London For Lovers – 10 Things to do For Under £10

Great Scotland Yard with red bus, Lonodon
Pheonix thetre London
The Phoenix has never had to be reborn – movie-lovers have flocked here since it opened in 1910, photo: Maurita Van Droogenbroeck

6. Cuddle up in an alternative cinema

Where: The Phoenix Cinema, 52 High Rd, London N2 9PJ

What: Movies are classic date-night favourites, and hardcore cinephiles will love a night out at the Phoenix. Londoners have been watching films here since 1910 – it’s one of the UK’s oldest purpose-built, continuously operating cinemas. Since 1985 has been run by a charitable trust for the community, so you know everyone working there loves movies as much as you.

Price: Adults £9.50 (okay, so you’ll need more for popcorn!)

Nearest tube station: East Finchley (Northern line)

Discover more: The Phoenix Cinema 

Boating on the Serpentine - VisitLondon
Boating on the Serpentine – VisitLondon

7. Go boating on the Serpentine

Where: The Serpentine lake, Hyde Park, London W2 2UH

What: Hire a rowboat (or a pedal boat) for two, channel Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, and have your own Notebook moment on the Serpentine in Hyde Park. There are 16 hectares of calm waters, not to mention loads of swans (okay, okay, so the movie had swans, geese andducks, but this is pretty damn close!).

Price: Adults £10 for 30 minutes (or £12 for an hour)

Nearest tube stations: Hyde Park Corner (Piccadilly line)

Discover more: Boating on the Serpentine

Picnic on Hampstead Heath
It’s only a few miles north of the city centre, but beautiful Hampstead Heath feels like it’s from another world – and another time

8. Picnic on Hampstead Heath

Where: Hampstead Heath, Gordon House Road, London NW5 1QR

What: Encompassing around 320 hectares of woodlands, ponds, playgrounds, a training track and a gorgeous lido, this glorious, rambling park is absolutely enormous, and one of the most beautiful spots in the city. It’s the perfect place to spread a blanket and enjoy a romantic picnic.

Price: Free (plus the price of a sandwich)

Nearest tube station: Hampstead (Northern line), but much better to take the overground to Hampstead Heath railway station

Discover more: Hampstead Heath 

Sir Joh Soan Museaum
Candelight tours of Sir John Soane’s Museum are very beautiful, and very popular – get there early, as only the first 200 people get in! Photo: Stu Smith – Flickr

9. Tour a museum by candlelight

Where: Sir John Soane’s Museum, 13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London WC2A 3BP

What: Once home to the architect of the Bank of England, today, it houses a fantastic collection including works by Turner, Canaletto and Hogarth, and the Egyptian sarcophagus of Seti I. But ditch the normal tours in favour of something totally unforgettable: on the first Tuesday of each month, between 6pm and 9pm, the Museum is lit entirely by candlelight.

Price: Free, but as the Museum is a charitable body, voluntary donations are appreciated. Suggested donation: £7 per person

Nearest tube station: Holborn (Central and Piccadilly lines)

Discover more: Sir John Soane’s Museum 

Leake Street Graffiti Tunnel
Also known as the “Banksy Tunnel” or “Graffiti Tunnel”, the Leake Street tunnel is where you can – legally – get your graffiti on, photo: Norlando Pobre – Flickr

10. Grab a spray can and tag your love

Where: Leake Street Graffiti Tunnel, Leake Street, London SE1 7NN

What: In 2008, some of the world’s leading graffiti artists converged on this disused road tunnel running under Waterloo train station, and turned it into a giant exhibition space. The event was the now-legendary Cans Festival, the organiser was Banksy himself, and the legacy lives on to this day – it’s the biggest legal wall in London, so if you’re feeling artistic, grab a spray can and head to the tunnel to tag your love.

Nearest tube station: Waterloo (Northern, Jubilee, Waterloo & City and Bakerloo lines) 

Price: Free

Discover more: Leake Street Graffiti Tunnel

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