Valentine’s Day 2025 | A Selection Box of 38 Date Ideas
Remember the heady times of Valentine’s Day just a few years ago, when the most romantic gesture you could make for your SO was to do the washing up and take them on a slightly different route round the park…
…well, London’s back to its vibrant, dazzling self again, and so the pressure’s on to put together something a leetle more impressive this Valentine’s. You know, the kind of evening that simultaneously says ‘pshh, we’re so above this cynical annual marketing exercise,’ while also saying, ‘you are my entire universe and I will prove this by planning a legendary evening of romance, the likes of which you’ve never seen before.’
Here are a few ideas that say (pretty much, some might paraphrase it a little) exactly that…
LOOK DOWN UPON THE PEASANTS REST OF LONDON
Take your date to The Sky Garden and get dinner next to the window.
Details: 14th & 15th February | Sky Gardens | £21+
GO TO A MASSIVE, INVITE-ONLY SINGLES PARTY
Dinner For 100 are putting on their biggest event yet, in collaboration with Pizzeria Mozza – and you need to apply to get in…
Details: 13th February | Treehouse Hotel, 14-15 Langham Place, London W1B 2QS | £53
GET YOUR SPINES TINGLED BY THE ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Playing at the sumptuous Cadagon Hall, they’ll be belting out classics from great composers and great movies alike…
Details: 14th February | Cadagon Hall, SW1X 9DQ | £28+
TAKE YOUR DATE TO AFTERNOON TEA
It’s surely the most romantic of all the teas.
GIVE YOUR DATE THE SHAFT
…Specifically the surprisingly atmospheric tunnel shaft at the Brunel Museum, where you’ll hear the story of Marc & Sophia Brunel “a tale of romance and resilience at the heart of one of the world’s greatest engineering feats”.
Details: 14th February | Brunel Museum, SE16 4LF | £20+
GO ON A DATE WITH AN ANIMAL
The Farm Lates at Vauxhall City Farm involves an “exclusive VIP Meet & Greet animal experience” followed by dinner and drinks in their farm bar.
Details: 15th February | Vauxhall City Farm, SE11 5HS | £15+
SEE SOME GLITZY CABARET
Gatsby With Love is playing for two days only at the London Cabaret Club.
Details: 14th & 15th February | The London Cabaret Club, WC1B 4DA | £113+
SCARE THE ABSOLUTE BEJEESUS OUT OF THEM
By sending them down the world’s longest & tallest tunnel slide (178m, looping you a dozen times), which is reopening for V-Day.
Details: From 14th February | ArcelorMittal Orbit, Queen Elizabeth Park, E20 2AD | £14
GO TO A SPECTACULAR DINNER DANCE
Lovers X Haters at Bourne & Hollingsworth involves live music, belly dancing, a three-course dinner, a DJ, and a lot of fun.
Details: 15th February | Bourne & Hollingsworth Buildings, EC1R 0HU | £80
SEE A MOVIE ON A ROOFTOP
The £80 ticket sounds steep until you find out it includes dinner at JOIA too…
Details: 13th-16th February | JOIA, SW11 8BJ | £80 (including dinner)
GO TO A GOOD OL’ BARN DANCE
The barn is more of a chapel really, but the dancing bit is bang-on.
Details: 15th February | The Round Chapel, E5 0LY | £10+
SEE SOME 35MM MOVIES AT THE PRINCE CHARLES
From the achingly cool In The Mood For Love, to the heartbreaking Portrait Of A Lady On Fire, the romantic True Romance, the bromantic Hot Fuzz, and the obligatory Romeo + Juliet.
Details: February | The Prince Charles, WC2H 7BY | £14
LISTEN TO MUSIC FROM SOME ROMANTIC-AS-F**K MOVIES
The Barbican is going to play host to a live orchestra playing hits from Love Actually, Romeo + Juliet, Amélie, La La Land, Titanic, and tons more.
Details: 14th February | The Barbican, EC2Y 8DS | £16.50+
CHECK OUT A CANDLELIT CONCERT
Beethoven, Chopin, a sh*tload of candles, and a beautiful central London church. ‘Romantic’ may not be strong enough a word.
Details: 14th February | St George’s Church, W1S 1FX | £20+
WOO YOUR DATE WITH A BESPOKE POEM…
…written by typewriter poet Luke Davis, while you sip special Valentine’s cocktails at The Coral Room.
Details: 14th February, 11.30am-7.30pm | The Coral Room, WC1B 3NN | Book a table for drinks here
SIP HOT COCKTAILS ON A PRIVATE ROOF TERRACE
The (heated) rooftop at Soho’s Ham Yard Hotel is open only to hotel guests – and the occasional pop-up, which in this case happens to be a hot cocktail bar with a martini trolley…
Details: Until 24th February | Ham Yard Hotel, W1D 7DT | £18+
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HAVE THE FANCIEST VALENTINE’S DAY MEAL HAD BY ANYONE, EVER
Sure, it’s a bit early. But your date will be all the more surprised… if getting a three course dinner in an 18th century painted hall wasn’t already surprising enough.
Details: 14th February | The Painted Hall, Old Royal Naval College, SE10 9NN | £125
GIVE EACH OTHER MOBSTER NAMES AND DANCE AT THE CANDLELIGHT CLUB
Aside from live swing bands, cabaret and Champagne, they also have a fortune teller who can categorically state if you’ve found The One. Probably.
Details: 15th February | A Secret Location | £30+
TAKE YOUR DATE TO THE MOON AND BACK
At this dazzling new 360º exhibition… narrated by none other than Tom Hanks.
Details: Until 27th April | Lightroom, N1C 4DY | £25+
GO ON AN ADVENTURE TOGETHER IN LONDON
Explore a new neighbourhood with one of our perfectly planned date ideas…
ATTEND AN ‘EROTIC DINNER’ AT THE CENTURY CLUB’S ROOFTOP
They’re promising a three-course feast, live music, aphrodisiac oils and ‘erotic cabaret’…
Details: 15th February | The Century Club, W1D 6LQ | £80
BOOK INTO ONE OF LONDON’S MOST ROMANTIC RESTAURANTS
Candlelight, cosy booths and tucked-away tables… oh, and we’ve sorted your nightcap spot, too.
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SPEND ALL DANCING WITH YOUR DATE
At Big Penny Social, where the free evening will involve a live band, and a free glass of bubbly for anyone who books a table in advance…
Details: 14th February, 6pm-1am | Big Penny Social, E17 6AL | Free
GO FOR AN EVENING WANDER ROUND BATTERSEA POWER STATION
Take in this year’s winter light trail, then hole up at Wright Brothers Battersea for oysters and Champagne overlooking the river.
Details: Until 23rd February | Battersea Power Station, SW8 5BN | Free–
SOAR UP A CHIMNEY TO AN AMAZING PANORAMIC VIEW
Lift 109
Resist the urge to sing ‘Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher’ on the way up.
Details: Battersea Power Station, SW8 5BN | £17+
WANDER THROUGH A GLASSHOUSE FULL OF ORCHIDS AFTER HOURS
James Gifford-Mead © RBG Kew
Sip cocktails, snack on Peruvian food, and watch live performances after hours at Kew Orchids Festival.
Details: 7th, 8th, 14th, 15th, 21st & 22nd February | Kew Gardens, TW9 3AE | £20
HEAD TO ONE OF LONDON’S BEST SEAFOOD RESTAURANTS
The Seafood Bar, Soho
Time to put the whole ‘oysters are aphrodisiacs’ theory to the test.
DISTIL YOUR OWN LOVERS’ GIN
At Half Hitch, you can each bring an ingredient and make your own bespoke spirit.
Details: Throughout February | Unit 53 Camden Lock Place, NW1 8AF | £70
HOLD YOUR OWN BAR GAME OLYMPICS
Plot a crawl around London’s top activity bars, and duke it out over crazy golf, pétanque, and virtual clay pigeon shooting.
SEE SOMETHING WONDERFUL AT THE THEATRE
Claaassic date territory – and we’ve got recommendations for dinner and drinks nearby, too. See What’s On In London’s Theatres Now – and how to get cheap theatre tickets, so you can spend more on dinner.
BOOK TICKETS TO THE PLUSHEST CINEMA IN TOWN
The Electric Cinema has velvet back-row sofas where you can flout the PG rating when the lights go down – or take a look at these other great independent cinemas in London.
Details: Electric Cinema Portobello & White City | £50 for two
LEARN HOW THEY DO IT ON THE DISCOVERY CHANNEL
At the Natural History Museum’s Valentine’s late, with experts talking about animal courtship, cocktails, a live harpist, and after-hours access to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition. Alternatively, give your date the silent treatment at the headphones-only disco the previous night.
Details: 13th (disco) & 14th February | The Natural History Museum, SW7 5BD | £40
HAVE A COUPLES’ SPA DAY AT BANYA NO 1
A typically romantic session involving ice cold water and getting whacked with branches. But if for some reason that doesn’t interest you, you could always hit up one of these other great saunas in London instead.
Details: Hoxton: 17 Micawber Street, N1 7TB | Chiswick: 404-406 Chiswick High Road, W4 5TF | From £80pp
WATCH ROMEO + JULIET IN A 1950s BALLROOM
The Rivoli Ballroom literally hasn’t changed in almost 70 years.
Details: 13th & 14th February | 350 Brockley Road, SE4 2BY | £10-12
CONCOCT A CUSTOM SCENT WITH YOUR VALENTINE
Create a perfume that’ll set pulses racing.
Details: 53 Monmouth St, WC2H 9DG | Book a consultation
SHARE A PIE WITH YOUR LOVER
Take your cutie pie to Dusty Knuckle Bakery for a wholesome dinner of Willy’s Pies and other deliciousness.
Details: 14th February | The Dusty Knuckle Bakery, E8 3DP | Book a table–
Dina adds yet another talent to its ever-expanding line up of pop up chefs, welcoming Dan Chambers (Bambi, Brunswick House) to take over the stoves for two weeks.
Details: 13th-15th & 20th-22nd February | 289 High Rd Leytonstone, E11 4HH | Book a table
…AND CAP IT ALL OFF WITH AN OVERNIGHT STAY
The most romantic boutique hotels in London await…
Looking for more inspiration? Here’s 101 London Date Ideas that are winners all year round…
