Things to do in London on Monday

It may be the most unpopular day of the week, but we think you can make it one of your most adventurous. Keep on reading for our sightseeing suggestions in England's bustling capital.

By Dom Bewley

Published: July 17, 2024

Hate Mondays? Well, when you're on vacation, you can make it as exciting a day as any other! Whether you’re traveling as a family, a couple, or going solo, you’ll find heaps of places to explore. Most London attractions are open as usual, and this handy guide will help you decide where to start.

Our suggestions include:

Museums like the Natural History Museum and the V&A
Iconic landmarks
Performances at Shakespeare's Globe
Shopping, markets, and many more!

Museums and galleries

The National Gallery behind a fountain in Trafalgar Square

Culture is the glue that binds our past with our present. Or something. Perhaps we need to absorb a little more culture ourselves. Then we'd have more profound things to say about it. Anyway, if you're looking for a sweet cultural hit, London has a metric tonne of fun things to experience.

The Natural History Museum in South Kensington is open every Monday from 10AM. It’s home to a world-class collection of dinosaur bones, plant and animal specimens and earth science exhibits. With interactive areas for the children – and adults, don't worry – it’s an engaging and educational experience.

Just next door is the Science Museum, another of London’s most famous museums. Alongside award-winning exhibitions, iconic objects and stories of incredible scientific achievement, it also has its own IMAX cinema.

The Tate Modern is a must-visit for art lovers. Housed in a former power station by the river, it exhibits a range of international and contemporary modern art. Head on over to the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square to inspect some of the 2,300 paintings it houses from the 12th century to the 20th century.

These are just a few of London’s top museums and galleries, others include the V&A Museum, British Museum, National Portrait Gallery, Saatchi Gallery, London Transport Museum and many, many more. Enjoy endless art, history and art history on a Monday and don’t forget – entry to most of these attractions is either free or available with The London Pass.

Iconic landmarks

With thousands of years of history, it's no surprise that London is full of iconic landmarks. And the best way to see them all is on a Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour through the busy streets of London to explore some of the city’s most famous buildings and sights. On a Monday, often overcrowded attractions will be quieter, allowing you to explore more thoroughly.

Start at the Tower of London and explore one of the world’s most famous fortresses dating back to the Norman conquest. Next hop over to Tower Bridge, another iconic London attraction, to enjoy the Tower Bridge experience and exhibition.

Westminster Abbey is a must-visit. Being one of Britain’s most famous structures, this gothic architecture is a UNESCO world heritage site and the coronation church of British monarchs since 1066. Another classic London attraction is Big Ben – best viewed, of course, from the lofty heights of the Lastminute.com London Eye.

Finally, Hampton Court Palace is a wonderful day out for all the family. With actors and actresses milling around in full costume, the whole palace comes alive with the magic of the past.

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Theaters and experiences

Why not catch a show why you're here, or see where many theatrical classics were first performed? Visit the Globe on a Monday to explore the open-air playhouse, a reconstruction of the Elizabethan theatre originally built back in 1599. Check out the year-round exhibitions, take a guided tour, or watch a play at the candle-lit Sam Wanamaker theatre located within.

Head to the West End for a stunning performance in one of 40 famous theatre venues. With a range of plays every night – including Mondays – there is always something for everyone. Check out our guide to nabbing cheap London attraction tickets, including theater in the West End and beyond.

If you’re keen for some more ‘back in time’ experiences, head over to the Cutty Sark, the world’s last surviving tea clipper ship. Climb aboard and follow in the footsteps of those who sailed her. Enjoy interactive exhibits and stop for refreshments in the café hidden below the hull.

Markets and shopping

For markets and shops, Monday is just as good as Saturday. Head down to Camden Market for a bustling array of alternative and unique products, heaps of vintage clothes and shed-loads of souvenirs.

If you’re on the hunt for antiques and cute gifts, then Covent Garden Market is the direction to head. Overflowing with all sorts of antiques and located in the pretty piazza square, it’s the perfect place for some shopping.

The West End is home to Oxford Street, one of the best shopping destinations in London. Close by are Regent Street, Bond Street and Carnaby Street – home to many top brands and fashion designers.

Wonderful walks

If after a long weekend of concrete pavements and brick buildings, you’re in need of some serious greenery, there are plenty of places around London to enjoy some fresh air. Head to Kew Gardens to explore the beautiful botanical gardens filled with a huge collection of plants and trees, or visit one of many of the city's free-to-enter parks like Hyde Park and St James's Park and re-connect with nature.

Take the Jubilee Greenway from Little Venice to Camden and stroll along the London Canal. Look out for the hyenas that live in the London Zoo enclosures that line the canal along the way. Check out our guides to the best walks in London (and around Hammersmith) for more strolling inspo.

Nightlife

London comes alive at night, and one of the first places you see this is at Piccadilly Circus, when the famous lights illuminate the intersection of Soho, Piccadilly and Chinatown.

With a whole selection of activities from romantic boat trips, bustling bars and cozy cocktails, the day ends and the night begins. Head out after 5pm to catch a happy hour, and enjoy cheap drinks at some of the best cocktail bars - or secret bars - throughout London.

You can hit the comedy clubs of Soho, or if you really want to hit the club, there's plenty - again in Soho, but also further east in Dalston or Brixton, and south of the river in Brixton.

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Wanna stretch those legs even more? Check out how we'd spend the rest of the week in London, or discover our picks for what to do when the sun shines (a rare but special occasion).

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Dom Bewley

London Travel Expert

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10 Shakespeare Facts We Bet You Didn’t Know

"Some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon 'em." Born in Stratford-upon-Avon in April 1564, William Shakespeare is arguably the greatest playwright of all time. Generations of schoolchildren have - sometimes begrudgingly - studied his plays. Theatre lovers around the world turn out to see them come alive. But what do we actually know about his life? Check out some interesting Shakespeare facts we bet you didn't know. And if you can't read, or simply hate reading, why not go see for yourself at the Globe? Crazy Wordplay According to the folks at the Oxford English Dictionary, Shakespeare introduced almost 3,000 new words to the English language. As well as completely original words, he changed nouns into verbs and verbs into adjectives. Through combining existing words in new ways, as well as by adding prefixes and suffixes, he also gave new meanings to existing vocabulary. In fact, the term ‘box office’ was coined at the Globe theatre. Presumably, their ticket office was a box, or box-shaped. Sounds comfortable. Translations Through The Nations Shakespeare’s plays have been translated into dozens of languages and performed around the world. There's even Shakespeare in Klingon. Surely as beautiful as originally intended. Famous translators include Catherine the Great, who translated The Merry Wives of Windsor into Russian. Thanks, Catherine, you truly were great. And the first president of Tanzania, Julius Nyerere, translated two plays into Swahili. Plague Poetry An outbreak of the plague in Europe closed all of London’s theatres between 1592 and 1594. Since there was little demand for new plays, Shakespeare instead turned to poetry, writing many of his much-loved sonnets during this time. Turns out the plague was responsible for at least one good thing. Not sure if that outweighs all the...plagueness. But it's something! Names In The Stars Several moons orbiting Uranus are named after characters from Shakespeare plays. The likes of Titania, Oberon and Puck are plucked from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. And Ariel and Miranda from The Tempest. So there you go. Bet you didn't know that fact, did you? No. You did not. Birds Of A Feather The first starlings were imported into the US in 1890 by Eugene Schiffelin. Schiffelin was such a Shakespeare fan that he imported all birds mentioned in his plays. Well, at least the ones that didn't already exist in the United States, at least. From Playwright to Copyright Copyright didn’t exist in Shakespeare’s time, so scripts had to be carefully guarded. Actors often only got their lines once the play was in progress, courtesy of lots of careful cues. In fact, many of Shakespeare’s plays weren’t formally published during his lifetime. Perhaps they banned ink, quills and parchment from the audience, too? Otherwise, any old clever clogs would simply take notes and get rich. Shakespeare Or Shakespear..? No list of Shakespeare facts would be complete without some questions regarding the name. The first English dictionary was published in 1604 and only contained 2,449 words (none beginning with the letters W, X or Y). During most of Shakespeare’s lifetime, spelling was not standardised - he even signed his name inconsistently. In fact, there are no records of him ever having spelt it "William Shakespeare", as we do today. Stirred, not Shaken? No, that sounds silly. Lend Me Your Quotes Shakespeare is the second most quoted writer in the English language. Unsurprisingly, only the Bible is more popular. According to the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, Shakespeare wrote close to a tenth of the most quoted lines ever written or spoken in English. “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.” Will-i-Learn Over a million visitors come to the Stratford-upon-Avon theatres of the Royal Shakespeare Company each year. This is in addition to 530,000 children and young people who take part in the Company’s education work. Globe Today, Gone Tomorrow The Globe Theatre in London is built near the site of the original Tudor building. That's because it sadly burned down in 1613. Like the original theatre, it has three levels of seating as well as the ‘pit’. The original theatregoers who paid just a penny to stand and watch a performance were called ‘groundlings’ or, in summer, ‘stinkards’. Lovely... Love the Bard and all things theatrical? Be sure to pop by Shakespeare’s Globe for an incredible behind-the-scenes look and tour of the iconic playhouse. A reconstruction of the original Elizabethan playhouse built in 1599, Shakespeare’s Globe is a timber frame building with an open-air stage, maintaining the authentic feel of Shakespeare’s time.

Dom Bewley

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The Best Football Pubs in West London

Now that the Premier League season is up and running again (will it ever end?), we thought we’d give you a rundown of the best West London pubs where you can catch games this season. From small neighbourhood boozer with welcoming atmospheres, to bigger sports-oriented bars with more screens than the HQ in The Truman Show, this list has it all. So, the best football pubs in West London, coming up. Including... A multi-award winning sports pub A Chelsea classic And a Bavarian-themed boozer Famous Three Kings, Fulham Voted UK Sports Pub of the Year in 2016, 2017 and 2018, the Famous Three Kings is where many searches for the best football pubs in West London start. Often, it’s where the search for the best Football pubs in West London ends. It’s a perfect venue to watch football, with a cheery and lively atmosphere and a wealth of HD TVs and pulldown screens. It’s the positioning of the screens that makes it so well-suited for sports-watching though, with screens high up on the walls and round every corner. There are loads of different seating and standing areas, so you never feel like you’re stuck with an immovable mass of people between you and the bar. When it comes to drinks, they’ve got an especially good selection of gins to go with the massive amounts of craft beer they pump out. So if you feel like mixing things up...you could do worse than turning up at the Famous Three Kings for a night on the G&T’s. They have regular drinks deals on each week too. The food menu is a dream for those coming in a group...there’s a hell of a lot of choice. They’ve got separate burger and pizza menus with a lotta, lotta toppings to choose from. And they do a whole range of mains, including gooey Mac and Cheese, Katsu Chicken and a number of mouth-watering pies. 171 North End Road, Fulham, London W14 9NL The Cross Keys, Hammersmith A good looking pub with a great atmosphere, The Cross Keys has long been a popular place to watch the footy (and rugby, but that’s for another article) when match day comes around. It’s a bit of a hidden gem, with a small but pretty entrance allowing it to blend in with the style of this rarefied neighbourhood. There’s a large TV showing the football, and a lot of different seating areas to choose from. The good size beer garden is a particular treat. It’s well-known for having friendly, attentive staff, and a pleasant set of locals. So don’t expect to leave The Cross Keys without having thoroughly set the world to rights. As a Fuller’s pub, you know the menu is going to focus on pub classics and that the food is going to be reliably tasty and affordable (particularly for this swanky part of town). 57 Black Lion Lane, Hammersmith, London W6 9BG The Sporting Page, Chelsea This is a fun and welcoming place to watch a game, and very popular with the locals. It’s also a nice place to hang out if you’re looking at a full program of games on a Sunday, because of its fine setting and excellent food menu. Grab some snacks before the game: The Sporting Page has a great set of freshly made bar bites, including delicious chorizo scotch eggs, calamari and chicken goujons. Drinks-wise, they have a wide selection of draught beers and an extensive wine list. Sometimes wine is nice with football. You don’t have to miss so much of the game in the loo. They’ve got a good number of TVs and a big screen, so you’ll be hard pushed to get a bad view in this place. Rumour has it Mick Jagger was a regular here in the 70s, and the place still has some sprinkle of celebrity in the air. It attracts a nice mix of football-crazy locals, families and well-to-do folk looking for a reliably good pub lunch. They’ve got a fabulous sun terrace too, for when extra time’s nearly over, you’ve bitten your nails down to the quick and you just can’t watch the shootout. 6 Camera Place, Chelsea London SW10 0BH The Kings Arms, Ealing OK, so this is more of a rugby pub, but it’s a great place to watch association football on the weekends. It’s a lovely neighbourhood boozer with a good choice of beers and pleasant atmosphere. It’s a very family-friendly place too, with good kids menus offering a large selection of little bites for the little ones. Their fajitas are something special too. On Sundays, The Kings Arms really comes into its own, with a great Sunday Lunch menu and all the football action you could need. It isn’t a ‘cram them in and let them fight amongst themselves’ kind of place, either. It’s got a few rooms and some nice outdoor areas which really eases the flow, even at the busiest of times. And, if you think you’ll need to bed down immediately following a tense game, they even have hotel rooms onsite. 55 The Grove, Ealing, London W5 5DX Octoberfest Pub, Fulham Say hello to the wildcard. Or, actually, say “Hallo!” This is one of the funnest and most unusual football pubs in West London, that’s for sure. It’s Oktoberfest-themed, and boasts the largest selection of German beers in the UK. Yep, there are over 60 imported German beauties available here. They’ve got a superb menu of Bavarian delicacies to choose from, including pretzels, bratwurst and schnitzels. You’ll need something to soak up all the alcohol once you’re doing guzzling from one of their massive beer steins, full to the brim with ice cold German beer. When it comes to sport, they show pretty much anything that’s on, with two giant pull-down screens and a number of widescreen TVs to plop down in front of. It’s the home of the official Bayern Munich UK Fan Club too. 678-680 Fulham Road, London SW6 5SA So that's where to go when the game's on in West London. But where do you go for a little bit of history with your pint? Here is where.

Matthew Pearson

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London's Oldest Pubs: Sipping History

The great British tradition of sipping a pint in an old, old pub is one every tourist should try. And there's no better place to commune with one's pint than in London's oldest pubs. Pubs are deeply intertwined with British culture. For centuries, they've been popular places for social gatherings and central to neighbourhood life. So it's no surprise then that some pubs are among the oldest buildings in the city. They are still points in fast-moving London endless spin. From famous literary hangouts to more notorious gathering places, here's a list of London's oldest pubs. Featuring: The George Inn Spaniards Inn The Angel The George Inn This old stalwart has been a favourite watering hole for some of London's most famous faces for centuries. Charles Dickens used to relax here after a day of writing. It's no surprise then that it's popular with literary sorts. Rebuilt after the Fire of London in 1676, it continues to be a local favourite and has plenty of outdoor seating for those long summer nights. Address: The George Inn, London Bridge, SE1 1NH The Lamb and Flag Set up in 1772 and located in the heart of Covent Garden, The Lamb and Flag is one of the newer pubs on this list. But it has an equally as fascinating history. Back in the day, this pub was well known for its rowdy customers and was the site of many bare-knuckled prize fights. It has cleaned up its act in recent years and its historical detailing makes it a popular place with tourists. It used to be nicknamed 'The Bucket of Blood'. Whisper that fact in someone's ear and - hey presto! - a free seat. Address: 33 Rose St, London WC2E 9EB Cittie of Yorke This Grade II-listed historical building has been a favourite with locals and travelers since 1420. It was initially an inn, but transformed into a pub in 1645. With multiple bars and grand decor, it's an atmospheric spot for drinks on High Holborn. It's also a Sam Smiths pub. And if you know what that means, you know to keep it to yourself (it's cheap. Sorry, Secret Society of Central Sam Smiths Pubs members, it's my job). Address: 22 High Holborn, London WC1V 6BN Ye Old Mitre Tales tell that Queen Elizabeth I once danced around this pub's cherry tree, which survives at its entrance to this day. While it can be a little tricky to find, it's a great example of a traditional English pub and dates back to 1772, though another pub had stood on the same location from 1546. Perfect for a quiet drink in the colder months, their coal fires and impressive Tudor details will keep you warm as you slip into a deep reverie. Address: 1 Ely Pl, London EC1N 6SJ Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese This sprawling Fleet Street pub features frequently in London tourist guides. And it's with good reason. Built in 1538 and then later rebuilt in 1667 following the Fire of London, it's one of London's oldest pubs. It has a number of rooms with distinctive characters, from the Victorian entranceway to the cellar room that's thought to have been part of a monastery which once stood here. Another Dickens favourite, other former patrons include Mark Twain, Alfred Tennyson and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Address: 145 Fleet St, London EC4A 2BU Spaniards Inn Shrouded in mystery and intrigue, some of London's most important literary figures have passed through the Spaniards Inn's front door, along with a number of notorious characters. Established in 1585, it has been both a place of great beauty and great darkness - John Keats is said to have written his poem Ode to a Nightingale here, while famous highwayman Dick Turpin seen drinking at the bar. Nowadays, they do a lovely Sunday lunch. Address: Spaniards Rd, Hampstead, London NW3 7JJ The Angel First built by 15th-century Benedictine monks, this historical pub had a facelift in the 19th century and has a diverse mix of patrons ranging from locals to Thames pub journeymen and journeywomen. Its picturesque Thames setting and Sam Smiths Brewery add to its charms. Oh, and it's got some very pleasing British pub grub too. Address: 101 Bermondsey Wall E, London SE16 4NB Know of another golden oldie to add to the list? Let us know in the comments below. Now you've done the historical ones, how about a pint outside?

Megan Hills

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