Spring has finally sprung! The days are lighter, the weather is (unusually) hot and the trees are blossoming. It’s time to shake off that winter hibernation and go explore...
1. Have lunch at The Petersham
Get a taste of spring at The Petersham, the new Covent Garden restaurant at Petersham Nurseries, where they’ll be serving up delicious Italian-inspired meal seasonal food surrounded by plants from April 23. Book now.
2. Hear how AI will change the world
Worried we’re all going to be replaced by robots? Find out how artificial intelligence will impact our future at this How To Academy talk on May 17, where Cade Metz from The New York Times will be chatting to Sir Nigel Shadbolt (one of the UK’s leading authorities on AI) about how we can use AI for good.
12. Create a new Spring fragrance
Need a new scent for the new season? Book on to a half-day Apprentice Workshop at Experimental Perfume Club and learn all about the facts of fragrance and have the chance to create your own bespoke perfume.
3. Shop food markets of South London by bike
Peddle a Pashley around London sampling gin and filling your basket with delicious delights around the back streets of Southwark and Bermondsey. Read more.
5. Paddle board through London
Take to the water and see London from a different perspective. Learn Stand Up Paddleboarding from Kew Bridge on the Thames or Paddington Basin in the heart of London. Read more.
6. Go mudlarking on the banks of the Thames
There’s more than just mud down there, ya know. Dig out your wellies and book on a guided Thames Explorer tour of the foreshore with an archeologist who can help you identify all the treasure that you find.
4. Take a cruise on London Shell Co
All aboard this decadent culinary cruise along Regent’s Canal, where you’ll be treated to a five course meal of delicious British seafood as you gently float past London Zoo and Regent’s Park. Book now.
7. Discover the women of Abney Park
Wandering through Abney Park Cemetery is always a treat in spring. Make your stroll more educational by joining a guided walk on April 28 when you can discover all the inspiring radical women who now rest there.
8. Upcycle beautiful vintage China
Give your afternoon tea an edge and head to Heal’s, Tottenham Court Road, to upcycle vintage china. All the materials are provided, just bring your creative flair. Happens monthly. Read more.
9. Go see a film in a cocktail bar
Not content with just making amazing drinks, TT Liquor have also opened a 52-seat cinema tucked just off Kingsland Road where they’re showing monthly screenings with a cocktail inspired by the film. Book now for ‘Back to the Future’ on April 24 or ‘Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas’ on May 8.
10. Get stuck in at Collage Club
Hate drawing? Unleash your creative side without lifting a pencil at Collage Club, where you can cut and sticking yourself silly with speed-collaging and collaborative image making. Book now.
11. Get your skates on
Start roller skating to work… but first have a lesson with Marawa’s Majorettes, who like to hula hoop while skating (don’t worry that’s not until your second session!). An excellent way to keep fit and keep smiling. Read more.
13. Get your DSLR camera off Auto
A four hour workshop on how to use your DSLR camera, from mastering shutter speeds to which lenses are best for which shots. Finally, holiday snaps you can be proud of. Read more.
14. Discover how four drinks changed London
An unusual walking tour around Fleet Street, the Strand and the City, from 18th century coffee houses, gin palaces to beer houses. The History of London in Four Drinks walking tour. Cheers!
15. Go explore backstage at the Queen Elizabeth Hall
The beautiful Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Rooms in the Southbank Centre have just opened and to celebrate they’re hosting behind-the-scenes guided tours of the space and an exhibition called Concrete Dreams. It’s mostly sold out but you can get a few tickets each day if you turn up.
16. Go visit the Temperate House at Kew Gardens
The incredible Temperate House at Kew is the world’s largest surviving Victorian glasshouse. It has been closed for a serious spruce up and is reopening on May 5 ready for spring. Head there to see some of the rarest and most threatened plants in the world.
17. Go to the clown museum in Dalston
Tucked away in the back of a church in Dalston, you’ll find a magical museum dedicated to the art of clowning. The tiny space is stuffed with costumes, photos, long shoes and the amazing clown egg registry. The Clown Museum is open on the afternoon of the first Friday of every month so put it in your diary now.
18. Spring clean your yoga practice
Want to become a yogi but terrified of getting stuck in downward dog - meet Molly who can help you grasp the basics or take your practice to the next level. You'll be given a one to one lesson to help you design your yoga practice. Read More.
19. Go to a Syrian supper club
Food always tastes better when it’s cooked with love and chef Imad Alarnab pours his heart into his dishes. Head to Second Home in Holland Park for an intimate three-course dinner with delicious food from Imad’s Syrian Kitchen – all proceeds go to Help Refugees.
20. Go on a bargain hunt
Join an insider expedition to the best charity shops in London on Sanna’s Charity Shop Hop. Different boroughs are scavenged each month so you can discover pristine vintage to designer labels. Read more.
21. Go to Vegan Nights in Brick Lane
Meat is so 2017. Vegan food is where it’s at now and you won’t find more veg variations than at Vegan Nights street food market. There are over 20 tasty food stalls, plenty of bars, DJs, clothes and more – all vegan, of course. Next one is on May 3. Arrive hungry!
22. Forage for medicinal herbs
Next time you’re feeling peaky, the cure could be growing right in your garden. This spring, go on a herb walk in Walthamstow to discover which healing plants grow nearby and sign up for a pharmacy session with Hedge Herbs to find out how to make them into useful salves and balms.
23. Get merry at the London Wine Week
Red, white, bubbly, orange, natural, organic - quaff glasses of the good stuff at this annual week of wine appreciation where from May 14-20 125 bars will be hosting dinners, tastings with sommeliers and creating bespoke flights. Buy your pass now.
Curated by Sonya Barber for The Indytute. Author of 'East London: an Opinionated Guide' by Hoxton Mini Press, former Co-Editor of the City Life section of Time Out London News & Events Editor and general woman about town.
See all our brilliantly inspired London gift experiences. Handpicked by The Indytute.
