What do you LOVE to do in London?

[Oesta]

I'm a Londoner and I've been feeling really down in the dumps reading about crime in London.

I need some cheering up to remember that this city is full of life and happiness and joy. What do you love to do?

I personally love the museums and want to start moving into art galleries next.

There was a crazy man outside a station just troubling woman for a bit. Trying to go talk to them, following them for a bit, then leaving and finding someone else. I just walked past with my friends and as always I just didn't do anything. I didn't even hear what he was saying. He just seemed to try to find someone to talk to. Idk.

Next week I plan to find one of the free big screens to watch Wimbledon on.
I like the parks. The not so central London ones. Any that have lakes so I can look at ducks.
Southwark Park is nice. Crystal Palace Park (although it's festival season so not sure if access is limited).
The Thames Path is nice. I did Rotherhide towards central London and there was a lot of history and interesting buildings.

I always love walking along south bank. Getting some lunch at either Southbank food market or borough market then popping in Tate modern for an hour or so.
I love the royal parks. Regents park is our closest. I often run there in the mornings which is glorious.
I love being able to just pop to science museum or natural history museum when it’s raining and I want to amuse the kids.
I love being able to get any take away food I want or go to any sort of restaurant.
I love wandering around all the different neighborhoods.
I love being able to travel on bus, overland, tube. Or walking. Hardly needing a car at all.
I love urban sunsets over the streets.
I love bringing up my kids in a place where there are a wealth of opportunities and different experiences.
I love everything about London.

i love love love love love going on a santander bike and being nosey (as it's quicker to be nosey on a bike etc etc)
also i love mooching in soho
or bloomsbury on a sunday and how quiet it can be etc etc

Don’t live there anymore , but do go a fair bit and son lives in Belsize Park ( shared flat) I like Richmond park and a mile out at steins on the river - a potter around Hampstead - still enjoy Portobello Road market and Spitalfields, river boat down to Greenwich and a potter. Most round Crouch End and Muswell Hill and Highgate ( nostalgic as used to live there) -Hampton court and the lido , a nosy round Islington upper street

Oh and a pub lunch in Primrose Hill

With museums and galleries can you ever run out? Because at some point you've been to all the rooms in the museum

@Eastendboysandwestendgirls that’s my sons attitude- he does lots for free including talks at parliament

No! Because the museums put on lots of new shows through the year. And even in the permanent galleries, there's so much stuff - I think you could spend 6 months in the silver collection at the V&A and not see all of it. Also V&A have opened up Storehouse in their East London location, where you can order stuff up from their collections (ie. the stuff that isn't always on show).

Mooch around the City looking into all the backstreets, visiting the Wren churches and finding unexpected courtyards (often former churchyards) to sit in.

Walk along Eastcheap towards the Tower doing the same.

Liverpool Street - Spitalfields - Brick Lane Walk

The Wapping walk - from the Tower, keeping to the riverside when you can, to Canary Wharf. Stop off at the Prospect of Whitby for fish and chips. Try to get a table by the window.

The Docklands Museum (or whatever it's called now.)

St Bride's Fleet Street and All Hallows by the Tower are particularly interesting churches to visit.

Big comedians will often practice their new sets in London. Brands do almost all their pop ups and stunts in London so there’s always something on. You can see incredible theatre and musicals, even in the local theatres. I love it there so much- only left due to cost of living

Thank you!

I love when you suddenly come across a green space amongst all the traffic & buildings.
The history
The different vibes in different parts of the city - DH & I were in the East End recently & it has a totally different feel.
I don’t know if it’s still possible but you used to be able to get really cheap tickets for the ballet, ENO etc.
Walking along The South Bank in the evenings

Stop reading! The people writing these 'reports' have their own agenda, generally. Talk to people who actually live and work in London and ask them what their real-life experience is.

There’s crazy people everywhere. I used to live in London and I miss it. It’s fantastic. Walk along the river. Gabriel’s wharf. The millennium bridge at Tate Modern. All around London Bridge is amazing. Southwark Cathedral. Borough Market. The City on a Sunday is great. So many beautiful churches. Yes Galleries. Sir John Soane museum. The Wallace collection. Greenwich is amazing. The painted hall. The Queen’s house. So many things filmed there. It’s bliss. “Tired of London, tired of life” as Pepys said.

I'm from London myself!! I grew up here, went to Imperial for maths and now work in insurance.

I love walking, often following a printed out walk with info about the history and buildings. I have walked most of the Thames Path within London. And all the museums and coffee shops.

Leave!

lol. I studied in London but no way could I live there.

iandunt.substack.com/p/they-hate-london-because-it-is-beautiful?r=tgrwg&utm_medium=ios&triedRedirect=true

“Tired of London, tired of life” as Pepys said.

Samuel Johnson. But do read Pepys. Someone has done a book of walks around 'Pepys's London' (or what remains of it).

Dr Johnson's house, and all the little streets north of Fleet Street, are also worth a visit.

I follow this blog:
A London Inheritance | A Private History of a Public City
He focuses on less well known aspects of London, and how it's changed over the years.

How come?

Have you visited any of the magnificent seven cemeteries? My nearest in SE London (Nunhead) is 52 acres of social history, nature, walks, tours, art events and views of St Paul's cathedral one way and the London Eye another.

I love Canary Wharf and the docklands around the river, Greenwich, Regent’s Park.
I love the city on the weekends.
I love discovering hidden areas like the canals around Mile End and st Dunstan in the East Garden. There are so many little gems.

I love that everything i come i see or do something new. Of course the theatres and shows are my favourite and what pulls me. But equally as pleasurable I love to see Tower Bridge lift. Check out the lift schedule on the web site and go and watch. (I was lucky enough to go under on a boat that required it to lift- up and down river.)