The nights are getting colder.
Which is ironic, because your love life is about to get scorchio.
We’ve collated all the most festive, fur-lined, cold-weather appropriate dates into one handy guide for you, from private igloos with fondue to snow-dusted ballets, rooftop bars, light trails, ice sculptures and more. So next time you pitch date night…
…you won’t get a frosty reception.
Rent A Dining Snowglobe By The River
Feat. fondue and hot apple mojitos. READ MORE
Details: Open from 5th November | By The Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, Southbank, South London, SE1 8XX
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Watch The Nutcracker
Because nothing says ‘winter’ like sparkly tutus, Christmas trees, and a giant rat king battling a nutcracker brought to life.
Details: 23rd November – 8th January 2022 | Royal Opera House, Bow Street, London WC2E 9DD | £1-135
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Attend A Christmas Extravaganza in An Art Deco Cinema
Festive movies, live soundtracks, dancing and mulled wine. READ MORE
Details: 1st – 31st December | The Troxy, 490 Commercial Road, E1 0HX | £15
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Go Ice Skating, Then Warm Up With Cocoa
Or mulled wine. Or fondue. Or all of the above. SEE THE BEST RINKS IN LONDON
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Go Off-Piste At The Montague Ski Lodge
And enjoy hot chocolate cocktails and candied pecans, without any of that pesky pre-après-ski exercise.
Details: Weekends from 10th November – 19th December | The Montague, 15 Montague Street, London WC1B 5BJ | £50pp (inc. festive platter & 3 drinks)
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Sail London’s Waterways, In A Hot Tub
Yes, the idea of changing into a swimsuit in November is terrifying. But that’ll soon pale into insignificance once you’re enjoying balmy 38ºC water and your own bar… READ MORE
Details: Open daily | West India Quay, Off Hertsmere Road, Canary Wharf, London E14 4AL | £225-250 for 75 mins (50% off Mon-Wed in Nov)
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Go Curling
Learn the mysterious art of curling, and brush off the competition.
Details: Thursday & Friday evenings | Queens Skate, Dine & Bowl, 17 Queensway, Bayswater, W2 4QP | £10.50pp
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Cosy Up In A Ski Lodge By The River
Share a baked camembert… but don’t expect to share your hot brandy cocktail. READ MORE
Details: Open Wed-Sun | Winterland, Albert Wharf, Wandsworth Bridge Road, SW6 2TY
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Snack on Staffordshire Oatcakes at Coleman’s
Bex Walton/Flickr
Smoky bacon pancakes, served with exceptional coffee. READ MORE
Details: Open daily, 9am-3pm | 20 Lower Marsh, London SE1 7RJ
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Catch Dinner & A Snow in Covent Garden
Flurries will be falling every day between 12 and 6pm, on the hour – and as for dinner, we’ve got that sorted HERE.
Details: 2nd December – 3rd January | Covent Garden
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Dine On The Polar Express (a.k.a. Duck & Waffle)
Spoiler: it has better views than a real train. READ MORE
Details: Open 24/7 | Heron Tower, 110 Bishopsgate, Liverpool Street, The City and East London, EC2N 4AY | Book here
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Scoff Poutine On A Rooftop
Then burn it off again on the rooftop ice rink. READ MORE
Details: Open Thurs-Sun from 5th November | Skylight, Pennington St. Car Park, Wapping Lane, E1W 2SF | Skating £15pp
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Watch Festive Films On A Floating Cinema
Beanbags, mulled wine, and… buoyancy. READ MORE
Details: 29th November – 5th December | St. Katharine Docks, London E1W 1LA | £15, book here
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Wander Round A City Made of Gingerbread
Then join a workshop to build your own house – and see if your relationship has solid foundations. READ MORE
Details: 4th December – 9th January | 6-7 Motcomb Street, Knightsbridge, SW1X 8JU | £8.50
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Peruse A Gin Flight Together
The London Gin Club is back, and has hit maximum cosiness. READ MORE
Details: Open Wed-Sun | The London Gin Club, 22 Great Chapel Street, Soho, W1F 8FR | Book here
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Explore A Time-Warped House By Candlelight
Mulled wine, crackling fires and a no-talking rule: perfect if you want to avoid any awkward first-date silences. READ MORE
Details: 25th November – 9th January | Dennis Severs’ House, 18 Folgate Street, E1 6BX | £20, book here
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Watch Festive Flicks in A Frosty Forest
Ok, but it literally does not get more Christmassy than this.
Details: Until 3rd January | Backyard Cinema, Capital Studios, Ram Quarter, 13 Wandsworth Plain, London, SW18 1ET | From £19.99
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Stroll Around A Festive Light Trail
The perfect backdrop to some illuminating conversation. See the best light trails in London
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Take A Midnight Dip at Hampton Lido
Yes, it’s heated. And yes, there are cocktails and glowstick bracelets. READ MORE
Details: 26th November – 9th January | Hampton Pool, Hampton High Street, TW12 2ST | £12
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Choose Your Own Adventure at Taste of London
This year’s festive edition includes stalls by Hoppers and Heritage, chef demos, live music, seven bars, aaand… crazy golf.
Details: 18th – 21st November | Tobacco Quay, Wapping Lane, London E1W 2SF | £17
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Stock Up Your Stockings at The London Christmas Beer Market
Then rapidly deplete that stock.
Details: 19th & 20th November | Truman Brewery, 83 Brick Lane, London, E1 6QR | £20
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Go Curling in King’s Cross
And show off your sporting prowess… if you’ve got the stones.
Details: 11th November – 30th December | Coal Drops Yard, London N1C 4DQ | £5
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Brave Winter Wonderland
And carve out some time to see the Magical Ice Kingdom. READ MORE
Details: 19th November – 3rd January | Hyde Park | From £5-7.50, book ahead
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Book In To A Ludicrously Christmassy Bar
And enjoy a Miracle on Henrietta Street.
Details: 15th November – 23rd December | Da Henrietta, 14-15 Henrietta Street, WC2E 8QH | Book here
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Build-Your-Own Hot Toddies
© Matt Sills Photography
Bespoke whisky warmers made at your table in a pop up country house…
Details: Open Tues-Sat evenings | Rosewood London, 252 High Holborn, London, WC1V 7EN | Book here
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Feast On A Huge Thanksgiving Meal
And give thanks for Joe Allen, where they’ll be serving roast turkey with all the trimmings, and PB & jelly ice cream sandwiches…
Details: 25th November | Joe Allen, 2 Burleigh Street, WC2E 7PX | £65 for 3 courses, book here
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Learn To Make Cocktails by Candlelight
Then learn to make the candle, too…
Details: 11th November – 31st December | 15 Shorts Gardens, Seven Dials, London, WC2H 9AT | £60
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Pull Off A Mixed Reality Heist
Then enjoy some mixed drinks at The Natural Philosopher. READ MORE
Details: 21st November – 4th December | Hoxton Docks, 55 Laburnum Street, E2 8BD | £30
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Book In To Gunpowder Soho
Deliciously warming Indian dishes in seriously date-worthy surrounds. READ MORE
Details: Open for lunch & dinner, Mon-Sat | 20 Greek Street, W1D 4EF | Book here
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Stroll Around A Christmas Market
See who can buy the most unusual bauble for the other person. See London’s best Christmas markets
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Sip From 30,000 Vintages at This New Wine Bar
Seeing red here is definitely a good thing. READ MORE
Details: Open Tues-Sat | The Red Room, The Connaught Hotel, Carlos Place, W1K 2AL | No bookings
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Feast on Flatbread at The Barbary Next Door
One of Covent Garden’s best restaurants has coupled up… and it’s a great spot for you to do the same. READ MORE
Details: Open for dinner Tues-Sat | 16a Neal’s Yard, London WC2H 9DP | Book here
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Listen To The Horne Section
They’re not completely terrible.
Details: 26th November | Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX | £25
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Bunker Down in A Cocktail Bar Below A Church
Don’t worry – they don’t only accept cryptocurrency. READ MORE
Details: Open Wed-Sat | Below Stone Nest, 136 Shaftesbury Avenue, W1D 5EZ | No bookings
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Run Away To The Circus
Contortionists, high-wire acts and life-sized elephant puppets. READ MORE
Details: 16th December – 2nd January 2022 | Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX | £25-115
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Grab Cocktails in Gotham
Specifically, the Iceberg Lounge, complete with frozen penguin. READ MORE
Details: Open Tues-Sun | Park Row, 77 Brewer St, W1F 9ZN | Book here
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Take A Dinner Cruise Along London’s Canals
With live jazz on Wednesday evenings.
Details: 17th & 24th November | The Prince Regent, Sheldon Square, London W2 6PY | £80, book here
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Crack The Mystery of Consciousness at The Science Museum’s Late
Then space out at the boozy milkshake bar.
Details: 24th November | Science Museum, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2DD | Free, book ahead
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Eat Street Food & Dance to Brass Bands
At the winter incarnation of this sprawling pop-up. READ MORE
Details: Tues-Sun, 18th November – 23rd December | Queen’s Walk, South Bank SE1 | Free entry except for Sat after 5pm: £3
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Dress in Tweed, Go Virtual Clay Shooting
The couple that clay together, stay together. READ MORE
Details: Open daily | Clays, 55 Moorgate, EC2R 6LL | £40 per booth (off-peak only for groups of 2)
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Float The Idea of Dinner at Hawksmoor
Then have dinner at this floating Hawksmoor. READ MORE
Details: Opens 25th November | 1 Water Street (really), E14 5GX | Book here
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Commandeer A Rooftop Igloo
You know, by booking ahead then politely turning up at the agreed time and place. READ MORE
Details: Open daily | Aviary, 22-25 Finsbury Square, EC2A 1DX | Book here
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Watch Burlesque at Soho’s Illicit New Drinking Den
A three-storey townhouse to explore, with cocktails in hand. READ MORE
Details: Open Mon-Sat | Louche, 5 Greek Street, W1D 4DD | Book here
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Sip Rum Cocktails & Listen To Live Cuban Music
Including an authentic recreation of the world’s first daiquiri. READ MORE
Details: Open Tues-Sun | Bar La Rampa, 7-8 Market Place, W1W 8AG | Book here
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Visit An Alice In Wonderland-Themed Rooftop Bar
Perfect for a very important date. READ MORE
Details: Open daily from 5th November | Queen of Hoxton, 1 Curtain Road, London, EC2A 3JX | Book here
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Looking for more date ideas? See what else is happening in London this month…