The House & Garden approved things to do in London on Easter weekend
The long Easter weekend is upon us - four days of freedom to indulge ourselves with chocolate and festive meals, enjoy the springtime weather (if it's not raining), and see what the city has to offer. If you're in London and wondering what to do over the Easter weekend, you've come to the right place. Maybe you want to entertain the kids with an Easter egg hunt, frolic like a spring lamb through Kew Gardens, or perhaps you're more interested in getting away from the sugar-frenzied hordes and taking in an exhibition. Whatever you want the weekend to bring, our round-up of Easter activities is sure to have something to suit.
RBG Kew1/9Springtime walks, Kew Gardens
Kew Gardens hosts daily guided walks at 11am and 1.30pm, and now is one of the best times of year to do it, as you'll get to see the beautiful blooms and blossoms as they come into their prime. The tours start from inside Victoria Plaza at the Guides Desk – just turn up to register 15 minutes in advance. For a small extra fee you can also board one of Kew's electric land trains and take a tour of the highlights of the garden.
- Duccio.2/9
Siena: The Rise of Painting, 1300 – 1350, at the National Gallery
This extraordinary exhibition at the National Gallery, which runs until June 22, transports the viewer to a pivotal moment in art history – specifically, 14th century Siena. It was when the Renaissance masters Duccio, Simone Martini and the brothers Pietro and Ambrogio Lorenzetti were forging a new way of painting, employing a drama that no one had seen before, bringing in emotion and movement to tell stories. Among the glittering exhibits are scenes from Duccio’s magnificent ‘Maestà’ altarpiece, brought together after centuries of separation, and panels from Simone Martini’s Orsini Polyptych. There’s also gilded glass, illuminated manuscripts, ivory Madonnas, rugs and silks that show how the creative energy spilt over from art to craft – and across Europe.
David Parry3/9The Big Egg Hunt, around London
The Big Egg Hunt is a fun way to organise a walk around London this year, as more than 100 giant eggs are taking over neighbourhoods from Chelsea to Canary Wharf, designed by artists and brands such as Anya Hindmarch, Fortnum & Mason, Chopard, Philip Colbert, and Campbell Rey. You can “collect the eggs” you find, ticking them off on a free app which is set to reveal prizes along the way. On display until April 27, the eggs will all be up for auction to raise funds for Elephant Family’s conservation work in South Asia.
4/9Lindt Gold Bunny Hunt, Hampton Court Palace
Until April 21, Hampton Court Palace is celebrating Easter by hosting a Lindt gold bunny hunt, with a prize from Lindt at the end. Designed for children (but plenty of fun for adults too, the trail takes around 90 minutes to complete and is a great way to explore the grounds of the palace.
5/9Ned's Feast, The Ned
Every Sunday, The Ned hosts a frankly fantastic spread which sees every available surface groaning under the weight of platters of lobster, oysters, salad, cured meats, cheeses and every imaginable dessert option. At £110 a head (or £175 with free-flowing champagne) it is one of the finest activities you can treat yourself to on a Sunday. For Easter Sunday and Monday, the chef and his team are adding all the seasonal favourites to their already glorious buffet: hot cross buns, simnel cake and spring lamb.
6/9The Horniman's Spring Fair
The Horniman Museum in Forest Hill is always a lovely destination, especially for children, with a fascinating museum, extensive grounds, and a small wildlife farm packed with cute animals. On the Saturday of the Easter weekend, their annual spring fair is taking place, with a kids' disco, lessons in circus skills, an Easter bonnet parade, traditional fete games and much more.
7/9Easter Afternoon Tea at Fortnum & Mason
A classic London activity that everyone should try at some point, afternoon tea at Fortnum & Mason's Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon is particularly lovely at Easter. Their family afternoon tea includes a bunny-shaped Sablé biscuit, accompanied by a Bird’s nest chocolate box, adorned with colourful hand-made chocolate eggs and a seasonal Strawberry Pâte de Fruits. There's plenty to please grown-ups too, from quail egg Scotch eggs to their sophisticated chocolate counterparts.
8/9Top Cuvée's Easter hunt
Leave hunting for chocolate eggs to the little ones and get involved in wine purveyor Top Cuvée's yearly easter egg hunt, which is centred around much better prizes: bottles of wine! The team has partnered with Tony's Chocolonely for the fifth year running to conjure up a hilarious, high octane day of fun for the big kids amongst us, with chocolate for all 1000 participants that sign up online, hot dogs from Twisted and of course, lots of wine. Big prizes are up for grabs but mostly, it's just a very fun and silly way to spend Easter Sunday.
Charlie Hopkinson9/9Self-led art trail at Chelsea Physic Garden
Right across the easter weekend, from Good Friday to Easter Monday, Chelsea Physic Garden is hosting a self-led art trail to encourage children to get into nature. It's a chance for them to run around fetching clues, filling out their booklet and learning about plants and nature while adults can roam quietly behind and take in the fresh air. At the end of the trail, a chocolate treat and an added crafty workshop await.
