Amy Houghton

There are few things that we’d willingly brace the cold for during winter in London. But ice skating is one of them. From around October each year, pop-up ice rinks fill the city, decked out in fairy lights, hosting DJ takeovers and inviting folk to skate late into the night. So, dig out your warmest hats and scarves – soon, you’ll get to romantically glide (or awkwardly stumble) with your loved ones under the backdrop 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 some of the best rinks to soar across this winter. We’ll be topping up this list as more rinks for the 2025/26 season are confirmed. 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. So far, this year’s cheapest option is Queens Skate Dine and Bowl, where adult tickets are available from £8 (during off-peak hours). The most expensive adult ticket in 2024 was £26 for peak hours at Skate at Somerset House. For cheaper tickets, consider visiting at less popular times.  RECOMMENDED: our ultimate guide to Christmas in London.

Do you smell it? That faint waft of pumpkin spice latte in the air? Summer’s sunny days and balmy nights may be behind us, but now it’s time to embrace all the wonderful, cosy things autumn has to offer.  For some, this time of year 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. 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 2025.  RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in London in October 2025

It’s hard not to fall in love with Wales. This nation may be small but best believe it is crammed with irresistible Celtic charm, spectacular wilderness and vibrant culture. Even after growing up in Bannau Brycheiniog and spending family holidays up north and along the coast, I still cannot get enough. It’s the perfect place to rejuvenate, to give your mind a rest and to bathe in the warm hospitality of Welsh people. It’s also a hugely overlooked arts and music hub. From Michelin-star establishments, to gorgeous hikes, an official book town and several critically acclaimed festivals, whatever kind of getaway you're after, this is the very best of Cymru.  RECOMMENDED: 📍 The best places to go in Wales 🍴 The best things to do in North Wales 👀 The best things to do in Cardiff🌤️ The best things to do in the UK This article was recently updated by Amy Houghton, a writer from Bannau Brycheiniog, Wales. 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. This guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 

Whatever your vibe (and whatever your budget), London’s got it all – and anyone will find something they love here. Historic pubs, leafy parks and gardens and an unmatched restaurant scene make this city worth visiting year-round, but before you’ve booked anything in London, you kind of have to know where you’re going to be based. To get you started, we’ve rounded up the city’s best Airbnbs available to book right now, with expert tips from our local editors.  Should I choose an Airbnb or a hotel in London? London is not short on lovely hotels, ranging from budget to luxury and just about everything in between. But it’s fair to say that even the cheaper options cost a pretty penny – and you’ll often find them in more central, touristy areas in the city. If you want to live like a Londoner, an Airbnb can allow you to properly immerse yourself in a more residential area of London – and all the locally-loved bars, pubs and restaurants that come with it. You’ll find lots of our local tips below, but for a detailed breakdown of the best neighbourhoods to stay in London, check out our ultimate area guide. More of a hotels guy? No problem. Here’s our list of the best hotels in London.  📍 RECOMMENDED: Ultimate guide to the best hotels and Airbnbs in London Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in and review every Airbnb featured, our writers have based our list on expert knowledge of the destination covered, editorial reviews, user reviews, amenities and in-depth research to

The final stretch of 2025 is upon us. And now that we’ve said so long to summer, London’s institutions have begun to enter full festive planning mode. In a matter of months, the city’s skies will be sparkling with Christmas lights, its venues will fill up with classic Christmas tunes and its streets will be lined with colourful Christmas markets. Of course, December isn’t just about Christmas, and there’s plenty more brilliant things to do besides all the festive stuff. Notably, the acclaimed Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo is making its UK debut, it’s the first full month of the Design Museum’s hotly-anticipated Wes Anderson exhibition and the last full month of the bonkers jukebox musical Titanique. Plus, there are the ice-skating rinks, the winter pop-ups and the chilly winter walks followed by cosy pub hangouts. And that’s before we even get on to New Year’s Eve!  Here’s our guide to the finest events, parties, cultural happenings and things to do in London over December 2025. RECOMMENDED: Time Out’s definitive London events calendar.

It’s no secret that London can be very, very pricey if you’re not careful. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t any options if you’re on a budget. Both big chains and beloved independents offer some very affordable rooms in the Capital – you just have to know where to look. Obviously, being ‘on a budget’ is pretty subjective, but every hotel on this list has rooms for under £200, with many starting under £100 – and even some shared dorms for £12 per person.  Every hotel highlighted here by Time Out’s experts is good value; whether that be because of its location, design, or quite simply, the price. Staying in one of these will give you the kind of buzz only a good deal can deliver. So get booking and then use all the cash you’ve saved on more important stuff. Like, erm, going to the pub.  🛌 Our guide to the best Airbnbs in London Which area is best to stay in London for a good price?  Honestly, it depends on what you’re looking for. There’s cheap options in Shoreditch, just off the South Bank and even in the heart of the West End – so you can save and still be in walking distance to Theatreland or London’s best museums. Or, go further afield to find deals that way, in more residential areas further out. To get a better grip on your options, here’s our handy guide on where to stay in London.  How we curate our hotel lists Headed up by editor Joe Mackertich, our team at Time Out London spend their time reviewing hotels all over the Capital – new openings, old classics and ever

August 2025 update: There's new songs being added to karaoke machines on a regular basis, so we see it as our duty to keep this list bang up to date. Our latest additions include a modern British classic from Lola Young, as well as the bounciest anthem to emerge over the past 12 months from Blackpink's Rosé and Bruno Mars. Whether you’ve got the voice of an angel or you’re totally tone deaf, karaoke unites us all. But heed our warning: choosing the right song is crucial (aka, don’t opt for that Whitney Houston tune if you haven’t the range. And if you don't have good enough flow, steer clear of rapping. Kapeesh?) So we thought we’d help out a little bit. In our list of the best karaoke songs ever, we’ve got everyone from Adele to Toto, and from Frank Sinatra to Ricky Martin. There's even recent singalongs from Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan. Something for everyone. So down that shot, grab that mic and take to the stage. Your audience awaits you. Here are the best karaoke songs ever.  RECOMMENDED:❤️ The best love songs☀️ The best summer songs🎉 The best party songs🕺 The best albums of 2025 so far  

Cardiff is arguably one of the best-kept foodie secrets in the UK. While it might get overlooked in favour of some more famous destinations, all that means is there’s more scrumptious food on offer for those who are wise enough to buck trends and head to the Welsh capital.  Many of the UK’s most innovative chefs have set up shop here, including the likes of Pembrokeshire’s Tom Simmons, and restaurants across the city have inventive, artistic dishes flying out of their kitchens – but don’t get us wrong, Cardiff also knows a thing or two about classic, hearty, comforting food too. Be you after a posh, Michelin-starred spot for a special occasion or just a trusty, locally-recommended spot for a day of sightseeing, here is our handpicked roundup of the city’s best restaurants. RECOMMENDED:🎨 The best things to do in Cardiff🏩 The best Airbnbs in Cardiff🌉 The best things to do in Wales☀️ The best things to do in the UK This guide was recently updated by Sophie Williams, a writer based in Cardiff. 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. 

Boxing Day has all the magic of Christmas Day, just without the stress of cooking a colossal feast or the pressure of keeping the whole family happy. The in-laws have departed, the gifts have been handed out and now you can spend the day slouched in sweatpants, binging festive specials and demolishing chocolate reindeer while nursing a mild hangover. As enjoyable as all that is, we’re here to make the case for getting out and about on December 26.  The day after Christmas, London is mostly free of its usual crowds (except for shopping districts like Oxford Street packed with bargain hunters). That means that, should you leave your house, large parts of the capital city are yours for the taking.  There are the parks and riverside paths for frosty winter walks or the Christmas lights to admire while you brave the Boxing Day sales. The city’s pop-up ice skating rinks are normally open, pantomime season is still in full swing and there are even a few parties lined up . Here are some great ideas for how to spend your day off. RECOMMENDED: Find more festive fun with our full guide to Christmas in London.

Things are getting more and more expensive here in Europe, and many of our reliably ‘cheap’ cities aren’t so cheap anymore. The hotspots in Greece, Spain, Italy and more are plagued with overtourism and prices are starting to look similar across the board. But don’t fear: if budgets are tight this year, there’s still plenty of spots that won’t break the bank.  The best part? These are the spots with less tourists and less crowds, and the flights there are likely to be much cheaper too. Of course, it goes without saying that a ‘cheap city’ is highly subjective, depending on a whole load of factors: which city you’ve travelled in from, what time of year you’re visiting, how bougie your tastes are and all the rest of it. On our list of cheap destinations in Europe, we’ve got everything from thriving capital cities to underrated towns. Ready to see a different side of Europe and afford dinner out? Read on for the cheapest (and best) cities to visit in Europe in 2025.  RECOMMENDED:🌃 The most underrated travel destinations in Europe🏰 The best city breaks in Europe📍 The most beautiful places in Europe🌊 The best places to ‘coolcation’ in Europe 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. This guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 

Summer's finally here! And that means it's high time you dug out last year's swimsuit (faintly bobbly though it may be) and took it for a spin in one of London's many gorgeous outdoor pools. But don't even think of heading to your local noisy, chlorine-scented indoor swimming baths. When the temperatures soar, lidos are the only way to go. I'm one of the growing band of Londoners who's been bitten by the outdoor swimming bug, and braved the waters at every al fresco pool I can find in this city. Yep, the water's a bit chilly. But that's the whole point: to feel that rush of exhilaration you only get once your body adjusts to the cool water and starts gliding through it like a dolphin (or in my case, a geriatric elephant seal – I said I'm a keen outdoor swimmer, not a good one).   The seriously dedicated will head to wild swimming spots where you bob about face to face with aggy ducks and the odd bit of pondweed. But if you want to get a proper swim in, lidos are the easiest, freshest way to do it. Heated or unheated, regimented lanes or wide open water, serious fitness or chilled family fun – these are all of London’s best lidos and outdoor swimming pools for making a splash in this summer. RECOMMENDED:🏊 The best swimming pools in London.🌡️ The best saunas in London. 💦 The best waterparks in London

Work-dos are a hard art to master. How do you find something that strengthens your team spirit and that everyone in the office, across multiple generations, is actually going to find fun?  Stuck for ideas? You’re in the right place. Whether you’re after some healthy competition among co-workers or an activity that requires all your colleagues to work together, London has a load of classic and quirky ways for your team to let their hair down. So, take notes, we’ve rounded up the best of them. These are some of the top places in the city to go to build your office bonds.  RECOMMENDED: The best office party venues to hire in LondonThe top London venues for a private bash 

One hundred years ago, a strange curtained box appeared on Broadway in New York City. If you went inside and slotted in 25 cents, you’d emerge with eight sepia tinged photos of yourself in a matter of minutes. It was the Photomaton – the world’s first fully automated photobooth. Fast forward to the 21st century and photobooths are in bars, train stations, cinemas, record shops and on streets all over the world. The Photographer’s Gallery is marking a century of the machines with Click!, an archival exhibition exploring their imperfections, their quirks and their most famous fans. Naturally, there’ll be a working photobooth for visitors to take their own snap.

The UK’s first major retrospective of acclaimed Ukrainian artist Boris Mikhailov is coming to the Photographers’ Gallery. A ‘kind of proto-punk’, Mikhailov has been capturing and commenting on life in Ukraine since the 1960s – from the everyday consequences of the collapse of the Soviet Union to the realities of people living on the edges of society – through photography, conceptual work, painting and performance art. Ukrainian Diary brings much of that work together to illustrate the tumultuous social and political changes that have shaken Eastern Europe over the past fifty years.

In 1978, Zofia Rydet decided that was going to photograph the inside of every Polish household. Aged 67, she began knocking on doors and asking occupants if they’d be willing to partake in her project. She continued to knock on doors for the next three decades, collecting everyday stories and creating ‘one of the most important achievements in 20th century Polish photography’. More than 100 of Rydet’s prints will be on display at the Photographers’ Gallery alongside books and personal letters offering extra insight into her sociological mission.

When a place rates itself as assuredly (in huge bold letters, no less) as Good Hotel does, it’s natural to feel a little sus. But it’s true: Good Hotel really does make you feel good. Service is cheery and laid-back without being overly casual, the food leaves nothing to complain about and – maybe it’s the luxurious silence of the area or perhaps the proximity to gently lapping water – I visited in 2024, and I don’t know if I’ve ever had a better night’s sleep in the city. Aside from all that, guests can walk out of Good Hotel feeling extra gratified by virtue of its ‘do good’ DNA. Why stay at Good Hotel? As you walk along Royal Victoria Docks, this huge black shipping container is impossible to miss. Originally built as a Danish prison, this floating hotel docked in London in 2016 after sailing across from Amsterdam. Its founder, Marten Dresden, had come up with the Good Hotel concept four years prior while travelling in Guatemala. Now, each night you spend there pays for a week of school for a child in South America, with profits also going towards hospitality training for long-term unemployed locals (lots of whom become Good Hotel employees).  The hotel also hosts regular community workshops and events that guests can attend. There are comedy nights, yoga classes, salsa classes, kids art clubs and, if you’re in the mood to be extra good, litter-picking around the local area. What are the rooms like at Good Hotel? Throughout the hotel, the interiors are slick, earthy-toned

Of its four south-west London outposts, DropShot’s Leopold Road location serves up hefty brunches on the daily. The portions here are breathtakingly generous, and the tennis-themed menu goes well beyond the standard eggs benny or avocado on toast; think mozzarella and chilli jam-filled potato pancakes andbig fat slices of French toast laden with monterey jack cheese and fresh pesto, or loaded with tiramisu cream and berries. The coffee is fantastic, too.

One of the more recent additions to Wimbledon Village, Good Fortune Club is bright and buzzy with a sprawling menu of Cantonese dishes, the best known of which is its handmade dim sum. Stop by with a large, hungry posse to pack your table with bamboo steamers and sample har gau (shrimp-filled dumplings,) xiao long bao (pork soup dumplings), cuttlefish cake and more.

Crack Comedy Club brings pre-party laughs to Tunnel 267 – Wimbledon’s only nightclub – every Saturday night from 8pm to 10pm. For standup sets from four or five comics, tickets are £25 for general admission on the door or £21.50 if you book online in advance. You can also buy tickets that include dinner from a local restaurant beforehand, and if you stick around afterwards you’ll get free entry to Tunnel’s clubnight. Three in one. 

This quirky, tiki-themed minigolf course first popped up in Dalston's Efes in April 2015. A decade later, that debut site is no more, but you can now find Plonks outdoors in London Fields and under the arches at Borough Market. The Hackney course, which recently got a big ol’ refurb, takes you through a ‘Polynesian themed putt paradise’ complete with a tiki forest, a volcano canyon and octupuses. There are plenty of satisfying holes that fire your ball onto tricksy little mechanisms, a loop the loop, and a lot of impossibly steep ramps. All in all: it’s a great place for a plonking party. Prices start from £9.35 per person per play. 

There's a real sense of fun to this deliberately rough-around-the-edges course. Party tunes blare from speakers, graffiti jazzes up the walls and it's made from ‘twisted junk, car booty and charity shop shizzle’. Junkyard Golf Club has four courses – Gary, Pablo, Dirk and Bozo – that are all fabulously chaotic and mildly freaky. Depending on which challenge you take on, you’ll be putting past pirate pigs, dishevelled nightclub urinals, terrifying giant clown heads and a UV rave room. There's also a second location in Camden for more of the same.  Prices start at £12 for nine holes at off-peak times (Sunday to Thursday) and go up to £21 for 18 holes on busier days (Fridays and Saturdays). And as any good crazy golf should, Junkyard has a menu of themed cocktails to keep lubed up before, during and after your game. 

What is it?  Technically several adjoining markets, this sprawl of stalls stretching from Camden Town tube to the Regent’s Canal is London’s fourth most popular visitor attraction. In its recent heyday, around 250,000 people came here every week to shop, sample street food and soak up the distinctive, still-grungy atmosphere. Camden Lock Market is an arts-and-crafts haven while the Stables Market is a trendy spot for everything from quirky furniture to fetish clothing. Nearby Buck Street Market on Camden High Street has had a shipping container revamp. As you saunter through the different markets, don’t be surprised to see grungy teenagers and old punks on the street corners. Camden feels more mainstream than it did in the ‘90s, but it’s still one of London’s most rock ‘n’ roll neighbourhoods. Why go?  To get lost in a one-of-a-kind maze of art, garms, antiques, accessories, books and endless street food.  Don’t miss The Cheese Bar – London’s only fully fromage focused restaurant – for all manner of gooey, cheese-based delights in a classy, low lit space in Stables Market.  Ticket info  No tickets needed.  When to visit  Camden Markets are open everyday of the week from 10am until late.  Time Out tip If you find the lunch queues and options a bit too much in the main Camden Lock Market, cross the road to Buck Street Market where you’ll find food that is just as great and are more likely to find a free spot to sit.  RECOMMENDED: London’s best markets

What is it?  Since launching in 1970, Browns has played an instrumental role in the careers of some of the world’s biggest fashion titans. Founder Joan Burstein (the ‘fairy godmother of fashion’) is credited with discovering John Galliano after stumbling across his graduate collection and later on, stocking the work of (at that time) a little known designer named Alexander McQueen.  Mrs B, as she was known, also introduced the likes of Comme des Garçons, Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein to the British fashion scene. More than 50 years later, Browns continues to champion young and emerging designers. After being acquired by fashion website FarFetch in 2015, Browns moved its flagship store on South Molton Street to a Grade II-listed eighteenth century building on Mayfair’s Brook Street in 2021.  What does it sell?  There are more than 100 established and next-gen designers jostling for attention at Browns, from Chloé and Dries Van Noten to Balenciaga and Christian Dior. The first floor hosts a carefully curated collection of apparel, shoes, bags, fine jewellery, accessories and homewear and the Yellow Room is where the most  luxury of luxurious brands reside. More high-fashion pieces are on display in the Focus Room on the ground floor.  Opening times Tuesday to Saturday 10.30am-6.30pm. Closed Sunday and Monday (but can open by appointment).  Time Out tip On the ground floor, you’ll also fine 123V Browns, a fully plant-based, award-winning sushi restaurant. Menu highlights inclu

What is it?  After 130 years, luxury department store Fenwick left its iconic outlet on Bond Street in February 2024 but its flagship store in Brent Cross Shopping Centre is still going strong.  What does it sell?  The three storey emporium offers up everything you expect from any good department store – apparel, homewear, beauty bits and accessories from classic and emerging high-end brands like Stella McCartney, Viviene Westwood, Ganni, Jo Malone and Our Place. There’s also a wee horticultral section downstairs, selling fresh plants and a bunch of tools and sprays to help your patch bloom.  Opening times  Mon-Fri 10am-8pm; Sat 9.30am-8pm; Sun 11.30am-6pm. 

London doesn’t have a brilliant reputation when it comes to crime. With 106.4 offences per 1,000 people, it has one of the highest crime rates in Britain, and if you’re anywhere near the city centre, make sure you’re clinging to your phone for dear life. Despite that, new research has found that the capital city is home to both the safest places in the UK and the least safe.  Security training platform Get Licensed has ranked the UK’s local authorities according to how safe they are. It measured safety according to factors like crime rate per 1,000 people, year-on-year change in crime severity, reoffending rates, the number of CCTV cameras in public spaces and the number of licensed security personnel.  Let’s start with the good news. South London neighbourhood Sutton was named London’s and the UK’s safest area to live, with an overall safety score of 8.09 out of 10. You can read more about why it’s the country’s safest place here.  Kingston-upon-Thames is apparently London’s second safest place to be (and the UK’s third safest). Get Licensed gave it an overall score of 7.81 out of 10 and highlighted that crime in the area has gone down by nearly 10 percent year-on-year. It’s annual crime rate currently sits at 67.1 offences per 1,000 people.  The nearby Richmond-upon-Thames emerged as London’s third safest spot with a safety score of 7.55. It has an annual crime rate of just 61.7 per 1,000 people, though it has seen a small year-on-year increase on 0.91 percent.  RECOMMENDE

There’s no denying that London has its fair share of not-so-nice areas. The capital city is home to all 10 of the UK’s pickpocketing hotspots, crimes on the Underground are reportedly up by 1.3 percent and we all have a local alleyway that is best avoided at night. But, it turns out that there are also several parts of London that boast some of the lowest crime rates in the country. And one south London neighbourhood has just been named the safest place in the entire UK. Security training platform Get Licensed has ranked the UK’s local authorities according to how safe they are. It compared police-recorded crime with year-on-year change in crime severity, reoffending and antisocial behaviour, and counted CCTV in public spaces to determine its ranking.  The south London town of Sutton emerged as the nation’s safest place to live. It had an annual crime rate of 61 per 1,000 people and saw a 2.75 percent fall in crime year on year. Get Licensed also counted 230 public CCTV cameras per 1,000 people in Sutton and found a reoffending rate of 15.74 percent (the average rate across the whole of the UK is 26.5 percent). It added that ‘when there are crimes in Sutton, they tend to be robberies or thefts, with little to no reports of weapons possession’. Overall, the town earned a safety score of 8.09 out of 10.  RECOMMENDED: The safest place to live in Britain (outside London). Sutton wasn’t the only London postcode to score highly. In fact the list of the top 10 safest areas in the co

When looking for a new place to live, there are loads of factors to consider. House prices are important, as is your commute, the number of decent schools, and the quality of public transport. You also want to be assured that you’ll feel safe wherever you end up. To help you figure that last bit out, the safest areas the UK, according security training platform Get Licensed, have just been revealed.  To create the ranking, Get Licensed looked at factors like crime rate per 1,000 people, year-on-year change in crime severity, reoffending rates, the number of CCTV cameras in public spaces and the number of licensed security personnel.  The list of the UK’s top 10 safest places is mostly occupied by areas of London. Only four places outside of the capital city made the cut. While the south London town of Sutton was declared the safest place in the country, the Shropshire borough of Telford and Wrekin came a close second. Telford and Wrekin was given an overall safety score of 8 out of 10 thanks to a low annual crime rate of 76.5 offences per 1,000 people, a year-on-year decrease in crime of 7.53 and a particularly high share of public CCTV cameras – 533 per 100,000 people compared to Sutton’s 230. That’s the fourth highest of all the areas included in the index and, Get Licensed said, means that ‘if a crime is committed, it’s highly likely to be caught on camera’.  The only other non-London areas to make it into the top 10 were Dundee at number four, Swindon at number six and Sl

As tough as climbing up a mountain is, arguably the worst bit of it is walking all the way back down. It’s tough on your knees and requires a lot more concentration to avoid taking a tumble. If only you could just zoom down in a sled. Well, that could be a real option in Cairngorms mountain range next year, as there are plans to build a brand new toboggan ride.  If the plans to bring the toboggan to Cairngorm Mountain ski resort are approved, it’ll be the longest and highest ride of its kind in the UK, stretching 1.2km and starting from 715m above sea level. At the moment, the UK’s longest is at Chatham Snowsports Centre in Kent.  The idea was originally put forward back in April and it was estimated to cost £1.2m. Representatives from the Cairngorm Mountain ski resort met with members of Scottish Parliament on Tuesday, September 16 to discuss their toboggan vision. They told MSP that visitors would be able to ride two at a time and that designers are expected to be in the Cairngorms this week to work on plans and determine the eventual length of the track.  The proposals suggest that people would be able to use the funicular railway to access the top of the ride on the summit of the mountain Cairngorm, which is something members of the public aren’t currently allowed to do. That means that you wouldn’t even have to endure a long hike for the pleasure of zooming back down the mountain, and that the ride would be fully accessible to people with disabilities. Right now, the re

Take That fans – prepare for a heavy dose of nostalgia. Remember the band’s epic Circus Live Tour of 2009 with fire breathers, acrobats, stilt walkers and a huge mechanical elephant? Well, they’re bringing it back.  At the time, The Circus Live tour was the fastest-selling tour in UK history, with all the tickets snapped up in just five hours. More than one million fans attended shows across the country and a little known pop star called Lady Gaga was even there as the band’s support act at Wembley Stadium.  The Circus Live tour 2.0 will have the same setlist (featuring classics like ‘The Greatest Day’, ‘Shine’, ‘Patience’ and ‘Rule the World’) as well as the same spectacular circus-themed stage production. There will be a few new songs thrown in, and of course, the band is down one man since last time. This time round it’ll just be Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen, with no Jason Orange.  The band said in their announcement: ‘The Circus tour was one of our favourite experiences as a band and, in the years since, we've talked many times about how much we'd love to do it again one day. Well, that time has come! We're so excited to welcome audiences old and new across the UK and Ireland to the spectacle of The Circus Live next summer. See you out there!’ Here’s everything you need to know if you want to see Take That at London Stadium next year.  When are Take That playing London Stadium? Gary, Howard and Mark will kick of their tour in May next year and are arriving in

Popping the question is a pretty big deal. And we hate to make it even more stressful, but as much as your partner may love you, where you choose to get down on one knee could well be the difference between a ‘yes’ and a ‘no’. So pick wisely – are they more of a grand, elaborate public gesture kind of person, or would they prefer a more private, low-key declaration of love?  If you’re struggling for ideas, bridal brand A Diamond Is Forever has revealed its pick of the 30 best places in the world to pop the question. Its list features sites of natural beauty like the Fairy Chimneys in Türkiye, Niagara Falls and the Marble Caves in Chile, as well as man made structures like New York’s Belvedere Castle and Scotland’s Eiliean Donan Castle. And there’s one London landmark that made the cut, too. The London Eye is one of the world’s greatest places to propose, apparently. The big wheel came 25th on the ranking, with high scores for its accessibility, noise level and ‘Instagrammability’, and a perfect 10 out of 10 for safety.  If you want to propose at the London Eye, you don’t have to do it in a pod full of random tourists. The attraction offers three proposal packages – a ‘musical proposal’ in which musicians disguised as tourists start to play before you pop the question, a ‘sign proposal’ where performers (also hidden as tourists) reveal ‘Will You Marry Me?’ signs, or a bespoke proposal, in which you can design the whole thing yourself.  Photograph: Shutterstock Of course, tho

At nearly 2,000 years old, London certainly isn’t short on historic sites. Practically everywhere you go in the city, you’ll come across a house, a church, a sculpture or a sign that has been there for centuries and has some kind of story to tell. But the capital only scratches the surface of the UK’s rich and fascinating history, so it’s worth venturing out now and again. And just beyond London, you’ll find somewhere that played one of the most crucial roles in World War II  Someone recently took to Reddit to ask for day trip recommendations from London, and the most upvoted reply was the town of Bletchley in Buckinghamshire. Just 40 minutes from Euston, the town is best known for Bletchley Park, which was the top-secret headquarters of Britain's codebreaking organisation during World War II. These days, the mansion is fully open to the public as a museum and heritage attraction that unveils all the mind blowing and pioneering work of the mathematicians and scientists (such as Alan Turing) that worked there.   The estate is also home to the National Museum of Computing, where you can see Colossus, which was the first programmable electronic digital computer and Turing’s Bombe, the electro-mechanical device used to break Germany’s enigma-enciphered messages. Photograph: Denise McLane / Shutterstock.com Bletchley itself is rather quiet, but there’s the 116-acre Blue Lagoon Nature Reserve for a refreshing stroll or eateries like Panzini for stuffed cheesy Italian sandwiches o

At Time Out, it’s our job to keep you in-the-know about all the latest and greatest, weirdest and most wonderful things going on in London. But now, we’re reversing the roles – it’s your turn to tell us what life in the Big Smoke is like for you.  We want to know what you think of the city’s public transport and how easy it is to walk or cycle. We want to know how easy you find it to date or make new friends. We want to know your thoughts on London’s green spaces and your local neighbourhood. We want to know your opinion on all the nightlife, live music, art, theatre, restaurants, and shops in the city, how satisfied you are with them and how affordable they are.  You’ll be asked to rate things from one to five – one being ‘awful’, five being ‘amazing’ – and which parts of London life bring you the most joy. Ultimately, we want to what life in your city feels like right now.  The whole thing will take just 10 minutes, and to say thank you, we’ll give you the chance to enter into a prize draw for a £500 Amazon voucher. The prize draw closes September 30. You’ll need to be 18 years or above to take part in the survey. Find the terms and conditions here.  Take the survey here.  Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time Out London WhatsApp channel. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.

The East End is getting a brand new boozer, and we already know it’s going to be a good ’un. Why? Because it’s from Exale Brewery – one of the best breweries in the city and the same folk behind Three Colts Tavern in Bethnal Green and William IV in Hoxton.  This October, Exale is launching its ‘biggest project yet’ on Dalston’s Kingsland Road: The Black Eel. The new pub will sit in the Grade II listed building formerly home to F. Cooke, one of London’s oldest pie and mash shops. It opened there in 1862, serving pies, mash and jellied eels all the way up to 1996. It was most recently home to board game café Draughts. Maintaining some of the building’s original features (its tiled shopfront, arched windows and doorway mosaic), the Black Eel will feature a karaoke room, darts and shuffleboard spaces, lounge zones and flexible hire rooms. There’ll also be a sprawling 150-seat beer garden with seating nooks and a pétanque court.  Obviously, the bar will be stocked with Exale’s lagers, hazy IPAs, stout and fruited sours, as well as cocktails, natural wine and no/low alcohol options. For food, Exale has recruited former Lagom head-chef Billy Fisher. He’ll be in residence with his new concept Riley’s, serving up dishes like steamed mussels, pork ribs with pickle and hot honey and Basque cheesecake with toffee sauce. On Sunday’s there’ll be roast dinner on the menu, with pork belly or beef sirloin for the carnivores and celeriac with hazelnut crumb for the veggies.  The Black Eel will

Sadiq Khan has a dream. One day, he wants to see Oxford Street become a fully traffic-free zone. A few months ago, the mayor said that he wanted the shopping district to be pedestrianised ‘as quickly as possible’. Now, he has a chance to prove just how great a car-free Oxford Street could be – he has confirmed that traffic will be completely banned there for one day this weekend From noon until 8pm on Sunday September 21, Oxford Street will be empty of all cars, cabs and buses. But that’s not all. The road will host ‘This Is Oxford Street’, a free event showing off the best of what it has to offer.  With all that extra space to walk around, there’ll be street food stalls, coffee pop-ups, showcases from international sporting partners like Major League Baseball, live music performances, a Choose Love charity zone and a wellness village hosted by Holland and Barrett.  Sadiq Khan, said: ‘I’m excited to announce our landmark “This is Oxford Street” event which will take place in September and offer Londoners, visitors, and businesses a glimpse of what the nation’s high street could look like in the future. ‘This is a fantastic opportunity to see Oxford Street in a whole new light, traffic-free, full of music, great food, pop-ups and entertainment for everyone. As Mayor, I’m determined to unlock Oxford Street’s true potential and deliver a world-class, accessible, clean, avenue. ‘So add the date to your diary, it’s going to be a fantastic day out as we reimagine the West End for e

If you’re anything like us, summer really did a number on your bank account. And now, September (a second New Year of sorts) is all about returning to routine and savvy spending. That doesn’t mean your days off work have to be dull, though.  The month got off to a chilly start, but this weekend London is being graced with another little slither of warm sunshine. It’s perfect timing – the city is playing host to a number of outdoor events over the next few days, and several of them are completely free of charge. Win, win!  From snooping around fancy buildings to showing your appreciation for our River Thames, these are the best free things to do across the city this weekend.  The best free things to do in London this weekend, September 19-21 1. Watch the Red Roses fend off France in the Rugby World Cup semi-finals There’s just one more match left between England’s Red Roses and the Rugby World Cup final 2025. On Saturday evening, the girls will take on France at Ashton Gate to vie for their place at Twickenham next weekend – and there are a whole bunch of places across London that’ll be following the action. Watch the game go down at free screenings at Battersea Power Station or Canary Wharf, or at your local rugby club or participating pub.  Various venues. Sat Sep 20, 7pm. Free.  Photograph: Urban Elephant 2. Witness dance from around the world at the Urban Elephant Festival Now in its fifth year, this weekend-long festival in Elephant and Castle is a vibrant showcase of

It's the final fortnight of the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup, and that means that England's Red Roses could be just two matches away from glory. But although they're the bookies favourites to win, they'll still need plenty of cheering on to fend off France in the semi-final at 7pm on Saturday September 20. Meanwhile, the six-time cup winners New Zealand will square up to Canada at 7pm on Friday September 19, to decide which of them will make it to be big final, which will be played at Twickenham at 4pm on Saturday September 27. In short, things are hotting up, and women's rugby supporters and converts are preparing to join the scrum at watch parties across the city. Thanks to Asahi’s Rugby Like Never Before campaign, more than 1,000 pubs across the UK (and dozens in London) have pledged to screen every match of the tournament, making it the most accessible women’s rugby tournament to date. On top of that, the final is on track to break records, with crowd of 82,000 expected to descend on Twickenham Stadium. That would make it the most attended women’s rugby match in history.  Such an historic occasion shouldn’t be missed, especially because you’ll have to wait another four years before the next one. So, here’s our roundup of London’s greatest spots to watch the Red Roses scrum, tackle and try their through the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025.   The best places in London to watch the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 The Official Fan Zone at Battersea Power Station Situated in the sh