If you\u2019re looking for a romantic weekend, spend a couple of days in Notting Hill<\/strong>, walking through Primrose Hill<\/strong> and along the banks of the Grand Union Canal. If you\u2019re a culture-craver, head to South Kensington<\/strong> for the capital\u2019s \u2013 and maybe the country\u2019s \u2013 best museums, plus the Royal Albert Hall<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Got the itch to shop? If it\u2019s department stores<\/strong>, high-street names<\/strong> and little independents<\/strong> you\u2019re after, fill your boots in the West End. Feeling foodie? You could spend a year in London without being able to exhaust dining options brought to you from all over the world. If you\u2019re visiting with the family, find the country in the city with its inner-city farms, puppet theatres <\/strong>and parkland<\/strong>.<\/p>\n This depends on the kind of city break you are planning to take. London is fabulous in summer \u2013 it has abundant green space, and an open-air boat trip along the Thames is a great way to get your bearings when you first arrive. After a trip to one of Kensington\u2019s museums, you can walk to Hyde Park<\/strong> and have lunch overlooking the Serpentine Lake.<\/p>\n August bank holiday sees the famous Notting Hill Carnival<\/strong> introduce a riot of colour and music to Portobello Road. Music festivals<\/strong> take place most weekends throughout June and July, everywhere from Clapham to Hyde Park and London Fields \u2013 check in advance to see if one of your favourites is playing and worth building a trip around.<\/p>\n In August the Tube, or London Underground, is less crowded as many office-workers head abroad on holiday, and it\u2019s easier to get a table in popular restaurants. But if you do come during the school holidays, you will have to queue for a long time to access exhibitions and family-friendly institutions such as London Zoo<\/strong>. To enjoy warmer weather without the crowds, May sees the start of summery events including Open Air Theatre at Regent\u2019s Park<\/strong> plus the late opening of the lidos for an alfresco dip, and in May it\u2019s quieter as there are no end-of-term crowds.<\/p>\n In winter, many markets start hosting fairy-lit \u2018lates\u2019 \u2013 Columbia Road<\/strong>, which on Sundays is crammed with flower sellers and buyers, opens every Thursday night in the run-up to Christmas for mulled wine and festive shopping. Pubs come into their own at this time of year, too \u2013 most bars will be topped with a cauldron of steaming mulled wine to warm the cockles. The good thing about a city as abundant in activity as London is that, whenever you come, there will be a huge amount for you to see and do.<\/p>\n There are many no-bookings-taken restaurants in the area of Soho in central London \u2013 it\u2019s a hot culinary trend to offer walk-in dining, which means you can pitch up unannounced and still enjoy a table.<\/p>\n If you want to sample a proper Sunday roast<\/strong>, you should book in advance \u2013 the good ones are popular and pubs may start to get booked up for Sunday as much as a week in advance. If you expect to be in the West End or east London\u2019s trendy Shoreditch on a Friday night, and mind queuing for a table, you should certainly reserve a table.<\/p>\n Popular theatre shows such as The Book of Mormon<\/strong> and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child<\/strong> will be booked up many months in advance. Head to the theatres the morning you arrive to check for returned tickets, if you\u2019re set on seeing something that seems to be sold out. If you have an open mind, though, go to the TKTS booth<\/strong> in Leicester Square, where you can pick up cheap last-minute tickets to a variety of shows.<\/p>\n You don\u2019t need to pay or book to enter any of London\u2019s major museums or galleries, but you will have to pay, and probably book, to see specific exhibitions. Some of the city\u2019s best exhibits, however, are the ones that you can see for free \u2013 enjoy them while you have the opportunity!<\/p>\n![\"London,](\"https:\/\/travelodgeblog.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/London-Breaks_Article_Final.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nWhen\u2019s the best time to visit London?<\/h5>\n
What should I book in advance?<\/h5>\n
If the thought of endless variety, the abundance of culture and the city lifestyle has excited you, why not visit and stay in one of our Travelodge London