900, so it’s no wonder the residents are all so happy – they’re rich!   Bermondsey to Waterloo Photograph: cktravels.com / Shutterstock.com The Times named this stretch of Southwark ‘a hotspot fo

Never get in the way of harried London commuters rushing down the left side of the escalator. But ever wondered why in the capital you stand on the right and walk on the left, when on UK roads you overtake on the right? The people of Reddit seem to have been pondering that very question, with a heated debate ensuing on the online platform.  ‘In the UK we drive on the left and overtake on the right on all the motorways etc. Why in London on the underground stairs and escalators do you stand on the right and overtake on the left? Anyone else find that interesting?’ one user asked on the r/london thread.  Photograph: NataliaCatalina.com / Shutterstock.com One commenter had a theory that it was to do with being left or right handed. ‘Most ppl are right handed and naturally stand on the right to hold the hand rail with their dominant hand. Making the left side emptier for those who want to walk,’ they wrote. Other speculations suggested that the tradition came from the fact that we drive on the left, and one person even said it stemmed from Henry VII, who was very superstitious and would only walk up stairs on the left.  However, there’s actually a solid reason why Londoners stand on the right, and it’s to do with the design of the city’s first escalators. When the capital’s premier escalator was installed at Earl’s Court station in 1911, travellers were not able to disembark from the moving staircase in the same direction of their travel. Instead, the base of the escalator had

If you studied at UCL, have an allotment, and your only shoes are a pair of beat up Scarpa hiking boots, the name Friedrich Engels probably means something to you. The German philosopher, along with Karl Marx, was one of the fathers of communism. Now London could get an entire museum dedicated to the socialist.  A multi-million-pound house in Primrose Hill could become an Engels museum. The philosopher and writer who co-authored the Communist Manifesto with Karl Marx moved into the house in 1870 to be near Marx, who was his close friend. While living at 122 Regent’s Park Road Engels held weekly socialism debates, wrote books of political philosophy and took daily walks on Primrose Hill.  The property near Regent’s Park was later owned by elderly librarian Caroline Amy Read until 2020 when she died. Read bequeathed the house to a trust which reportedly now has plans for it to become an educational space. Located opposite The Queen’s pub and the entrance to Primrose Hill, the house has a blue plaque dedicated to Engels. Trustees are reportedly bidding to turn it into a space for young people to learn about the history of working-class struggle, gender equality, and international solidarity. Did you see that one of the original Broadway stars of ‘Hamilton’ is joining the London version this summer? Plus: London’s best airport is set to get bigger, quieter planes.  Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time O