Things to do in Kensington

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

A sporting complex built for the 2012 Summer Olympics and the 2012 Summer Paralympics, the park contains the athletes' Olympic Village and several of the sporting venues, including the Olympic Stadium and London Aquatics Centre.

Wimbledon

Home to the world’s oldest tennis tournament which was first held in 1887, the Wimbledon is one of the four annual Grand Slam tennis tournaments held around the world.

Lord’s Cricket Ground

This is the official ‘Home of Cricket’.  Opened in June 1814, it is the most famous cricket grounds in the world.

Shakespeare’s Globe

The Globe Theatre was a theatre in London associated with William Shakespeare. The original building was once destroyed, and the present one was opened in 1997.

National Theatre

A prominent theatre company that presents new plays, classic drama and Shakespeare productions.

The Wallace Collection

Located in an historic London townhouse, the Wallace Collection was once the grand home of Sir Richard and Lady Wallace.  The museum houses a world-famous range of fine and decorative arts from the 15th to the 19th centuries with large holdings of French 18th-century pieces. Works by Titian, Canaletto, Rembrandt and Velàquez can also be found here.

Queen’s Gallery

The Queen's Gallery was constructed 40 years ago at the Buckingham Palace, out of the bomb-damaged ruins of a chapel. It exhibits works of art from the Royal Collection on a rotating basis, with about 450 works on display at any one time. 

Dulwich Picture Gallery

Founded in 1811, the England's first purpose-built art gallery houses one of the world's most important collections of European Old Master paintings. Dating from 1600s to the 1700s, the collection includes works by Rembrandt, Van Dyck, Poussin and Canaletto.

Courtauld Gallery

The Courtauld Gallery is one of the finest art museums in the world and best known for its outstanding Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings and drawings. Displayed in the elegant Somerset House, world-famous artists from Monet and Botticelli to Van Gogh can be seen alongside a changing programme of temporary exhibitions.

Guildhall Art Gallery and Roman Amphitheatre

The gallery was established in 1886 as "a Collection of Art Treasures worthy of the capital city", with works dating from 1670 to the present, including 17th-century portraits, Pre-Raphaelite masterpieces and a fascinating range of paintings documenting London's dramatic history.

Glimpses of the former Roman amphitheatre can be witnessed here where thousands gathered to watch wild animal fights and gladiatorial combats, 2000 years ago.

Hayward Gallery

It is the only gallery in the world created in the Brutalist style of architecture – a striking concrete form that Londoners either love or hate.   It hosts three to four temporary modern or contemporary exhibitions each year.

Aatchi Gallery

The gallery has been a major influence in the British art scene since its opening and serves as a career springboard to budding artists.  In 2010, it became the Museum of Contemporary Art for London which since is open to the public. 

Victoria & Albert Museum

The world's greatest museum of art and design represents more than 3,000 years of human creativity. Some of the highlights include the Medieval Renaissance galleries, which are home to some of the greatest surviving treasures from the period, the jewelry gallery and the British Galleries.

Tate Modern

A national museum of modern and contemporary art - Picasso, Rothko, Dali and Matisse, that is open to all for free.

Tate Britain

London's Tate Britain holds the largest collection of British art in the world from 1500 to the present day. It is the oldest gallery in England, having opened in 1897 and houses a substantial collection of the works of J. M. W. Turner.

Royal Academy of Arts

The Royal Academy of Arts, founded in 1768, is the oldest fine arts institution in Britain. Situated in the heart of London's West End on Piccadilly, it is a place where art is made, exhibited and debated. It is universally renowned for hosting some of the capital's finest temporary and touring exhibitions.

National Portrait Gallery

The National Portrait Gallery houses the world’s largest collection of personalities and faces, from the late Middle Ages to the present day. Artists featured range from Holbein to Hockney, and the collection includes works across all media, from painting and sculpture to photography and video.

Barbican Centre

The Barbican in London is Europe's largest arts centre, comprising a concert hall, theatres, cinemas, art galleries, shops and a conservatory. It is also a base for the London Symphony Orchestra.

Boxpark

Based in the heart of East London, Boxpark Shoreditch is the world’s first pop-up mall and the home of the pop-up store, with more than sixty carefully chosen fashion brands and food and drink retailers.

Canary Wharf

Here in Canada Square, it is a shoppers’ paradise with a huge shopping centre that opens seven days a week. Sleek and modern, it boasts more than 200 shops, with major high-street chains as well as a good selection of designer stores.

Spitalfields Market

One of London’s best markets since the early 17th century. it now houses fashion, jewelry, food and music stalls which are best to visit on a Sunday.

Portobello Market

Here at the Portobello Market, shops and stalls open daily. There is an antiques market that opens on Saturdays, a flea market on Portobello Green on Sunday mornings as well as an organic foods market on Thursdays.

Notting Hill

The Notting Hill is a venue famous for its vast array of small, unique shops selling unusual and vintage clothing, rare antiques, quirky gifts, books and organic food. The Portobello Road Market is nearby – a mile-long (1.6km) street with a vibrant array of different stalls set out daily.

Savile Row

Known worldwide as the home of bespoke British tailoring, Savile Row is the place to go for a handmade suit crafted the old-fashioned way. On the corner of this "golden mile" of tailoring is the Abercrombie & Fitch flagship store.

King’s Road

The King’s Road excites with an eclectic mix of trendy boutiques, unique labels, designer shops and high-street staples, alongside a vast array of cafes and eateries.

Westfield London

The largest urban shopping centre in Europe where you'll find high street favourites including Debenhams, Next, Marks & Spencer and House of Fraser. There are also more than 275 luxury, premium and high-street retailers showcasing over 700 brands as well as a cinema, gym and several dining establishments.

Silver Vaults

A world renowned place for both locals and tourists, lanes of shops are housed in incredibly ‘secure subterranean vaults’ prized with the largest collection of silver in the world under one roof. From cutlery sets to picture frames and jewelry, you are bound to find all types of silverware here.

Carnaby Street

This is a pedestrianised shopping street located near Oxford Street and Regent Street. It is home to numerous fashion and lifestyle retailers, including a large number of independent fashion boutiques.

Borough Market

Borough Market is London’s most renowned food market - a source of exceptional British and international produce.

Rodizio Preto

A perfect choice for meat lovers, the restaurant serves good quality barbecued meats and other traditional Brazilian dishes at reasonable prices.

The Orangery

A delightful café, located in a pretty conservatory that overlooks the Kensington Gardens, serving tea, coffee and lunch.

Churchill Arms

A large and welcoming Victorian pub, filled with bric-a-brac and Churchill memorabilia.   The pub serves affordable Thai food served in the conservatory.

France Racine

Here you will find Authentic French cooking with plenty of garlic-infused dishes in a wonderfully ‘Parisian’ atmosphere.

Green Man & French Horn

This bar-cum-restaurant is a long, narrow room with wooden furniture, bare brick walls, monochrome floor tiles and a long bar illuminated by factory lamps.  The food is influenced by seasonal market produce, recipes and specialities of The Loire River, from the hills in the Ardèche to the oyster beds on the coast of Saint Nazaire.

Medlar

A high-end, modern French restaurant with global influences, served in an understated dining room.

New World

This restaurant is adorned with red lanterns hanging high up in the huge red and gold dining rooms spread over several floors. It is one of the few places in town which offers a traditional dim-sum trolley experience.

Joy King Lau

A great place for Dim Sum with excellent value. The décor, menu and service is the epitome of old meets new.

Dumpling’s Legend

These scrumptious Shanghainese dumplings are sometimes called ‘soup dumplings’ which are steamed parcels containing both filling and ‘broth’

Ippudo

Well-known for its tonkotsu with pork loin slices and crunchy kikurage (“cloud-ear” mushroom) served over thin handmade noodles (in a dish called Shiromaru Hakata Classic). Vegans should definitely try the seaweed and mushroom-broth version topped with fried tofu.

Bocca di Lupo

The restaurant specialises in ‘the obscure and the delicious highlights of food and wine from all across Italy's twenty regions’.  The ingredients are either homemade or carefully sourced from around Italy.

Locanda Locatelli

A Michelin-starred Italian business restaurant that is ideal for business entertainments.

Pimlico Fresh

A wholesome choice for a healthy breakfast or lunch, serving homemade dishes from pies, soups, to lasagna and even warming bowls of porridge laced with honey and maple syrup.

Laughing Gravy

A highly relaxing restaurant and bar in a former foundry building, christened after Laurel and Hardy’s dog (also a colloquialism for whisky). The menu tantalizes with a combination of locally sourced food (cider-marinated lamb rump, pan-fried red mullet) and splendid roasts on Sunday.

Gun (Pub food)

A riverside pub set at the end of a pretty, cobbled street near Billingsgate Market.  The pub comprises a dining area with a terrace affording expansive views of the Thames. It is one of the best places to go for fresh fish and Portuguese classics, such as cataplana and estapada.

Golden Union Fish

A traditional-style, licensed fish and chip restaurant located in the heart of Soho, the restaurant has a distinct post-war ‘50s décor

Hawksmoor Spitafields

Well known for its prime cuts of matured beef and other British classics served in stripped-back, bare-brick surrounds. Hawksmoor favourites also include plum pudding belly ribs and the smooth potted smoked mackerel.

Clapham Common

One of London's largest open spaces with three ponds, tennis courts, grass pitches and a bandstand

Lee Valley Park

Stretching 26 miles (42 km) along the River Lee, from East India Docks, past the Olympic Park and up to Ware in Hertfordshire, this huge park offers green spaces, nature reserves and ample options for sports. Guided tours are conducted on the first Sunday of every month

Battersea Park

A park that is popular with joggers and families alike with the many play areas, Battersea Children's Zoo and a grand 1-km riverside promenade

Hampstead Heath

Hampstead Heath is just four miles from central London, with spectacular views of London from the top of the Parliament Hill. A perfect spot for kite-flying, strolls and picnics.

Greenwich Park

The oldest of the Royal Parks offers spectacular views over the river Thames, a perfect place to take a break between visiting Greenwich's other attractions.

Victoria Park

The Victoria Park is a large park, 86-hectare open space with canals, ponds, a pavilion, tennis courts and a sports ground.

Egg

A club venue with the best music from the world’s greatest DJ and has three different themed rooms, combining a variety of spaces indoors and outdoors that are open 24-hours.

KOKO

Seating up to 1,500, KOKO is host to both live music and club events. The building has undergone a massive refurbishment program which restored its original theatrical style, with six bars, a stage and a dance floor.

Cargo

This is Shoreditch’s premier entertainment venue that is perfect for parties.
The venue is housed under railway arches, showcasing an incredibly diverse range of music to a warm and friendly crowd. The club also offers tasty global street food canteen.

Passing Cloud

A club with an international appeal, good for parties that run into the early hours in the morning. The music is predominantly world-oriented, with African influence and appeal to crowds across all cultures.

333 Mother Bar

A 3-floor club with a low-lit bar, where DJs play a mix of dance floor classics.

Fabric

One of the world’s top clubs, Fabric is an exciting dance venue that showcases anything from hip hop, breakbeat, dubstep, drum and bass to electro and techno.

Café de Paris

Featuring disco and a restaurant in an elegant building, here you will find great entertainment with regular cabaret shows.

Ministry of Sound

A popular clubbing venue with four bars and dance floors was recently ranked seventh in the 2013 DJ Magazine top 100 clubs poll and has won the IDMA ‘World’s Best Sound System’ award for four  consecutive years.

Fulham Palace

This was once a manor house that became known as Fulham Palace because bishops were considered to be the ‘princes of the church’. Today, it is a sought-after venue for weddings, parties and corporate events.

Natural History Museum

A landmark museum of animals and natural phenomena, with hands-on exhibits and animatronic dinosaurs.

The Monument

Standing at 202 feet high, the Monument is the tallest isolated stone column in the world. It offers panoramic views of City of London.

Banqueting House

The Banqueting House, Whitehall, London, is the grandest and the only remaining component of the Palace of Whitehall. This magnificent building is particularly noted for its Rubens ceiling.

Hampton Court

A Royal Palace created in the Tudor period during the reign of King Henry VIII, the Hampton Court is the finest piece of Tudor architecture in Britain.

Maritime Greenwich

Maritime Greenwich was added to the list of World Heritage Sites in 1997 for the concentration and quality of buildings of historic and architectural interest in the area. The buildings are in clusters along the riverfront, in Greenwich Park, and in the Georgian and Victorian town centres.

Clarence House

Clarence House, which stands beside St James' Palace, was built between 1825 and 1827 for Prince William Henry, Duke of Clarence and once serves as the London home of Queen Elizabeth. Today, Clarence House is the official London residence of The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall.

St. Paul’s Cathedral

This is Church of England Cathedral, one of the most recognisable sights of London which was the venue for royal weddings as well as funeral services of several famous people, such as Sir Winston Churchill and Lord Nelson.

Westminster Abbey (Part of the Palace of Westminster, a UNESCO World Heritage Site)

The Abbey is a famous English Gothic monastery church where coronations of kings and queens took place since 1066.  A number of royal weddings also took place here, including that of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.

Boat and Pedalo Hire

fun boating on the Serpentine in Hyde Park during summer or take a ride on the UK’s first Solarshuttle that is powered by the sun.

Hyde Park

Well known for its Speakers’ Corner, Hyde Park is one of London's best-loved parks with more than 4,000 trees, a lake, a meadow and rose gardens.  Also located within is The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain.

Kensington Gardens

Home to the popular Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground, the Royal Park is a garden planted with formal avenues of magnificent trees and ornamental flower beds.

Kensington Roof Top

London’s only rooftop nightclub, the venue simply shines with glamour when night comes.

Raffles Nightclub

Established in 1967, this is one of the most prestigious and best loved private clubs in town.

Sketch Nightclub

Experience the Mayfair mansion in any of its two bars and two restaurants, and savour great wines amidst a style crowd as you become bedazzled by the ambience.

Mahiki

Mahiki is a London nightclub in Dover Street, well known for its celebrity clientele and well-loved for its exotic cocktails, happy and fun atmosphere.

Boujis Nightclub

Be part of the hottest crowds in town in a night of glamorous debauchery.

Leicester Square

Sitting in the entertainment heart of London, the London square is the site of most British film premiers, surrounded by clubs and bars.

The National Gallery

The National Gallery displays over 2,000 Western European paintings from the middle ages to the 20th century. Discover inspiring art by Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, Gainsborough, Turner, Renoir and Van Gogh.

Covent Garden

A truly distinctive place that features fashion, unique gifts, rare sweets, arts and crafts and handmade jewelry. Here, you will find the latest urban street wear, funky cosmetics and shoes on Neal Street.

London Eye

Enjoy views of up to 40km on board Europe’s tallest observation wheel.

Trafalgar Square

A must-see for visitors, the largest square in London is home to Nelson’s Column, iconic stone lions and the famous Fourth Plinth. 

The British Museum

Founded in 1753, the British Museum’s remarkable collection spans over two million years of human history. Here, you will find world-famous objects such as the Rosetta Stone, Parthenon sculptures and Egyptian mummies.

Houses of Parliament and Big Ben (Part of the Palace of Westminster, a UNESCO World Heritage Site)

A neo-Gothic masterpiece and seat of the UK government, the Big Ben is an iconic landmark of London and UK in general. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city.

Buckingham Palace

The official London residence of British monarchy since 1837 is the administrative headquarters of the Monarch today.

The Science Museum

The most visited science and technology museum in Europe has more than 15,000 objects on display, including the world famous Apollo 10 command capsule.

Kensington Palace

Fit for a Duchess, the palace is home to the British Royal Family including Prince William and Kate Middleton.

Victoria and Albert Museum

The world’s largest museum of decorative arts and design houses over 4.5 million objects of permanent collection.

Club Gascon

A Michelin-starred restaurant of haute cuisine, the restaurant specialises in the ‘imaginative’ cuisine from the South West of France. The place is furnished with heavy wooden screens, a serene and urbane room of grey and gold with marble panels.

Saatchi Gallery

National History Museum and Science Museum

Selfridges (Marble Arch tube)

Westfield Shopping Centre (Shepherds Bush tube)

Portobello Market (Notting Hill tube)

High Street Kensington

Sloane Square ‘Street Food market’ (only on Saturdays)

Sloane Street

Harvey Nichols

Harrods

Holland Park

Hyde Park

Kensington Gardens

O2 Shepherds Bush’s Empire (Shepherds Bush tube)

Hammersmith Apollo

Royal Albert Hall

The Park International Hotel

117 - 129 Cromwell Road
London, SW7 4DS

United Kingdom