Bank on holiday fun

Despite the unpredictable UK weather, three ways to enjoy the last days of summer:

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to . . .

...Picnic at a palace
Buckingham Palace — Buckingham Palace is once again open to the public this summer. While tickets to get inside have long been sold-out, tickets are still available to visit Buckingham Palace Garden and picnic on the lawn. Refreshments can be purchased on-site or bring your own.

Book before 3:45 pm and add-on a Garden Highlights Tour, includes guided visit of the the rose garden, summer house and wildflower meadow. Tickets are £16.50 adults, £15 student / senior, £9 children under 16 (5 and under free) or a family ticket £42 (2 adults and up to 3 children). Garden Tours are an additional £6.50 / person. Limited availability through September 19th
www.royalcollection.org.uk ✆ +44 3031 237334
Buckingham Palace, London SW1A 1AA

Try your hand at . . .

...Sketching like the masters

National Gallery — As part of London's Inside Out festival, National Gallery is displaying life-size replicas of some of its most famous paintings, including Botticelli's Venus and Mars and Van Gogh's Sunflowers outdoors on Trafalgar Square.

They are also offering free drop-in Sketch on the Square drawing sessions. While all the artist-led sessions are booked, daily drop-in sessions are available on a first-come, first-served basis. No need to worry about inclement weather either, since sessions are moved inside the Piggot Education Centre, as needed. www.nationalgallery.org.uk ✆ +44 2077 472885
Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN

And should the forecast change, you can still . . .

...Sing in the rain without getting wet

Singin' in the Rain — Following sellout runs at Chichester Festival Theatre and London’s Palace Theatre, this is the last chance to catch the special summertime return of the classic Singin' in the Rain at Sadler's Wells Theatre. With tickets as low as £15, it's a perfect way to stay cool, dry (unless you are in the first few rows) and sing your heart out. Through September 5th
www.londontheatredirect.com
Rosebery Avenue, LondonEC1R 4TN

For more: Download the London via Surrey Book App