Thousands of people commute into Central London everyday - lunch pack in hand. City News presents a tried and tested guide on how else to spend your one hour break.
Lunch in the Square Mile doesn’t have to mean a desk sandwich or a frantic meal deal. Hidden between office buildings, there is a surprising amount you can do in under an hour and without spending a penny.
Whether you have 20 minutes or a full lunch break to play with, here are the five free activities the Square Mile provides for you.
Short, sharp talks that make you feel smarter before your 2pm meeting. The 30 minute lectures cover architecture, urban policy and history – the kind of thing you’ll casually reference later.
Join the NLA on the first Friday of the month at 12.30pm to 1pm for themed lunchtime model talks. Get up close to London’s future with detailed architectural models and expert commentary.
Step into late-70s New York through Martyn Goddard’s iconic photographs of Blondie, taken during their breakthrough year. The compact exhibition is ideal for a 30-minute visit, offering a focused cultural break without an evening commitment. It’s free entry, and quiet atmosphere making it a very accessible lunchtime respite.
A free, informal 45-minute concert every Friday at 12.30pm. The Café is open from 11.30am and after the concert until 2pm. A lunchtime concert is one of the city’s quiet luxuries. It asks for less than an hour and gives you a reset between meetings. There’s no late train to catch, no ticket to book months in advance and great sound.
LSO Lunch time concert at the Barbican (credit LSO )
For a flexible in-depth look at musical craft, you can watch world-class musicians coach Guildhall students in real time. Sessions usually last around three hours, but you can come and go. Free to attend, drop in at any time, weekly sessions.
Coming up:
Flute Masterclass with Adam Walker — 9th February
Piano Masterclass with Imogen Cooper — 10th February
Saxophone Masterclass with Chris “Snake” Davis — 11th February
Trombone Masterclass with Helen Vollan — 16th February
Turn the Square Mile into an open-air gallery. Sculpture in the City is a rotating annual exhibition woven into the streets. Download the app, start anywhere, stop whenever you like and continue next lunch break. The 14th edition runs July 2025 – Spring 2026, featuring 11 artworks. Starting here…
Roots: Palace
Within the City’s 1.12 square miles, work, cultural institutions and public spaces sit in close proximity. Lunchtime offers a practical window in which these can be accessed without disrupting your working day, offering a great alternative to your standard lunch routine.
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HeadlineFive ways to Spend your Square Mile Lunchtime
Short HeadlineFive ways to Spend your Square Mile Lunchtime
StandfirstThousands of people commute into Central London everyday - lunch pack in hand. City News presents a tried and tested guide on how else to spend your one hour break.
Lunch in the Square Mile doesn’t have to mean a desk sandwich or a frantic meal deal. Hidden between office buildings, there is a surprising amount you can do in under an hour and without spending a penny.
Whether you have 20 minutes or a full lunch break to play with, here are the five free activities the Square Mile provides for you.
Short, sharp talks that make you feel smarter before your 2pm meeting. The 30 minute lectures cover architecture, urban policy and history – the kind of thing you’ll casually reference later.
Join the NLA on the first Friday of the month at 12.30pm to 1pm for themed lunchtime model talks. Get up close to London’s future with detailed architectural models and expert commentary.
Step into late-70s New York through Martyn Goddard’s iconic photographs of Blondie, taken during their breakthrough year. The compact exhibition is ideal for a 30-minute visit, offering a focused cultural break without an evening commitment. It’s free entry, and quiet atmosphere making it a very accessible lunchtime respite.
A free, informal 45-minute concert every Friday at 12.30pm. The Café is open from 11.30am and after the concert until 2pm. A lunchtime concert is one of the city’s quiet luxuries. It asks for less than an hour and gives you a reset between meetings. There’s no late train to catch, no ticket to book months in advance and great sound.
LSO Lunch time concert at the Barbican (credit LSO )
For a flexible in-depth look at musical craft, you can watch world-class musicians coach Guildhall students in real time. Sessions usually last around three hours, but you can come and go. Free to attend, drop in at any time, weekly sessions.
Coming up:
Flute Masterclass with Adam Walker — 9th February
Piano Masterclass with Imogen Cooper — 10th February
Saxophone Masterclass with Chris “Snake” Davis — 11th February
Trombone Masterclass with Helen Vollan — 16th February
Turn the Square Mile into an open-air gallery. Sculpture in the City is a rotating annual exhibition woven into the streets. Download the app, start anywhere, stop whenever you like and continue next lunch break. The 14th edition runs July 2025 – Spring 2026, featuring 11 artworks. Starting here…
Roots: Palace
Within the City’s 1.12 square miles, work, cultural institutions and public spaces sit in close proximity. Lunchtime offers a practical window in which these can be accessed without disrupting your working day, offering a great alternative to your standard lunch routine.
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