January can be a bust, but it doesn’t have to be! Life is what you make it, and if you’re in the City, well, that’s even easier.
This is your guide to making something of your year and getting it kicked off with excitement, knowledge, and some unexpectedness from the Square Mile.
Image credit Pablo Byrne
Get stuck in
When better to throw yourself into something new than the new year?
- Check out Set Ceramics: This community pottery space has opened in the heart of the City and offers community memberships, longer-scale courses, or just some one-off fun! Get messy, make a mug of yourself, and then bring one home too.
- Herbal and Wellbeing Workshops– Across Aldgate and Cheapside, both BIDs are hosting a range of free workshops centred around wellbeing, and you can even take your creations home.
- Make and Wake– Thanks to Eastern City, you can make the City, and wake up the City with their free workshops centred around creating and channelling your inner self.
Learn
Test the brain and do some mental exercise to tick off your culture fix for 2026.
- Guildhall Art Gallery: Get yourself down to the completely free Guildhall Art Gallery in the Guildhall complex to pack your lunchtime full of culture and life.
- London Mithraeum: Discover more of Roman London at the Mithraeum. A free space you can pop into and explore, and get a great dose of art too.
- Learn London’s History with the biggest model of the City– The London Centre houses two huge-scale models, one of London and the other of the Square Mile, the biggest of their kind in the world. They also host free weekly model talks on Fridays and every other Saturday from 12:30 to 13:00, which you can book here.
Free lunchtime talks take place every Friday at the London Centre.
Get social
No point moping, grab some friends and colleagues, go out, and get social this winter. There are so many options around the City to get stuck into.
- Quiz Room: Get quizzical with London’s one-of-a-kind quiz room experience. Immerse yourself in a game show, beat your colleagues and have an experience like no other, perfect for an after-work stint.
- Puttshack: The reliable go-to space for some easy fun. This tech-driven mini-golf haven is a great spot for a laugh and a drink. We even made a visit ourselves so you can get a feel for the place.
- Axe throwing: You may have had a different image in your head when you thought of your colleagues and axes, BUT this will have to do.
- Fairgame: The arcade of dreams for any childish adult. Think great cocktails, childlike fun and 90 minutes of great arcade games! You can’t go wrong. We made a visit, and it did not disappoint.
Farigame One New Change.
Kickstart your health
Everyone gets obsessed with their new health kicks this time of the year, but how about just dipping your toes into the unknown and giving something else a whirl?
- Try out City Bouldering: How about throwing yourself at something new (and not off a wall). Well City Bouldering is an easy-access, suitable for all experience where you can give something different a try!
- Friday Night Lights: Friday Night Lights is a high-octane 5k run followed by drinks with like-minded folks. Thanks to Eastern City, you can grab free spots too! Definitely worth giving it a try.
- Take a Walk (plus vibrance): Okay this one may be less high-paced action, but just getting out, making use of a brisk walk and stretching your legs in one of the UK’s most historic areas is a great way to go in my opinion! Top tip, after work on the 29th and 30th of January is Vibrance festival, turning landmarks across the City into light installations. The best time to take a walk!
