Atrium and whale skeleton at the Natural History Museum London

Things to do in Kensington London

By Ian Packham

Leafy Kensington is one of London’s most affluent neighborhoods. Although it lies a short distance west of the landmark buildings lining the River Thames, it still has lots to entice the casual visitor.

Things to do in Kensington London include exploring the collections of three of the British capital’s most important museums, heading behind the scenes of life as a royal at Kensington Palace and paying a visit to one of its most famous stores – Harrods.

Looking for inspiration for a day in Kensington? Check out our guide to the home patch of Dusty Springfield and Freddie Mercury.

Spend a day on Exhibition Road

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South Kensington is synonymous with museums, with the half kilometer length of Exhibition Road the location of three of the great national collections. If you’ve seen the movies Paddington, The Eternals or even the 1975 Ustinov classic One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing, you won’t need any introduction to the Natural History Museum. Its exhibits include dinosaur skeletons, the taxidermy creatures of Blue Whale Hall and biological samples collected by Charles Darwin on his world-changing expedition to the Galapagos Islands.

Step next door to the Science Museum and you’ll encounter Watson and Crick’s original model demonstrating the structure of our DNA, Wells Cathedral Clock – one of the oldest in the world – and the biplane aircraft in which Amy Johnson became the first woman to fly solo from Britain to Australia in 1928.

The Victoria and Albert Museum is dedicated to the decorative arts, and provides a permanent home to sculpture by Rodin, handwoven carpets from the Middle East and landscape paintings by Constable. If you need a place to rest your feet, the museum has the first and oldest museum café anywhere on Earth!

Snoop around a royal’s bedroom

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Kensington Palace has been the residence of members of the royal family since the 17th Century. It has provided a home to Queen Victoria (before her accession to the throne), Diana Princess of Wales and latterly Princes William and Harry.

One of London’s Historic Royal Palaces, visitors are able to see the lavish King’s State Apartments, their counterpart for the queen consort and the Jewel Room – although the gems held here pale into significance compared to the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London.

Its gardens can be toured independently of the palace and run without interruption into neighboring Hyde Park. Little ones are sure to enjoy the wooden pirate ship that’s the centerpiece of the Diana Memorial Playground, whilst the Italian Gardens and Peter Pan statue – appearing as if by magic one night in 1912 – should also be added to any list of things to do in Kensington London.

Tour the Royal Albert Hall

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But the royal epithets don’t end with Kensington Palace and Gardens. The southern boundary of the gardens is occupied by the OTT Albert Memorial, opposite the concert hall that also bears the name of Queen Victoria’s consort.

Recognized as one of the world’s top performance spaces, the Royal Albert Hall has a 150 year history that includes surviving bombing during the Second World War and appearances from everyone from Mohammad Ali to Adele. Used for the BBC Prom concert series since 1941, taking a tour of the Royal Albert Hall provides access to the usually private royal suites, backstage area and gallery.

Delight in Kensington’s contemporary art scene

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Getting their name from Hyde Park’s Serpentine boating lake, the Serpentine Galleries are renowned for their temporary exhibitions, spread between two historic registered buildings connected by the park’s bridge.

During the summer months, its artwork even extends to a pavilion constructed just for the season designed by some of the biggest names in architecture. Previous pavilions have been shaped by Zaha Hadid – whose other work includes Guangzhou Opera House and the London Olympic Aquatic Center – and Frank Gehry – the man behind Bilbao’s Guggenheim Museum.

Even more style can be enjoyed at Kensington’s dedicated Design Museum. Tucked into the southern extent of Holland Park, head to its upper floor for the permanent collection of this former European Museum of the Year. It demonstrates how design affects our lives without us even noticing and features almost a thousand objects from original London Underground maps to iMac computers.

Treat yourself to afternoon tea

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At this point in your visit to Kensington you’re probably ravenous. A perfect excuse – not that one is needed – to participate in one of Britain’s quaintest – and oddest – of traditions. Afternoon tea has been a staple at fashionable London dining tables since 1840.

Keeping people well fed in the long hours between lunch and dinner, it has grown from a light snack to a social occasion, and isn’t just a bone china cup full of swirling tea leaves but a full-on eating fest incorporating sandwiches, savory tarts, cakes and scones.

For that extra special treat, book a table at the Harrods Tea Rooms. As one of the most prestigious department stores in the capital, the kitchen staff have had plenty of time to perfect their offerings – over 125 years in fact. But if budgets don’t stretch quite that far – even with Go City savings – Kensington High Street has a good number of alternatives, from Italian cafés to Middle Eastern restaurants and the exquisite artistry of the food served at Japan House.

Bringing you the best things to do in Kensington London

Because of the huge range of things to do in Kensington London it’s very likely that you’ll spend some time of a London itinerary amongst its national institutions and millionaire’s townhouses. Instead of rushing from place to place, be sure to take your time, enjoying its parks, museums and historic structures.

Travel to Kensington and London’s other neighborhoods with Go City and you’ll make incredible savings on many of its top attractions. What you do with the money you save is entirely up to you, though we’re sure you agree that Harrods’ afternoon tea sounds mouthwateringly tasty!

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Mrs Lovett's pie shop at London Dungeon. Image credit: Merlin.
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Ultimate Guide to London Dungeon

Prepare to have your nerves well and truly shredded at London Dungeon, where a gruesome cast of characters from London’s dark and deadly past lie in wait for you. Not for the faint of heart, this popular South Bank attraction provides a fun and frightening grown-up alternative to its County Hall co-tenant, the SEA LIFE London Aquarium, and the nearby London Eye. Join us on a journey into London’s darkest, dankest corners as we explore what to expect, when to visit and where to get tickets in our ultimate London Dungeon guide! London Dungeon: The Lowdown Formerly located at London Bridge and relocated to the South Bank in 2013, London Dungeon has been attracting and terrifying punters since way back in 1974, when it opened as a macabre exhibition of wax figures representing some of London’s most notorious former residents. It’s come a long way since then. Today’s London Dungeon is a fully immersive experience, designed to entertain, educate and frankly frighten the pants off anyone who dares to enter. Inside, 13 interactive shows and a whole host of actors tell tales from 1,000 years of London history, complete with dazzling special effects, blood-curdling screams, plenty of laughs and, yep, the occasional jump scare. In other words, this experience is not for those of a nervous disposition. There’s even a thrill ride, enticingly named Drop Dead. You might want to leave younger kids outside for this bit… You’ll meet grim characters galore in this dark, disgusting, noisy and noisome dungeon, among them knife-wielding villains like Sweeney Todd and Jack the Ripper, as well as getting swept up in gunpowder plots, witch trials and plagues. Creepy doesn’t even begin to cover it. Here, then, are the bits not to miss. London Dungeon Highlights The Descent. The fun (and fear) begins as soon as you step into the rusting old medieval life that’s about to deliver you (hopefully unscathed) to the Thames docks. Your host? A cheerful court jester with a sideline in horrible history lessons. This impish character will keep you company and regale you with bloodthirsty tales of yore as you descend into the bowels of the building, cogs grinding and chains screaming overhead. It’s quite the intro, but do try to conceal your fear: the last thing you need is for your new ‘friends’ to mark you out as the weak one… Guy Fawkes’ Gunpowder Plot. The year is 1605 and you find yourself in filthy rat-infested tunnels beneath the streets of London. What’s that over there then? That’d be a great big pile of explosives and a fuse just waiting to be lit. Discover how the Gunpowder Plot was foiled and what became of poor Guy Fawkes afterwards (spoiler: it ain’t pretty, folks). Curse of the Witch. The 17th Century was brutal. If you weren’t dying from the plague you were probably being accused of witchcraft and hung/burned/drowned for your troubles. Meet Elizabeth Sawyer as she awaits her own cursed fate at the notorious Newgate Prison. But is she really as evil as they all say? You’ll find out soon enough… Mrs Lovett’s Pie Shop and Sweeney Todd. These two make a lovely couple. Really they do! Though admittedly you might not wish to sample Mrs Lovett’s wares, or indeed sit for a shave in her paramour’s barber shop. You’ll kill yourself laughing at the bawdy jokes, pie-related puns, and cutting quips. But, whatever you do, don’t flirt with Mr Todd, or you might find yourself eating humble pie. Or worse. The Torture Chamber. Are you brave enough to be the torturer’s next ‘volunteer’? No? Well, saddle up, because he’s going to show you how the rack, the pear of anguish, the – um – chappy chopper, and other medieval instruments of torture work whether you like it or not. Try not to gag. Drop Dead: Drop Ride. No ordinary thrill ride (this is the notorious London Dungeon, after all), Drop Dead recreates the sensation of… Newgate Prison’s long drop. That’s right: the gallows. As well as (hopefully) surviving this experience, you’ll discover what happens to the human body during a hanging and find out exactly what a neck sounds like when it cracks. Nice.  London Dungeon: When to Visit Opening hours vary throughout the year but are generally 11AM–4PM (10AM–5PM on Saturdays). Hours vary during school holidays, on bank holidays and during the peak summer season. Check the official London Dungeon website for opening times on the date you want to visit. In any case you’ll need to pre-book a time slot. Book a slot earlier or later in the day and avoid weekends if you want to avoid the worst of the tourist hordes. After all, it’s already crowded enough down there in those stinking tunnels deep beneath the city streets… Closest Transport Links to London Dungeon The London Dungeon is just over the bridge from both Charing Cross and Westminster Underground station, and a short walk from Waterloo station. Disembark and stroll towards the Lastminute.com London Eye (the big round wheely thing on the South Bank – you can’t miss it) and you’ll find the London Dungeon right behind, in County Hall. London Dungeon: Tickets Entry to London Dungeon is included with an Explorer attraction pass from Go City. You can save up to 50% with the pass, which gives you 60 days to experience up to seven London tours, activities and attractions. As well as London Dungeon, the pass includes London heavyweights including the London Eye, Westminster Abbey, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, London Zoo, The View from The Shard, SEA LIFE London Aquarium, and many more. You can also book direct via the London Dungeon website, where options include multi-attraction tickets and anytime entry. Save on London Tours, Activities and Attractions Save on admission to 100+ London attractions with an Explorer or All-Inclusive pass from Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Shop fronts in Camden London
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Things to do in Camden London

Linked with London’s various counter culture movements, Camden is much loved by those who believe they don’t fit in elsewhere, which, let’s face it, is all of us. It generally draws a younger crowd to its markets, live music venues, museums and green spaces. But if you’re wondering if it’s worth you visiting Camden, you’ll first want to know about the things to do in Camden London and what the area is all about. Camden, usually used to mean the Camden Town neighborhood, is an area of north London adjacent to Regent’s Park. Its quirky character – seeing young professionals rubbing shoulders with hipsters and dreadlocked wannabe revolutionaries – has attracted everyone from American poet Sylvia Plath to Grammy award winning singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse. Why? That’s exactly what we’re here to demonstrate! Go wild Camden contains over 160 blue plaques – denoting places where significant personalities have lived. However, it’s the neighborhood's non-human residents that capture the hearts of many visitors to north London. ZSL London Zoo is one of the world’s oldest and continues to be one of its most important conservation centers too. Visitors are able to get closer than ever before to Asiatic lions – of which only 400 exist in the wild, alongside gorillas and the creatures of London’s only rainforest. The zoo occupies the northernmost parts of Regent’s Park, one of London’s eight royal parks. Here visitors can take in the 12,000 individual roses that color Queen Mary’s Gardens each spring and summer, take a turn on the boating lake or wander across to Primrose Hill for views of the London skyline. Another spot to take in the quieter side of life in Camden is along the towpath of Regent’s Canal. Almost 14 km in length, the canal encircles much of north London, with some of its most picturesque areas being that within Regent’s Park and leading towards the market stalls of Camden Lock. Go shopping Forget the flagship stores of Oxford Street, Camden is all about its market stalls. Now primarily geared towards the tourist industry, you’re not going to be able to stock up on fruit and veg as easily as you once might have. However, you will have plenty of choice when it comes to books, clothing and street food. That’s because Camden actually has five markets within walking distance of one another. The most famous is Camden Lock Market, whose stalls are located around Regent’s Canal. For fashion, head to Buck Street Market, whilst antiques aficionados might prefer Stables Market. If you start to miss the big store names, you’ll find them – and a good number of independent boutiques – on Camden High Street. Go cultural Founded in 1932, Camden’s Jewish Museum recounts details of the life of London’s Jewish populations over the years. Its treasures include the Lindo Lamp – the first Hanukkah menorah known to have been made in Britain. Covering three stories of a row of buildings in Albert Street, it also has an important collection of artefacts from Auschwitz concentration camp and several significant works of art. A taste for modern and contemporary art is catered for at Cob Gallery, whose white walls are used to primarily represent emerging female artists based in the London area. The paintings and drawings hanging in the gallery offer perhaps the first chance to examine the work of artists sure to hit the mainstream sometime soon. An even greater range of artists can be discovered at the annual Frieze Art Fair, taking place each October in Regent’s Park. One of the highlights of London’s cultural calendar, the fair hosts over 150 galleries from around the world, dotting the park with large scale sculpture as paintings find a home in the temporary structure built purposely each year. Go for a bite to eat The constant stream of visitors to Camden means you only have to walk a few meters before catching the scent of food and drink from around the world. From traditional British fish and chips to Neapolitan pizza, Jamaican jerk chicken and Middle Eastern wraps, there’s something to tempt everyone’s taste buds. On the drinks front, Camden has its very own brewery, the Camden Town Brewery, whose core range includes the award-winning German style Hells Lager and Gentleman's Wit, a Belgian white beer with a hint of Earl Grey tea. What could be more Camden than that? For a trustworthy authentic pub to sample the brewery’s latest batches try the Hawley Arms, a pub Amy Winehouse liked so much she would serve behind the bar. A statue of her stands not too far away in Stables Market. Go for a night out like no other Based in a converted railroad shed where engines were turned and stored, the Roundhouse is a theater and auditorium hosting everything from performances of Shakespeare to the Britten Sinfonia and Bob Dylan. Meanwhile the Electric Ballroom is a stalwart of the indie music scene – with occasional performances by the likes of Ed Sheeran too. The Jazz Café provides a space for blues fans, and anyone with an interest in traditional English folk need only head to Cecil Sharp House to get their fill of the vibes. For nightlife in Camden combining cocktails and live DJs, check out Belushis, who has a laid-back afterwork ambience during the week, turning to a full-on dance-till-dawn ethos come the weekend. For ease of access alone – right opposite Camden Town Underground station – The Underworld is also worth mentioning. It welcomes an eclectic crowd ready to fill the dance floor when the top indie and rock tunes hit the speakers. Uncover the myriad things to do in Camden London By day and by night, there are a huge number of things to do in Camden London. But if you’re still looking for more to fill your days in the UK capital, the British Museum is just a short distance away, alongside the Curzon Bloomsbury Cinema and Freud Museum. Visit these attractions with Go City and you’ll make incredible savings on admission costs, meaning there’s even more reason to take in the sites of this small part of north London!
Ian Packham
London Eye
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Things to do in South Bank London

Born out of the 1951 Festival of Britain and home to the London Eye, London’s South Bank occupies a prime area of riverside between Blackfriars and Lambeth Bridges. With views across the Thames to the Houses of Parliament, and galleries, theaters and other major attractions to keep you entertained, the South Bank is an unmissable part of the London cultural scene. Check out the top things to do in South Bank London right here! Enjoy the riverside location With so many familiar landmarks and photographic opportunities it would be difficult to list them all, London’s South Bank is a part of the capital you’ll want to tackle on foot. Running uninterrupted from Lambeth Bridge to the west through to Tower Bridge in the east, the Queen’s Walk follows the banks of the Thames past many of the neighborhood’s big ticket attractions. However, don’t miss the temptation to detour down its warren of side streets, which amongst other points of interest include the graffiti of Leake Street tunnel and the Old Vic Theatre – established in 1818 and still one of London’s most important performances spaces. Initially constructed as a temporary attraction to celebrate the new millennium in the year 2000, the London Eye has become a firm fixture on London itineraries. With a diameter of 120 meters, it’s one of the world’s largest Ferris wheels, although what sets it apart from the competition is its unrivalled views of the Houses of Parliament and St Paul’s Cathedral. On clear days, the views stretch 65 kilometers. Sticking firmly in the area, Gabriel’s Wharf is a little bit of authentic London within the glitz and glamor of the riverside. A pedestrianized thoroughfare lined with independent stores, cafés and restaurants, it has something for everyone, including access to the urban beach which appears on the Queen’s Walk each summer. Take your pick of South Bank’s museums When it comes to things to do in South Bank London, its museums should be high on your must-do list. Edging its southern boundary, the Imperial War Museum blends spectacular displays – the main atrium is hung with a Spitfire and V2 rockets – and the voices of ordinary citizens during times of conflict. Recognizable by the giant naval guns that dominate its front façade, also keep an eye out for the slither of Berlin Wall that sits in the gardens. Green spaces remain the theme of London’s Garden Museum. Using the former Church of St Mary-at-Lambeth as its exhibition space, it displays objects from 400 years of gardening, including the recreation of a 17th Century knot garden. Because of its previous life, the gardens also contain several tombs, such as that to Vice-Admiral William Bligh, the man who survived the Mutiny on the Bounty. Next door to the Garden Museum is the London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the country’s most senior Church of England cleric. Lambeth Palace opens its gardens to the public just a few times each year, most commonly on the first Friday of the month during the spring, with admission fees going to local charities. Spend an afternoon at the Southbank Centre The bare concrete form of the Southbank Centre is an unavoidable presence filling 11 acres of prime real estate with auditoria, galleries, libraries and their adjoining meeting points. Providing performance space for no less than eight orchestras, traveling art exhibitions and a busy calendar of live events, the center is a hub of action right through the day. The Hayward Gallery hosts three or four exhibitions on modern and contemporary art each year, with past smash hit shows dedicated to Roy Lichtenstein and Bridget Riley. Meanwhile, the National Theatre, the brainchild of Sir Lawrence Olivier, has brought Hollywood royalty to its stage – Helen Mirren, Glen Close and Julie Walters are just a few of its well-known names. Things to do at the Southbank Centre also include looking for books at the secondhand market, admiring the tricks of the skateboarders in the Undercroft and soaking in the river views from the rooftop garden bar – and that’s when there’s no official event taking place! For epic cinema experiences, turn your attention to the Odeon BFI IMAX a three minute walk away. Containing the largest screen in the UK, screenings vary between specially created movies and some of the top blockbusters of the moment. Things to do in South Bank with the kids Surely one of the most unusual locations for a day out with the kids, South Bank’s County Hall is a listed building, putting it on a par with Westminster Bridge and the BBC’s Broadcasting House for national significance. But enter its interior and you’ll be faced with a very different scene from when it was home to the Greater London Council in the 1980s. Situated on the riverfront beside the London Eye, its central portion has been taken over by Shrek’s Adventure!, comprising a live immersive walk-through of a brand new story involving the world’s favorite ogre. Monsters – human and otherwise – are also in abundance amid the rides and live actors of The London Dungeon next door. Featuring 19 shows and two rides, it takes visitors on a tour of a thousand years of history, stopping by events such as the 1605 Gunpowder Plot and the streets of Whitechapel as they were terrorized by Jack the Ripper. Altogether more wholesome is the SEA LIFE Center London Aquarium. In the same County Hall building, highlights include the Shark Walk tunnel, a small colony of penguins and the country’s largest living coral reef in a tank 12 meters long. Discover the wonder of London’s South Bank Welcome to London’s South Bank, a small area of the British capital big on attractions. Easily accessible by train and Tube, this once humble south London neighborhood now contains some of the most loved attractions in the city. Things to do in South Bank London include floating above the Thames in one of the pods of the London Eye and sinking to the depths of the ocean in the London Aquarium. In between, there’s narrow streets dating back centuries, important museum collections and a fine array of restaurants too. Explore with Go City and you’ll be able to make great savings as you discover the South Bank for yourself!
Ian Packham

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