London’s brimming with Easter activities, and warmer weather is just the incentive you need to get out and about this April. With a gloriously long weekend on the way, bookended by two bank holidays – Good Friday and Easter Monday, expect most of the city’s big attractions to be teeming with tourists and families on school holidays. With a little planning however, you’ve plenty of options for enjoying Easter at leisure this April 2019.
Booking a base for your explorations would be a good place to start. The Montcalm London provides family-friendly, five-star accommodation in superbly central locations, with excellent facilities, personalised service and attractive seasonal savings and offers. Foodies will enjoy the dining options available at the Montcalm London’s restaurants, too.
Our round-up of Easter inspiration includes:
Visit a religious service: London is home to numerous churches all across the city, most of which host special Easter services. St. Martin-in-the-Fields Church, an iconic Trafalgar Square landmark, has a programme of orchestral music and a live choir service among its Easter programme of events. Other prominent places of worship in the city that will host special services include Southwark Cathedral, St Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey – all worth visiting not only to take in the traditional pomp and ceremony, but also for their impressive, Instagram-worthy architecture.
Feast on traditional hot cross buns: One of the more unique Easter traditions takes place in East London at Bromley-by-Bow’s popular The Widow’s Son pub. Every Good Friday a fresh hot cross bun is strung up in the bar. As tradition dictates, a sailor adds a second bun, allegedly to commemorate the erstwhile owner’s son who drowned at sea in the Napoleonic Wars. To see the ceremony, you’ll need to make a reservation in advance, though it’s a great spot for a drink anytime – the food is also good here.
Hunt the perfect Easter Egg: Easter is a particularly welcome holiday for those with a sweet tooth, and there are few better place to indulge it than London. The city is home to some of the finest chocolatiers and confectionary stores in the world, including the food halls of its most famous department stores Harrods and Selfridges.
From Easter egg shopping at Hotel Chocolat to choosing a chocolate hamper at Fortnum & Mason, there are plenty of options. Renowned royal-warrant holder Charbonnel et Walker – a Montcalm partner, is unmissable for luxury chocolates, and Rococo, Paul A Young or Melange are also well worth visiting for chocolatey treats this Easter.
Enjoy the London Harness Horse Parade: This event dates back to the early 19th century, held every Easter Monday at the South of England Showground in West Sussex. It’s an easy train journey from central London, and an impressive spectacle with over 100 horse drawn vehicles and carriages taking part from all over Britain. Harrods’ famous Friesians also put in an appearance!
