Unique and Hands-On Things To Do In London
Skip the queue-and-photo routine. If you are after something a bit more memorable in London — a story worth telling, or a gift someone will actually remember — here is where to start.
Our pick: The Scentâme Experience
Smell your way through our full catalogue with a perfume assistant by your side, compose your own fragrance, and leave with it beautifully packaged — blended by you, for you. It runs at our studio in Islington, a short walk from Angel. Details and booking are on the Experience page; if you would rather spend a full afternoon at the perfumer’s bench, look at the perfume workshops instead.
More hands-on ideas around the city
Deliberately generic where the category matters more than any one venue, and specific only where a London institution has earned it.
- A pottery or ceramics class — throw your own bowl or paint a piece to take home. Several studios across London run beginner-friendly sessions, no experience needed.
- A chocolate-making workshop — hands-on chocolate studios around the city teach tempering and truffle-making, a sweet and sociable way to spend an afternoon.
- A cocktail masterclass — learn to shake, stir and garnish like a bartender at one of London’s many mixology schools. A popular pick for groups and hen or stag dos.
- Warner Bros. Studio Tour – The Making of Harry Potter — just outside London, walk the real sets and props from the films. Book well ahead; it sells out weeks in advance.
- Sky Garden — a free, glass-domed garden 155 metres above the City with some of the best skyline views around. Advance (free) booking required.
- An escape room — London has one of the world’s densest escape-room scenes, a fun way to spend an hour with friends or colleagues.
While you’re near our studio
Our studio sits at 23 Arlington Way, London, EC1R 1UY, in Clerkenwell/Islington — worth combining your visit with a walk around Myddelton Square Garden, a catch at Sadler’s Wells Theatre (a short walk away), or a browse of the independent shops along Amwell Street.
If you are staying local, we keep a fuller guide to things to do in Angel and Islington, and the perfume workshops we run in Angel are a few doors from it.
