Your guide to Easter weekend in London

Easter opening hours and transport in London

Most attractions are open over the Easter weekend but make sure to check with individual venues in advance as Good Friday and Easter Monday are both public holidays, and some venues may not open on Easter Sunday. Public transport services, including the London Underground, may be reduced between Good Friday and Easter Monday too. Plan your journey on the TfL website and cycle or walk where possible – bikes are available at points across the capital, such as Lime Bikes and Santander Cycles.

Purchase The London Pass®

Enjoy a stress-free Easter in London with the whole family. The London Pass gives you access to more than 90 of the city’s best attractions, including the Tower of London, ZSL London Zoo and so much more. You can save up to 55% on sightseeing with your pass, so it’s an investment well worth making.

Catch a special Easter event

Watch a spectacular free performance of The Passion of Jesus in Trafalgar Square on Good Friday (29 Mar). Featuring 100 performers, it is a free-to-watch theatrical production that includes a realistic interpretation of the crucifixion so parental guidance is advised. Elsewhere, at the Royal Albert Hall, there will be a traditional Good Friday performance of Handel’s Messiah (29 Mar), or you can dress up and race for Easter goodies in the Adult Fun Run and Children’s Race at the annual London Easter 10k in Regent’s Park.

Go on the hunt on an Easter trail

Hampton Court Palace welcomes the Lindt Gold Bunny Hunt (23 Mar-14 Apr) once again – can you find the gold bunnies and their accompanying stories in the 60 acres of palace gardens? Elsewhere, complete themed challenges at the BucketRace Easter Hunt at Golden Square near Piccadilly Circus, or learn about egg-laying creatures and join the Zoonormous Egg Hunt at London Zoo. In south London, the Spring Fair at Horniman Museum & Gardens (8 Apr) will bring seasonal fun and games with live music, arts and crafts, tours, and lots more among the entertainment on the bill. Make sure you check out the museum’s collections, aquarium and butterfly house while you’re here, as they’re not to be missed.

Take a trip to Greenwich

See shanty singers and costumed actors, join workshops, pick up a family trail at the admissions desk and look out for play boxes dotted around Cutty Sark, the fastest tea clipper of its time. At the nearby National Maritime Museum, a range of fun creative workshops encourage visitors to think and learn about protecting our natural environment: make flowers out of scrap materials while discussing the importance of biodiversity (31 Mar & 13 Apr), create a large-scale image of ocean creatures with your family (2 Apr) and craft your own rock pool mini ecosystem using egg boxes (7 Apr), amongst many other activities. Don’t miss a walk through Greenwich Park – climb the hill to the Royal Observatory where you can stand astride Prime Meridian and look out over the City and beyond. Having been suitably worn out after the climb, head back down the hill to Greenwich Market to refuel and explore the stalls. Plan your visit.

Stand beneath an enormous skeleton

The Natural History Museum is a firm favourite with visitors of all ages and makes for a perfect day out with your family. The Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition is open until 30 June, demonstrating the beauty of our planet through the work of many talented photographers from across the world. For something a little more hands-on, meet the modern-day relatives of the animals that lived alongside dinosaurs at Jurassic Encounters, the animal handling show (10 Apr; £8 per person). Out-of-Hours Dino Tours are available on various dates throughout the Easter holidays, giving you access to the Dinosaurs gallery before it opens to the public (9am-10am; adult £25, child £17; suitable for ages 11+). Plan your visit.

Explore the Wizarding World

Having returned to the famous studio tour for its third year, Magical Mischief is a celebration of the film-making trickery needed to pull off the magical pranks and mishaps seen on-screen in the Harry Potter film series. Starting in the Great Hall, fans will walk into the iconic set dressed for the O.W.L examinations under the watchful eye of Professor Umbridge, as seen in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Throughout the rest of the tour, you’ll discover the secrets behind the disappearing effect of the Invisibility Cloak and Harry’s flying acceptance letters and can try your hand at making an origami howler just like the one delivered to Ron in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Plan your visit.

Medieval Mayhem at the Tower of London

Go for Sunday lunch

Traditionally, Brits will come together for an Easter Sunday lunch typically consisting of roast lamb or ham. Join the tradition and book a table at a pub such as The Devonshire in Soho, The Holly Bush in Hampstead or the Camberwell Arms. Alternatively, book at Blacklock or Hawksmoor, which have restaurants across the capital. After enjoying a walk along the river, end up at the Trafalgar Tavern in Greenwich – this local landmark was a favourite of Charles Dickens and overlooks the River Thames. It’s the perfect spot to tuck into a traditional Sunday roast.

Explore London’s green spaces

London became the world’s first National Park City in 2019 thanks to its abundance of green spaces and parkland, and when better to explore them than during the Easter weekend? Of course, there are the Royal Parks including Regent’s Park, with its beautiful gardens, outdoor theatre and ZSL London Zoo; Kensington Gardens and neighbouring Hyde Park, and St James’s Park with its resident pelicans. Or you could venture to Barnes to visit the WWT London Wetland Centre, where you’ll encounter different habitats and wildlife, and little ones can learn about wetland nature with Bing and his friends on the kids’ trail. Other fun family excursions include city farms, which are dotted across the capital, or a visit to a National Trust estate.

Join the family-friendly trail at the National Gallery

The Keeper of Paintings and the Palette of Perception is a free digital trail that is perfect for entertaining and educating kids during the Easter holidays. Suitable for children aged 7-11 years, it encourages young visitors to analyse and ask questions about the masterpieces hanging on the walls as they go on an immersive AR adventure through the Gallery. Plan your visit.

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