South Kensington is a cultural haven. The place for science and the arts in London, it is home to museums, colleges, galleries, a fantastic park and so much more.
Go On A Tour Of Imperial College London
As part of Prince Albert’s vision for a cultural hub in Kensington, Imperial College has a rich and interesting history of development dating back to the nineteenth century.
If you want to explore the campus, you can book onto one of their student led tours for free via the website, or keep an eye out for their open days.
Imperial College London even offers accommodation to their visitors during the summer holidays in either student halls or, if you want to add a touch of class to your visit, 170 Queen’s Gate, a grade II listed Victorian town house, finished in 1889 by one of the most influential architects of the time, Norman Shaw.
Have a Pint at a Historic Pub
You can walk in the footsteps of Charles Dickens (who lived at no.11), by heading down Selwood Terrace to the Anglesea Arms.
You’d be forgiven for thinking you’ve been transported back to 1920s England, or an episode of Peaky Blinders in this quintessentially British pub.
There’s also a lovely terrace outside for those hot London days.
Take In A Concert At St Stephen’s Church
This grade II listed Anglican church, where T.S. Eliot was once churchwarden, regularly hosts concerts within its beautiful building for a minimal entry fee – check out their website to see what’s on when you visit and experience a concert with acoustics like no other!
Refine Your French At The Institut Francais Royaume-Uni
The Institut Francais is the French Cultural Institute, representing all things French in the U.K.
Say bonjour to courses in French, watch French cinema, read French literature, listen to French speakers, get the kids involved in French Children’s activities, festivals and so much more.
If you fancy reading a piece of French literature in a quiet space, you can visit La Mediatheque. Or, if you have children with you, the Bibliotheque Quentin Blake is a library dedicated to French children’s literature. Both have free wi-fi and reading rooms.
The Ciné Lumiére is one of London’s most fabulous cinemas, located within a grade II listed building and will certainly impress anyone who takes in a film there. It’s the perfect place for a romantic Parisian experience, in London!
Maitre Choux For Posh Pastries
Like pastries? You’ll love Maitre Choux.
Regularly posting their beautiful cakes on Instagram, these are the most photogenic cream eclairs you will ever taste – just pop by the window to see what’s on offer – they’re ridiculously beautiful, photo-worthy cakes.
Explore The History Of Music At The Royal College of Music
One for lovers of music, The Royal College of Music is another spectacular building.
Established in 1882 it is the top-rated college for performers in the U.K. Notable alumni include Benjamin Britten, Gustav Holst, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Anthony Hopkins.
You too can walk in their footsteps as the College holds various free events throughout the year, and the RCM museum is home to over 25,000 different musical items from history, including the earliest known guitar!
Explore The Baroque At Brompton Oratory Catholic Church
A must-see for lovers of architecture, this neo-classical church looks more like it should be in Budapest, not London.
Beautifully baroque inside and out, this nineteenth century church is often missed as the doors are closed, but you can pop inside to marvel at the beautiful interior and décor when mass isn’t on, free of charge (donations are of course welcome).
Mosaics, domes and ornate detailing make this church a wonderful stop when visiting South Kensington.
Discover the Secret Garden at Brompton Food Market
Just around the corner from South Kensington tube station is a lovely little café with a hidden gem out the back; a secret garden eating area in the heart of South Kensington.
It’s so cosy, quaint and also covered – they even provide blankets so you can warm yourself up – you really wouldn’t know it was there!
Wander around Kensington Gardens
Hyde Park covers a huge section of Central London but the Western section is actually Kensington Gardens and in my opinion this is the nicest part of the park.
Kensington Gardens has a range of little gardens within it, memorials like the Albert Memorial, cycling tracks, walking paths, ponds and of course Kensington Palace!
Located within Kensington Gardens are the Serpentine Galleries, each connected by a bridge over the Serpentine Lake. If you’re into contemporary art, then this is definitely for you.
A Relaxing Stroll Around Hyde Park
No visit to South Kensington would be complete without a stroll around Hyde Park.
The most diverse of the Royal Parks, Hyde Park regularly hosts concerts, large events such as Winter Wonderland, organised walks and marches and meetings, to name just a few of the things that may be going on!
If serenity is more your thing, you can boat on the Serpentine lake, take lunch in one of the cafes and restaurants or explore the diverse wildlife that inhabits the park.
Get cultural at the V&A Museum
If art and design is your thing, so too is the V&A Museum in South Kensington.Collections of dresses and clothing, ceramics, photographs, paintings and so much more are available to view completely free of charge.
Whilst the items themselves are certainly worthy of a few pictures, so too is the exterior of the building. Step outside of the V&A into The John Madejski Garden, grab a coffee and relax by the pool as you take in your surroundings.
If you’re travelling with children in the summer, this is a great spot for them as they can paddle in the pool whilst you kick back, completely free. Equally as enchanting is the Courtyard, completely modern and a cool place to grab a few pictures.
Experiment at the Science Museum
The Science Museum is one of the best museums in London for children and adults alike. Free to enter, you’ll be amused for hours as you wander around the highly interactive galleries, watching science come to life before your very eyes!
If you’re looking for a weird or wonderful present for someone, or even a new gadget for yourself, you have to check out the gift shops. Due to their close proximity, the Science Museum and Natural History Museum make for a fun, easy and free day out in London.
See a performance at the Royal Albert Hall
Another beautiful, unique building in South Kensington is The Royal Albert Hall. Opened in 1871 by Queen Victoria, this distinctive grade I building is elegant both inside and out.
Since opening, some of the world’s leading performers and artists have graced its stage and today it also hosts various big events in the British calendar such as awards evenings, concerts, opera, ballet and sports to name just a few!
If you’re not looking to splurge on an evening out but still want to see the Hall in all its stylish glory, you can book onto one of their tours online for a small fee and uncover some of the interesting secrets held behind the curtains – this place is seriously Instagram worthy!
Or, why not check out what’s on and pop down – you might see a celebrity, or a hundred!
Walk with dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum
One of the most beautiful buildings in London, the Natural History Museum is a firm favourite with visitors of all ages.
Over 80 million items are on display for your viewing and educational pleasure, including dinosaur and mammal skeletons, creepy crawlies and fossils to name but a few!
The NHS allows you to step into the shoes of the likes of Charles Darwin and David Attenborough and explore the wonder of the natural world in an interactive and interesting way.
The Earth Galleries, accessible via an escalator which takes you high up into the heavens through the planet earth, provides an earthquake simulator and an exciting insight into the power of mother nature.
The NHS is also free to enter and has so much to see and do for children and adults alike.
Spot the Royals at Kensington Palace
A stunning royal residence within Kensington Gardens, Kensington Palace is home to many royals including William and Kate, and Harry and Meghan.
Adults can visit and tour the palace for under ÂŁ20 and that includes entry to their incredibly interesting exhibitions about the Royal Family.
The gift shop is a must if you’re looking to take home a quintessentially British gift and, better still, you don’t need to pay the admission fee to pop into the shop!
If you did want to splurge, you can book afternoon tea in the Pavilion, which is opposite the Sunken Garden: location of Harry and Meghan’s engagement announcement.
This really is a bucket list kind of thing, as you can’t have afternoon tea at any other royal residence in London.
Marvel at Harrods – THE British shop
If you haven’t been to Harrods, you haven’t lived! Floors and floors of designer wears, gorgeous gifts, beauty products, furniture and the best toy shop in London makes Harrods THE British department store.
The food court is a great place to have lunch (especially the champagne and oyster bar) and, with the amount of celebrities who frequent the store, you never know who you’ll bump into whilst browsing or chowing down.