London calling? Always. The British capital is a city where you can spend the morning wandering through a world-class exhibition, the afternoon browsing beautifully curated shops and the evening devouring a meal you’ll be recommending for months.
We rounded up a few current favourites to make your trip to the Big Smoke a big hit.
What to see
London’s museums and galleries are among the city’s greatest pleasures. Whatever your interest, chances are London has an exhibition for it.
Fashion lovers should make a beeline for the V&A’s blockbuster Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art, the first exhibition ever staged in the UK dedicated to the legendary Maison Schiaparelli. Spanning the 1920s to the present day, the show explores the life and work of Elsa Schiaparelli, one of fashion’s most inventive and influential designers, before bringing the story up to the present day under current creative director Daniel Roseberry.
More than 400 objects are on display, including couture garments, jewellery, artworks, photographs and archival material. Highlights include the famous Skeleton and Tears dresses, both created in collaboration with Salvador Dalí, alongside Roseberry’s theatrical contemporary creations worn by stars such as Ariana Grande and Dua Lipa. Even if fashion isn’t normally your thing, it’s a dazzling reminder that clothing can be art. The exhibition runs until November 8. Tickets start at £28 and, given its popularity, booking in advance is highly recommended. vam.ac.uk.
Film buffs, meanwhile, should head straight for the Design Museum’s Wes Anderson retrospective. If you’ve ever wished you could step inside one of the director’s meticulously crafted worlds, this is probably as close as you’ll get. Wes Anderson: The Archives brings together everything from original storyboards, sketches and handwritten notebooks to costumes, props and stop-motion puppets, many of which have never before been displayed in Britain.
The exhibition traces Anderson’s career from Bottle Rocket (1996) through to his most recent works, including The Phoenician Scheme. Highlights include a monumental candy-pink model of the Grand Budapest Hotel, alongside a wealth of objects from films such as The Royal Tenenbaums, Fantastic Mr Fox and Isle of Dogs. Even if you’re not a die-hard fan, it’s a fascinating glimpse into the obsessive attention to detail behind some of modern cinema’s most recognisable images. The exhibition runs until late July 2026 and tickets start at £23. designmuseum.org.
Where to eat
Tucked into a Notting Hill townhouse, Akub is the London restaurant of Franco-Palestinian chef Fadi Kattan, who was born, raised and still lives in Bethlehem, and who teamed up with entrepreneur Rasha Khouri to establish the spot.
Its food and ambience feel both generous and considered, offering a table of small plates, designed to be shared, drawing on Palestinian traditions while making clever use of British produce.
We began with za’atar bread and spiced focaccia, scooping up excellent shatta; the green version of this Middle Eastern hot sauce was so moreish we ordered it again midway through the meal. There are thoughtful spins on classics: silky moutabal, salty Nabulsi cheese, mujaddara – the region’s comforting rice and lentil dish – and short-rib fatteh with garlic yoghurt and focaccia croutons.
The restaurant is particularly good for vegetarians, but the appeal is broader: intimate, cool and a genuinely exciting introduction to a cuisine many visitors still know too little about. The regional connection carries through to the drinks list too, including a surprisingly excellent Cremisan Rosé, made in Bethlehem (who would have thought?!).
Where to shop
London has no shortage of excellent bookshops, but two of the city’s newest literary destinations prove that romance readers are having more than just a moment.
In Notting Hill, Saucy Books has become London’s first bookshop dedicated entirely to romance. Founded by former executive Sarah Maxwell, the store is a love letter to the genre in all its forms, from BookTok sensations and romantasy epics to steamy beach reads and slow-burn love stories. The ever-changing décor takes its cues from romance tropes and literary eras, while a packed calendar of launches, talks and events has helped turn it into a community hub as much as a bookshop. Even the most sceptical visitor may leave with a novel tucked under their arm.
Over in Spitalfields, Main Character Books approaches things with a similar sense of fun. Its slogan, “Read for Pleasure”, tells you everything you need to know. Alongside romance novels, you’ll find snacks, book clubs, book swaps, classics, delightfully raunchy reads and a selection of themed merchandise. Time your visit with a wander around nearby Spitalfields Market and you’ve got an excellent afternoon sorted. The problem? There are only so many books you can squeeze into a suitcase.
Where to stay
If your idea of a great hotel starts with the look, book a room at The Chancery Rosewood. Set in the former US embassy on Grosvenor Square, this Mayfair landmark was originally designed in the 1960s by modernist master Eero Saarinen, best known for the iconic Tulip Chair. After a meticulous reinvention by David Chipperfield Architects, the building reopened in 2025 as a luxury hotel, giving one of London’s most recognisable mid-century landmarks an impressive new lease on life.
This is catnip for mid-century design fans, but it doesn’t feel like a museum piece. The 144-suite property pairs Saarinen’s modernist bones with interiors by French designer Joseph Dirand, creating spaces that feel both glamorous and restrained.
Beyond the rooms, there’s plenty to keep guests occupied, from the Asaya Spa, complete with a 25m pool, to a collection of restaurants and bars that have quickly become hotspots. Highlights include the first European outpost of New York cult favourite Carbone, the Southern Mediterranean-inspired Serra, and Eagle Bar, a rooftop spot with sweeping views across Mayfair.
Just don’t expect any bargains. This is firmly in the special-occasion category. Your credit card may need a lie-down afterwards, but design obsessives are unlikely to regret it. rosewoodhotels.com
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Images: supplied; Jo Buitendach.
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