London is an amazing city for dating, and whether you’re a couple or single (not bad in a city with millions of single people), there is something to suit all tastes. This is the city of variety offering you romance, culture, exotic foods, river trips and parks with views of the most iconic architecture in the world.
Take a walk along the Thames from Southbank
Start with a quick walk to view the London Eye and Westminster Bridge. Follow the Southbank Walk through to London Bridge, seeing many of the main sites of London. There are also restaurants, cafes and bars to stop at in Southbank, Gabriel’s Wharf and at London Bridge.
Take in a West End show and pre-theatre meal
Look online for good deals for a West End show of your choice. Many sites will offer dinner and show packages combining with West End show with a local restaurant for food. Alternatively a walk around Covent Garden or Soho to see the pre-theatre meal offers by many restaurants. If you are looking for cheaper tickets, don’t forget to look at the tkts booth in Leicester Square for genuine deals, or try lastminute.com as well.
Stroll through a local market
Enjoy a stroll through a market together and savour the sights and smells. Borough Market near London Bridge is wonderful for a foodie extravaganza (Thursday- Saturday). In the East, near Liverpool Street, the Spitalfields Markets offers food, fashion, vintage clothing and crafts (Thursday, Friday and Sunday). Walk through the various sections of Portabello Market for a well-rounded market trip. Start with the antiques near Notting Hill Gate, and then walk through Fruit and Vegetables, new goods, fashion and ending with second hand goods.
Do something adventurous and completely different
If you want to stay close to home, take in an historical adventure attraction such as the London Dungeon with its acted-out scenes of old London, a boat ride and a ‘guillotine’ drop- ride at the end. Also try the renowned Tower of London with the Crown Jewels, Medieval Palace and narrated tours of prisons and history. For further afield, try an adrenaline experience with quad-biking or white-water rafting, or head to a theme park like Alton Towers or Thorpe Park.
Visit a Central London gallery and end up in Soho/Covent Garden for a meal
Go to one of the many free Art Galleries in London, like the National Art Gallery, Tate Britain, Portrait Gallery or Royal Academy of the Arts in Central London. Then stroll through the city and find a nice restaurant in Soho or Covent Garden for a meal afterwards.
Have a picnic in a nice park with a view
Despite seeming so flat, there are many parks in London with a wonderful view of the city – try Hampstead Heath, Primrose Hill or Greenwich. If you would prefer more of a nature feast, head down to Richmond Park and enjoy the deer or Hyde Park for something closer to town.
Cruise on the Thames
Take in the sights of London on a ferry from Westminster to Greenwich. Some are available with tourist talks. Alternately look at some of the evening cruises offered by the tourist companies.
Do a London walk of your choice
London Walks is one of many companies offering walks in your favourite area, covering a favourite part of history. Alternatively, print off some self-guided tours from tourist sites or follow some other routes locals have uploaded to london-footprints.com. You can also set your own walk by downloading an audio file and sharing it in through headphones (very cosy!).
Have an exotic meal of a different cuisine
London is filled with many multicultural areas for you to sample cuisines from around the world. -Indian in Tooting and Southall, Bangladeshi in Brick Lane, Chinese in Chinatown. Caribbean in Brixton, European around Soho, Middle Eastern in Edgware Road. There are also African restaurants throughout London in Peckham, Hackney and Tottenham.
Take a day trip out of London
If you’re tired of London and would like to be somewhere different, take a day trip to many of the surrounding areas. Cambridge and Oxford are wonderfully for the old architecture and the vibrancy of university towns. Brighton is great for heading to the beach. Bath offers the traditional Roman Baths. You could also look for a hiking map and ramble over the countryside.