Whether you’re a reluctant participant, a hopeless romantic, or just looking for an excuse to have a couple of cocktails, we’ve found some pretty cracking things to do in London this Valentine’s Day (and on the weekends around it).
From good, old-fashioned dinner dates in romantic restaurants to lively, competitive games, there’s plenty for a first date, 100th date, and a great time with pals. Get inspired, and fall in love with the capital again…
1. Spend the evening bathed in candlelight as you watch a Candlelight concert
Is there anything more romantic than spending an evening in one of the city’s beautiful rooms, glowing in candlelight as you watch and listen to classical tributes of legendary artists and movie soundtracks? We think not. Candlelight concerts feel extra special because they are, musical renditions from artists old and new held in breathtaking spaces across the city such as Southwark Cathedral, Central Hall Westminster, and St Martin-in-the-Fields are unique experiences that make for a memorable night. Head here for all the Candlelight concerts which would be perfect for Valentine’s Day.
2. Book the ultimate Valentine’s Day staycation at One Hundred Shoreditch – brought to you by Gillian Anderson
Enjoy a stunning Valentine’s Day stay package running until the 18th of February at One Hundred Shoreditch. For this lovely little staycation, the hotel has partnered up with actor and Sex Education legend Gillian Anderson. Your stay will include 4 Arouse soft drinks on ice, upon arrival, from Gillian Anderson’s drinks brand G Spot, Come As You Are – New York Times bestseller by Emily Nagoski, Land Chocolate – from local East-London chocolate maker, 2 free cocktails in the Lobby Bar, Breakfast in bed and late checkout!
The package starts from £238 and is bookable via its website here.
3. Calling all love bugs to the Natural History Museum for a special Valentine’s Day event
This Valentine’s Day, couples are invited to experience the Natural History Museum after-hours. Couples will have the Museum all to themselves as they explore fascinating galleries, sip on cocktails and learn from Museum scientists as they delve into love in the animal kingdom. In true romantic spirit, you can learn about love clams that survived mass extinctions or hear about the origins of Human Love, and much more. Spend some koala-ty time and enjoy the fully stocked bar while listening to a live harpist, before heading into the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition to explore the incredible wildlife images.
Find more information here.
4. Get a romantic poem written for you and your Valentine at The Coral Room
For an uber-romantic and truly unique experience this Valentine’s Day, The Coral Room is hosting a poet who creates entirely personalised poems on their typewriter on the spot for any lovebirds and guests visiting the venue on February 14 from 10:30-7:30pm.
Against the vibrant backdrop of The Coral Room in the heart of London’s literary quarter, Luke Davis, one of the gifted poets part of Word Trade who creates poems for passersby on the Southbank, will craft bespoke poems tailored to your thoughts and emotions.
Savour the flavours of Italy and drift along the Italian coast with the Botticelli—a delightful blend of Altamura vodka, Acqua Bianca, and vermouth. Or whisk your date away to the exotic allure of Morocco with the Nuage – a captivating mix of Palmaráe gin, fig, sahara, and almond milk – all while listening to Davis’ beautiful words. To book head here.
5. Head to Leadenhall Market for a little romantic stroll
Nestled in the heart of London’s historic Leadenhall Market, the SoLo Craft Fair will transform the iconic venue into a romantic Valentine’s shopping destination on Saturday, 8 February 2025, from 12-5pm. This maker-driven market will showcase an array of handcrafted treasures, including unique jewellery, artwork, and home accessories, perfect for those seeking thoughtful gifts for their significant other.
Beyond the market’s creative offerings, Leadenhall Market boasts plenty of dining options ranging from fine restaurants to casual eateries, ensuring couples can find the ideal spot for a romantic meal, whether they’re craving wine and cheese, tapas and sangrias, or French pastries and cocktails.
6. Taste the Valentine’s specials of some of the capital’s eateries
Our dear capital is full to the brim with restaurants – you’re sure to be able to find something to suit your budget, tastes and location with ease. Many will be doing Valentine’s specials too, so get wining and dining.
🍽️ Bōkan 37
Offers a spectacular five-course tasting menu with breathtaking views of London’s skyline. Executive Chef Robert Manea has crafted an intimate culinary journey priced at £150 per person, which includes a glass of Taittinger champagne and will be accompanied by live music from international violinist Valtie Nunn.
🍽️ Fenchurch Restaurant at Sky Garden
Presents a five-course tasting dinner 37 storeys up, blending British ingredients with Caribbean flavours. The menu begins with champagne and creative snacks like a truffle cheese and ham toastie, progresses through a cured salmon starter, features a peppered lamb loin main course, and concludes with a decadent red velvet cake, all while offering panoramic views of London for £175 per person on February 14th and 15th.
🍽️ Sky Garden
Invites couples to celebrate love with dazzling cityscape views, offering multiple Valentine’s packages including a £21 entry with champagne or a £170 window table experience. Guests can dance the night away or enjoy an intimate evening against the glittering London nighttime backdrop on February 14th and 15th.
🍽️ Ekstedt at The Yard
Brings a Scandinavian twist to Valentine’s with a six-course menu cooked exclusively over an open fire, featuring signature dishes like Flambadou Oyster, hay-smoked cuttlefish, and juniper-smoked sirloin, concluding with traditional Swedish ‘Fika’ and a duo of desserts, priced at £125 per person on February 14th.
🍽️ Pavyllon London
Offers a Michelin-starred Valentine’s experience with a six-course menu by Chef Yannick Alléno, celebrating love through British produce and French culinary artistry. Highlights include a steamed Comté cheese soufflé, Orkney Scallop with caviar, and a chocolate and cardamom dessert, available for £190 per person on February 14th.
🍽️ The Brush Grand Café
Combines dining and cinema with a three-course set menu, pre-film cocktail, and special movie screenings of cult classics like Lost In Translation and Romeo + Juliet. The £110 package includes post-movie access to The Lounge with live DJ sets, available from February 14th to 16th.
🍽️ Sticks’n’Sushi
Presents a ‘Koibito’ four-course menu celebrating love through Japanese cuisine, featuring sushi, grilled sticks, and a dark chocolate fondant with a unique ‘For the Sake of Love’ cocktail, priced at £150 per person from February 13th to 16th.
🍽️ RAILS Restaurant
Offers a jazz-infused Valentine’s evening with the Rocca Brothers Jazz Trio, serving a three-course menu blending British and French cuisines, including lobster gâteau and chargrilled fillet steak, accompanied by a glass of sparkling wine for £75 per person on February 14th.
🍽️ TOZI Restaurant & Bar Victoria
Presents an Italian-style Valentine’s menu featuring Sicilian red prawn carpaccio, handmade pasta, and a pistachio tiramisù, starting with Franciacorta champagne and priced at £65 per person for a minimum of two people on February 14th.
7. Get a little heated with some healthy competition
There’s nothing like a bit of friendly competition to get the conversation flowing and laughter going on a first date – or reignite your competitive streak with your long-established partner. London is full of gaming bars, from darts to computer games, board games to footie. A newly opened spot this Valentine’s Day is Fairgame; the world’s first immersive adult playground where you and your partner can battle it out at some classic fairground games.
8. Check into a hotel or spa to mark the occasion
A soothing spa or a stay away from the daily rigmarole in one of London’s most romantic hotels is just the ticket for a relaxing Valentine’s Day in London. Soak your cares away in one of London’s spas, enjoy a slap up meal, or just relish in the luxury of a room where you don’t have to make the bed!
9. Catch a flick for a Valentine’s movie date at one of the city’s many cinemas
A night at the pictures is a pretty good failsafe for a date, whether it’s with your long-term partner, a first date or even a solo date – you can always count on the movie theatre. The city has got plenty of cinemas for you to choose from independent gems that have curated rosters of flicks, to the big chains we all know and love (and are usually quite cheap and cheerful), have your pick of the bunch here. If you want to go for something a little more snazzy to mark the occasion, there are also some boujee cinemas in the city for more luxury with your viewing pleasure.
10. Float through a museum dedicated to bubbles
Are you firmly in the ‘couple bubble’ stage right now? Well, the two of you should make a beeline this Valentine’s Day for Bubble Planet in Wembley, London. Unleash your inner child with nostalgic laughs aplenty, as the two of you move from room to room (there are 11 rooms in total), filled with different kinds of bubbles. In one room, you’ll come face to face with a massive ball pit; in another, you’ll don a headset and become a bubble yourself! Of course, there’s a room dedicated to traditional blowing bubbles too. At the end of the experience, share a sweet treat – a bubble waffle, free mochi samples, or even candyfloss – with your lover.
11. Enjoy tipples at some of the city’s most swoon-worthy bars
🍷 Plume
Found in the heart of Covent Garden is a gem that oozes date night, Plume is a two-storey wine bar and speakeasy in Charles Dickens’ former publishing house where plenty of wine and bubbles are to be had. Allow expert sommeliers to guide you through a curated selection of wine featuring unusual vintages from small experimental winemakers as you dine on small plates made to share.
🍷 Finch
Another wine bar to have on your radar is the newly opened Finch, Brixton’s intimate neighbourhood spot for wine and delightful small plates. It’s cosy, casual and definitely romantic. With an expertly curated wine list, seasonal Brixton-inspired cocktails, dishes including burrata, the infamous Golden Boy Grilled Cheese and house-made giardiniera pickles, and even the option of bringing food from other Brixton Village venues, you can’t go wrong.
🍸 Barts
Speakeasies exude a romantic charm that any old regular bar just doesn’t have. There’s something about the dim lighting, jazz music (often live), antique furniture, and the fun of its secrecy that’ll leave couples giggling in corners of the bar or gazing lovingly into each other’s eyes as their faces glow in the candlelight – because there is usually almost always candles.
🍸 Cahoots
Keeping things fun is key to keeping romance alive and what better fun than drinking tipples in a hidden underground 1940s tube-themed bar? Cahoots will be sure to inject some liveliness and spirit into your Valentine’s Day festivities, with its spiffing swing music, scallywags and rabble-rousers, vintage-themed everything.
12. Treat your lover to something sweet
A sweet treat or some chocolates always goes down, well, a treat, and there’s no shortage of Valentine’s Day themed cakes and desserts in London. Hummingbird Bakery is offering a wonderful selection of cakes specifically designed for the occasion. You can snap up the Pink Vanilla Heart Cake (heart-shaped pink vanilla sponge coated in pink sprinkles), the Red Velvet Heart Cake (heart-shaped sponge with cream cheese frosting which you can personalise with a romantic message), the Red Velvet Cheesecake and plenty more heart-shaped cakes and cupcakes to keep your Valentine’s sweet.
13. Take a romantic stroll
Why not head to the great outdoors for a romantic stroll? It’s one of the few free things to do in London for Valentine’s Day, after all! With a plethora of pretty parks and city walks, not only is it great for mental health purposes, but it’s also a good way to catch up or form a bond, away from your phones, laptops and the TV. And who knows, there might be a kiss at the end of it if you’re lucky! Alternatively, head out of town to one of these magical woodland getaways.
14. Watch a romantic show on the West End
The West End has theatre shows aplenty, so why not catch some of the most romantic musicals of the bunch for your Valentine’s plans this year? Spend the evening watching Mamma Mia, Phantom of the Opera, Dirty Dancing, or The Time Traveller’s Wife for a night of theatre, romance and plenty of songs that’ll be stuck in your head.
15. Let your love take you to a new world
Forget just a simple date over drinks: the Avora cocktail experience elevates your evening. Head to Hoxton for an other-worldly adventure, where you’ll enjoy three unique cocktails, as you follow a theatrical storyline that’ll keep you thinking long after you’ve gone home. The whole experience is about more than just flavour; drawing on all the senses – taste, smell, sight, sound and touch. The bioluminescence provides the perfect setting for that Instagram official pic too… Talk about an out-of-this-world love!
16. Throw caution to the wind and channel your inner bad boy/gal
Another immersive cocktail experience, this time in Aldgate. Entry into Moonshine Saloon will see you step off the modern-day pavement, and into the Wild West. You can choose to embody a specific character, or simply mingle with the other cowboys and cowgirls, as you follow a storyline and the Sheriff tries to foil the illicit moonshine operation – will he succeed?
The London experience requires you to get a little naughty this Valentine’s Day – minds out the gutter, I mean smuggle in your own illicit moonshine/BYOB – the skilled bartenders will transform your booze into four personalised Old West cocktails for you to enjoy with your date.
17. Take your love to new heights at Battersea Power Station’s Lift 109
Looking to sweep your loved one of their feet? Well, Lift 109 can literally take you and your partner to new neights as you ascend in their circular glass lift to the top of one of Battersea Power Station’s chimnies. You’ll be taken 109 metres above the ground with a breathtaking 360-degree panoramic view of the London skyline, a perfect backdrop for a romantic evening. To make the occasion even more memorable, you can also purchase a glass of champagne to enjoy as you ascent to a glorious view of the city as it twinkles in the night. Find out more here.
18. Go onboard The Murder Express and solve some crime together
For couples seeking an unconventional Valentine’s Day experience, The Murdér Express offers a thrilling alternative to traditional romantic dinners, combining immersive 1920s theatrical storytelling with a gourmet three-course meal and an interactive murder mystery adventure.
Set in a meticulously designed train environment at Pedley Street Station, this unique experience invites couples to become amateur detectives while enjoying exceptional cuisine crafted by top chefs, complete with atmospheric storytelling and a stylish cocktail bar. Priced at £74.60 per person, the two-hour journey transforms date night into an engaging, theatrical experience where love meets intrigue, allowing partners to dress in vintage attire, solve a fictional crime, and create an unforgettable Valentine’s memory that breaks free from conventional romantic expectations.
Find more information and book here.
And there you have it, all the best places to go and things to do for a Valentine’s filled with romance and fun in London!