Courses to do around London
As one of the capital’s leading adult education institutions, we celebrate all things London and want to help you fall in love with this great city.
To really make the most of this incredible city, we have an array of walks, exhibitions and tours especially for you. Whether you want to know more about London’s galleries and iconic landmarks or discover London’s hidden secrets, join us this term to learn more about this fascinating city.
- Sketching at Tate Modern
Course start date: Fri 20 Mar 2026 (and 1 other date)Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Mario Lautier VellaExploring the pleasure and challenge of sketchbooks; learn and improve your drawing skills and 'ways of seeing' and understanding, working from an exciting range of artworks in Tate modern.Full fee £89.00 Senior fee £89.00 Concession £89.00 - David Bowie’s Soho Course start date: Sat 28 Mar 2026
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Aidan McManusThis tour visits sites around Soho that shaped and formed David Bowie in the 1960s/70s and enabled him to become the superstar he was, including the location of Album covers and recording studios.
Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £23.00 Concession £19.00 - Gangland Soho: From 1900 to the present dayCourse start date: Sat 28 Mar 2026
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Aidan McManusSince the arrest of a Lewd Woman in Soho Fields for a Breach of the peace in 1641 Soho has been synonymous with vice and its constant companion crime. Join us to explore the history of gangland crime in Soho on this two-hour guided tour.
Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £23.00 Concession £19.00 - London photography walk: River Thames Course start date: Wed 1 Apr 2026
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Michael HardingExplore and discover London through photography walks around locations rich in photographic potential.
The walks revolve around photographing views along the River Thames, from the Aldwych area eastwards to the City, from London Bridge to the Southbank and from Westminster to the newly developed Nine Elms area. Bring your own camera and comfortable walking shoes as you capture places, spaces, objects and people.Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £127.00 Concession £103.00 - The Black Death and the Bodysnatchers: from St Paul’s Cathedral to Charterhouse PrioryCourse start date: Wed 1 Apr 2026
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Sarah WiseOn this 2-hour walk, we will stop off at several historic locations to consider about two very dark periods of London’s medical history. Separated by hundreds of years, but occupying the same sites, the deadly ‘Black Death’ and the London bodysnatching gangs gave the city two legendary terrors with which to contend.
Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £23.00 Concession £19.00 - The Game is afoot! The London of Sherlock HolmesCourse start date: Fri 10 Apr 2026
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Stephen GossWalk in the footsteps of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson. Explore the real London locations from the stories: places mentioned and sites of famous cases, while discovering Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Victorian world.
Full fee £189.00 Senior fee £151.00 Concession £123.00 - ‘With Cat-like Tread!’ Gilbert & Sullivan’s LondonCourse start date: Thu 16 Apr 2026
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Stephen GossExplore the London of W.S. Gilbert, Arthur Sullivan, and Richard D’Oyly Carte. Visit theatres, memorials, and historic locations to uncover the Victorian society their operas celebrated and parodied.
Full fee £179.00 Senior fee £143.00 Concession £116.00 - A day at the Tate Britain Course start date: Fri 17 Apr 2026
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Chantal CondronSpend a day at Tate Britain to discover (or re-discover) a selection of works from the permanent collection. We’ll explore a range of historical to contemporary artworks to discuss how the story of art in Britain is reflected in the gallery. This course is gallery based.
Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £45.00 - Spring wildlife walks Course start date: Sat 18 Apr 2026
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Ben ChappleLondon has some of the best urban wetland nature reserves in the world. In this course, we’ll explore two contrasting, but equally rewarding, wetland sites, learning about the common birds and other animals that live there, as well as the challenges of urban conservation.
Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £63.00 Concession £51.00 - Site specific sculpture: TateCourse start date: Sat 18 Apr 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Valerie MerloThis two-day course immerses you in modern and contemporary sculpture through a guided visit to Tate Modern and a practical session at City Lit’s sculpture studio. On the first day, explore key works, discuss techniques, and gather inspiration with an expert tutor. On the second day, develop an exhibition proposal or create a small 3D artwork using clay, plaster, latex, and wax, while exploring foundational sculptural concepts in a supportive, hands-on environment.
Full fee £199.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £129.00 - The art and culture of the Victorians Course start date: Wed 22 Apr 2026
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Julie BarlowDiscover the fascinating world of the Victorians and their legacy, exploring fine art, design, architecture, and literature through gallery visits.Full fee £299.00 Senior fee £239.00 Concession £194.00 - Islamic art in 25 objects Course start date: Wed 22 Apr 2026
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Anita ChowdryDiscover important objects of Islamic Art dating across a more than a millennium in London galleries. We will study world-famous objects, discover lesser known gems, study their context and understand how they relate to one another and the wider world.Full fee £179.00 Senior fee £143.00 Concession £116.00 - Streets of Horror, Streets of Hope: The East End 1888 Course start date: Fri 24 Apr 2026 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Sarah WiseBecause of the ‘Jack the Ripper’ killings, the late-Victorian East End can be read as a cityscape of poverty and fear. But there is another Whitechapel – a magnet for a variety of individuals from a wide range of backgrounds who sought to grapple with the problems of the modern city and to create a better life.
Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £23.00 Concession £19.00 - Exploring AlbertopolisCourse start date: Mon 27 Apr 2026
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Marilyn GreeneDiscover the history of the Great Exhibition in 1851 and how land in South Kensington developed into the cultural centre, Albertopolis. Starts below the steps of the Main entrance to the V&A, Cromwell Road & Ends at Exhibition Road.
Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00 - Shinrin-yoku: nature therapy Course start date: Tue 28 Apr 2026 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Hilary LyonsConnect with nature for health and wellbeing. This scientifically backed Japanese tradition of forest bathing has been shown to improve physical and mental health. A slow, guided, mindful walk near trees reduces stress levels and boosts your immune system. We will meet in Richmond Park. We will NOT meet at the City Lit.Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £59.00 Concession £59.00
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