London’s architecture definitely matches its gloomy winter mood, but when the sun’s out, the landscape changes drastically. Although 2019 hasn’t been exclusively sunny, with our weekends interchanging between sun-soaked days of exploration and autumn-reminiscent weekends at home with a good book, we’re hoping that temperatures will skyrocket pretty soon. And when they do, we’ll have our list of must experiences ready to be ticked off!
1. Fulham Beach Club
Fancy yourself a mock beach close to central London to take advantage of? Fulham Beach is returning this Summer to quench your thirst for sandy beaches through a replica of one, sitting next door to the Thames. In case you’ve found yourself longing for some Mauritius-style chill time, West London is your best bet; the added plus? It boasts great views of the river, so there’s a longing for a dive somewhere in the mix. This year the venue has incorporated a fair bit of greenery as well, creating this jungle-meets-sand feeling that we all want to be a part of this summer. Oh! And did we mention the tropical cocktails?
2. Rooftop Film Club
Are you a fan of ‘90s rom coms? Well, even if you aren’t, the Rooftop Film Club has curated a pretty cool list of titles that’s bound to get you psyched for its screenings! Anything from Romeo and Juliet to The Big Lebowski is on the list, and there’s a variety of locations to pick from. Because, let’s face it, is there anything better than rooftops during the summer? You can explore the venues, titles and prices here.
3. Coppa Club
Technically this is far from a summery lifestyle opening, but we’ve got to give some much-deserved credit to Coppa Club for their igloo’s summer makeover. The igloos boast a riverside location, with a stunning backdrop of Tower Bridge, and have taken a very summery turn courtesy of leafy instalments and one impressive outdoor bar that draws inspiration from the incredibly retro VW camper. The menu has been infused with a summery twist to help you combat the heat, the cocktails have gotten all the more tropical and there will be a variety of DJs throughout those adorable summer evenings to keep you entertained! Be warned: the igloos are quite popular, so booking is advised; although it’s at no extra cost, so there’s a plus for you!
4. Wonderfest
Excluding the all-time-favourite summer destination, and our beloved neighbour, from the list praising the best summer destinations was not really possible. We are referring to the Camden Market as a whole, although this point is more so dedicated to its re-invented rooftop. Fest Camden has brought Wonderfest to the heart of the Stables Market, with a festivalesque décor, delicious cocktails and live music drawing crowds in. The biggest surprise though, is the open-air cinema, which is bizarrely dedicated almost exclusively to Love Island and X Men screenings, but hey, who are we to judge? If you would rather opt for the music-and-dancing side of things, then we’d recommend joining our Events Team’s Thursdays at Fest!
5. Buckingham Palace
No, we are definitely not referring to a royalty-themed cocktail bar. The most iconic royal building in the country, also known as the London residence of Her Majesty The Queen, opens to the public on the 20th of July following the Queen’s annual visit to Scotland. Therefore, the most curious Londoners and travellers have the much sought-after opportunity to explore the lavish State Rooms, the majestic Grand Staircase, the jaw-dropping Throne Room and the official Ballroom. Intrigued? You have until the 29th of September to head to Buckingham!
