Spending Easter in London? The capital is filled with an abundance of egg-celent activities to get involved with this bank holiday.
Whether you’re entertaining the kids (parents, we’ve got you covered with a whole host of things to get involved in) or want to let loose and indulge yourself, London has covered all bases. In fact, you’d be hopping mad to miss out!
Ready? Let’s dive in…
The Best Things to Do This Easter in London
Head to Covent Garden for Some Very Sweet Celebrations
Covent Garden
Until 16th April
Those looking for things to do in London in the Easter holidays need look no further than Covent Garden – the area is going ALL OUT this year.
They’ve organised a really charming Beatrix Potter-themed Easter adventure for you and the little ones to go on. The experience takes you on a tour of Covent Garden where along the way you’ll encounter all sorts of fun entertainment.
Yep, Peter Rabbit himself will be taking you to see live performances and puppet shows. There’s even an obstacle course.
That’s not all they’re up to – many of the foodie destinations in Covent Garden will be offering something special across Easter, mostly in the form of tantalising chocolatey desserts.
If you’re looking to make the most of London during Easter weekend, this looks set to be one of the best places for it.
Hop Along to Chelsea Physic Garden’s Easter Trail
Got kids? One of the best things happening in London during Easter weekend is the Chelsea Physic Garden Easter Trail.
Book yourself onto the self-led trail spanning the four-acre garden, where you’ll get to learn more about the plants on display at this botanical gem hidden away in West London.
Not only will the little ones be entertained by the wildlife found along the way, but the chocolate egg reward at the end is sure to go down a treat. Don’t worry adults… you get one too!
Hunt for Easter Eggs at Tottenham’s Stadium
Tottenham
Multiple dates
Got a major football fan in the family? So long as they’re not an Arsenal fan they’ll get a kick out of the Easter festivities kicking off at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
They’ve designed a behind-the-scenes Easter egg hunt where you’ll be hunting through the stadium and its grounds for special pictures of Spurs players that can be exchanged for choccy prizes.
There are also family-friendly stadium tours so you can indulge the curiosity piqued by that Easter egg hunt, as well as a whole bunch of other activities and refreshments to keep the energy levels up. Score!
Hit Up a Donnie Darko-Themed Night
Camden
10th April
The Easter bunny isn’t always cute and fluffy. Sometimes he presents himself as a dark and twisted bringer of doom – or so they say at Lost Souls Pizza.
The world’s only vampire-themed pizzeria is giving us their take on the Easter celebrations with a screening of Donnie Darko, a film where the dark rabbit stalks scenes of happy suburban life.
Tickets are £25 per head and include a drink and a pizza. The film starts at 7pm and they request you show up a little early so as not to spoil the beginning for everyone else as you try and duck through to your seat.
Get Drunk and Hunt for Shots
Revolutions locations
7th – 10th April
If you’re intending to spend the long weekend partying until you can no longer drink, you might be interested to hear that bar chain Revolutions is giving away free shots.
Across all their venues they’ll be dishing out shots of your choice but there’s a catch. To claim it you have to bring an egg cup to the bar.
Don’t have an egg cup? They’ve got that covered too. In the true hide-and-seek nature of Easter they’ve hidden a secret egg cup in each of their venues. Finding the cup wins you a free cocktail as well as the shot. Sounds like double trouble.
Learn to make Easter-Themed Cocktails
Wandsworth
10th April
Easter doesn’t have to be all about indulgence. It can also be about learning how to indulge better…
This Easter the good people at the Spread Eagle Hotel in Wandsworth are holding Easter-themed cocktail making classes so that you can celebrate Easter with a little more class next time it swings around.
You’ll be taught the tricks to make three different drinks, including one rather luxury-sounding chocolate-based drink. As you can imagine there’ll probably be a lot of sampling your creations too.
Dine Out on a Greek Orthodox Feast
Shepherd’s Bush
16th April
These days we tend to think of Easter as a time to scoff chocolate and enjoy an extended weekend. It’s easy to forget that it actually has a long and important history. In the orthodox church it’s even more important than Christmas.
They even celebrate it with a feast that might even rival the Christmas dinner for bountiful plates of roasted goodies.
You can get stuck right into these festivities at Vori Greek Kitchen where they’ll be putting on a traditional Easter feast of three courses based around the traditional centrepiece of roasted lamb.
Team Up with Lara Croft for an Easter Adventure
Multiple dates
Much is made, and has been made, about the need to hunt for eggs around Easter time, but let’s face it, that’s child’s play. Some of us only get out of bed in the morning if it’s to save the world. If you’re one of those people, listen up.
The Tomb Raider Experience is ramping up the stakes this Easter weekend. Lara Croft needs you to help her traverse the world looking for magical Easter relics that, if fallen into the wrong hands, could end the world.
You’ll be solving puzzles and navigating levels just like in the games themselves to get your task done. For all our sake, don’t fail.
Go Out for a Slap-Up Meal
Citywide
Multiple Dates
Nothing says celebration like a fancy meal out. Fortunately for us food-obsessed, any time there’s an occasion to celebrate, London’s restaurants get busy turning out new menus and cocktail lists for us to sample. Here are a few of our top selections:
If you want to push the boat right out, the Intercontinental Hotel on ritzy Park Lane is offering a six-course Easter Sunday dinner that can be paired with 6 wines and a cocktail.
And ever on our list for places to dine on a special occasion, Bokan 37 are offering their own three-course Easter Sunday brunch that of course comes with a free flow option. If you’re looking for things to do in London on Easter Sunday, getting sloshed in front of their sky-high views doesn’t sound like a bad option at all.
It goes without saying that there’s too much going on for us to include here. If you’ve got a particular restaurant you love, check their website or give them a call to find out if they’re doing anything special. Other tha
Attend the Elephant Park Party
9th April
If you’re after some of the best Easter Sunday activities London has to offer then put Elephant Park’s agenda of Easter fun in your calendar.
They’ve got a full day of family fun planned for Easter Sunday and it’s all totally free. This year they’ve taken the festival down a slightly Japanese road. We’re not sure what that’s got to do with Easter but it does sound fun.
There’ll be a K/J-pop disco for the littluns, origami workshops and kawaii face painting sessions. On top of that the park will be stomping grounds for a group of roaming entertainers and cosplayers for you to interact with.
Take Your Kids to See some Cute (And Not So Cute) Animals
Horniman Museum and Gardens
Multiple dates
The Horniman Museum loves to get the shenanigans going over the Easter break. They’ve got a lineup of events taking place over the Easter period that are suitable for all ages.
Saturday the 8th is one to keep an eye on though. Not only are the folks at the Horniman Museum holding their Spring Fair that day, but they’ll be getting in animal experts Wild Fangs to host a few hands-on sessions with live critters.
That means you can leave the kids to learn about creepy crawlies and bunnies and whathaveyou while you swan off to see the best of the spring fair and perhaps sneak a quick gin and tonic or two. Just saying.
Order Yourself a Home Easter Box
Rather stay in this Easter in London? There are plenty of Easter boxes that can be delivered straight to your door, meaning there’s no need to get out of your pyjamas throughout the long weekend. Heaven.
First up is this beauty of an offering by Tom Hixson: a meaty butchers’ box packed with everything you need to create a cracking spread this Easter.
The box contains all sorts of lamb cuts to make the centrepiece of your Easter Sunday roast. You can even have them season it for you.
TV chef Rick Stein has also put together a couple of wonderful boxes for you to enjoy at home. His Easter Afternoon Tea Box contains an array of Stein’s favourite treats, including Quiche Lorraine, sausage rolls, carrot cake, and hot cross buns. You can purchase it for £45 here.
Patisserie Valerie are also throwing their hat into the ring with a delicious-looking selection of cakes and sweet bites available for delivery. You can order those here.
Sink Drinks at Dirty Martini’s Easter Musical Bingo Brunch
Citywide
7th -10th April
Thinking about where to go on Easter Sunday in London this year… Dirty Martini are hosting an Easter-themed brunch special over the big weekend.
All their London locations will be offering a brunch of epic proportions. You’ll be treated to a chocolate martini on arrival, plyed with brunchy classics for your meal, and have it all washed down with free flow martinis, prosecco G&Ts of beer.
How anybody will be walking out of that place after brunch is absolutely beyond us.
Go Choccy Hunting at Hampton Court Palace
Hampton Court Palace
1st – 16th April
If you’re looking for something a bit more wholesome than getting sloshed at a bottomless brunch, perhaps something that’ll keep the kids – and therefor you – happy, how about nipping down to Hampton Court Palace.
Apart from being a site of some pretty interesting history and beauty, they’ve got a special Easter hunt lined up through the first half of April. They’ve teamed up with Lindt to hide a bunch of the famous gold rabbits around the 60 acres of Henry VIII’s old stomping grounds.
With each bunny you find you’ll also get a fascinating story, then at the end of the hunt you’ll be rewarded with a good bit of chocolate. This will definitely make for one of the sweeter things on in London this Easter weekend
See the Passion of Jesus
Trafalgar Square
7th April
Let’s not get carried away with all this fun, boozing and pigging out on delicious chocolate. It’s said that Jesus rose from the dead at Easter. If you like the more traditional side of the festivities – or just a good performance – you’ll want to catch the Wintershall players doing their Passion of Jesus.
The performance fills up Trafalgar Square and when we say fills up we mean it. Crowds are always massive. They do throw up a couple of screens so that anyone stuck near the back can see the show – a dramatic retelling of the last days of Christ
Run an Easter Race
Regent’s Park
10th April
If you’re anything like us, you usually wake up on a Bank Holiday Monday with a bit of a nasty hangover and usually a distinct feeling of regret. We’re here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be that way.
Instead, you could opt to do something healthy, like for example taking party in a 10k jog around Regent’s Park. There’s both an adult’s and a children’s race over the course of the morning and Easter goodies to be won for making it over the finish line.
The race is for people of all abilities, even the hungover if you think you can handle it.
Practical Tips for Making the Most of London at Easter
- Many shops will be closed on Easter Sunday, while the amount of public transport will be reduced significantly – plan your journey in advance and allow yourself plenty of time to arrive at your destination.
- Book your tickets in advance! Even if an event is advertised as a walk-up, if tickets are available, it’s wise to book beforehand to avoid being turned away.