Valentine's Day in London

Putting the romance back into lockdown after months of what can only be described as Groundhog Day (but with sweatpants and not a whole lot of sexiness), Saint Valentine is coming to town – and it’s the perfect opportunity to spice things up a little. Romantic restaurants and A-Z date ideas might be out for 2021, but we reckon there’s a really special way to spend Valentine’s Day despite the confinement.

Whether you’re a reluctant participant, a hopeless romantic, or just looking for an excuse to have a couple of wines, we’ve found some pretty cracking things to do in London this Valentine’s Day. Check ’em out!

1. Take a romantic stroll together

Whether you’ve been active throughout lockdown or found yourself confined to the couch, take the opportunity to go on a romantic stroll with your partner this Valentine’s day. It’s great not only for mental health purposes, but to catch up away from your phones, laptops and the TV. Check out our favourite London walks here, or maybe a stroll towards the newly extended Tate Britain neon display will help the romance?

2. Sit back and listen to the stunning music of Whitney Houston live

A wonderful date night for music fans, this online Valentine’s event will see beautiful live performances by West End singer Shanay Holmes – who actually starred as Rachel Marron (Whitney’s character) in The Bodyguard. The talented singer will perform renditions of some of Whitney’s most iconic songs, providing a soothing backdrop to a lovely dinner set up at home. Find your tickets here.

3. Split Napoli Gang’s Valentine’s Day lemon meringue pie with your boo

V-Day is an excuse to be suitably extra, and in that vein, OTT delivery restaurant Napoli Gang have taken their cult lemon meringue pie and given it a luscious pink makeover. Love at first sight! Check it out here.

4. Pretend you’re on holiday with a tropical staycation kit

*sighs* What we wouldn’t do for a tropical holiday… Happily, you can at least pretend you’re in the tropics with this exciting staycation kit. It’s packed full of drinks, treats, fun inflatables, and you’ll also get access to a curated Spotify playlist and an online hula lesson too! Find your tickets here.

5. Run a hot bath and watch Netflix from the bubbles

Nothing says romance quite like a bubble bath, so if you’re out of creative ideas – just get the hot water running. To make the most of the relaxing occasion, grab a stool, pop a bit of Netflix on the laptop and wind down for an hour – either alone (#selfcare) or snuggled up with your loved one. Check out the best February releases here.

6. Bake sweet Portuguese custard tarts together

Looking for the perfect, romantic activity? Get your pinnys on and tune into a live pastel de nata masterclass, with a special date scheduled especially for Valentine’s Day. The class is hosted by pastry chef João, an expert in Portuguese custard tarts, who’ll be taking participants step-by-step in the process from start to finish. You’ll be able to cook along for the duration, and he’ll be sharing some of his pro tips along the way, too. Get tickets here.

7. Imagine you’re on a romantic trip with a virtual tour around Shakespeare’s Italy

If you were originally planning to sweep your other half of their feet this Valentine’s day, it’s still virtually possible. Taking us on a trip to some of the most romantic places in Italy, this Valentine’s day, we can explore the country through Shakespeare’s eyes. From Verona, which was the backdrop of Romeo and Juliet, to Sicily, Rome and the gondolas of Venice – there’s plenty to see and a lot to learn about some of the playwright’s most famous works. Tickets can be found here.

8. Mix up some cocktails together

Fed up of the pre-mixed tinnies? Gather some ingredients in your next essential shop for your favourite cocktails and make something a little more special for date night. Create a bit of a cocktail bar experience at home with some jazzy music, dim the lights and voila, it’s pretty much like being out, right?

9. Take on a murder mystery together

Consider yourselves a couple of budding sleuths? Work together to figure out whodunnit in an online murder mystery – this time, with a romantic novelist whose past three fiancés have died suddenly. Will her newest beau survive this ‘deadly Valentine’? Or will he join her former lovers in the graveyard? The murder mystery takes place on February 13 & 20, and you can book your place here.

10. Express your feelings with cake

Chin Chin are famed for their epic ice cream, but come Valentine’s Day they try their hand at baking – and the results are these adorable heart-shaped chocolate cakes, filled with peanut buttercream and hand-iced with romantic missives. Or not, as the case may be… Find out more here.

11. Enjoy a night of Disco Bingo together

Bring the disco to you this Valentine’s with a game of Disco Bingo – a fun, online game designed to liven up your lockdown. Couples, friends, everyone is welcome to play, with fab prizes up for grabs throughout the night and some great love songs to boogie to in your kitchen. Check it out here.

12. Wind down with a Valentine’s candlelight concert

A fantastic experience for love birds to enjoy from home, candlelight concerts are going virtual this Valentine’s Day. Streaming a live performance from the gorgeous Finchcocks House, one of Britain’s most talented concert pianists will be performing soothing classical arrangements – from Beethoven to Chopin. Not only that, there’s the option to have a hamper delivered in time for the show, which includes a red rose, pink prosecco, scented candles, and raspberry & champagne truffles. Get yours here.

13. Send your SO one of these London-themed Valentine’s cards…

Witty and direct, these raunchy Valentine’s cards are here to show your feelings in a quintessentially London way. What they lack in subtlety, they make up for in cheekiness.

14. Enjoy a private sushi-making session together

Sack off the bedroom for the kitchen this Valentine’s, and learn to roll sushi like an absolute pro. Not only will you end up with some pretty delicious grub to enjoy afterwards, but its also the perfect opportunity to do something pretty unique in the comfort of your own home – all guided by your own private sushi master. The class includes a kit delivered beforehand, and you can book in whenever suits for your 1-to-1 lesson. Book here.