Hello to all of the travelers out there! We are so excited to have you here.
So as you all know Valentine’s day is coming, and whether you are a big fan of this day or feel like its a bit overrated – to be completely honest here I am a bit divided in the love it/hate it spiral- let’s just all agree it is an excuse to celebrate love! Last year we intended to go out and do something a bit ‘special’ but it was a bit of a challenge: this city is so busy on significant dates you need to book with plenty of time, plus places are extra crowded (wait.. is that even possible?!) and extra expensive (ok wait.. now THIS is a joke right?) we ended up being romantic over delivered pizza, beer and a movie – and it was kind of our perfect idea of romantic. But this year we discovered some of the best options that London has to offer for Valentine’s day -including reasonable prices and hopefully less than a million people involved too- and we just can not wait to share them with you, hoping you can enjoy the perfect evening with your best company (whether if it’s a boyfriend, girlfriend, bestie or just a glass of prosseco for one).
1. Boat Dinner:
Be prepared for the most romantic – and my personal favourite – plan on the list. You might have seen (or heard) by now about the cruises in the Thames River. On Valentine’s day they offer a dinner package with a glass of champagne and live music included, and it simply sounds too romantic to be true! But when it comes to booking.. that’s at a minimum of 150 pounds pp. (Hear my heart crying). So that’s why im so excited to introduce a super economic alternative – The Tattershall Castle. It’s a boat-pub right on front of the London Eye with an amazing vibe and the perfect view… and most importantly super friendly prices. It is so ideal they even do weddings inside, and it doesn’t cost more than a regular pub! https://www.thetattershallcastle.co.uk/home
2. The Hornimans at Hay’s Pub: So speaking of places with a view, this is my to-go pub for a river view. It is located in Hay’s Gallery, between London Bridge station and the Thames, right on the Queen Elisabeth Walk. It is a regular lovely british pub with standard pub prices- but the most amazing Tower Bridge + the city view. As a plus, they have very nice heating outside to keep you warm even in a cold February afternoon so you can just seat overlooking the river and enjoying the atmosphere.
3. Friends Cafe:
We liked this place so much there’s a post just dedicated to it. Do we need to say more? It is best suitable for people with a strong passion for Friends, but then again.. who doesn’t? They offer a lovely afternoon tea for two while playing episodes of Friends in the background. While you are enjoying your sweets you will be challenged to complete the Friends Quiz and to join a couple of random friends-related games. There’s also a guitar so if you are a talented player you can dedicate “Smelly Cat” to your V’day date.
4. The Top Secret Comedy Club: If you are a firm believer that laughing is the most romantic thing this is right for you. After all, a couple that laughs together…. stays together! This place is located in Soho and it’s not so secret to find as it might sound at first. We’ve been just once but they made me laugh so much I ended up in tears – both of us did. It’s a low key comedy club with a great vibe, very cheap drinks and above all – really great comedians. The price is different for every show – we paid 1 pound pp for our tickets, but sometimes they cost around 5 pound pp. Once the show finishes they ask for donations, but this is of course voluntary. https://thetopsecretcomedyclub.co.uk/
5. Listening to some Jazz:
Ain’t nothin better than the perfect music in the air.. right? At Ain’t nothin but … you’re guaranteed to enjoy an amazing jazzy evening listening to the most romantic and soulful music genre. They are located in Soho, beside Kings Court and they do not accept reservations, so it’s all about walking in and enjoying the atmosphere. It’s free from Sunday to Thursday and Fridays and Saturdays before 8:30 pm. This is the only jazz place we’ve been here and we like to recommend you places we’ve liked, but there’s many other options for listening to jazz in London. However before choosing a place make sure whether if you need to purchase tickets or not – as not all the jazz bars are free to enter.
6. Head to one of the Mr Fogg’s: There’s six Mr Fogg’s around Central London, all of them decorated in a very unique manner. They offer original drinks and each of them have different experiences that can be booked beforehand. My personal favourite is the Society of Exploration located between Charing Cross and Covent Garden stations, but in the link I’m leaving you here you can find all the options available. The Society of Exploration is decorated to make you feel like entering into an adventure with the walls covered in old maps and vintage luggage distributed around. Once you arrive to the main venue you can find tables inside a vintage train wagon and the selection of drinks divided by continents. The cocktail menu is very extravagant and the cocktails are already mixed – so its not possible to change the ingredients or to come up with your own preferences. If you don’t want to risk it with the drinks stick to the wine list and enjoy the place. https://www.mr-foggs.com/
7. Covent Garden Apple Market:
Covent Garden is romantic all year long, but covered with hearts and lovey-dovey decorations is simply one of the best places in London to celebrate Valentines Day. If you head inside the market there is a place where there’s live music playing, with the most amazing opera singers and classic music players and you can enjoy it for free. The venue is located in an indoor terrace so it’s perfect for surviving the February cold and you can choose between the sweetest option in Sweetheart Cakes (great coffee, afternoon teas, cakes and chocolate biscuits) or enjoying a nice glass of your choice of wine in one of the two wine bars – one of them offers blankets for the terrace so its even better for staying warm. Either with sweet or a fizzy drink plus a great free performance of classic music this is the perfect combination for an unforgettable date.
8. Notting Hill Electric Cinema:
This gorgeous retro cinema located in the heart of Portobello Road. Unspeakably luxurious, the Electric Cinema in Portobello offers a choice of king-sized sofas and red velvet beds available for the fastest ones, as they run out of spaces soon! These options are the main attraction of the place, and the great news is the prices are not so different from a regular commercial cinema – you´ll pay around 45 pounds for a sofa for two, 36 for the bed for two. If you miss these options you can always enjoy a movie in their perfectly placed armchairs -prices around 20 pounds per person- accompanied by cashmere blankets and a side table for each! Also, if you decide to spend your valentine’s here there’s an ongoing to Monday-Friday offer to have dinner at their Electric Dinner with a 50% discount. The Diner is located just on the side of the cinema with a great vibe and amazing choice of american food and cocktails. Now that’s the sort of deal we like to hear.
9. Dinner in a romantic restaurant: So the choice of romantic restaurants in London is overwhelming, but when it comes to keeping it on a ‘reasonable’ budget and avoiding crowds (can it even be considered romantic if we are surrounded by thousands?) I have a clear choice that I am sure you are going to love! My favourite romantic restaurant is called Chojo, located in Bayswater. The place is decorated with a pink vibe, full of pink orchids in the ceiling and with a small number of tables available so its private and intimate. The food is asian inspired with tapas-sized portions so you can try and share a large selection of dishes. Also worth mentioning, the owners have two pets and you can often find them there- a little dog and a cat. They are lovely and very educated so they won’t disturb you while you are eating and if you are a crazy animal lover as I am you will appreciate the chance to stroke them a bit.
10. Afternoon tea with a view in the National Portrait Gallery:
The National Portrait Gallery is located in Trafalgar Square, on the side of the National Gallery. The museum is constantly changing expositions and it can give you the perfect and stimulating start of a date being surrounded by art. The Gallery has a cafe which is one of the hidden gems of London – or at least it was hidden for me until not so long ago!- their prices are just as a regular cafe but they offer a breathtaking view of the Londoner panorama, overlooking Trafalgar Square, the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, and the London Eye. Definitely an original way to surprise your special one.
I hope you enjoyed our selection of things to do in London in Valentine’s day. Please share your thoughts, let us know if you have any doubts and tag us in your photos if you end up doing any of the plans in the list. Happy Valentines day to all of our lovely travelers and londoners out there!
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