Best places to spend a rainy day in London
Prepare for a British summer's day!
There's just so much to do in capital when the weather is playing ball and the sun is shining, in fact few cities look better in the sun than London... but this isn't always the case, now is it?
Britain sure has got a reputation for a bit of drizzle - and so it's probably prudent to have some all-weather options lined up just in case the skies open during a day out in London.
We've given you a whole raft of options for bad weather activities and to suit all budgets, so if the heavens open... thank heavens for our list below.
The gargantuan British Museum requires more than a day to view all its collections, so there’s plenty to keep all the family entertained during a downpour. One of the world’s greatest attractions, it houses poignant items in the history of mankind such as Egyptian mummies, the Rosetta Stone and the controversial Elgin Marbles.
These two fantastic galleries showcase contemporary and British art from 1500 to the present day respectively. All the greats are here: Dali, Picasso, Turner, Hockney and Bacon are just a few recognisable names. As well as the permanent collections (which rotate to ensure their vast catalogue is displayed) they both host temporary exhibitions.
Oxford Street’s chicest department store has an appealing mix of high end designer clobber and affordable high street clothing for men, women and children. Their shoe department is a dream (or a danger) for footwear fanatics, as it’s allegedly the world’s largest, and their mouthwatering food hall must not be missed.
Although a lot of the Southbank Centre’s activities take place at night with concerts, plays, films and poetry readings, there’s plenty you can do during the day too. Visit the Hayward Gallery, which focuses on contemporary art, buy books at the covered riverside market or at Foyle’s, and eat at one of the many cafes and restaurants dotted around, with views of the river.
The British Library has a copy of every single publication ever printed in the UK, including the Magna Carta! Given the sheer number of items they have there are no books on shelves, so instead you need to register for a reader pass and stay in the library’s reading rooms, but it’s a lovely way to spend a few studious hours.
This four storey department store is the brainchild of Comme Des Garçons founder Rei Kawakubo, so expect beautifully displayed high fashion which makes even a window-shopping trip worthwhile.
Foyles
107 Charing Cross Road WC2H 0DT
Booksellers
Opening Times
London’s biggest book shop (their website boasts that they have over four miles of shelves) has everything you could possibly want, with a particularly wonderful section devoted to art and oversized books.They also stock world, jazz and classical CDs, and there’s a café on the fifth floor.
This indoor ice skating rink in Leyton is open all year round. You can turn up to skate or join a class – there’s both group and individual tuition for all ages. There are also nearly 800 seats if you’d rather sit back and watch the action. The centre is home to the local hockey team, and participants on ITV’s Dancing On Ice often train here.
This indoor antiques market is the largest in the capital, with four floors of ceramics, light fittings, glassware and much more. Vintage clothing, jewellery and accessories are also sold, and the top floor café offers lunch and views over London.
It may look gloomy outside, but that doesn’t mean you should too! Pamper yourself at one of the city’s – make that the world’s - most luxurious spas. The facilities include relaxation rooms, a hydrotherapy pool and amethyst crystal steam rooms, which are essentially steam rooms containing chunks of amethyst which are meant to aid healing and relaxation.
