It’s the final few days of August so no better time to relax and enjoy the best of what London has to offer. From working out in style to nocturnal foodie markets, make the most out of your Bank Holiday weekend with our top picks.
EXPLORE
East London’s nocturnal night bazaar returns to Bethnal Green on Friday 28 and Saturday 29 August. Enjoy everything from cocktails and street food, to art prints, crafty bits, and organic skincare products. Roads will be closed around The Oval to make sure it’s a a socially spacious market area for you to wander around.
VISIT
The iconic home of some of the world’s most fascinating artefacts, The British Museum is open once again. Take a walk around a number of free exhibitions and displays from exploring the ancient lives of Egyptian mummies to learning about the athletes, warriors and heroes of ancient Greek times.
SAIL
The Electric Barge, which takes passengers over the waterways from Paddington to Camden, is doing two trips this weekend. The boat is setting sail at 1pm on both Saturday and Sunday for a three and a half hour trip. Tickets are priced at £22.50, for which you’ll get views of the iconic townhouses of Little Venice, Regent’s Park’s leafy greenery and even a glimpse of London Zoo.
WATCH
The Castle Cinema in Hackney is a restored, boutique cinema with an art deco bar. Oozing 1913 cinematic glory, it has a gorgeous curved ceiling covered in ornate gold plasterwork and just 80 seats – all of which are velvet armchairs. Perfect for a romantic Saturday date night!
RELAX
Known as the ‘People’s Park’, Victoria Park is one of London’s favourite open spaces. It is the largest park in Tower Hamlets and one of London’s most visited green spaces. There are two expansive lakes (one with a Chinese pagoda island), a boating pond and the Pavilion Café, where you can have a bite to eat or hop on a bike on one of the cycling routes around the park itself.
WORKOUT
An edgy studio (there are venues in both Shoreditch and Clapton) that incorporates food and art into its fitness space.
Why go? The concrete-meets-steel space that could be mistaken for a swanky gallery but instead of studying some art, you can take classes in HIIT, pilates, yoga, barre and cardio sessions. Plus there’s a whole load of slightly more unusual choices too, such as sparring, callisthenics, BLOKbeat (with dancing) and BLOKparty (with strobe lighting). The three workout rooms are stripped-back, urban-style spaces while the café does food and smoothies with on-trend ingredients – think turmeric, matcha and activated walnuts.
CELEBRATE
The Notting Hill Carnival atmosphere might not reach London’s streets this year, but that doesn’t mean the show can’t go on! This year it’s entirely online with Notting Hill Carnival: Access All Areas. Dress up in carnival costumes and move to the sounds of calypso, steelpans and sound systems – over three days of live streams on four dedicated channels.
