11 Great Winter Date Ideas
Trying to plan some winter dates on the calendar is, we admit, a tougher job than in summer. But our best tip is to embrace the cold evenings and plan around it. We’ve rounded up a few ideas perfect for either a first date or a fiftieth, from new exhibitions and light shows to jazz festivals and a sushi-making masterclass.
Watch a rom-com favourite at the cinema
Winter is always the best time for the cinema. For one, it’s the perfect way to spend a dark and sober evening, with the added benefit of all the Oscar-hopeful films being out. With Emerald Fennel‘s adaptation of Wuthering Heights coming out in cinemas just in time for Valentine’s Day, a cinema trip makes for an ideal winter date.
Winter is always the best time for the cinema
Where: Across London
Try a sushi-making masterclass
Embark on a culinary adventure with an immersive Sushi Masterclass at Tokii Restaurant, hosted in the Prince Akatoki Hotel. Learn the ancient and delicate art of sushi-making from one of their skilled chefs.
Learn the ancient and delicate art of sushi-making from one of their skilled chefs.
where: 50 Great Cumberland Pl, Marble Arch, London W1H 7FD
website: www.tokii.com
Catch a London exhibition
London’s galleries are the envy of almost every city in the world, and this winter presents a host of great exhibitions to see, from those on their last run to ones that have just opened.
Ones we especially recommend are Lucian Freud: Drawing into Painting at The National Portrait Gallery, Tracey Emin: A Second Life at Tate Modern, and Seurat and the Sea at the Courtauld Gallery.
where: across London
Go for an affordable yet luxe romantic meal
Argentinian steak house Gaucho is inviting diners to indulge in an irresistible set menu available across its restaurants. Famed for its world-class steaks and signature cocktails, Gaucho promises a delicious dining experience.
Its new set menu offers two courses for £17.95, or if you are feeling peckish, you can upgrade to three for an additional £2. Beyond its renowned steaks featured on the menu, you can also opt for salmon fish cakes or breaded aubergine with mozzarella. If you are looking for something sweet to round off your meal, you can choose from a selection of sorbets, dulce de leche pancakes, or a chocolate brownie.
Website: www.gauchorestaurants.com
Take in the Canary Wharf Winter Lights
2026 marks the ten-year anniversary of the Canary Wharf Winter Lights, and a visit to see the spectacle makes for a perfect date night. This year, the theme of the free event is dreamscape, as it aims to take its visitors through “surreal, ethereal and uniquely human experiences.” Explore over 16 exhibits showcasing an array of artists then grab a bite to eat from one of the many restaurants that Canary Wharf has to offer.
Website: www.winterlights.com
Try London’s most famous martini
Not that it really needed it, being one of London’s most revered five-star hotels, but over the last two years, The Connaught has also become hip to go with historic. Bolstered by partnerships with Stanley Tucci and social media hype, getting a martini from the legendary trolley is a must for any Londoner. A cocktail may set you back upwards of twenty pounds, but there’s nowhere in the capital equally as luxurious and fashionable.
There’s nowhere in the capital equally as luxurious and fashionable
where: The Connaught, Connaught, 16 Carlos Pl, London W1K 2AL
website: the-connaught.co.uk
Try out the Chinatown challenge
A bit of competition is always fun on a date, especially when there’s food involved. Here’s the game – each take £20, and see who can make it go the furthest and to the most delicious places in Chinatown. And if you’re looking for inspiration, watch our video.
Each take £20, and see who can make it go the furthest and to the most delicious places in Chinatown
Take a couple’s spa
At the Hyatt, step into a world of unparalleled relaxation and rejuvenation. Try the “Tea and Tonic Couples Zen and Breathe”, a new approach to de-stressing to be enjoyed together. Your expert therapist will treat your ongoing stress needs to naturally power sleep, energy, mood and mind, starting with mindful breathing and a salt therapy foot bath ahead of a face and body de-stress couples massage, using aromatherapy blends with adaptogen superherb and British-grown botanicals.
Afterwards, unwind in the riverside relaxation room or take a dip in the stunning 20 by 8-metre heated indoor pool, bathed in natural daylight.
where: 7 Nine Elms Ln, Nine Elms, London SW8 5PH
website: www.hyatt.com
Book a winter getaway
A UK winter hotel getaway is the perfect opportunity to spend some quality time together sipping mulled wine, curling up with cake in a traditional tea room, or rambling the beautifully frosty countryside before retreating to a cosy room. What could be more romantic?
Wondering where to go this winter? We’ve rounded up the best winter holiday destinations for you and your date to visit and stay for a mini escape.
A UK winter break is the perfect opportunity to spend some quality time together
Head out to an afternoon tea
If there is one thing London does well, it’s afternoon tea. There’s a host of great options that make a fun and glamorous date, from Corinthia at its Crystal Moon Lounge and the Stafford to The Sanderson’s Mad Hatter-themed experience.
If there is one thing London does well, it’s afternoon tea.
Where: Across London
Try this immersive experience
One of London’s most unique immersive cocktail experiences, Avora allows you to discover a brand-new world engulfed in mystery and wonder, brought to life through awe-inspiring theatrical sets, sensory experiences and a cast of talented actors. With inventive drinks and a stunning set design that evokes the world of Avatar, this is one experience that will be forever etched in your memory.
where: 5C, 127 Hackney Rd, London E2 8GY
website: www.avora-experience.co.uk
