Ed Cunningham

It’s been another stellar year for music in 2025, packed full of belters, breakouts and hook-laden earworms.  Lorde returned to her angsty roots, Pulp dropped their first album since, and Bad Bunny reigned supreme on the streamers. We were blessed with new music from pop heavyweights Lady Gaga, Lily Allen and Robyn. In a plot twist, Rosalía dropped a classical album packed with religious references, and Turnstile made hardcore mainstream. Breakout stars CMAT, Addison Rae and Jim Legxacy proved that they are here to stay. Here Time Out editors and contributors have hand-picked the tracks they’ve had on repeat this year. These are the 40 best songs of 2025.  RECOMMENDED: The 25 best albums of 2025. 

Planning your travels for the new year? You should absolutely factor in those long-standing bucket list entries, but if you’re looking for some fresh inspiration, 2026 promises a world of brand-new travel experiences.  From sleeping over in an open-air museum to journeying through ancient landscapes on e-bikes, ziplining over glorious wildlife reserves and partying through a solar eclipse – yes, really – there’s a shedload of off-the-beaten-track, out-of-the-box stuff happening over the next 12 months. Scroll on for our handpicked selection of the 26 coolest, weirdest and most exciting things to do in 2026.  RECOMMENDED:🛍️ The coolest streets in the world🏘️ The coolest neighbourhoods in the world🌃 The best cities in the world right now Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out Travel newsletter for all the latest travel news and best stuff happening across the world.

This year of music has started with a bang. We’ve seen Chappell Roan go country, Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco smothering audiences with gushy love songs and Playboi Carti’s rapturous return from the underground. We've even been blessed with the return of Lorde! Alongside these pop heavyweights, we’re witnessing rap superstar Doechii continue her chart domination and the breakthrough of Gen Z artists like 2hollis, Tate McRae and Kai Bosch. What songs are defining 2025? Well, we’ve searched through our playlists and extracted the best songs of the year so far, to give you a mid-year vibe check of where we are currently at. But it doesn’t stop there. Keep your eyes peeled for updates to this list throughout the year as we’re still awaiting albums from Turnstile, Miley Cyrus, Pulp, A$AP Rocky and many more. RECOMMENDED: 🎧 The best albums of 2025 (so far)🎥 The best movies of 2025 (so far)📺 The best TV of 2025 (so far)

Urgently in need of some cool pressie inspo for your nearest and dearest? Don’t worry about it! Our London gift guide is here, and it features loads of lovely pressies to suit just about any Londoner you can imagine.  From nifty gadgets to stylish accessories, covetable homeware to kids’ gifts, our editors have got every base covered, including plenty of sustainable options and handmade bits from some of London’s coolest indie brands and makers.  Need even more present inspiration? Check out our roundup of London’s best Christmas hampers for 2025. Time Out’s 2025 Christmas Gift Guide at a glance 🏰 Best for tech nerds: Nothing headphones 💷 Best for foodies: Allday Goods knife 🔬 Best for style queens: Peachy Den scarf and mitten set 🎡 Best for cool blokes: Percival martini cap 🎨 Best for youngsters: Ty Beanie Bouncers RECOMMENDED: More Christmas fun in London. 

The humble brunch is perhaps one of the greatest inventions of the modern age, especially if it incorporates pancakes, bacon and those aforementioned eggs. (Or you can enjoy a totally vegan take on proceedings at LD’s at The Black Heart). London is particularly well stocked with places to indulge in the famous breakfast/lunch hybrid. Let us guide you to the best restaurants for a fabulous brunch, from a traditional full English to innovative twists on the majestic meal, such as a bacon bao brunch or fried eggs on chilli-cheese crumpets. Booze optional.  Best brunches in London at a glance: 🌽 Best for vegans: LD’s at The Black Heart, Camden 🍖 Best for Spanish-style brunch: Lolo, Bermondsey 🏰 Best for a spectacular setting: Aram, Somerset House 🌳 Best for an al fresco brunch: Pavilion Cafe, Victoria Park  🌮 Best for a Mexican feast: Corrochio’s, Stoke Newington  RECOMMENDED: Like unlimited fizz with your fry-up? Here are the best bottomless brunches in London.  Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. December 2025: Now that we're fully into cosy season, we've highlighted some of the more appropriate seasonal spots for brunch. Sulk in the dark like a massive (vegan) goth at LD's at The Black Heart in Camden; try Lolo in Bermondsey if you want a Spanish take on brunch; start your day with some heat at Chet's; and feast on prawn toast scotch eggs at Jikoni in Marylebone. We've also included a few

Every week, a frankly silly amount of brilliant new restaurants, cafés and street food joints arrive in London. Which makes whittling down a shortlist of the best newbies a serious challenge. But here it is. The 20 very best new restaurants in the capital, ranked in order of greatness and deliciousness. All of them have opened in the past year and been visited by our hungry critics. So go forth and take inspo from this list, which is updated regularly. Check in often to find out what we really rate on the London restaurant scene. And look here for all the info about the best new openings in December. London's best new restaurants at a glance: 🍛 Central: Khao Bird, Soho 🍠 North: Ling Ling’s, Islington 🥟 South: Doma, Sydenham 🍝 East: Legado, Shoreditch 🥗 West: The Lavery, South Kensington December 2025: New additions include cosy Chinese cuisine at Ling Ling's at Godet in Islington, Hunanese heat at Fiery Flavors in Surrey Quays, Sri Lankan fast food at Adoh! in Covent Garden, Caribbean classics with a twist at 2210 by NattyCanCook in Herne Hill, perfect pasta at Casa Felicia in Queen's Park, Thai BBQ at Khao Bird in Soho, and Thai soup noodles at Khao So-i in Fitzrovia. Hungry yet? Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. RECOMMENDED: The 50 best restaurants in London. The hottest new openings, the tastiest tips, the spiciest reviews: we’re serving it all on our London restaurants WhatsApp cha

Once upon a time, the only reason to grab a bite at King’s Cross was if you were waiting for your train. But this once-grimy post-industrial area has undergone an enormous regeneration, and these days it’s packed with fine restaurants. Be it the lofty, warehouse-sized joints around Granary Square, the trendy cafés in Coal Drops Yard or the hip little spots around lower Pentonville, and a selection of Cantonese cult classics, there’s something for all tastes (and budgets, high or low). Check out our list of the best. RECOMMENDED: These are the best pubs in King’s Cross. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. 

Even after a couple of vintage years for new music, 2025 has been special. Sure, we didn’t get a clear-cut ‘song of the summer’, but artists have been instead putting out defining works in a longer format. The past 12 (well, 11) months have featured all manner of extraordinary album releases.  Belted-to-the-rafters country pop, plunderphonic majesty, ecstatic dance music, intimate electronic world-building, history-collapsing art rock, triumphant hip-hop… these are just a few of the sounds and styles that have been executed marvellously in 2025. Here are the year’s finest 25 albums, chosen by Time Out editors and contributors.

November 2025: Cool, crispy weather and far less daylight can only mean one thing - Sunday roast season is here. Not simply just a decent hangover cure, Sunday lunch is one of the most winter-y things a Londoner can possibly do. Our latest update to this list has prioritised the cosiest pubs in town, with extra points for roaring open fires, as well as nooks and crannies to hunker down in as the city gets darker, colder and way more snuggly. There are a couple of posh restaurants in the mix too, with a Nordic roast at the fancy Ekstedt at the Yard, and a proper meat feast at The Quality Chop House. We also have a brand new Number 1; the simple, spectacular roast at London’s OG organic pub, The Duke of Cambridge.  London’s best Sunday roasts at a glance: 🥩 Central: Duke of Cambridge, Angel 😇 North: The Angel, Highgate ⛪ South: Old Nun’s Head, Nunhead 🌈 East: The Nelson’s, Hackney 🍻 West: The Mall Tavern, Notting Hill Sunday lunch. There’s nothing quite like it. An elemental meal, one that Londoners take incredibly seriously. Debates about what constitutes the ‘perfect’ Sunday roast have been known to last for hours. There is no shortage of top roasts in London. We’ve rounded up the city’s best Sunday meals from a host of pubs, restaurants and breweries all around town. What makes a good roast? For us, it’s simple; a welcoming room is a good start, maybe in a pub with an open fire. Then it comes to the plate – we need perfect roast potatoes, well-cooked lamb, beef or por

As much as Christmas trees, turkey and a mildly overworked Santa have become staples of the festive season, so has the music that soundtracks this cheer-soaked time of year. Christmas songs don’t just endure – many end up becoming the crown jewels of an artist’s entire career. From golden oldies by Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and Bing Crosby, to ‘80s icons like Wham! and The Pogues, to modern favourites from Ariana Grande and Leona Lewis, these tunes have embedded themselves into our seasonal rituals. What is the best-selling Christmas song of all time? That honour still belongs to Bing Crosby’s 1942 classic ‘White Christmas’. With over 50 million sales, it’s not only the biggest Christmas record in history – it’s the best-selling song of all time, full stop. Guinness World Records first crowned it back in 1955, and it’s held onto the title ever since. What is the most-streamed Christmas song of all time? Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ may trail Crosby in pure sales (a mere 16 million), but streaming has turned it into a seasonal juggernaut. It finally hit No.1 in both the UK and US decades after its release and became the first Christmas song to pass 2 billion Spotify streams. Hot on its heels: Wham!’s ‘Last Christmas’ (1.83 billion) and Brenda Lee’s ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’ (1.27 billion). Are there any new Christmas songs for 2025? The past decade has delivered plenty of modern holiday staples, from Ariana Grande to Sabrina Carpenter to Cher. As

Europe is incredible for festivals, make no mistake about it. And what could be better? Travelling to festivals abroad means getting to explore somewhere new and see a bunch of cracking artists, as well as maybe – just maybe – enjoy better weather and cheaper beer. Europe is certainly not in short supply of some really brilliant places to party, from tiny, lesser-known spots in the Azores to headliner-packed fests in France and the Netherlands. There’s just one festival you’ll see sadly missing from our list – everyone’s favourite festival Glastonbury is taking a fallow year in 2026.  What is the largest festival in Europe? Glastonbury is normally thought of as the biggest festival in Europe (if not the world). But though it’s certainly the most well known, in terms of numbers, it’s not even the the biggest in the UK! The biggest in Europe is actually Donauinselfest in Vienna, Austria, which sees upwards of two million visitors a year. After that, it’s probably joint between Glasto and Tomorrowland in Belgium. The more you know! RECOMMENDED: 🎪 The best UK music festivals🎤 The best music festivals in the world🌃 The most underrated destinations in Europe🌤️ The best European city breaks At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. This guide may include affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate gu

Even on the coldest, darkest days of winter, London is always bustling with fun things to do, with a jam-packed calendar of unmissable events to keep you entertained during most people’s least favourite time of the year. And yet, even we culture-mad London superfans have to admit that every once in a while it’s nice to have a little break from it all. When the capital’s hustle and bustle leaves you feeling a little drained, you can find some escape from the crowds and hordes of tourists by getting up and getting out just for a day. In dire need of crisp country air, a relaxing spa day or a gorgeous, long walk? These day trips from London are all under two hours from Zone 1 and will give you the relief you need this winter. RECOMMENDED: The best day trips from London Best winter day trips at a glance 🪄 Best for magic-lovers: Warner Bros Studio Tour 🎄 Best for the light deprived: Go Wild 2025 at Wakehurst  🍴 Best for the always peckish: Chapel Down Luxury Dining Experience 🏞️ Best for crowd haters: Broadway, Worcestershire 📱 Best for digital detoxers: Rocheser Christmas Fair

You can spot the building that hosts Archives from miles around, a repurposed 1960s industrial tower standing tall above Tottenham Hale’s retail parks and marshland. And it’s a worthy local landmark: since opening in 2024 Archives has regularly hosted blockbuster nights, from James Blake’s CMYK to the second edition of Eastern Margins’ festival Margins United. The space itself is an 8,500-square-foot ground-floor blank canvas with thick concrete columns and capacity for 1,600; the 360-degree soundsystem is solid, the dancefloor is well-proportioned and the outdoor/rest areas are sizeable. The only downside is the bar prices. When I was last here pints were flatly priced at a very steep £8.50 (and £7.50 for cans).

A country home amid gargantuan piles of slate, Plas Weunydd sits atop a hill overlooking not just an old industrial town but the vast landscape of Snowdonia National Park. Needless to say, the hotel is all about its location: the location on a map, sure (it’s pretty much at the dead-centre of Snowdonia and surrounded by all manner of outdoorsy activities) but also its topographical location, with views galore.  For my visit to Plas Weunydd, the approach by car saw me wind my way past the hills and valleys of the national park, through old mining town Blaenau Ffestiniog and most of the way up a not-unsteep hill. The hotel is perched near the top, at the same turning as much-hyped adventure attraction Zip World and a mountain-biking course.  Why stay at Plas Weunydd? If you’re in Snowdonia for an adventure or outdoorsy holiday (and this is very much a region famous for that), Plas Weunydd is extraordinarily well-located. Hiking, cycling, mountain biking, zip-wiring and more is almost literally on your doorstep – as previously mentioned, Zip World is across the road – while countless mountains, waterfalls, lakes or rivers in Snowdonia National Park are no more than a half-hour drive away.  The building itself was built in 1870 as the home of John Whitehead Greaves, the founder of nearby Llechwed Quarry. It was turned into a hotel in 2021, and it relaunched in April 2025 following further refurbishment. Plas Weunydd prides itself on being an adventure holiday base, but also for b

Prince Durairaj and Glen Leeson are good at this by now. Excellent, in fact. The pair have put together a small chain of top Indian eateries; Islington’s Tamil Prince and Tamil Crown, and the first Tamila in Clapham. Fourth time around with Tamila King’s Cross, the experience is more refined than ever. London’s second Tamila is at the other end of Caledonian Road from the Tamil Prince, and, like the Clapham edition, isn’t a ‘desi pub’ but a curry house for fast, casual dining and with an all-day menu. Without the loveable musk of an ex-pub, the space is much airier and restaurant-y, while the service is sharper and more attentive. Food-over-booze indicators don’t get much more obvious than Tamila’s massive interior window directly into the kitchen.  The dhal flashed all sorts of vegetables across your tongue, while paneer butter masala was creamy and mightily generous Our drinks flew out at an impressive pace. A bold harbinger of the strong, spiced flavours to come, the gunpowder margarita, boasting masala dust for salt and earthy smokiness, was sumptuous. The paloma had grapefruity sweetness but a proper, heaped dash of ginger that lingered powerfully.  Tamila’s dishes verge on the more generous side of ‘small plates’. On platters so spotless and shiny they’re genuinely mirrors, come miraculously un-greasy onion bhajis, each one just more than a mouthful of prickly, salty crackle. Retaining integral crispiness beneath dollops of mint chutney, one gets the impression that th

If you’re a history buff (particularly a pottery history buff), the surroundings of this DoubleTree alone will be enough to have you in awe. The hotel is attached to Etruria Hall, a neo-classical Grade II-listed structure once home to Josiah Wedgwood – renowned industrialist and the founder of Wedgwood, one of the world’s most famous pottery companies.  Etruria Hall is no longer a stately home but an events venue, and since the 1980s it’s been attached to a hotel. In 2020 that hotel opened as a Hilton, specifically of the DoubleTree brand – yet despite being part of an all-conquering global chain, it’s maintained plenty of character. Beyond the obvious (the in-house restaurant is called Josiah), the corridors and rooms come lined with nods to local heritage; bottle oven skylines, Stoke dialect phrases, that sort of stuff.  Stoke-on-Trent’s DoubleTree, therefore, not only occupies a special historical site but makes sure you fully aware just how special it is. But it’s also a comfortable, well-kitted-out place to stay. I stayed in a king guest room that was extraordinarily spacious and flawlessly clean, with a sprawling, comfortable bed, fast wi-fi, effective blackout curtains and a practical bathroom.  The staff couldn’t have been friendlier or more helpful, the common areas were bright and welcoming, and there was a very sleek indoor pool and leisure centre. There’s on-site parking, too.  Given the building’s age, some of Stoke’s DoubleTree is understandably rough around the

When Stoke’s Hilton Garden Inn opened in 2020 it was the city’s first and only Hilton. Admittedly it didn’t hold that title for long (the DoubleTree in Etruria was rebranded a month or so later) but you get the sense that this was a statement opening. A terracotta titan towering over Hanley, this Hilton Garden Inn cost £20 million and is part of the wider redevelopment of Smithfield – a mixed-use quarter named after the area’s old bottle works. Given it’s getting on for half a decade old, Stoke’s Hilton Garden Inn still looks and feels shimmeringly new. Sure, stepping into the lobby feels very much like stepping into any new-ish Hilton, anywhere, but this one is exceptionally well-kempt, making it very much a slick, shiny beacon of modern comfort.  I stayed in a ‘king room’ up on the sixth floor, a tidy and well-proportioned space with plenty of light and a bunch of amenities tidily packed in. The décor was pared back, minimalist(ish) and very much of-this-decade, and the room’s simplicity made it feel bigger. Stoke touches on the walls (images of pottery ovens and so on) reminded you where you were – as did my view, stretching out westwards towards Etruria, Burslem and Shelton. The rest was very much as one might expect of a somewhat new Hilton. The mattress was supple, the pillows and duvet ideally sink-in-able; the shower worked as required, accompanied by fragrant Crabtree & Evelyn toiletries and the flashy touch of an anti-steam mirror. The room was well insulated for so

Down the cavernous halls of Whitehall’s Old War Offices, surrounded by opulent Michelin-starred restaurants and the supremely swish Raffles hotel, lies Kioku Sake Bar – less blindingly flashy, sure, but just as high-calibre. The street-level accompaniment to Kioku’s top-floor, five-star sushi restaurant has the effortless style and homely hideaway calm of a Japanese listening bar, prim décor and lines of hundreds of sake bottles sitting beneath immaculately balanced light. And Kioku’s substance more than matches its style. There are over 140 sakes on offer, each affectionately described, plus a trim list of sake cocktails and a refined menu of innovative, Japanese-infused small plates. The drinks and food are entirely different to those of the upstairs restaurant Kioku By Endo, making the bar very much worth a separate visit.  Order this The Daikon Gibson suspends itself entirely on the front of your tongue, with silky and potent Ginjo sake ‘vermouth’ and tangy pickled daikon combining with clean Roku gin and yuzu tang. Kioku’s cocktails all exude a sense of craft – and this does even more so. Time Out tip Make the most of Kioku’s formidable sake collection and the bar’s in-house sake sommelier to explore the tipple. Discover how the vessel material affects each sake, get a taste of the many, many different styles and regional varieties – and find a new favourite.

Stepping into the atrium of The Conservatorium, it’s immediately obvious that this is a very special hotel indeed. Rich red brickwork meets sharp glass angles, heritage details fit snugly among silky modern luxury; from the fittings and furniture to the architecture, wherever you look something catches your eye. The Conservatorium’s sense of occasion is tied to the building’s history. Many of its cavernous halls date back to 1897, when it was built as a bank. In the 1980s it became a conservatoire, then it was reconfigured into a hotel by starchitect Piero Lissoni in the 2000s. It opened as a founding member of the luxurious Set Collection in 2011. The Conservatorium’s rooms, appropriately for a hotel inhabiting a building of many previous lives, vary massively – yet they share plenty of common ground. Whether one is in the basic ‘deluxe room’ or the three-floor, roof terrace-boasting ‘I Love Amsterdam’ suite, well-proportioned rooms boast plush beds, spacious bathrooms, bountiful storage and thoughtful, refined décor. My room was a ‘royal duplex suite’, with elegant double-height windows looking out onto the humming trams and cafés of Van Baerlestraat. The essentials – bed, space, storage, bathroom, toiletries – were all faultless. Little touches of Dutch-ness (decorative clogs, a Van Gogh coffee table book, Delftware ceramic plates) were unsubtle but still tasteful, restrained. Beyond the room, breakfast (served in the Lounge) was high-calibre and the staff were as helpful

What comes to mind when you think of a treehouse? Woodlice, splinters, cold – yes, probably all those things. But treehouses are also secluded and peaceful, dwellings a few feet up in the air that feel that bit away from the rabble below and closer to nature. And a treehouse, crucially, is all yours.  The treehouses of TreeDwellers in Cornbury, northeast Cotswolds, are treehouses in a spiritual sense. No, they aren’t up trees (nor do they even touch them), but they’re surrounded by them, sitting an impressive height above the forest floor. TreeDwellers takes the idea of a treehouse – as something special, private, embedded in nature – and turns it into a luxurious experience genuinely unlike anything, anywhere else. Pulling up to a TreeDwellers dwelling (a TreeDwelling?) has a supreme sense of occasion. This is the sort of architectural magnificence you thumb through in glossy mags, lustfully dreaming of one day giving it all up for. Handsomely curved tubes are perched atop stilts; inside is all sleek, clean wood and floor-to-ceiling windows, each and every convenience slotted in with impossible neatness. It’s all so stunning that you could easily be satisfied with the design and that alone, left gawping at it for days on end. But these treehouses aren’t just flashy façades: they’re comfortable and practical, too. You check-in with slick door-code entry, the heating is underfloor and toasty on your toes, everything you could possibly need is on a tablet (or on hand from delig

On the face of it, Portobello’s neat, proper Holy Carrot and Dalston’s fire-worshipping feast ACME Fire Cult share little common ground. ACME is roaring and showy, as much a swaggering religion as a restaurant; Carrot is prim as a perfume shop, soft clay surroundings fronting a menu that is plant-forward, ‘root to peel’ and sustainable.  But there’s a clear link between the two – namely Daniel Watkins. The ex-ACME founder is now executive chef at the first permanent home of Holy Carrot (previously known for its supper clubs and Knightsbridge residency), and brings his ‘fire and ferment’ ethos across the capital from one neighbourhood of cool to another.  More than just Holy Carrot’s first proper restaurant, it’s also a Watkins-helmed reboot – and it has plenty of his signature punch. From the off, the pre-starter ‘snacks’ offer a studied but unshowy sort of tastiness. Pillowy insides dramatically burst out of crisp ‘honey’ drenched Jerusalem artichokes; one couldn’t help but mop up the warming chilli ragu with ultralight koji bread. Two cold ‘smalls’ followed suit, both intricately flavoured: each mouthful of the smoked beetroot breathing freshness, each spoonful of the stracciatella with persimmon and bitter leaves with deftly measured amount of creamy tang and gentle crunch. This is innovation of a dependable, not reckless, sort Imprinted upon my memory the most, however, was one of Holy Carrot’s ‘larges’: the crispy celeriac with pickle butter. I know what you’re thinking

The Nobu brand, in a word? Dependable. Nobu Matsuhisa’s Japan-via-USA restaurant empire both draws celebrities and is a celebrity itself, but it’s best regarded for its high-quality dining: nearly 30 years after it opened, Nobu’s Park Lane spot remains one of London’s best places for sushi. These days Nobu isn’t just a restaurant chain but a hotel brand too, with two outposts in London. The Shoreditch one, which opened in 2017, was the first of these – not just London’s first Nobu hotel (since followed by Nobu Portman Square in Marylebone) but the first in all of Europe. The greatest compliment one can pay to this place is that the dependability of the Nobu name transfers seamlessly from restaurant to hotel. This is a sleek and comfortable choice, a beacon of minimalist taste in the midst of Shoreditch’s gaudy pick-me bars and tech-bro co-working spaces. Nobu as a chain is Nippon-by-’Murica, and its hotels are too – Japanese style meets American comfort and convenience. From the front Nobu Shoreditch resembles a Pacific battleship, from the side it’s a hillside Kyoto villa. And inside the hotel offers plenty of that same cultural middle ground: polished black wood, sleek furniture and a tea set in every room, but also huge plasma TVs, delightful staff and an in-house spa.  All aided, of course, by housing a Nobu restaurant, the chain’s third in London. You know exactly the deal here: a spoiled-rich clientele, sure, but also generous portions, attentive service (I did exceptio

If you plonked a point on a map denoting Stuttgart’s absolute centre, I’m fairly certain it’d be directly right on top of the EmiLu. Or it may as well be. Dead opposite the city’s Rathaus (town hall) and a few steps from Königstrasse (Stuttgart’s main shopping street), EmiLu is within easy walking distance of most city-centre sights. Just a couple of years old (it opened in 2022), EmiLu occupies an old mid-century city government building and gets its name by combining the names of its co-owner (Petra Luise Bräutigam) and her daughter (Emilia). A self-professed ‘design hotel’, it boasts 90 ‘unique and special’ rooms that range reasonably in price per night from €85 to €200 (£72 to £170). So, the good: EmiLu, with its focus on individual, tasteful design, is a handsome and neat establishment. The chic reception is kitted out with dark wooden furnishings, while the rooms are airy and uncluttered. Cuboid furniture and crisply-shaped décor work well with bare-material walls; an open shower-room (with a curtain) and a mini-bar cut into the corner wall fit the minimal, trendy vibe. In another positive, my room looked out over the atmospheric street below (with floor-to-ceiling windows and a balcony) but also boasted exceptional sound insulation – an entire crowd of football fans in the space outside were reduced to noiseless silhouettes. Elsewhere, EmiLu’s staff are delightful, the rooftop space is great for taking in Stuttgart’s skyline and the ‘fitness area’ is remarkably well-eq

Over the years, London has done a fabulous job of finding new uses for its many, many historically fascinating buildings. The Bankside Power Station is now the Tate Modern. Churchill’s Old War Office is a hotel and apartments. County Hall houses restaurants, an aquarium and That Shrek Thing. Another of those retrofits is the Great Scotland Yard Hotel, a Grade II-listed building which dates back to the 1820s and was once the Ministry of Defence’s old library. Sitting at an address best known for also housing the original headquarters of the Metropolitan Police, the building has been a hotel for a while – though was spruced up a few years ago with a £75 million revamp.  Admittedly, the words ‘Scotland Yard’ do not exactly scream ‘mega-luxe five-star hotel stay’, but… maybe they could? This 151-room Hyatt is as deeply, thoroughly refined as hotels in this city get.  Each step of a stay at Great Scotland Yard is virtually faultless. The neat rooms are full of light, with floor-to-ceiling windows and balconies looking out over the turrets, towers and courtyards of the Palace of Whitehall. Full of modestly luxurious conveniences (like Chromecast TVs and fancy Japanese Toto loos), the rooms are also of a satisfyingly comfortable size: neither small and cluttered nor massive and awkwardly empty.  Beyond the rooms, Great Scotland Yard is far from a copy-paste Hyatt. Playing into the history of the building and address, the doors are slathered in a deep and polished police blue. The fo

If you’re a pop music obsessive and after bang for your buck, there aren’t many better events than Capital’s Jingle Bell Ball. The annual event (and its summer edition, the Summertime Ball) puts together lineups of pop royalty; in recent years it has been headlined by the likes of Coldplay, Katy Perry, Alicia Keys, Busted, Take That, Stormzy and Dua Lipa. The 2025 edition of Capital’s Jingle Bell Ball is headlined by all-conquering popstars Ed Sheeran and Kylie Minogue, with a lineup that also features the likes of RAYE, Jessie J, Alex Warren, Anne-Marie and Louis Tomlinson. It’s set to take place this coming weekend. Got tickets to the ball? Here’s what you need to know about Capital’s 2025 Jingle Bell Ball, from the timings and full lineup to last-minute ticket availability. RECOMMENDED: The best gigs in London in December 2025. When and where is Capital’s Jingle Bell Ball? The event will, as always, take place at The O2 Arena in Greenwich, southeast London. It’s on Saturday December 6 and Sunday December 7 2025. What’s the full Capital Jingle Bell Ball lineup and set times? Here’s the full lineup for this year’s Jingle Bell Ball, split by day. Saturday December 6 Ed Sheeren RAYE Leigh-Anne Anne-Marie Rizzle Kicks Mimi Webb Moliy Sonny Fodera Alessi Rose Sunday December 7 Kylie Minogue Alex Warren Louis Tomlinson Cat Burns Tinie Tempah Jessie J MK Jax Jones WiztheMC Rose Gray Set times for the event are often released at the very last minute (sometimes even on the same

Extremely busy train stations are a pain, sure – countless people all pushing and shoving to get where they need to go – but they’re also extraordinary achievements of the modern world. All those travellers, all getting where they need to go no matter the distance… it’s a modern marvel. Think about that the next time you’re ducking and dodging the hordes to catch a train you’re probably already late for. As usual in December, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has published its ranking of the busiest train stations in the UK. The data covers not this year but April 2024 to March 2025 – and top spot came as no surprise. For the third year in a row, London Liverpool Street topped the list with 98 million entries and exits. As before, all of the top 10 busiest stations were in the capital. But what about outside the capital? Also for a third year on the trot, Birmingham New Street had the most passengers of any train station outside the capital. Brum’s main rail hub had a whopping 36.6 million entries and exits between April 2024 and March 2025 – slightly up on the 33.3 million it had in April 2023-March 2024. Second-busiest was Manchester Piccadilly with 27.4m, staying in second place compared to last year. Leeds overtook Glasgow Central to take third with 27.3m (up from 24.9m in 2023-24). The least busy station, by contrast, had just 68 entries and exits all year. Elton and Orston in Nottinghamshire has just one train per day in each direction. Photograph: ShutterstockLeeds tr

Christmas is just a few weeks away – and London is in full festive mode. Lights displays are a-sparkling, buzzy markets are a-flogging and ice rinks are a-skating. There are still plenty of non-festive things to indulge in across the city, too, from the newly opened Paddington musical to the acclaimed West End production of The Spy Who Came In From the Cold. You can find a full guide to the best things to see and do in London this weekend here – but whatever you’re up to, you’ll almost certainly need public transport to get you there. Depending on your local transport link, you may need to plan ahead: partial closures are planned for the Piccadilly, Northern, Metropolitan and Elizabeth lines. You can find all the tube and train service closures and alterations to know about in London this weekend below RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in London this weekend. London travel disruption and tube closures, December 5-7 Northern line On Saturday December 6 and Sunday December 7, no service between Archway and High Barnet / Mill Hill East after 5.30am. On Sat Dec 6 and Sun Dec 7, no service between Charing Cross and Golders Green / High Barnet from 1.45am to 5.30am. Piccadilly line On Sat Dec 6 and Sun Dec 7, no service between Acton Town and Uxbridge. On Sat Dec 6, Holloway Road station will be shut eastbound from 11.30am to 12.30pm, then shut again from 2.10pm to 3.40pm. Metropolitan line On Sat Dec 6 and Sun Dec 7, no service between Harrow-on-the-Hill and Uxbridge. Eliz

Between the Bridges – the eating, drinking, shopping and partying destination on the South Bank – has announced that it will soon close. The Queen’s Walk riverside venue will shut for 2026 while works take place on nearby Jubilee Gardens.   For those not in-the-know, Between the Bridges is next to Hungerford Bridge and boasts food and drink stalls, themed markets and events. The site sits between Waterloo and Westminster bridges, within a short distance of attractions like the London Eye, London Dungeon, Southbank Centre and BFI. While Between the Bridges is closing for 2026, apparently we aren’t saying goodbye to the venue forever – organisers say more details will follow in 2027.  Photograph: Between the Bridges For the time being, the venue is going out with a bang. Between the Bridges is planning a fortnight of parties this month before it shutters, including free after-work live DJ events, Christmas discos, drag brunches and more. The finale will be a huge closing party on December 22. The best markets and food halls in London. Plus: the best London borough has been crowned for 2025. Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time Out London WhatsApp channel. Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox. 

Streets look better with trees. Sure, some might drop sap on your motor, but there’s no denying that a road framed by leafy greens is much nicer on the eyes (not to mention better for the lungs). One of London’s poshest retail destinations is the latest part of the capital to benefit from a green makeover. Sloane Street, a one-kilometre stretch which runs between Knightsbridge and Sloane Square, has been transformed with new trees, plant beds and wider pavements. Over 100 lime, juneberry and osmanthus trees were planted for the project, as well as more than 60 planters filled with ‘climate-resilient shrubs, flowers and ornamental perennials. They’re not just green, either – apparently the plants boast a ‘tonal palette of rich maroons, reds, purples and blues’. All the new plants have apparently boosted biodiversity on the road by 175 percent, but that isn’t the only benefit of the scheme. The size of the carriageway has been reduced and pavement space has been boosted by 20 percent, providing more space for outdoor cafés and markets. There are new seating areas, too. Photograph: Hufton+Crow In all, the project reckons that this is the biggest upgrade to Sloane Street’s public realm since the road was first laid out in the 18th century. The works were the result of investment by Cadogan, led by landscape architects John McAslan + Partners (which recently submitted alternative refurb plans for Liverpool Street station) in collaboration with Andy Sturgeon Design. While the off

North London indie rockers Wolf Alice are back in the capital this week for two shows at Greenwich’s O2 Arena. Ellie Rowsell and the band are marking the release of their fourth studio album The Clearing with a huge UK arena tour. Earlier this year Wolf Alice played Glastonbury’s Other Stage and were a firm favourite of on-the-ground Time Out reviewer Liv Kelly. She described the set as a ‘proper show’ thanks to Rowsell’s ‘stunning vocal capability’ and the ‘dreamy indie pop-rock’ of ‘Don’t Delete The Kisses’. Excited to experience recent Wolf Alice hits like ‘Thorn’ and ‘Bloom Baby Bloom’ live and in the flesh? Here’s what you need to know about the band’s gigs at the O2 this week. When are Wolf Alice playing at London’s O2 Arena? The ‘Don’t Delete the Kisses’ and ‘Bros’ band are in town on two dates: Tuesday December 2 and Wednesday December 3. What time do doors open? On both dates doors will open at 6.30pm. The O2’s bars and restaurants will be open earlier. When will Wolf Alice come on stage? So far on the current tour, Wolf Alice have taken to the stage at around 9pm. Expect similar timings in London. Who’s supporting Wolf Alice at the O2? Support will come from Canadian musician Bria Salmena (on at around 7pm) and American rock band Sunflower Bean (8pm). Last minute tickets Ticketmaster says it has ‘limited availability’ for both shows. Resale sites like Viagogo and Stubhub have some tickets left from as little as £34. Setlist For an idea of what Wolf Alice will play i

Out and about in east London next weekend? Watch out, you might have to navigate strike action. Hundreds of bus drivers will walk out, impacting over a dozen routes mostly in east and northeast London. Travel in and around prime Christmas shopping destination Stratford will be significantly affected. The striking drivers all work for the Lea Interchange Bus Company, which is part of Stagecoach, and they’re all represented by the Unite union. The workers are walking out amid accusations of union busting and bullying at the company, which Stagecoach says it ‘utterly refutes’. This is a separate dispute to the one by Unite workers at Westbourne Park bus garage, which led to strikes in west London in November. Worried that your local bus route will be hit by strikes? Here’s what you need to know about the industrial action, including the dates and full list of affected routes. When are London bus drivers going on strike? There are two weekends that are set to be hit by strikes: December 12 and 13 January 8 and 9 Which bus routes will be affected by strikes? The following services are set to be impacted by the walk-outs: 97 58 86 135 236 276 308 339 488 D8 W13 W14 678 Why are bus drivers going on strike? A total of 350 drivers will walk out, with Unite alleging that Lea Interchange Bus Company has been engaging in union busting, bullying and aggressive behaviour. Unite says that union reps are being targeted for undertaking trade union activities. Unite general secretary Sharo

It’s just four weekends ’til Christmas, but there’s no need to fully submit to London’s festive festivities just yet. There are plenty of fabulous non-Yuletide things to get your eyes and ears to in the capital this weekend, from Ivo van Hove’s new five-star play All My Sons to Tate Britain’s excellent new Turner and Constable exhibition. Whatever you’re up to in London over the coming days, you’ll likely need public transport to get you there – and so you’ll want to know which lines are running, and which aren’t. Between November 28 and 30 there is rather a bit of planned transport disruption to be aware of, including closures on the Northern, Bakerloo and Elizabeth lines. Here are all the tube and train service closures and alternations to know about in London this weekend. RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in London this weekend. London travel disruption and tube closures, November 28-30 Bakerloo line On both Saturday Nov 29 and Sunday Nov 30, no service between Queens Park and Harrow & Wealdstone. Northern line On Saturday Nov 29, no service between Hampstead and Edgware from 1.45am until 5.30am. No service between Golders Green and Edgware from 5.30am on Saturday Nov 29 and all of Sunday Nov 30 Elizabeth line On Sunday Nov 30, no service between Paddington and Ealing Broadway until 7.40am. After that, there will be a reduced service between Paddington and Maidenhead / Heathrow Terminal 4. DLR On both Saturday Nov 29 and Sunday Nov 30, no service between Bank / T

Egg fanatics, this one’s for you. Eggslut, a food chain known for dishing up all kinds of yolk-and-white combos, all day, has confirmed that it is opening its first UK location outside London. The company will open on Manchester’s Deansgate at the end of January 2026. Dishing up eggs that are hard-boiled, scrambled, sunny-side-up, coddled and, well, pretty much any way you can think of cooking a yolk and white, the menu will feature a range of Eggslut classics (like the chain’s Bacon, Egg and Cheese) and newer additions such as the Pork Romesco with crispy pork belly, romesco sauce and an over-easy egg. Food aside, Eggslut Manchester will also serve a special blend of coffee from Kiss The Hippo that has been made specifically for the chain. It’ll also offer catering options. Image: Eggslut Eggslut was founded in LA in the early 2010s and opened its first London outpost in 2019. It now has seven locations in the capital, as well as restaurants around the world in cities like Tokyo, Las Vegas and Seattle. Commenting on the Manchester opening, Eggslut’s Head of Ops Pedro Ribeiro said: ‘Manchester has been crying out for an Eggslut for too long, and we were only too happy to make that dream a reality. ‘The city is the perfect place to bring our kind of breakfast to a brand new area of the UK and we cannot wait to join such a fast-paced and buzzing food scene.’ Eggslut Manchester doesn’t yet have a firm opening date, just sometime in January 2026. You’ll find it at Centurion Hou

Ibrox, the third biggest stadium in Scotland (and 15th largest in the UK), could be about to get even bigger. The Rangers ground has launched a feasibility study, exploring options that could see huge changes to the matchday experience and a notable boost in capacity. Official capacity at Ibrox currently stands at a not-too-shabby 51,700. One option reportedly being explored by the club could see another 4,000 seats added – which would take the Gers ground past national stadium Hampden Park (51,866) in the Scottish stadium rankings. Four thousand wouldn’t boost Ibrox beyond the capacity of Celtic Park, however, which holds just over 60,000. But increased capacity isn’t all that could be in store for Ibrox. The feasibility study is also looking into the matchday experience more widely, and could lead to overhauls of the venue’s facilities, bars and social spaces. Specifically, the study will look into how Edmiston House, the G51 space and stadium offices can be better used on matchdays. Photograph: Shutterstock The club has assured fans that celebrating the team’s heritage ‘will remain central to the process’, while fans themselves (and fan groups) will be consulted on any changes. That consultation is expected to launch later this year. Ibrox’s feasibility plan is one of several notable football stadium projects unveiled across Britain in recent months. Oxford United’s new ground received official government approval and Leyton Orient unveiled ambitions for a ‘world class’

In January Scottish rockers Biffy Clyro will head out for a huge sold-out tour of some of the UK’s biggest arenas – but the band aren’t stopping there. This week they’ve announced the biggest headline show in their 30-year career so far, which will be in London next summer. The venue for the gig is Finsbury Park, which in summer 2025 hosted the likes of Fontaines DC and Stereophonics. In north London Biffy will be supported by a stellar lineup including Nothing But Thieves, Don Broco and Marmozets. About the gig, the band said: ‘Finsbury fuckin’ Park - see you in July. This is going to be so special, don’t miss it…’. Below is everything you need to know about Biffy Clyro’s Finsbury Park gig next summer, including when tickets go on sale and the full lineup. When are Biffy Clyro playing at London’s Finsbury Park? The band’s biggest ever headline show will be on Friday July 3 2026. When do tickets go on sale? General on-sale starts at 10am on Friday November 28. You’ll be able to get them on Live Nation here. Presale An artist presale for fans of both Biffy Clyro and Nothing But Thieves will take place at 10am on Wednesday November 26. Ticket prices Ticket prices for Biffy Clyro in Finsbury Park haven’t yet been confirmed. For an idea of potential pricing, the band’s January arena tour tickets ranged from around £50 to £80. General admission for Kasabian, who’re also playing the park next summer, started at £72.80. Who else is on the Biffy Clyro lineup in Finsbury Park? Here ar

Just months after he delivered two mighty shows at London’s BST Hyde Park festival this past summer, country superstar Zach Bryan has announced that he’ll be returning to the UK in 2026. Bryan, who has new album With Heaven On Top arriving in January, will be bringing his With Heaven On Tour to stadiums in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The With Heaven On Tour will see Bryan conquer stadiums across North America and Europe, and the UK is set for six dates. Liverpool, Edinburgh, London and Belfast are the cities lined up for shows. Keen to see Zach Bryan on tour in the UK next summer? Here’s everything you need to know, from the dates and when tickets go on sale to presale info. When is Zach Bryan going on tour in the UK? The ‘Something in the Orange’ singer is in England, Scotland and NI in June 2026. What tour dates have been announced so far? Here are all the UK tour stops that have been confirmed: June 12 – Liverpool, Anfield Stadium June 14 – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium June 16 – London, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium June 17 – London, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium June 23 – Belfast, Boucher Playing Fields June 24 – Belfast, Boucher Playing Fields When do tickets go on sale? General sale starts at 10am GMT on Friday December 5. You’ll be able to purchase on Ticketmaster here. Presale details Here are all the presales to know about: Artist presale: register here to get early access at 10am on Wednesday December 3 AEG, venue and ticket agent presales: 10a