Simon And Garfunkel sang April Come She Will, and it seems that she is, in fact, coming around once again. And London is looking a bit brighter now; with some colours on the trees and a hell of a lot more daylight to be enjoyed.
That means a dosage of coffee festivals, parks, and new art exhibitions to enjoy throughout the month until whatever may come next (May). Fingers crossed for some warm weather on the horizon so we can get out and explore the city without freezing for too long. Here are some of the best things to do during April in London.
1. Catch ’em all at this pop-up Pokémon Center
Check out your Pokémon collection and note down what you’re missing because you’ll be able to add some thunderbolting items into your pocket at this pop-up center. It’s blasting into London like Team Rocket between April 4-7, and even though you won’t be able to use your gym badges or Pokémon league wins as currency, it’ll still be a whale wailmer of a time. Keen Pokémon hunters should note that the space is free to enter but you’ll need to reserve a timeslot. Find out more and book your spot here.
2. Frolic around some tulips at this beautiful springtime festival at Hampton Court Palace
100,000 tulips spread around a royal setting? This is the spring juice we have been craving and now it is at our green fingertips. Between April 15 and May 16, Hampton Court Palace will be adorned with colour and floral splendour as the grounds that Henry XIII once roamed undergo a giant seasonal bloom. Find out more about the Hampton Court Palace Tulip Festival here.
3. Or journey a little further to waltz through a giant tulip field
Look – we know this isn’t the Secret Tulip website, but we can’t help it. They’re all just too vibrant and awe-inspiring to not point you towards. In fact, I reckon you could pinpoint the exact moment the winter blues leave your body after setting foot in the field of tulips at Tulley’s Farm. Take a trip just outside the city to these heavenly (and ever-expanding) swathes of the flowers, which open from April 3. Read more about Tulley’s Farm here.
4. See the lights around London for Ramadan
London is adorned with lights for the month-long celebration of Ramadan, with decorations illuminating the city every day until around April 10 (depending on the lunar cycle). Last year marked the first time the West End had been lit up for Ramadan, and, alongside these making a return, you can catch a beautiful installation at Marble Arch.
5. Explore the 100-year-old underground tunnels beneath the Postal Museum
Put your adventurer cap on and trot along the century-old tracks that lie under the postal museum. Learn about their history and maintenance, as well as their eventual closure in 2003 on the tours that are opening up again in April. Plus, you’ll be able to take the tour on a Friday or Saturday for the first time ever, which is sure to be just the tonic to end that tough working week. Find out more about the underground postal museum track tours and check out available slots here.
6. Welcome back this colourful playground for grown ups
The start of summer is a moveable feast in London. Some might say it starts on June 1, while others proclaim the end of daylight savings to be the start of summertime. These are both correct, in a sense, but, really, it’s all about what’s going on in the skies… which seems to change every year. You want a sure sign of summer that arrives in April every year, though? Well, that would be Roof East, the dash of colour that’s with us all throughout the sunny season.
Roof East is rolling back to its Stratford rooftop on April 18 this year, and the vibrant playground for adults is bringing even more with it than usual this year. Aside from some familiar faces of activities (Birdies, Sluggers, Rooftop Film Club) and food vendors (Cheeky Burger, Piddaji), there are special celebrations in the works for Roof East’s 10th anniversary, where later in the season they’ll throw back to 2014 food and drink prices and slash the price of activities for one day. Roof East just gets it. Find out more about Roof East here; tickets are on sale now!
7. Head to the Sony World Photography Awards exhibition
Wander through a sea of award-winning images that tell stories from around the world. Running between April 19 – May 6, the Sony World Photography Awards exhibition features images of captivating imagery of wildlife, architecture, streets, landscapes and more. Those who attend will also be treated to works by Sebastião Salgado, who received the award for Outstanding Contribution to Photography and the display features photographs spanning through the Brazilian photographer’s career, from Gold in 1986 to Amazônia in 2019. Find out more about the awards and book your spot now.
8. Run like the wind during the London Marathon
April in London is marathon month, and even though those who are running at the event–which attracts 50,000 pacey people–already know, you may need to sort your plans for cheering on people you know, or how to celebrate getting to the finish line (pints, always pints). It takes place on April 21, and you can read our guide to what to remember before running the long old thing. ‘Til, then, back to training! Not long to go now.
9. Walk around the cherry blossom wonderland that is London in spring
Look, London in the winter can be great and all, but once the allure of Christmas lights and warming fires wears off, it’s safe to say it really does last a touch too long—we’re over it! When spring arrives it does so with style, with flair. Pink shades in the trees around the city, and with that comes a dose of endorphins served to us like a tray of delights.
London’s keen Instagrammers will be taking a tour of the capital this month to find striking shades of pink on the city’s saplings; and, quite frankly, I suggest you do the same, whether you’re capturing the evidence on your phone or not. A walk to the shops and a stroll through the park can have a whole new meaning in spring – here are some of the best places to clap eyes with the cherry blossom in London.
10. Attend the sublime Seoul-inspired Delight art exhibition
With 12 immersive zones, Delight has made a splash since its arrival last year. It presents room after room of productions by Korean artist Gyoungtae which include the mediums of augmented reality, sounds, lighting, and sound. We’re talking ceiling projections and 360-degree installations that make you feel like you’re truly being swallowed up by the art – in the best way possible. Find out more and book your tickets to the Delight exhibition here.
11. Belt out some choruses at Europe’s largest karaoke venue
Nothing better than letting your angelic voice loose at the post-pub karaoke session is there? BAM opens up in London this month; arriving on the scene as Europe’s biggest karaoke venue with 22 individually-designed rooms to turn into a stage. BAM is taking bookings from April 19, and you can find out more here.
12. Slurp cups of hot java at the London Coffee Festival
Professed to be the biggest coffee party on earth, the London Coffee Festival hits the Truman Brewery between April 11-14 for a few days of pure caffeine buzz. Watch latte art masters at work; hear talks from industry experts; watch the panel-judged coffee masters competition, where 16 coffee makers battle it out; or just grab a cup of Joe and have a boogie along to the live music at the ‘Hyde Park Bar’. Let your love of coffee percolate across this weekend. Find out more about the event here.
13. Eat at a London restaurant for Iftar and Suhoor during Ramadan
For anyone celebrating Ramadan in London, the daytime means a fast between sunrise and sunset. Suhoor is the meal prior to fasting, and Iftar marks the evening meal after Maghrib (sunset). Here are some London restaurants that offer special menus or buffets throughout Ramadan in 2024.
🍜 Putera Puteri – Malaysian restaurants in Queensway that run an Iftar menu and a variety of dishes.
🍖 Ayam Zaman – Syrian restaurant in Shepherd’s Bush serving up spectacular Middle Eastern plates with a regularly changing buffet for Iftar.
😋 The Great Chase – Iftar menu running through Ramadan with options including spiced harissa soup, beef wellington, and choux buns. The space has a dedicated prayer zone where diners will be invited to join the congregational prayer after being welcomed with water, dates, and fresh bread.
🍗 Berenjak – A pair of restaurants in Soho and Borough that know exactly how to serve up the perfect kabab.
Read about more places to eat in London during Ramadan here.
14. Celebrate Eid-al-Fitr in the city
At the end of the month-long celebration of Ramadan comes Eid-al-Fitr, which is expected to fall on April 10 this year. On April 20, London will mark the occasion with its annual (and free!) Eid In The Square festival, which returns for its 19th year for a lineup of main stage performers, delicious food stalls, the Inspiring Muslim Awards, and plenty of activities to celebrate throughout the day. Read all about Eid In The Square here.
15. Get your Wes Anderson style on at this brilliant exhibition
The exhibit that showcases the Wes Anderson in everyday life has grasped London and not looked back since its arrival last year. Symmetry, pastel colours, and wanderlust can all be found at this ‘tribute to travel and, photography, community, and adventure’. It’s certain to be as grand as the Budapest Hotel looks! Grab your spot here.
16. Check out an exhibition for all levels of sight
A first-of-its-kind exhibition is rolling into Somerset House in April; one that is accessible to those who are blind, partially sighted, and sighted visitors. World Unseen is dubbed as ‘ the photography exhibition you don’t need to see,’ and enables everyone to experience imagery in a new way. Vivid descriptions will be provided to bring each piece to life, with soundscapes audio alongside textures for visitors to feel through tactile printing. Find out more and plan your visit to World Unseen here.
17. Grab a bargain at the King’s Cross Car Boot Sale
If there’s one thing better than a car boot sale, it’s a classic car boot sale. Yes, the CCBS returns to King’s Cross this month on April 27-28.
Bask in a weekend filled with bargains and ogle at the vintage cars, including a replica of the Mustang 390 GT, which was driven by Steve McQueen in the James Bond movie, Bullit. If you go, you’re kindly asked to ‘forget everything you know about car boot sales’. With live music, craft beer, clothing repair workshops, and a pop-up studio from the Museum of Youth Culture, I think it’s safe to say that we like this varient of the car boot sale. Read more about the Classic Car Boot Sale here.
18. Attend the Vaisakhi Festival celebrations in Trafalgar Square
Marking one of the most important days in the Sikh calendar, the Vaisakhi celebrations are taking place at Trafalgar Square once again. Those who attend the free event on April 6 can expect a lively commemoration of the festival celebrating Sikh and Punjabi tradition, heritage and culture with a lineup of main stage acts, talks, food stalls and much more. Find out more and plan your visit here.
19. Have a blast at this immersive Gunpowder Plot experience
Head down to the Tower Hill vaults to head in the dark and murky worlds of the Gunpowder Plot Experience. You’ll be guided along by a mix of virtual actors (including Tom Felton as Guy Fawkes!) by way of VR, and a real-life cast as you immerse yourself in the tale of the events we now recognise by setting off fireworks on November 5 every year. You can even sip on some cocktails at the bar at the experience during the intermission before heading back into the tale that blends fact and fiction for a thrilling storyline and interactive experience. Find out more and book your spot here.
20. Take in the sight of the magical bluebells in and around London
Of course, cherry blossoms are the first to emerge… but later in spring is when blue beauties come out to play. It truly depends on the year as to when bluebell season is in full swing, but recently, more mild winters have seen them flowering as early as late March. Whenever they do decide to show themselves, we can expect to see a carpet of colour sweep over the woodlands in and around London, so you’d be foolish to miss the chance to check them out – they don’t stick around for long, after all! Here are a few spots you can expect to see bluebells around London.
💙 Eltham Park North
💙 Wanstead Park
💙 Wanstead Park
💙 Epping Forest
💙 Horsenden Hill
Read about more places to look at the bluebells here.
21. Drink up at this otherworldly cocktail experience
Onward and upwards to a new world! For drinks! Avora is your port of call for entering an immersive world of cocktailing adventures. Whack on a jumpsuit and dive into the multi-sensory universe of Avora and choose your journey towards three crafted cocktails with a New World storyline along the way. Find out more and book your spot here.
22. Eat at a new bar dedicated entirely to cheese toasties
If you’re going to dedicate a bar to a ‘thing’ it needs to be a pioneer, an icon. Thankfully, the ‘cheese toastie’ fits that very bill, and Two Drops is where you’ll need to be heading for your bevvies combined with cheese in between bread. Toasties here come in different varieties (we hearing about fillings that range from salt beef and all the trimmings to marmite and shallot) and you’ll be able to bite into the new Battersea Power Station bar from April 26. Find out more about Two Drops here.
23. Hit the beach from London
You may be planning your trip out of London (or even the country) to hit the real beach soon, but from April 26, you can hit the golden sands of the Fulham Beach Club. No passport is required, just an Oyster Card over to the trusty annual beach at Neverland that becomes the escape within the city in the springtime and throughout summer. Find out more about Fulham Beach Club here.
24. Have a ball at a London gig
🕺 Thundercat (April 3-6): KOKO – expect four nights of funky basslines and delicious noises from the maverick performer.
🎸 Slash, Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators (April 5): Wembley Arena – soaring melodies and guitar solos collide in the world of the Guns N Roses hero and Altar Bridge frontman.
💡 Underworld (April 6): Alexandra Palace – witnessing born slippy in front of a crowd that big? Go on then…
🎤 Myrkur (April 10): Islington Assembly Hall – Danish Folk meets Black Metal to a colossal effect.
🎙️ Stefflon Don (April 13): Roundhouse – the iconic rapper takes to the big stage in Camden for a lively gig this month.
⚽ Eric Cantona (April 17): Shepherd’s Bush Empire – yes, the Eric Cantona who scored that chip is playing a show in London this month.
💃 Caity Baser and Bellah Mae (April 19): Hammersmith Apollo – a linkup for the ages heads over to Hammersmith for a night of raucous vibes.
🐺 Chelsea Wolfe (April 21): Heaven – dark and brooding sounds, such sweet dark and brooding sounds.
🥁 The Dirty Nil & Microwave (April 24): Scala – riffs, riffs, riffs, and rock & roll, baby!
🪩 Take That (April 25-28 + April 30): O2 Arena – these days of Take That at the O2 could be the greatest days of our lives…
🎵 Sampha (April 26): Alexandra Palace – Mercury Music Prize winner Sampha graces the London stage to give Glastonbury 2024 attendees a taste of what’s to come.
Check out our handy guide to London gigs here.
25. Visit a giant ceramic exhibition
In London, you’ll find exhibitions that come in all shapes and sizes. And the size in question here is bloody gigantic, as strangely shaped ceramics make up this huge fair at Olympia London in the middle of the month. Ceramic Art Fair is putting on their largest show in the city, where 100 different artists and makers will be on show between April 19-21. Read more about the event here.
26. Waltz through these London villages that feel like the countryside
Saving your bucks for a holiday in summer can mean you’re sat twiddling your thumbs, hoping for an escape when the weekend hits. Enter our solution: village-like locations amid the hustle and bustle of London that might just make you feel like you’re on a well-earned getaway.
🤩 Hampstead Village – adorable streets and a pergola to wander through; this one is quite the dream.
🚲 Warren Mews – hard to quite comprehend that this is as central as Fitzrovia, but it is. And it’s a quaint little paradise.
🌲 Chiswick – the parks and gardens here could have been plucked out of the countryside and into the unassuming west London zone 2 streets.
🛶 Little Venice – walking by a canal filled with colourful boats is a guaranteed pass out of the city, if only for a few minutes.
Read about more villages in London here!
27. Go to a free festival of sustainability
EarthFest 2024 is making its way into King’s Cross this month, which hosts a vast number of speakers on how we can work towards a stronger and more sustainable future. Across the weekend, visitors will also be treated to plenty of live music concerts at Coal Drops Yard, as well as live podcasts and sustainable fashion brands showing off their fits. There’s even a repair café for your more loved pieces of clothing and a swap shop to trade your garms. Find out more and plan your visit to EarthFest here.
28. View an exhibition of never-seen-before photograph of Andy Warhol
Photographer William John Kennedy’s never-seen-before shots of Andy Warhol are going on display in April that are said to have been lost to the world for the last 40 years. Read more about the exhibit and plan your visit here.
29. Or check out one of London’s many other brilliant Art Exhibitions
Those who tire of the endless art in London must get their heads checked – there’s always a brilliant new exhibition opening just around the corner and here are some highlights you can check out in the capital this month.
❤️ The Future Is Female (ends April 6): The Garrison Chapel, Chelsea Barracks – showing a range of sculptures from 14 contemporary international female artists with challenges to male bias in art and sculpture.
🩷 Women In Revolt! Art and Activism in the UK 1970-1990 (Until April 7): Tate Britain – a detailed view into feminist art on rebellious ideas from over 100 artists in the UK.
🧡 Refik Anadol: Echoes of the Earth (until April 7): Serpentine Galleries – the first major solo exhibition in the UK for Refik Anadol uses large-scale installations with visual data of coral reefs and rainforests.
💛 DIVA (until April 10): V&A – DIVA has been bowling visitors over since last summer in the exhibition that examines the very term and celebrates performers who took on the status quo.
💚 Quentin Blake: The QB Papers (April 10-28): Cromwell Place – following a separate exhibition in February, the work of Quentin Blake will grace London again this month.
💙 Anne Desmet: Kaleidoscope/London (April 12 – September 8): Guildhall Art Gallery – a series of digital collages sliced into prints that focus in on the city of London.
🩵 The Mocking Bird (until April 13): BEERS – Florent Stosskopf returns for his second solo exhibition that draws on elements of his own autobiography.
💜 Expressionists: Kandinsky, Münter, and the Blue Rider (April 25 – October 20): Tate Modern – a long-running exhibition examining the union and work of close collaborators in the early 20th century to serve a shared purpose.
🤎 Capturing The Moment (until April 28): Tate Modern – a view into how the arrival of photography changed the route paintings would take.
Check out more of London’s art exhibitions by reading our handy guide.
30. Take a rapid trip to Ancient Egypt via London
Haven’t you heard? All you need to experience the pyramids of Giza is a trusty VR headset (essential) and an explorer hat (optional). The Horizon Of Khufu experience transports you to a different world, a different time; dropping you right into Ancient Egypt and proving you don’t always need a time machine to get a glimpse of the past. Find out more and book your spot here.
31. Take advantage of your last chance to try the Jolene x Gelupo collaboration
Jolene and Gelupo have linked up to start slinging the baddest-looking hot cross buns that you’ll find in town. Think about it: a bakery meeting a gelateria is just a match made in some kind of treat-based heaven, so these Easter snacks were always going to be on the radar of the sweet-toothed Secret London snack hunters. Chucking ice cream in between hot cross buns and toasted buns is a stroke of genius, and you can still get them on the first day of the month (April 1), so don’t miss out. Read more about the Jolene x Gelupo collaboration here.
32. Enjoy a springtime candlelight concert
Spring = pretty colours, and candles = pretty glow… why didn’t anyone combine the two sooner? No point dwelling on that now; it would only take away the time you could be preparing for your trip to the springtime candlelight concerts in London. A floral-adorned Glaziers Hall will be your palace to sway along to the sound of Vivaldi or a tribute to Coldplay & Imagine Dragons.
Plus, you can also opt for the soothing option of the unique and utterly relaxing candlelit sound bath experience – which features flickering lights and dreamy vibrational sounds to switch you off completely and drown the sound from the world outside.
Check out the full range of Candlelight springtime concerts here.
33. Have a boogie at the Brick Lane Jazz Festival
If there’s one thing better than a day out in Brick Lane–a day filled with beigels and bargains from vintage stores–it’s a day out at Brick Lane that involves a jazz festival.
Between April 26-28, you can take in the smooth tones and swing your hips to artists including Ojerime, Ego Ella May, and many more across a stacked bill over three days. Find out more and book your tickets here.
34. Dine at an Argentinian Supper Club
Viajente87 in Notting Hill is continuing its supper club series “The Culture Exchange” with the team behind both a restaurant and a bar from Argentina, which are both among the best in their fields at worldwide awards, joining forces to create a showcase night of beautiful food and drink. Find out more and book your place at the delightful Argentinian Supper Club here.
35. Witness ‘The Unknown’ from the Willy Wonka Experience at the London Dungeon
If the words ‘Willy Wonka Experience’ mean nothing to you, then you probably don’t spend too much time looking at internet memes. For the majority of us who are guilty of that, you’ll recognise ‘The Unknown’ from the Glasgow event where it all went wrong – and it’s now been confirmed that the very same actor will be making a special guest appearance at London Dungeon on April 7. Find out more here.
36. Bask in the glow of the first 8pm sunset of the year
Thanks to the clocks going forward, March treated our poor Vitamin D-starved souls to the first 7pm sunset of the year. Come April 17, the sun won’t be leaving us until 8pm and after, so you’d better be cranking up the heat on your summer plans. It could be 7°C or 31°C, but those extra hours of sunlight will have you feeling like a million dollars in the beer gardens across London.
37. Glow up your life at this Paint In The Dark experience
Painting with a drink by your side in the illuminated cosy cubbyhole is a neo-futuristic old time, and we are very much here for it. Let your creativity run wild at the artistic masterclass that is Paint In The Dark and let those fluorescent colours give you a buzz like no other. Find out more and book your spot here.
38. Or splash some colour around at this ‘freestyle painting lab’
Let all the colours splash out at this vibrant painting lab that allows you to slingshot paint onto your canvas and create a unique work – all in the name of abstract art! Get your robes on and prepare to make a mess in this 90-minute extreme painting session. Find out more and book your spot here.
39. Don’t be played for a fool on the first day of the month!
Didn’t think we’d go the whole way without a mention for April Fool’s Day, did you? You’ll want to be alert to those pesky pre-12pm pranks that we inevitably fall foul to on occasion. April 1 falls on a Monday this year, so don’t let your post-weekend, bleary-eyed state lead to yourself being done good and proper by your housemates (aka the prank patrol).
40. Keep exploring this incredible city
We’ll let you in on a little secret: it’s impossible to list everything that goes on in London over the course of one month (though we do try our best). Here are a few more things Secret London have been shouting about that you don’t want to miss out on before April waves goodbye.
🐕 An Adorable Art Trail Of Guide Dog Sculptures Has Landed In Canary Wharf
🏄 London Is Making Waves As This Inland Surfing Venue Threads Its Way To Enfield
🍺 A Beer Hall In East London Will Be Taken Over By A Huge, Inflatable Obstacle Course In April
🚽 There’s A Hidden Coffee Shop Inside A Public Toilet In Fitzrovia
🎥 This Rooftop Cinema Has Just Released Their Sensational Summer Schedule
🪄 10 Spellbinding Places In London That Harry Potter Fans Will Love
😋 These Are The Best New Restaurants And Bars In London To Try In 2024
🍳 A ‘Britalian’ Restaurant Serving Carbonara With Cream And A Fried Egg Is Opening In South London
🍛 20 Of The Best Indian Restaurants In London To Turn Up The Heat
🥪 This Iconic Bristol Sandwich Shop Is Bringing Its Mammoth Sarnies To London
👹 A Shrek-Inspired Fairground Has Completely Transformed This Lush Shop In Soho
More things to do and inspiration…
the best fab and FREE things to do in London
The best things to do in London every weekend
All our ideas for unusual places to visit in London