What to do on the weekends as an LSE Summer School student

One of my favourite aspects of studying at LSE Summer School was getting to explore London on the weekends! London has so much to offer. Whether you are interested in history, art, culture, sight-seeing, shopping, food, or café-hopping, the city has it all!

Here are five of my favourite activities to do on the weekends at summer school:

Markets

Borough Market – For all the foodies out there, this one is heaven! But be warned, it gets extremely busy on the weekends so be prepared to brave the crowds. You must try the chocolate strawberries and pulled pork sandwich!

Portobello Road Market – This one is perfect for the vintage shoppers and street market lovers. Featuring hundreds of stalls including vintage clothes, antiques, music, and food, this market has something for everyone. If the crowds are a bit too much, take a stroll through the streets of Notting Hill and admire the colourful houses!

Brick Lane Market – Another great pick for those who love vintage shopping!

Covent Garden – As a London staple, this market is perfect for a stroll and features many food and gift vendors. When I attended Summer School it was the middle of Wimbledon and Covent Garden held pop-up screenings of every match!

Sightseeing

One of the first things I did to get over jetlag was to take a long walk to look at all the beautiful London landmarks. It’s a great way to spend alone time, call family, or chat with fellow Summer School students. If you’d prefer to see the sights without all the walking, the hop-on hop-off bus was fantastic, and even great on a rainy day!

Must-sees: London Bridge, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, River Thames, Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park.

Art Museums

National Gallery – This is one of the largest galleries in London located in the heart of Trafalgar Square, housing a collection of some of the world’s most famous paintings.

National Portrait Gallery – An extension of the National Gallery, this one is perfect for those with a specific interest in portraiture.

The Courtauld Gallery – This one ended up being my favourite of all! It’s a small yet beautiful gallery with stunning architecture and located just 5 minutes from campus! I loved coming here in-between classes for a peaceful break. They also have a student discount.

Victoria and Albert Museum – A stunning art and design museum located close to Hyde Park, Kensington, and Chelsea. Grab a coffee from one of the nearby local cafés and stroll around the neighbourhood after.

Day Trips

I was lucky enough to go on a few day trips while at Summer School. Summer School offers day trips to Oxford, Cambridge, and Windsor, however demand is extremely high! If you want to get in, make sure you are organised to book these two weeks in advance, taking note of any time zone changes. Here are my favourite day trip spots:

• Oxford and/or Cambridge – Historical cities home to the popular Oxford and Cambridge Universities (both about 1.5-hour bus from London)
• White Cliffs of Dover – Beautiful limestone cliffs (2-hour train ride from London)
• Brighton – A coastal town, known for its laneways and beach pier (1-hour train from London)

Sunset Picnic at Primrose Hill

One of the highlights of my trip was a spontaneous picnic in Primrose Hill with some friends I met at Summer School. We took the Northern Line to Chalk Farm Station and stopped at the grocery store to pick up some of our favourite snacks before finding a spot to watch the sunset from the top of Primrose Hill. Make sure to check the weather before going so you can get the best view of the London skyline! This is also a great spot for dog spotting and chatting to the locals.

This blog was written by one of our 2023 Student Ambassadors, who are here to share their stories and help you understand the summer school experience at LSE.