Guildhall Library is holding a series of talks, walks, and literary viewings throughout 2025 to celebrate 600 years since it was founded.
As the weather starts to warm up, there are tons of things to see and do in the City of London this March. Whether you’re a first-time tourist, a local City worker or a seasoned resident, the City has a range of experiences to choose from including mesmerising concerts and a chance to enjoy an evening of gin, history, and delightful conversation in a historic house.
From ways to celebrate Ramadan, Holi, Mother's Day and Women's History Month across the City of London, here are just some of the brilliant things to see and do this month.
1. Treat your mum to an unforgettable day out
Mother’s Day is fast approaching, falling on 11 March this year, and we have rounded up some of the best ways to celebrate. From spa days to delicious dining experiences, here are just a few of the ways that you can treat your mum to an unforgettable day out in the City of London.
If you’re looking to treat your mum to a little TLC, there is nothing better than a relaxing day spent at the spa indulging in a few hours of pampering. From the Heavenly spa at the Westin City of London to the Roman inspired spa at the Four Seasons Hotel London at Tower Bridge, the City of London has an array of heavenly spas to choose from. Read our guide to some of the best spas in the City.
You're spoiled with your choice of settings for a memorable afternoon tea in the City. From sky-high views to grander, more historic venues, the City is home to some of the most luxurious afternoon tea locations to take your mum this Mother’s Day. Pick one that you know your mum will really love by reading our guide to 6 of the most special afternoon tea spots in the City.
This Mother's Day you can also enjoy live entertainment, 20% off dining and stays as well as an 'eat for free' Sunday Roast or Sunday Brunch this Mother's Day at Apex Hotel.
Or, make Mother’s Day a special day to remember with Afternoon Tea at 1901 Wine Lounge, Andaz London. Enjoy savoury bites, pastries, scones, and premium teas or champagne in an elegant, intimate setting for a memorable celebration.
Tea and cakes as part of the mothers day special at Andaz London Hotel. Credit Cerys Davies.
2. Explore the City where some of the world’s most famous literary figures used to live and socialise.
Have you ever wondered where literary greats such as Charles Dickens, William Shakespeare, Dr Johnson and Samuel Pepys used to live and socialise? Or perhaps, after immersing yourself in classics like Pride & Prejudice, Oliver Twist, Mary Poppins or A Tale of Two Cities, you've harboured a desire to step into the settings where your favourite characters roamed. The City of London is the backdrop to many of the most iconic novels and it is no wonder when their authors spent so much of their time here.
This World Book Day (6 March), here are a few places we recommend you explore:
- Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese on Fleet Street: Over the past 355 years Ye Old Cheshire Cheese has been frequented by many prominent literary figures including Dr Samuel Johnson, Mark Twain, W.B. Yeats and Charles Dickens, who even featured it in his novel A Tale of Two Cities. The Chop Room in Ye Old Cheshire Cheese is the traditional dining room where you can find a long oaken table at which Dr. Johnson, Oliver Goldsmith, Charles Dickens and others have dined over the years. Dr Samuel Johnson, the author of the modem dictionary, lived a few steps away and his chair is in the pub. You can also combine your visit to this historic pub with a visit to Dr Johnsons House.
- Newgate Prison: Newgate Prison stood on the corner of Old Bailey and Newgate street from 1188 to 1902. It was burnt down in the Gordon Riots in 1780, described by Charles Dickens in Barnaby Rudge, and then rebuilt between 1780 and 1783. Dickens set several memorable trials scenes here: Fagin in Oliver Twist, Magwitch in Great Expectations, Charles Darnay in A Tale of Two Cities.
- Guildhall: Built between 1411 and 1440 by John Croxton, and, having survived both the Great Fire of London and the Blitz, it is the only secular stone structure dating from before 1666 still standing in the City. Guildhall is the setting for the trial of breach of promise in Charles Dickens Pickwich Papers.
- Cheapside: In the Nineteenth Century Cheapside was an enormously important shopping area and it is still a busy thoroughfare today. Cheapside figures throughout the history of English literature and makes numerous appearances in Dickens writing. It also appears in Pride & Prejudice as Elizabeth Bennet’s uncle and aunt, Mr and Mrs Gardiner, resided in Gracechurch Street, not far from Cheapside but Mr Bingley’s sister bitingly accuses them of living in Cheapside.
We also have a self-guided Literary Walking Trail which you can follow to discover some of the fascinating literary connections in the City.
Magpie Alley.
3. Celebrate Holi at Cinnamon Kitchen’s Festival Of Colours (6 to 16 March)
Holi Festival traditionally marks the start of spring in India, as well as the triumph of good over evil, and is one of the country's most widely celebrated festivals. Back for its eighth year running, House of Holi makes its return to Cinnamon Kitchen in Devonshire Square where you will be able to take part in thirty minutes of paint-pelting fun with friends, family and colleagues to mark the Indian festival of colour.
4. Enjoy an evening of gin, history, and delightful conversation in a historic house (26 March)
Enjoy a delightful evening of gin, history, and tasting in the historic surroundings of Dr Johnson’s House as their curator takes you on a journey through the fascinating history of gin - from its notorious reputation in Georgian London to its place as a beloved British spirit today.
Not able to make this event? Dr Johnson’s House also host a monthly Museum Late. This month it is taking place on 20 March.
Dr Johnson's House, City of London.
5. Celebrate Women’s history month and International Women’s Day
March marks Women’s History Month as well as International Women’s Day, and there are plenty of educational and celebrational events taking place across the City of London over the entire month that are the perfect way to mark the occasions. Here are just a few of them:
Bluestockings: The First Women’s Movement (6 March): In this talk at Dr Johnson’s House, Susannah Gibson charts the struggles and achievements of a group of trailblazing women in eighteenth-century Britain who risked their reputations to become public intellectuals.
Music in Offices Presents 'City of Women' (6 march): From Leadenhall Market, down Cornhill, into the Royal Exchange and then a Finale in the Guildhall Yard, experience a walk and musical performance which will celebrate women throughout history who accelerate action and make positive changes to the inclusion in the City.
Sculpture in the City’s Sculpting Perspectives: Mind The Gap (7 March): Join a long table discussion which will explore how we tackle sexism, misogyny and the gender pay gap within the creative and corporate industries.
International Women’s Day Pop-up Market (7 March): The Small Business Research + Enterprise Centre, in collaboration with their partners at I Do Handmade, will be bosting a vibrant market which showcases the creativity and talent of female founders, offering an incredible selection of handmade products ranging from arts and crafts to fashion and home décor at Guildhall.
Defying Limits: Women's Voices in Challenging Professions (27 March): Join award-winning filmmaker Charysse Tia Harper at the Barbican Library for a 90-minute Women's History Month event featuring film screenings followed by a Q&A.
Sculpture in the City 13th Edition Activation Programme.
7. Join a fascinating and free lunchtime talk at the London Centre (7 March)
Join Rav Singh, founder of A little History of the Sikhs, at the London Centre from 12:30 to 1pm, as he weaves together stories from Sikh and Anglo-Sikh History over the last two centuries via a model talk. Following a short introduction, attendees will be able to choose from 30 familiar locations through which Rav will narrate a modern-day history of the Sikhs that spans the last 200 years in London.
Free lunchtime talks take place every Friday at the London Centre.
7. Attend a concert in the City
From lunchtime concerts to evenings filled with beautiful symphonies, immerse yourself in incredible music this month and get yourself booked into one of these concerts in the City.
Experience a night of mystery and wonder as Barbara Hannigan conducts and sings with the London Symphony Orchestra. Featuring works by Claude Debussy, Jean Sibelius, Claude Vivier, Golfam Khayam, Joseph Haydn, and Béla Bartók.
Escape the everyday and let yourself be inspired at Guildhall School’s Chamber Music Festival, returning for a weekend of captivating and diverse performances from 14 to 16 March.
Journey through vivid musical landscapes with the London Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican. Featuring conductor and soprano Barbara Hannigan and baritone Stéphane Degout, this captivating programme features works by Roussel, Ravel, Britten, and Haydn.
Every Tuesday at 1pm in St Lawrence Jewry church, enjoy a programme formed to create an invaluable platform for both professionals and conservatoire students to perform in a prestigious central London location.
Guildhall School’s Chamber Music Festival. Credit Paul Cochrane.
8. Celebrate Pancake Day in the City of London (4 March)
The coveted Golden frying pan is up for grabs as the legendary Leadenhall Market pancake race returns to The City of London for its 16th year. The annual tradition sees teams of four don bowler hats and take on a 20m relay of the Victorian cobbled alleyways of Leadenhall Market.
Every Shrove Tuesday, dozens of Livery members also split into teams and race around Guildhall Yard for the Inter-Livery Pancake Race. Hosted by the Worshipful Company of Poulters, this is one of the most visually spectacular events of the year in the City. Teams wearing either fancy dress or full regalia, race around the Guildhall Yard tossing their pancakes and the victors receive, fittingly, frying pans as well as a trophy.
Inter-Livery Pancake Day Race in Guildhall Yard.
9. Open Iftar returns to Guildhall (7 March)
Open Iftar hosted by the Ramadan Tent Project is returning to Guildhall this month. Open Iftar is organised by The Ramadan Tent Project, an award-winning charity that brings communities together and spreads the spirit of Ramadan through various initiatives. Their mission is to turn strangers into friends, and that is why their events are open to people of all faith backgrounds and none.
Open Iftar at Guildhall.
10. See Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale at Guildhall (21 to 26 March)
Mariah Gale adapts and directs Shakespeare’s epic play which unfolds the story of Queen Hermione and her husband King Leontes, whose sudden and groundless jealousy leads him to accuse his lifelong friend of betrayal, condemn his faithful queen, and abandon his new-born daughter.
Promotional image for a Winters Tale at Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
11. Enjoy a new Aperi-tea themed Afternoon tea at the Four Seasons London Bridge (from 28 March)
On 28 March, Four Seasons Hotel London at Tower Bridge are launching a new Aperi-tea concept London By Lily Vanilli at Rotunda Bar and Lounge in partnership with the renowned East End artisan baker. Aperi-tea will take the quintessentially English tradition of afternoon tea and reinvents it for modern Londoners.
Four Season, Afternoon Tea, promo image Credit to Lily Vanilli
12. Join one of the fascinating talks happening at Temple Bar
On 3 March, Hashi Mohamed, a barrister specialising in planning based at London’s Landmark Chambers and an author, will be taking part in a wide-ranging discussion with Arthur Kay, urban designer, entrepreneur and author, about social mobility, career paths, housing precariousness and the consequences of government decisions.
On 24 March, Caroline Harper, Interim Managing Director of BeFirst, will be talking about how to make planning work, alongside BeFirst’s proactive approach and emphasis on innovation and collaboration. The talk will be chaired by Peter Murray OBE.
13. Explore one of these brilliant exhibitions and displays
Whether you’re an art lover or history obsessed, the City of London has tons of fascinating exhibitions and museums to explore every month. Here are just some of the ones we would recommend exploring this March.
Citra Sasmita: Into Eternal Land (Until 20 April): Take a sensory journey through The Curve at the Barbican with Indonesian artist Citra Sasmita. Reimagining Balinese traditions and mythology, her work challenges gender roles and confronts colonial legacies. Don’t miss this captivating blend of painting, embroidery, scent, and installation.
0.1% by Jonathan Baldock (Until 5 July 2025): London Mithraeum Bloomberg SPACE’s newest installation draws on the rich history of the Bloomberg site, home to the ruins of the Roman temple of Mithras, exploring myths, legends, gods, rituals, and their influence on our lives.
City of London, a city of science (until 27 March): A free display celebrating the City's rich history of scientific innovation and invention at the Heritage Gallery, in Guildhall Art Gallery.
Photograph of Tower Bridge featured in the Heritage Gallery display.
14. Join an exclusive wine dinner at Fazenda with Viña Leyda (13 March)
This March, Fazenda is hosting an extraordinary five-course wine dinner in partnership with Viña Leyda Coastal Vineyards. This exclusive event offers guests a rare opportunity to explore an expertly curated five-course menu, each course thoughtfully paired with exceptional wines from one of Chile’s most renowned coastal wineries.
Fazenda Rodizio Bar & Grill.
15. Attend the ‘A Season to Sing’ London launch concert at St Bartholomew the Great (22 March)
Attend the launch concert for ‘A Season to Sing’, a choral re-imagining by British composer Joanna Forbes L’Estrange of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, to mark its 300th anniversary in 2025.
16. Guildhall Library’s 600th anniversary celebrations continue
This year Guildhall Library is holding a series of talks, walks, and literary viewings to celebrate 600 years since it was founded. The Library focuses on London history and houses the largest collection devoted to a single city in the world, as well as collections on early printed books, English law, Parliamentary records, clocks and clockmakers, business history, and maritime records.
The events programme includes talks on the City and Magna Carta; the Square Mile’s hidden and unusually named alleyways; the life and work of celebrated artist, David Hockney; and London historian, John Stow, whose ‘Survey of the City’ was published in 1598 and chronicles the founding of the original library.
Credit City of London Corporation.
17. Keep the kids entertained at Guildhall Art Gallery’s Second Saturday event
At Guildhall Art Gallery’s next Second Saturday on 8 March they will be celebrating International Women's Day and the artist Evelyn de Morgan, who is the subject of their next exhibition opening in April.
They have a fun range of creative activities responding to De Morgan’s artworks, from storytelling sessions to creating your own Medusa inspired head.
18. Rejuvenate with Rooftop Yoga and Brunch (22 March)
Elevate your mornings with Rooftop Yoga and Brunch at The Skyline London. Suitable for all levels, these guided sessions promise rejuvenation against a backdrop of stunning city views, including Tower Bridge and the River Thames. Complete your morning with a wholesome brunch to fuel your day.
Yoga in the Skyline by Blue Orchid Hotel.
19. Dine and dance at Andaz Brunch Paradiso
Step into Rakes Cafe Bar from 12 to 5pm on Saturdays for their limitless brunch, where grooves meet gourmet. Whether you’re a disco devotee, house head, or Balearic beach lover they’ve got the perfect groove for you.
The Andaz Brunch Paradiso.
20. Ease into the afternoon with the Afternoon Meze Club at Leydi
Running Monday to Friday from 3 to 5pm, enjoy an endless spread of Turkish-inspired mezze -fluffy bread, bold flavours, and fresh ingredients, all designed for grazing at your own pace.
To top it off, they’re pouring half-price cocktails throughout, so you can sip, snack, and settle in for a couple of hours. Whether you’re catching up with friends or taking a well-earned break, this is the perfect mid-afternoon escape.
Afternoon Meze Club at Leydi.
