Perspective is everything, and there’s no better way to drink in the night lights of London than by gazing down on them from above — and views of the city from the London Eye observation wheel are positively stunning once the sun goes down. Create a bespoke experience with a private capsule, chilled Champagne or a chocolate tasting.
Rambling the darkened streets is a great way to get up close and personal with local history. London Walks offers themed and guided two-hour treks, rain or shine, with night walks focusing on hidden pubs, Jack the Ripper, West End ghosts, Old Westminster by gaslight and Harry Potter locations. The wide, winding River Thames also offers a terrific point of view. For dinner cruises with live music and dancing, embark on a London Showboat cabaret cruise.
London is always a dazzling destination for theater and the arts. Upcoming: The city plays host to Robert Redford’s Sundance London, while the World Shakespeare Festival celebrates all things Bard-related at a variety of venues. Offering a stunning new take on a classic, The Imperial Ice Stars will perform Swan Lake on Ice at the Royal Albert Hall.
Major new exhibits — with evening hours — include “British Design 1948–2012” at the Victoria and Albert Museum, “Picasso and Modern British Art” at Tate Britain and an Alighiero Boetti retrospective at Tate Modern. Dickens fans can get their fix at the Museum of London’s “Dickens and London” exhibition.
Throughout summer, and at other select times of the year, private evening tours of Buckingham Palace can be scheduled. Other quintessential British experiences include taking in a well-lit cricket match at Lord’s, or observing democracy in action while attending a live post-dinner debate at the House of Commons.
Also this summer, Pride House London opens its doors July 26. Following the success of Pride House Whistler and Pride House Vancouver during the 2010 Winter Olympics, Pride House London aims to promote diversity and inclusion on a global scale, create awareness of homophobia in sport, encourage healthy and active lifestyles and bring communities together. Planned highlights include live music and entertainment, an art exhibition featuring LGBT artists, sports tournaments and demonstrations with special appearances by professional athletes.
London’s flourishing club scene includes the West End’s lively cabaret venue Café de Paris. On-trend dance excitement can be found at Fabric and Plan B, plus LGBT hotspots Heaven and Fire.
Buckingham Palace
royalcollection.org.uk
Café de Paris
cafedeparis.com
Fabric
fabriclondon.com
Fire
fireclub.co.uk
Heaven
heavennightclub-london.com
House of Commons
parliament.uk
London Eye
londoneye.com
London Showboat
citycruises.com
London Walks
walks.com
Lord’s Cricket Ground
lords.org
Museum of London
museumoflondon.org.uk
Official London Guide
visitlondon.com
Plan B
plan-brixton.co.uk
Pride House London
pridehouselondon.co.uk
Royal Albert Hall
royalalberthall.com
Sundance London
sundance-london.com
Tate Museums
tate.org.uk
Victoria and Albert Museum
vam.ac.uk
World Shakespeare Festival
worldshakespearefestival.org.uk
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FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.
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