Things to do in London for couples

By Ian Packham
Last updated: June 22, 2026
A couple enjoying the sunset facing St Paul's Cathedral

Whether you’ve been together 6 months or 60 years, there’s a wide array of things to do in London for couples. Strolling hand in hand through the grounds of palaces and stately homes, taking in views of the River Thames’ meandering path, or soaking up some culture are just some of the experiences that await.

Below, we’ll cover the likes of:

  • Romantic strolls around Hampton Court Palace
  • Fall in love with London’s food
  • Breathtaking views of the Thames
  • Take in a show together

Share in London’s historic wonders

After six weddings and two beheadings, Henry VIII’s record as a husband may come into question, but it’s hard not to admire his taste in homes. Riverside Hampton Court Palace was his favorite residence, and the only Tudor royal palace in London that’s open to the public. Having wondered at the Great Hall and historic kitchens, save some time for tackling the famous maze together – like couples have been doing since it was first planted in the 1680s.

Continuing the theme of important London homes is Hampstead’s Keats House. The 19th-century romantic poet John Keats lived in the building for less than two years. However, as visitors will discover, it was also where he fell madly in love with neighbor Fanny Brawne. And all before dying of tuberculosis at the age of 25. That’s right; Keats became one of Britain’s most celebrated Romantic poets and owned his own home before turning 25. It’s enough to put us all to shame, really.  

At St Paul’s Cathedral, couples simply must climb the 259 steps up to the Whispering Gallery. Forming part of the 65,000-tonne dome, it has the intriguing property of amplifying even the slightest sound around its walls. It’s also the best place to see the dome’s splendour up close. 

Check out London’s food scene

Couples in London looking for a foodie treat are well catered for. The capital’s list of places to be wined and dined is a long one, meeting all tastes, budgets, and dietary requirements. It’s also mostly fantastic, which is obviously great news for any partner hoping to impress their better half.

Though there may be more shared benches than tables for two, one of the newest kids on the block is Maltby Street Market in Bermondsey. A short walk from Tower Bridge, Maltby Street offers a veritable mish-mash of delectable cuisines under one “roof”. Venezuelan arepa shares the space with Ethiopian wat and Chinese gyoza in a celebration of world cuisine. Be aware that Maltby Street is only open on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings, so weekdays won’t cut it.

More traditional dining experiences still don’t have to cost the Earth. Home of the capital’s Bengali community, Brick Lane is the cherry on top of the cake of London’s love affair with curry. Even so, prices are a fraction of those charged by celebrity chefs and London’s 60 or so Michelin-starred restaurants.

If you abide by the idea that couples who drink together stay together, look no further than The Top Hat, one of the Strand’s top cocktail spots. Inspired by the board game Monopoly, it’s sure to add a quirky touch to your romantic adventure.

Take in a show

William Shakespeare’s words have echoed through the centuries. Where better to relive the romance of Romeo and Juliet or Anthony and Cleopatra, or the bromance of Prince Hal and Falstaff in Henry IV, than Shakespeare’s Globe? Outside of performances, tours detail some of the theater’s most captivating tales, such as the time an audience member’s breeches burst into flames alongside the original playhouse.

On rainy days, duck into a Curzon Cinema for a fun, dry time. Showing a medley of arthouse, modern classics, and up-to-date releases, share a tub of popcorn and feed it to each other while watching some movies. Sounds romantic to us.

Or, swap the screen for the stage at Wicked, one of London’s biggest live shows. Having spun off into its own famous film franchise, see where the magic began. Witches, songs, something about a yellow brick road - you get it. You could say it’s… wickedly good. We’ll see ourselves out.

Enjoy views of the Thames

Even dirty old rivers – to steal a phrase from The Kinks’ 1960s classic Waterloo Sunset – have a certain innate romance. Take to its banks pretty much anywhere along its 215-mile course, and you’ll have to agree the Thames is no different. One of the cleanest rivers in the world - yes, really - its further reaches are home to otters, dolphins, and seals in addition to landmarks known the world over.

What’s more, there are several ways for couples in London to enjoy the majesty of the Thames. The classic way is to take to its waters, with river cruises slipping up and down stream between Westminster and Greenwich. When it comes to timing, sunset is difficult to beat, and is known as the golden hour for taking in the city’s panoramas.

Boarding a Thames cruiser isn’t the only way to fully appreciate the capital’s lifeblood. A completely different perspective is offered from a gondola of London’s first cable car, connecting the two sides of the river via a journey which takes in the entire Greenwich Peninsula. At dusk, the trip is extended, so you have even more time to admire the panoply of sights below you.

Daring couples can even climb the O2 Arena to get a rather unique view of London’s winding river. If you have the stones for it, more power to you. This show of bravery is sure to impress your better half. 

Save on things to do in London for couples

Reserve your hard-earned cash for spoiling your significant other by saving on London attraction admission and exploring more with Go City. And if you liked the above, check out the Best Food Markets in London or Everything You Need to Know About Go City’s London Passes.  

 

Step up your sightseeing with Go City®   

We make it easy to explore the best a city has to offer. We’re talking top attractions, hidden gems and local tours, all for one low price. Plus, you'll enjoy guaranteed savings, compared to buying individual attraction tickets.   

See more, do more, and experience more with Go City® – just choose a pass to get started!  

 

Ian Packham
Go City Travel Expert

Continue reading

children enjoying free cultural fun in london
Blog

Best Free Museums in London

Free things are great, especially as the cost of nearly everything else rises around us. If you’re visiting London, you’re already looking at spending an eye-watering amount on travel, accommodation, food, and drinks. The good news is that there is plenty of free London fun if you know where to look, and that even extends to the city’s cultural highlights.  Culture can be inspirational, informative, and eye-opening in equal measure, giving us a look back into the past, allowing us to process the present, or helping us look forward to the future. So, if you're looking for a shot of free culture to go right into your veins, free museums are just the thing. But which ones? Why, these ones, of course! Here are the best free museums in London. Including: British Museum Natural History Museum V&A Museum Science Museum Museum of London and more!   And that's our list of the best free museums in London!. And, if you want more London fun to feast on, check out our fun guides to things around Tower Bridge and the London Eye.    Step up your sightseeing with Go City®    We make it easy to explore the best a city has to offer. We’re talking top attractions, hidden gems, and local tours, all for one low price. Plus, you'll enjoy guaranteed savings compared to buying individual attraction tickets.    See more, do more, and experience more with the Go City® – just choose a pass to get started!    
Dom Bewley
A typical Mayfair Street scene
Blog

Things to do in Mayfair London

Mayfair is one of London’s most upmarket neighborhoods. Just mentioning its name will probably bring to mind high-end shopping and extravagant meals to any Londoner, whilst anyone who’s played the London version of Monopoly will know Park Lane is a dangerous square to land on. Located in the leafy West End between two royal parks and two of London’s main shopping streets, many of its properties were once the London townhouses of the British aristocracy. Although you may want to indulge if you visit, you certainly don’t have to spend big to enjoy all the things to do in Mayfair London, as you’re about to find out! Seek out a bargain There are two forms of shopping that take place in Mayfair – the real kind and the window kind. Despite its high-end reputation, Mayfair does allow those on more modest budgets than the Duke of Westminster (one of the UK’s richest men) to enjoy the thrill of picking up the latest must have item. Oxford Street runs along the neighborhood’s northwestern boundary and has most of the main high street shops as well as Selfridges’ flagship store. Turn onto Regents Street and the ambience seems to rise another notch. The two big names to look out for here are Hamleys and Liberty. Very different in their target markets, Hamleys is the world’s oldest and largest toy shop, with seven floors and 50,000 items of stock. The mock Tudor edifice of Liberty meanwhile has been at the center of the arts and crafts scene – promoting individual handmade items – since it first opened in 1875. Mixed-use Shepherd Market was the site of the original May fair from which the neighborhood takes its name. Its current buildings date from the 1860s and contain deli-like food stores alongside antiques emporia, restaurants and pubs. But if one single location in Mayfair speaks of decadence and extreme luxury it’s Burlington Arcade, whose storefronts manage to maintain an essence of the covered walkway’s origins in 1819, whilst Old and New Bond Streets coming a close second with their pick of designer brands. Soak up Mayfair’s cultural side Predating Burlington Arcade by a couple of generations is the Royal Academy of Arts (RA) in Burlington House next door. The oldest institution of its kind anywhere in the world, it regularly hosts exhibitions, most notably its Summer Exhibition, which sees its walls packed frame to frame with works of original contemporary art submitted by the public. One of London’s top private museums, the Handel House Museum on Brook Street has recreated the rooms in which the German-born composer created many of his most influential works including those still used in coronation ceremonies and his oratorio Messiah with its Hallelujah chorus. From time to time the museum also celebrates Jimi Hendrix, who lived in the neighboring property some 200 years later. If science and engineering are more your thing, don’t miss the Faraday Museum. Located in the basement laboratory where the scientist conducted many of his experiments on electricity, it contains instruments the great man used as well as various awards he received for his research. Alternatively, you can honor Faraday by taking a seat at one of the screens of the Curzon Mayfair Cinema and make the most of his achievements with a bucket of caramel popcorn. Picnic in its open spaces When the weather’s playing ball there may be nowhere better in Mayfair than Hyde Park, whose footpaths and cycleways form one of central London’s largest green spaces. They are connected together by various memorials and monuments, whilst also incorporating the Serpentine Lake, Kensington Gardens and Kensington Palace as its major attractions. At its northernmost tip – somewhat forgotten about – stands Marble Arch. The main entrance to Buckingham Palace until the horse-drawn carriages got too big, it was moved in 1851 close to the site of Tyburn Tree – one of the city’s traditional places to publicly hang criminals. A spot without such a grisly history is Berkeley Square. Pronounced ‘Barclay’ and made famous by the 1940 tune A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square, the shade cast by its 200 year old London plane trees makes it a pleasant spot to relax on its benches surrounding by some of the capital’s most impressive private homes and what’s said to be London’s most haunted house at number 56. Have an afternoon tea to remember Mayfair has some of London’s oldest and most-prestigious hotels, many of which are open to non-guests looking to celebrate their time in the UK capital with the most British of mealtimes – afternoon tea. Opening its doors in 1837, Brown’s flies a little under the radar, but has a history which includes visits from Queen Victoria, Agatha Christie and Theodore Roosevelt as well as being the location of the country’s first telephone call. Claridge’s foyer and reading room is another popular afternoon tea destination, where the scones, finger cakes and petite sandwiches match perfectly with the art deco surrounds and the sound of a live pianist. For foodie souvenirs you can take back home there’s also a number of options. H R Higgins is where the royals get their coffee – although naturally tea tends to be their drink of choice. The Royal Arcade’s Charbonnel et Walker have chocolates and truffles that will win over even the most critical of diners whilst Hedonism Wines has developed a name for itself by bringing in unusual vintages from around the globe. Delve into Mayfair with Go City Known for its exclusivity, Mayfair is more than a playground for the British aristocracy and their modern equivalents. Visit for yourself and you’ll discover there are an array of things to do in Mayfair London, from almost-endless shopping opportunities to afternoon tea. Explore London with Go City and you can visit many of London’s top attractions whilst making huge savings on admission so you don’t need to own a house in the neighborhood to enjoy all Mayfair and beyond have to offer!
Ian Packham
Paddington bear at London's Paddington station
Blog

Best things to do in Paddington London

Paddington is often thought of as a pocket of north London dominated by its railway station – the arrivals point for the Heathrow Express – and St Mary’s Hospital – the top pick for royals in labor. But disappear down its neat grid of side streets and you’ll discover a well-to-do neighborhood of charming squares, small cafés and Paddington canal basin. These are just a few of the things to do in Paddington London, with the full range of activities and attractions detailed below. Relax in a pleasant square Once an unpromising piece of real estate between Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s Paddington rail station and the traffic jams of Westway, Sheldon Square has been converted into a stylish place to relax alone, with the family or in a group of travel companions. Taking a modern amphitheater form, its stepped banks are carpeted in grass for impromptu picnics, whilst around it you’ll find a growing selection of more formal places to eat and drink. Sheldon Square is one of the neighborhood’s newest public spaces, but elsewhere there are those that date right back to its Georgian foundations. One such space is Norfolk Square Gardens. Ringed by three – and some four – star hotels, its mature trees offer up plenty of shade in the summer months for those looking to enjoy a few minutes absorbing this little bit of paradise in the heart of London. Search out public art These small areas of greenery aren’t just home to trees, plants and urban foxes though. They are also worth exploring for their collection of public artworks. St Mary’s Terrace contains three steel cut outs honoring very different Paddington residents. The first is of Michael Bond, creator of Paddington Bear, and the second dedicated to Mary Seacole – a British-Jamaican nurse who helped convalescing soldiers in the Crimean War alongside Florence Nightingale. A clear demonstration of London’s diversity, the third is to Alan Turing – played by Benedict Cumberbatch in the movie The Imitation Game. Breaking the Nazi enigma code, and inventing the modern computer, he was prosecuted for being gay in 1952 and died two years later of cyanide poisoning. His image is soon to appear on the new form £50 note – should you be lucky enough to ever see one. If you’re arriving by train, look out for the statues of engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel and Peruvian national Paddington bear at the station. Fans of the latter’s antics will be delighted by the station’s dedicated store too. Explore Paddington basin A dead-end offshoot of Regent’s Canal given a new lease of life, Paddington basin dog-legs south from Little Venice to just outside the station and hospital. A mix of offices, shops and apartments, the basin has a number of attractions and things to do. Having checked out the floating pocket park that sits at the nearest end of the basin, it’s only a short walk to GoBoat London. Renting out small craft to explore the canal in more detail, trips make for an interesting alternative to a sightseeing cruise on the Thames. If you’re up for being a little more physical, you can also take to the water by stand-up paddleboard. Head to the region on Wednesday or Friday lunchtimes, or Saturdays at 2 PM and there’s the bonus of seeing the Rolling Bridge unfold itself, alongside the Fan (or Merchant Square) Bridge fulfilling its crossing function at the same times. They form crossings close to Darcie & May Green, a canal boat turned Aussie restaurant with decoration by Peter Blake. One of the UK’s most important pop artists, he’s best known for creating the cover art for the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper album. Other nearby narrowboats serve up fresh shellfish – though not sourced from the canal, whilst the Cheese Barge is ready and waiting to serve up all manner of dairy-based dishes! Head back in time It’s not as well-known as the London Transport Museum or Benjamin Franklin Museum, but the Alexander Fleming Laboratory Museum more than makes up for this in the way it’s dressed up – as if the Nobel Prize winning scientist has just stepped out for a cup of tea. His discovery of penicillin in 1928 – on a petri dish he hadn’t washed up probably – can be honestly said to have changed the world and saved millions of lives, being the first antibiotic to ever go into production. Travel out of Paddington to Notting Hill to the west and you’ll be able to check out the famous blue door from the Hugh Grant film of the same name before scanning the stalls of Portobello Road Market. The world’s largest antiques market with over 1000 stalls, there’s also sections for fashion, vintage gear and fruit and vegetables. Visit Little Venice Back on the canal side, Little Venice is as pleasant as it sounds. Apparently named for its watery nature some time in the 1800s, it seems a world away from the busy thoroughfares that otherwise cut their way through parts of Paddington. Whether it’s an hour enjoying the antics of the canal barges from Rembrandt Gardens or soaking up the atmosphere with a coffee at a waterside café, Little Venice is the place to do it. Quirky things to do in Paddington London include paying a visit to the Puppet Theatre Barge, a 50 seat floating auditorium with shows aimed at both children and adults. Drift away from the canal side in order to visit St Mary’s Church. Dating to the Georgian era, it predates much of the Regency architecture for which Little Venice is known. Consecrated in 1791, it witnessed the marriage of William Hogarth, with the churchyard now a public park after the burials were reinterred at Mill Hill. Deciding what things to do in Paddington London Travel with Go City and you can uncover the many things to do in Paddington and London’s other neighborhoods whilst making substantial savings on visits to many of their top attractions. With so many attractions to choose from it can be difficult to know where to start – and end – but this guide should provide you with enough ideas to keep you busy whatever your interests!
Ian Packham

Get your free guidebook!

Plan your perfect trip with our insider guide – top attractions, itineraries and local tips straight to your inbox.