Just you
Things to do alone in London
Doing things alone in London is one of the city's great pleasures. Nobody to agree with, nobody to wait for: just the thing itself.
These quests are built for one, from hunting for treasure on the Thames foreshore to blowing your own glass or settling into a Victorian reading room with a book.
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Blow a piece of molten glass on a SaturdayA three-hour hands-on session at a working hot shop where you make two pieces to collect a week later.
Develop a roll of film and print it by handA taster in a working communal darkroom: process black-and-white film, then make a print under the enlarger.
Sir John Soane's MuseumFree; the architect's house left as in 1837. Open Wed-Sun 10:00-17:00 (last entry 16:30). 90-person cap, no advance booking for general entry - arrive at 10:00 to avoid queues. Narrow, no lifts. Free Private Apartment tours Wed/Fri/Sun 2pm (first-come). Paid Highlights Tour ~£25.
Daunt Books / beautiful bookshops crawlFree browsing in stunning shops. Daunt's original Edwardian shop is on Marylebone High Street W1; other branches in Hampstead NW3, Holland Park W11, Belsize Park NW3 and Cheapside EC2.
Sound bath / gong meditationLie down & get 'bathed' in gong/singing-bowl sound; sessions at studios & yoga spaces citywide. ~£15-30. Book ahead.
Read or work in the City of London's historic Guildhall Library, no appointment neededGuildhall Library is the City's free public reference library on London history. You can walk in to browse the open shelves, use it as a quiet study space, or look up family history on Ancestry and the British Newspaper Archive.
Sit in a hide and learn to tell birds apartA 100-acre wetland reserve inside Zone 3 with hides, walkways and a bird-of-the-day board.
Letterpress / printmakingTraditional hands-on printing workshops (e.g. London print studios). Day classes; book ahead.
Barbican Conservatory (free)Free tropical glasshouse on select days
Sauna to live DJs, then sit on in the listening lounge, in PeckhamSauna Social Club has two Finnish-style saunas and four ice baths, and a lounge with tea, games and books where live musicians and DJs play during Ambient sessions, piped into the sauna. It is meant as a sober alternative to the pub.
Wellcome CollectionFree; medicine, art & being human + free reading room. Closed Mondays. Free events.
Night photography walkShoot the city lit up after darkBBOXX / Black-owned business meetupNetworking for Black founders & entrepreneurs; search current Black-business mixers on Eventbrite.
North Downs Way day hikes153-mile trail; walk single scenic sections. Easy access via Dorking, Box Hill & Westhumble, Otford or Guildford. Free.
Jewellery taster weekend – London Jewellery WorkshopCourses for all levels at Unit 18, Sunbury Workshops, Swansfield Street, London E2 7LF. The way in is the weekend taster — two days, 10.30am to 4.30pm, and you go home with two or three finished pieces. Also private tuition, wedding ring sessions, hen parties and workshop hire. Book online, or contact info@londonjewelleryworkshop.co.uk / 020 3417 8389.
Whittle your own lime-wood spoon in a day in SouthwarkA full-day beginners' carving class where a City & Guilds-trained carver shows you how to shape a spoon from seasoned lime, with a straight or heart cut-out handle, to take home.
Learn horticulture without doing a degreePractical short courses in gardening, plants and horticulture — the useful parts of a horticulture qualification without enrolling for three years.Wim Hof / cold-water breathworkWorkshops teaching the breathing method + cold exposure; certified instructors run London sessions. Or do the real thing at the Hampstead ponds. Book a workshop.
UCL Minds public lecturesFree talks, performances & exhibitions across disciplines
Stamp collecting (Royal Philatelic Society)World's oldest philatelic society; talks & library
British Library events & talksAuthor talks, history, science; treasures gallery free
Highgate Cemetery tourVictorian garden cemetery on Swain's Lane; Marx, George Michael, Douglas Adams, Christina Rossetti. Advance tickets needed; guided tours access areas you can't see alone.Creative Equals (inclusive creative)Diversity org for the creative industry - 'Talkshops', programmes & networking. Register per event.
Watch a giant Victorian testing machine in action on a weekend tour in SouthwarkA volunteer-led tour of the Kirkaldy Testing Museum on Southwark Street; the longer premium tours include a demonstration run of the huge Kirkaldy testing machine.
British MuseumFree permanent collection (Rosetta Stone, Egyptian mummies, Parthenon sculptures). A timed entry ticket is now recommended to guarantee entry; some walk-up available. £5 suggested donation. Paid special exhibitions.
Black-owned wellness / yoga sessionYoga, sound baths & wellness run by/for the Black community; search current sessions.Animation / claymation workshopMake a short animation
Dig through thousands of vintage pieces at ATIKAOne of London's biggest vintage stores, spread over multiple rooms by era and style — 90s, Y2K, denim, sportswear, designer. Go with time and no particular plan.
Trainspotting / railway enthusiast groupSpotting spots + heritage railway groups
Kyoto Garden, Holland Park (free)Tranquil Japanese garden; go early
Get an espresso at 2am in Soho's late-night Italian coffee barStand at the counter or take a pavement seat at a Frith Street coffee bar that has been there since 1949 and stays open until 4am. A good alcohol-free end to a night out.
Spend an afternoon in the restored Turkish baths at Ironmonger Row near Old StreetThe Victorian-era Turkish baths at Ironmonger Row have a thermal spa with saunas, aroma steam rooms, three Turkish hot rooms, ice fountains, monsoon showers, a plunge pool, a hammam and a relaxation lounge. Treatments can be added.
Read two articles and argue about them over drinks in the National Theatre barSunday Assembly London's Article Club: members vote on two articles (one current affairs, one history, culture or science), read them in advance, then discuss and score them on the soft seats of the Lyttelton bar. Sometimes they go on to the pub.
Genealogy / local history societyDig into family & London history
Mountain biking – Lee Valley / SurreyTrails & a velopark near youPublic golf course (pay & play)Pay-and-play public courses across London/Surrey, many reachable by train - green fees ~£26-40 (more at weekends). No membership needed; book a tee time online.
Black-owned bakery / patisserieHard-dough bread, bun & cheese, hibiscus cakes & more from Black-owned bakeries; find one near you.
Ride the banking of an Olympic velodromeA coached hour on a fixed-wheel track bike on the 2012 Olympic boards, bike and helmet included.Black Cultural ArchivesThe UK's only national heritage centre on African & Caribbean history in Britain. Exhibitions, archive, bookshop & events; some exhibits free, some ~£3-5. At 1 Windrush Square, Brixton SW2.
Questions people ask
- What can you do alone in London?
- Museums and galleries, bookshop crawls, mudlarking on the Thames foreshore, craft workshops like glassblowing or film developing, sound baths, saunas and quiet library reading rooms are all easy and enjoyable on your own.
- Is it weird to do things alone in London?
- Not at all. Workshops, galleries, cinemas and running clubs are full of people on their own, and many of the quests here are designed for one.
- Where can you meet people if you're on your own in London?
- Try our guide to meeting new people in London: social sports leagues, choirs, dance classes, debating clubs and supper clubs are all built for turning up alone.
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