Summer in London is in full swing, but with heatwave after heatwave, sometimes we need a little break from the sun. Or at least we need to cool down and get a little refresher to keep us going. With reported highs of 35C, we thought we’d help you out a little bit with some ideas. We’ve got some suggestions of where to go if you want to completely get out of the sun for a little while, as well as some options that will help you deal with the heat.
1. Visit the Small is Beautiful exhibition
Want to enjoy some culture but also turn down the heat? We’ll admit that is probably a very small Venn diagram, but we have just the answer – the Small is Beautiful exhibition. The incredible exhibition is nestled amidst South Kensington’s many museums. Where most of the main draws in the museums come from the giant displays, Small is Beautiful takes the opposite approach. Be ready to take your time to look over the intricacies of one of the largest collections of miniature art in Europe. It is a collection of work from 34 artists, a mixture of both international and local. It’s not your typical exhibition layout either. With the artwork being so small it’s allowed for the artists to get creative with how things are displayed, so keep your eyes peeled as not everything is as it seems. If this sounds like something for you, grab yourself some tickets here.
2. Head next door and get your dopamine fix…
If you’re looking to get out of the sun but not stop the fun Dopamine Land is probably the thing to do for you. Bonus points for it also being right next to Small Is Beautiful, so you know, you could get double your exhibition fix without even having to go very far. Dopamine Land is essentially a curated experience all about celebrating things that make us happy. There are several immersive rooms dedicated to some quirky, and dopamine triggering, experiences. You also get the benefit of a unique drink in one of those rooms, but we won’t spoil what that is before you get there. You can get your tickets for this here, and be quick with your bookings as slots are selling out fast.
3. Get yourself some FREE ice cream
When you think of enjoying sunny days, one of the things that always comes to mind is a good ice cream to cool down. Whether it’s a classic from the ice cream van, a cheeky McFlurry, or a more upmarket choice, it always hits the spot. Sound good? Well, we’ve got an even better proposition. Imagine if the ice cream was free. You won’t have to imagine, as in celebration of National Ice Cream Day (yes, that’s a thing, apparently), Caravan Coffee Roasters and La Gelatiera have teamed up to offer free affogatos at King’s Cross on July 16 & 17. There are three flavours on offer, one of which is vegan. If, however, affogatos aren’t your speed Magnum has a pop up experience in Shoreditch until July 20, serving up free ice cream in retro cassette boxes.
4. Get your 99 with a twist
When you hear “sun” and “99”, your next thought is probably “flake”. Camden Town Brewery feels the same way…kind of. They have blended ice cream and Lager for their newest concoction, which you can pick up at Camden Beer Hall or online here. To celebrate the launch of the Ice Cream Vanilla Lager, they’re offering a little throwback to simpler times. In honour of the 99 flake that is seldom found at its original 99p price, the Ice Cream Lager can be picked up for the classic 99p price today (July 14). There are only 1000 available at this price, 500 available online and 500 available at Camden Beer Hall from 7pm. It’s not traditional, but that doesn’t matter. It’s hot, ice cream and beer kind of make sense to tackle that.
5-6. Enjoy the ambience of a concert by candlelight
This suggestion is a little…different, shall we say. A Candlelight concert is definitely a curveball in terms of what you’d think of doing to cool down. We get it a room full of candles whilst it’s already hot outside doesn’t exactly seem like the logical choice. But with these being evening sessions when things have started to cool down, they are a nice relaxing way to go into the evening. The aesthetic alone would be enticing with storied London venues bathed in the glow of candlelight but add in expert performances by live musicians and it’s a hard proposition to turn down. Coming up soon are tribute performances to Taylor Swift, Joe Hisaishi, and Coldplay with tickets already almost gone for a lot of those shows. You can get your tickets for these shows below:
5. Candlelight: A Tribute to Taylor Swift at Southwark Cathedral
6. Candlelight: A Tribute to Coldplay at Southwark Cathedral
7. Cool down in a pool
There are, luckily, countless places to swim in London, so no matter where you’re residing you’ll be able to find a pool to crawl to. If you’re not yet too drunk on sunlight then we’d recommend any of these outdoor lidos to waste away a few hours while dreaming of the rain. But if, like many of us, you’re trying to hide away from any kind of natural light or blue sky whatsoever, there are indoor options, too.
8. Dive into the world of two Mexican Geniuses
Last but not least we have the Mexican Geniuses immersive experience for you to cool down at. It is a celebration of the works and lives of the romantically and artistically intertwined Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. It is more than just a display of their art, their work is brought to life with music, moving projections, and even a VR experience. Canada Water’s Dock X has been completely transformed to allow for this immersive exhibit. Be ready to spend a while at this exhibition as there’s so much to experience and you won’t want to miss any of it. You can secure your tickets here.