15 Things To Do This Sunny Weekend

Try out this cult Pilates studio

Heartcore has been a fixture on London’s Pilates scene for years, and for good reason. Their bespoke Coreformer classes blend the best of Pilates and yoga into a full-body workout that’s as mental as it is physical.

Studios are dotted across the city from Chelsea to Battersea, and if you really want to sweat, their infrared-heated Hot Pilates classes in Bayswater are worth seeking out.

Where: venues across London
Website: www.heartcore.com

Explore this viral exhibition

Following last year’s wildly popular Flowers show, the Saatchi Gallery’s big summer exhibition has taken on an even more ambitious subject – The Sun and The Moon: Art Inspired by The Celestial.

Spanning nine gallery spaces across two floors, the show unfolds as a complete 24-hour journey from dawn to the darkest hours of night, with works by Barbara Hepworth, Peter Doig, Paula Rego and Joan Miró alongside two unmissable large-scale installations: Luke Jerram’s six-metre glowing Helios sculpture and teamLab’s enveloping immersive light work.

Tickets start from £13, and there’s a late-night event on July 24th if you fancy experiencing it after dark.

Where: Duke of York’s HQ, King’s Rd, London SW3 4RY
Book here

Attend the ultimate cocktail event

London’s ultimate open-air drinks festival is returning to Bedford Square Gardens this weekend, and it isn’t one to miss.

Reimagined as a vibrant pop-up village in Bloomsbury’s largest private Georgian garden, Cocktails in the City will bring together twenty of the capital’s finest bars. Running across two blockbuster weekends from July 2nd to 4th and August 6th to 8th, guests can look forward to exclusive £10 signature serves, live music, silent discos, and interactive cocktail-making workshops. Given that this sun-soaked celebration sells out completely every single year, you will want to secure your general admission tickets right now to avoid missing out.

Where: Bedford Square Gardens, Bloomsbury
Book here

Pitch a picnic in one of London’s green spaces

With the weekend set to be another scorcher, few activities top packing up some snacks, grabbing a blanket and heading to your nearest park for the afternoon

One of London’s greatest perks is its green spaces, and this weekend, there is no better time to take full advantage of it. From strolling through Hampstead Heath to watching the sunset from Primrose Hill, check out our guide on London’s best spots to pitch a picnic for a little inspiration.

Where: across London

Catch a film at this outdoor cinema

For this weekend’s entertainment billing, head to King’s Cross to catch a film at the iconic Everyman outdoor cinema.

All summer long it is hosting free, walk-in screenings with zero reservations needed. Spots along the water are first-come, first-served, so arrive early, get comfortable, and treat yourself to their premium menu of sweet and salty snacks. It includes all the classics and fan-favourite movies, such as Jaws, Mean Girls, Ratatouille, and 10 Things I Hate About You. Showings run from 12.00pm to 7.30pm each day.

Where: Granary Square, London N1C 4PW
Website: www.everymancinema.com

Get involved in London Pride celebrations

Pride in London is back on Saturday, and with over a million people expected to line the streets, it’s one of the biggest days on the capital’s calendar. The main parade kicks off near Hyde Park Corner at noon, winds through Piccadilly Circus and wraps up around Whitehall at 6pm.

Free stages across Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square and Soho keep the energy going with live music, drag performances and speeches well into the evening, before the party spills across the city’s bars and clubs.

Where: Across London

Bring your dog to this free festival

RAWR, the premium freeze-dried pet food brand, is throwing a full-blown festival for dogs and their humans in Victoria Park on Sunday, and it’s free to attend.

Expect a doggy picnic with free samples and prizes, obstacle courses, interactive games and Polaroid photo ops – basically everything your dog has ever dreamed of. Register via Eventbrite and get yourself down there.

Where: Victoria Park
Book here

See London from a whole new angle on the Thames

If you’ve lived in London for years and never actually done a river cruise, this is your sign. City Cruises runs everything from hop-on hop-off sightseeing passes to afternoon tea and evening dining cruises complete with live entertainment, all with the kind of views of the city that remind you why you live here.

The Family River Pass lets up to three kids ride for free, making it one of the better-value days out in the city this summer.

Where: Departing from multiple Thames piers
Website: www.citycruises.com

Discover this candlelit natural wine bar

For those looking to spend their Saturday evening sipping natural wine and diving into small plates, Bruno is the perfect billing. The tiny converted stable in Victoria Park Village is from Michael Sager, the man behind Sager + Wilde.

The selection runs to over 200 natural wines, all available to drink in or take away, with a rotating cast of guest chefs bringing short-term residencies to the kitchen and snacks like filled pretzels and charcuterie to keep you going between glasses.

Where: 211a Victoria Park Rd, London E9 7JN
Website: www.bruno.com

Sip Veuve Clicquot in the courtyard at this Mayfair institution

The Stafford London has partnered with Veuve Clicquot for two rather lovely summer offerings that run until the end of August. The easiest sell is the Veuve Clicquot Courtyard at The American Bar, the hotel’s historic courtyard done up as a French Riviera-inspired champagne terrace. It will be serving Yellow Label and Rosé alongside lobster and prawn rolls, truffle fries and seasonal cocktails.

If you want to take the party to the park, Le Picnic lets you order a full afternoon tea paired with a bottle of Brut or Rosé (from £185 for two) to enjoy in one of the nearby gardens.

Where: 16-18 St James’s Pl, London SW1A 1NJ
Website: www.thestafford.com

Brunch on bagel towers in this hidden courtyard

Sanderson’s in-house restaurant has had a full rebrand, and the new NY-inspired brunch menu is exactly as unhinged as it sounds; we’re talking Katz Deli Reubens, bagel towers, truffled mac and cheese with optional lobster, and a Brioche Gelato Sandwich that absolutely needs no justification.

Bottomless prosecco, mimosas and cocktails are £45pp, and it runs all day Friday to Sunday, making it the perfect weekend billing.

Where: 50 Berners St, London W1T 3NG
Website: www.sanderson.com

Enjoy afternoon tea on the terrace during Wimbledon

The Beaumont has launched its first afternoon tea in several years, and for the duration of Wimbledon it’s being served out on the terrace, which feels like the right call.

At £70 a head, you get classic finger sandwiches, scones with Cornish clotted cream, and a selection of pâtisserie including a signature ROOM pastry with black sesame and strawberry mousse, inspired by Antony Gormley’s striking sculpture-suite at the heart of the hotel.

Where: 8 Balderton St, Brown Hart Gardens, London W1K 6TF
Website: www.thebeaumont.com

Sip rosé at this French Riviera-inspired installation

Dovetale at 1 Hotel Mayfair has transformed its space into Le Jardin Minuty, a seasonal pop-up decked out in handcrafted paper flowers and centred around a Minuty rosé trolley.

Alongside glasses and spritzes of the Provençal favourite, there are three dedicated cocktails and a small plates menu of fried panisse, tempura courgette flowers and salted anchovies on rosti – all the makings of a very decent summer afternoon in Mayfair.

Where: 1 Dover Yard, London W1J 8NE
Website: www.dovetale.com

Escape to Devon for this long-table vineyard dinner

Writer and cook Jago Rackham is hosting two long-table dinners among the vines at Sandridge Barton Estate in South Devon this weekend, and the menu alone is worth the trip.

Alongside the ROAM restaurant team, he’s serving four courses of thyme-cured mackerel, cold Sandridge topside, fish cooked in vine leaf with grapes, and wine-poached fruit with cold custard, all designed for passing across the table and eating slowly as the evening unfolds, with Sandridge Barton wines poured throughout. At £75 a head including a welcome drink and pairings, it’s a beautiful excuse to get out of London for the weekend.

Where: Lower Well Farm, Waddeton Rd., Stoke Gabriel, Totnes TQ9 6RL
Website: www.sandridgebarton.com

Pay a visit to this new wine bar opening

Keller, a wine bar from the minds behind the Fordwich Arms, just opened in Whitstable on the coast of Kent. If you’re on the Kent coast this weekend, or if you’re looking for a worthwhile day trip, this new spot is well worth going out of your way to visit.

If you’re on the Kent coast this weekend, or if you’re looking for a worthwhile day trip, this new spot is well worth going out of your way to visit.

Mussels on toast are a must alongside Whitstable oysters and English sparkling from a wine list made in heaven. This should be one of the UK’s greatest openings of the year, mark my words.

Where: 28 Harbour St, Whitstable CT5 1AH
Website: www.kellerwhistable.com