Solo cultural days out in London

[Adatewithmyself]

NC for this.

I’m looking for lovely ideas for cultural days out in London - just for me!

I’m late 40s, newly single after years of crappy/abusive relationships and I’m now actively doing self-care and creating time for myself. Teens at home and work for myself so flexible schedule. Looking for ideas for one-off days out.

Back in UK after long stint abroad so want to rediscover London & discover new places, boroughs, hidden gems. I haven’t really explored Hampstead, Brixton, Highgate etc.

I’m already a Tate member so I like art galleries, museums, bookshops, theatre, writing, cafes, charity shops, art, food markets, any type of market actually, mooching with a purpose, happy to tramp about walking, also interested in interesting walking routes.

Or I’d be interested in book recommendations /IG accounts to follow etc.

(Very unmumsnetty but I even wondered if others were in the same boat and wanted to join… 😂)

Have you looked at TikTok? I can't suggest any books or instagrams and I know you might assume its not for your age group and there is a lot of shit on there but I use it for this sort of thing.

I'm in London and I follow a couple of accounts on there specifically for London outings. I like VisitLondon, AlleywaysofLondon, LivingLondonHistory and Londonxldn off the top of my head, although there are so many accounts making this type of content. Often they will mention some niche place I've either not been to or never noticed and will then plan a day there. Accounts like TopJaw interviews chefs/restauranteurs in London so good for getting some suggestions of food places to try or even just looking up a specific area on TikTok yields quite a lot of useful and unusual details (and a lot of bumf).

Also a tip from a friend was to make my own goole map, marking all the restaurants/cafes/points of interest I hear about, I have it downloaded to my phone and then when the mood takes me I head to an area mainly knowing what I want to see.

Try Meetup they have a few walking groups that explore London and if you like a bus route, try this thread.

Biba exhibition at textiles museum looks good

Greenwich is quite a fun day out.

Cutty Sark, Martime Museum, the meridian (in park), naval college, there’s a market - and you can get there on the boat, which serves drinks too

The Mithraeum is free and fascinating. Well worth a visit.
I can spend hours in the V&A - it's my favourite place in London.
Brixton is a fascinating place to visit - the markets are busy and there are lots of places to eat. Check out the Bowie mural and the Black Cultural Archives
Borough Market is interesting but busy.
The big Waterstones on Piccadilly for a long browse then a glass of wine on the top floor.

If you like churches then lots of choices in the City and this (londonundone.org.uk) is a good guide

What I'd tend to do if I were you is make a list of what you would like to do and then plan your trips around this.

I'd then do either, Mithraeum and Bank Museum, Spitalfields, Sky Bar, maybe Borough Market, Spitalfields.

Then on other days, do more areas - Greenwich is great - you can walk up to Blackheath (the village is lovely - quieter than Greenwich, lots of book shops, gift and clothes shops and cafes), do the foot tunnel to Isle of Dogs, even go down to the O2 (get Thames Clipper), they have a Fan Museum there too.

Guided London walk? keep telling myself that aswell!😁 if you really want to know background/ history of big smoke

Biba exhibition https://fashiontextilemuseum.org/exhibitionsdisplays/the-biba-story-1964-1975/

V&A and The Natural History Museum and nice coffee and cake somewhere near both.

@RubyGemStone Aha, TikTok proved a revelation, thanks!

Some fab ideas on here, thanks everyone!