For a free date, choose a walk in St James’s Park or a few paintings at the National Gallery. The Fan Museum costs £5 each for a smaller indoor outing. For shared audio stories, choose a Cobble Collection marked free or compare the paid Bloomsbury Walk at its listed per-listener price below.
The ideas at a glance
| Idea | Adult / listener price | Total for two | Activity time | Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St James’s Park | FreeGeneral admission | FreeGeneral admission | 30–60 min | Westminster |
| National Gallery: a few paintings, properly | FreeGeneral admission | FreeGeneral admission | 45–90 min | Trafalgar Square |
| Choose a Cobble Collection together | £1.99Standard £1.99 24-hour Pass for each listener who needs paid Collection access | £3.98Standard prices for two | 30–60 min | Across London |
| The Fan Museum | £5Standard adult admission | £10Standard adult admission | 45–60 min | Greenwich |
| The Garden at 120 | FreeGeneral admission | FreeGeneral admission | 30–45 min | City of London |
| Bloomsbury: Love, Lies & Literature — Cobble | £4.99One Walk per listener | £9.98Standard prices for two | 68 min | Bloomsbury |
| The Photographers’ Gallery | £10Advance booking; optional £2 donation excluded | £20Advance booking; optional £2 donation excluded | 45–75 min | Soho |
| St Dunstan in the East Church Garden | FreeGeneral admission | FreeGeneral admission | 20–35 min | City of London |
| Temple Church | £5Adult admission | £10Adult admission | 30–45 min | City of London |
| National Portrait Gallery | FreeGeneral admission | FreeGeneral admission | 45–90 min | Trafalgar Square |
We put conversation, atmosphere and straightforward prices first. Quiet galleries suit looking together; audio walks give you a story to talk about between scenes. The order is an editorial shortlist, not a rating of every date in London.
St James’s Park
Best for an uncomplicated walk and talk. Follow the lake for as long as you feel like, then pause together. A picnic brought from home keeps the activity spend at £0; food is outside the listed budget.
Know before you go: No booking. General admission.
When: Normally daily 5am–midnight; check temporary closures.
Details checked 7 September 2026 · per adult
National Gallery: a few paintings, properly
For a conversation starter indoors: choose three paintings each, then find out whether you noticed the same things. A late-opening day can turn it into an after-work plan.
Know before you go: Free booking recommended. General admission.
When: Daily 10am–6pm; Friday until 9pm. Holiday closures apply.
Details checked 7 September 2026 · per adult
Choose a Cobble Collection together
For choosing your own pace together: pick a Collection marked free, or check the paid choices before joining. A paid Collection currently costs £3.98 for two listeners who both need Passes at standard 24-hour Pass prices. Hear a few stories, then pause to talk.
Nearest station: Depends on your chosen Collection
Pick a place-based Collection and a nearby scene in the app. Collections have no fixed starting point.
Know before you go: Choose a Collection in Cobble and invite by link or QR code. Standard £1.99 24-hour Pass for each listener who needs paid Collection access.
When: Choose your own time; local gates, street access and daylight can affect an on-location outing.
Details checked 13 October 2026 · per person buying a standard 24-hour Pass
The Fan Museum
For a date built around design and close looking. Choose a favourite fan each and explain what caught your eye. Two standard adult admissions come to £10; a making workshop would need a separate budget.
Nearest station: Greenwich (National Rail and DLR)
The museum gives a seven-minute walk from Greenwich station (0.3 miles). Meet at 12 Crooms Hill; allow extra time for your own pace.
Know before you go: Buy at the door or book ahead. Standard adult admission.
When: Tuesday–Saturday 11am–5pm; last entry 4.30pm. Check for closures between exhibitions.
Details checked 11 September 2026 · per adult
The Garden at 120
Best for seeing the City from above without a ticket cost. Leave time for security and choose a dry day: the garden itself is outside. Avoid building a plan around a guaranteed sunset opening.
Know before you go: No booking for ordinary visits. General admission.
When: April–September: weekdays 10am–9pm. October–March: weekdays 10am–6.30pm. Weekends all year: 10am–5pm. Closed bank holidays.
Details checked 16 September 2026 · per adult
Bloomsbury: Love, Lies & Literature — Cobble
For a date with a shared interest in books and unconventional lives. Start near Euston Square; the 68 min route costs £4.99 per listener and £9.98 for two. Listen to the same stories on separate phones and talk between scenes.
Nearest station: Euston Square
The opening scene begins by Euston Square station. Open the Walk to find the exact spot.
Know before you go: Buy in the Cobble app. One Walk per listener.
When: Self-guided; public-route access and garden gates can affect your visit.
Details checked 13 October 2026 · per listener
The Photographers’ Gallery
For photography and something to discuss afterwards. Advance admission without the optional donation is £10 each. Check exhibition changeover dates before travelling; a free Friday offer has not been reconfirmed.
Know before you go: Book online for £10 admission. Advance booking; optional £2 donation excluded.
When: Mon–Wed and Sat 10.30am–6pm; Thu–Fri until 8pm; Sun 11am–6pm.
Details checked 7 September 2026 · per adult
St Dunstan in the East Church Garden
For a shorter stop in an atmospheric setting: sit among the church remains, then continue your City walk. Check the gate times before planning an evening visit.
Know before you go: No booking. General admission.
When: 8am–7pm or dusk, whichever is earlier. Closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
Details checked 7 September 2026 · per adult
Temple Church
Best for an afternoon with architecture and history at its centre. At £5 each, two adult admissions cost £10. Confirm sightseeing hours before setting out; this is not an every-evening option.
Know before you go: Check sightseeing hours for your date. Adult admission.
When: Variable sightseeing hours; use the official daily calendar.
Details checked 7 September 2026 · per adult
National Portrait Gallery
For getting from faces to stories: follow a period or a person you both care about, then compare discoveries. Check the late-opening days if you want to meet after work.
Know before you go: Free booking recommended. General admission.
When: Daily 10.30am–6pm; Friday and Saturday until 9pm. Last entry 30 minutes before closing.
Details checked 7 September 2026 · per adult
How Cobble Together lets you listen together
Choose a Walk or Collection, then invite the other people by link or QR code. Everyone hears the same stories on their own phone. You can explore side by side, have someone join remotely, or listen together from home.
Walks: each listener buys the Walk at its listed price. The app shows the exact price before each invited listener joins.
Collections: each listener who needs paid Collection access uses a £1.99 24-hour Pass — £3.98 for two. Free Collections stay free. Individual Walks are separate purchases.
The invitation coordinates listening; it does not itself create a discount. These are activity costs; travel, food and optional extras are separate.
See how Cobble Together works ↗
Published details checked 13 October 2026.
Put a plan together
For a free gallery date, choose either the National Gallery or National Portrait Gallery, spend an hour with the collection, then take a walk around Trafalgar Square. Check the published late openings if you want an evening plan. You do not need to squeeze both galleries into one date.
A few useful answers
Is the budget £10 for two?
The headline budget is £10 or less each. Free choices cost £0 for two; Temple Church costs £10 for two; two standard £4.99 Cobble Walk purchases cost £9.98. Food and transport are extra.
Are these good for a first date?
That depends on your preferences. A free gallery or short park walk allows an easy, flexible finish. An audio walk asks you to spend part of the time listening rather than talking.
Does everyone pay the full Cobble price?
Each listener pays the listed Walk price. For paid Collections, each listener who needs access can buy a £1.99 24-hour Pass; existing eligible Pass holders may already have access. Join using the invitation and check the price in the app.
About the details
We check details against official sources, but hours, prices and availability can change before this guide is updated. Please check the official website before travelling or booking.
Prices are in GBP per adult or per listener, unless explained otherwise. Food, transport and optional extras cost more. Time estimates exclude travel and queues. Official source links appear with every idea; each activity page contains its full checking record.
London for a Tenner is published by Cobble Media, which also makes Cobble. Read about the publisher and how we choose recommendations.
Read our selection and price policy, or suggest a correction.