There’s a chill in the air, and so many new activities to enjoy around the Capital. If summer evenings hadn't already sold you on the London life, maybe the lovely autumn afternoons will. Delectable harvests, cosy museums and libraries, beautiful parks awash in fiery hues, some spookier Halloween events to get your blood pumping… London has everything you need to make the most of this magical season. Here are five of our favourite areas to celebrate in:
1. Revel in autumn treats
For fresh-from-the-harvest treats, you’ll want to head to Southwark. Borough Market is the place to go for great seasonal produce this month, apples, pears, squash, plums, mushrooms, etc. So it will have everything you need for those autumnal dishes you’re craving. Also, towards the end of the month, there will be a harvest festival, October Plenty, with a procession beginning near Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and moving through to Borough Market with music, dancing, theatre and food.
2. Cosy museum musings
Maybe it’s something in the changing weather or the fact that schools and universities have started their new terms, but autumn puts us in the perfect mood for some cosy academia, whether that’s wandering around a museum or tucking into a new book.
The City of London is jam-packed with museums in just about every topic. You can keep the chill at bay with an afternoon soaking up culture in South Kensington - hit the Victoria and Albert Museum for your fashion fix, say hello to Dippy the Dinosaur at the Natural History Museum, delight in the rare instruments at the Royal College of Music Museum and explore the cosmos at the Science Museum - all in a five minute walk of each other.
Or if you’re taking part in Spooky Season, head to Covent Garden and check out the Transport Museum’s Hidden London exhibition – exploring abandoned parts of the tube network. There’s something chilling and thrilling in a behind-the-scenes look at London's underground passages.
3. Dreamy, colourful landscapes
Our parks go through a magical change this time of year, bursting alight in red, orange and yellow. We’ve got a handy list of some of the most exceptional green areas the Capital has to offer in London’s most lovable parks.
October is also the perfect time to visit London’s “Magnificent Seven.” These are seven large cemeteries built on what was (at the time) the outskirts of London; Abney Park Cemetery, Brompton Cemetery, Highgate Cemetery, Kensal Green Cemetery, Nunhead Cemetery, Tower Hamlets Cemetery and West Norwood Cemetery. Here, you'll find beautifully ethereal statues, cascading foliage in striking autumn palettes, ivy crawling over classic Gothic and Victorian architecture and quite a bit of London history. These cemeteries are perfect for the budding photographer, or for quiet, reflective walks amid peaceful surroundings.
4. A toast to the return of roasts
This is not to say you can’t enjoy a summer Sunday roast, but now we’re in Sunday Roast Season. We'll welcome back this comfort food to warm us up from our souls to our toes. There are a host of great Sunday roast options in our pub and restaurant guides in collaboration with DesignMyNight. Check out the Defector’s Weld in Shepherd’s Bush, George IV in Chiswick, The Grange in Ealing or The Narrow Boat in Islington.
One area we’re loving for Sunday roasts is Battersea. This area has had a lot of investment with the reopening of the Battersea Power Station. You’ll find a wide array of pubs to get your Sunday gravy fix, like The Woodman, the quintessential countryside pub; Nutbourne serving high-quality meat from their family farm; and The Latchmere, another success from the same Three Cheers group we discussed in Local stories: the bedrock of Balham.
5. Who doesn’t love a good ghost story?
Tower Hamlets is lovely for an afternoon stroll along the river, and there’s plenty of fascinating history to explore in the area. This area shines in October, with so many opportunities to learn some of London’s more chilling stories. There are plenty of central London spooky walking tours to explore, and Victoria Park has a great range of half-term Halloween fun for the kids, but one of the most popular haunts is the Tower of London's Halloween event, where you can hear about its most infamous visitors.
Of course, another thing you can do in London in autumn is house hunt. It's a great time to look, because you can get settled into your new apartment to rent in London before the Christmas holidays, or get a head start on the new year's house hunting rush. It's also a great idea to get your house for sale on the market before the new year rush, so book a free, no-obligation valuation if you're considering your options.
