The 18 best classes in London

If you’re a jewellery lover and you’d like to try your hand at designing and making your own, this ring-making class is one of the best Airbnb Experiences around. Located in the renowned Oxo Tower in central, this London class offer a 2.5-hour workshop where you’ll have the opportunity to craft your own sterling silver ring courtesy of Ringsmiths. You’ll learn everything from forging to soldering and have the option of creating one wide hammered band or two fine-hammered stacking rings. Additional extras include gold plating, which can take up to three weeks to finish.

Travel the globe through food and learn how to make some of your favourite cuisines with Ann’s Smart School of Cookery. Give online video tutorials a break and get some face to face guidence from expert chefs in one or two hour workshops. Get all the tips and tricks of the trade when it comes to making sushi, pizza, bread, pasta, tapas and macaroons, to name a few. And of course, you will get to sample the final dish, all from just £25.

This place has hoards of instruments and music tech up for sale, from keyboards to DJ decks, but they also offer a cracking timetable of workshops. So, if you’re looking to hone your selector skills, learn some fundamental tricks of the DJ trade or gain some insight into more advanced techniques such as beat-making, sampling and sequencing, this is the place to head. The best part? All the workshops are free. 

Everyone loves a doughnut, and people who say they don’t are lying (in my opinion anyway). While eating them is a real treat, it turns out making them is too. This cracking half-day class at Bread Ahead’s Borough Market cookery school (which also runs at their Wembley location) is a well-paced, easy-to-follow three hour course which takes you all the way from the dough to the yummy, custard (or Jam, your call) filled final product. You’ll kneed, prove, fry and fill six of your own doughnuts, as well as turn your hand to baking a ridiculously airy brioche loaf – it’s enough treats to keep that sweet tooth satisfied for … well, as long as you can resist. You’ll also be sent all the instructions post-class, so you can even recreate at home. Have a look at their website for all their class offerings. 

Keen to push your imagination to the next level? This screenprinting class in Hackney offers a wonderful space to get creative and learn an incredibly unique new skill. The host will guide you through the screenprinting process, starting with a sample print on fabric to help spark your creativity. From here, you’ll play with carving out paper stencil designs using a scalpel before getting ready to print your final design onto the choice of a tea towel or a tote bag – we know which one we’d choose. All inks used are solvent-free and water-based, and no experience is necessary. What’s more to love?

Token Studio invites you to enjoy 90 minutes of getting creative with clay, all with your favourite bevs to hand. Located near near Tower Bridge, join clay experts as they teach you how to throw down on a potter’s wheel and learn new hand-building techniques to create a masterpiece you'll be proud of. And if you fancy something a little more laid back, opt to paint an already-fired piece with your choice of colours and patterns. With experiences starting from £23, this is really is the ultimate activity for mates, dates and everything inbetween.

Known for its intimate masterclasses and expert training, Ann's Smart School of Cookery invites you to try your hand at making the Chinese delicacy of dim sum. Now is the chance to learn the tricks and tips from professional chefs as you will not only be making dim sum but Chinese hot and sour dipping sauce and a classic pork wonton soup from locally sourced, fresh ingredients. 

Head to Hackney-based boutique studio, Cone8 Ceramics and enter into the world of Nerikomi pottery, an ancient Japanese technique characterized by its intricate patterns and vibrant colours and manipulation of different clays to create stunning designs. Whether you’re a dab hand with clay and want a new challenge, or looking to try something new with friends, learn the fundamentals of Nerikomi pottery from experienced instructors as they guide you through the process of blending, shaping, and crafting your own unique masterpiece.

Ever wondered why the candles you buy don’t last or, frankly, smell awful? Well, the folks at Yougi may have an answer for you. After realising the number of terrible candles out in the world, they chose to create their own candles – paraffin-free and filled with wholesome fragrance. Lucky for you, they’re offering up an aromatherapy candle-making class right from their studios in Deptford. This Class Bento offering is 75 minutes long, and you’ll get taken all the way through the candle-making process. You’ll learn about the calming effects of aromatherapy and essential oils – before learning about various fragrance families and what top, heart and base notes are so you can create the candle of your dreams. Anyone got a light?

Channel your inner Picasso at a Paint a Pic class, where you’ll create a dazzling masterpiece that you’ll simply have to put in your living room and show off to all of your pals. It doesn't matter how skilled (or unskilled) you are, this experience is totally relaxed and beginner-friendly. Plus, you’ll have an expert on hand to teach you all the tips and tricks you might possibly need. Classes are held at alternating London boozers so you can ensure you'll also have a drink to hand.

No, making your own pottery isn’t quite as sexy as in ‘Ghost’, but it turns out it is genuinely... calming? Genuinely therapeutic. Genuinely, ridiculously fun. It took me a minute (okay, a long minute) to get used to using the wheel at Studio Pottery London, but the instructors are absolutely lovely and really know their stuff, and they gently guide you every step of the way. Studio Pottery offers group trips, couple trips and even one-on-one sessions, and you can purchase an additional add-on to paint your masterpieces. Tucked away in Victoria, this is the perfect spot to try your hand at making something, no matter your ability. 

This class in an unsuspecting sushi restaurant in Hammersmith surpassed all of my expectations. We went to the dumpling and gyoza class, and not only did I come home with a huge stack of homemade gyoza to shove in my freezer (which fed me for weeks), I’ve since made plenty of gyoza myself! Makiko Sano, who runs all classes at Suzu House, is not only a fantastic chef but has had a fascinating life; try to get her to tell you stories of her sushi chef training in Japan. Crack open a few beers, come hungry and get ready to learn (and eat) a hell of a lot. Kanpai!

This one’s for the creative boozers out there. Now, booze is not a prerequisite – it’s BYOB and non-alcoholic drinks are also an option – but there’s something quite hilarious about sipping on a bevvy while attempting to paint a masterpiece. Located in the heart of Spitalfields, this unique London class offers a two-hour session where all canvases, acrylic paints and any other art materials are ready and waiting for you to begin creating. The best part? The vibes are great so whether you bring your gang along or not, you’re almost guaranteed to make new friends here. Cheers to that.

Yes, churros and chocolate served on a boat is an actual class… in London… with free cava. Hosted by Tere and Colin on their picturesque houseboat, you’ll learn all there is to know about churros while chatting to their very friendly ragdoll cat – if you’re allergic, please consider this in advance. As for the class, simply put it’s two hours of pastry-making delights. From kneading the dough to frying the churros, you’ll be a Spanish-Portuguese cuisine expert in no time. The best part? Revelling in your delectable desserts while overlooking the Thames. Delicioso indeed.

Acrylic paint pouring might not sound like an actual thing, but believe us, it is. Considered a relatively new art medium thanks to the likes of social media creatives, paint pouring is both calming and creative exercise that provides an easy alternative to more advanced art-based classes in London. This particular class offers two ways to pour paint onto your canvas, involving ring pouring and flip cup pouring – two different techniques that produce unique masterpieces for you to take home. This is the perfect class to do with a group of friends for a birthday or simply a weekend activity – or alone, if you’re in need of some mindfulness.

If raw fish isn’t quite your vibe and you’re more of a pasta human, Class Bento’s Italian Cooking Class offering is one of the best foodie classes in London. Nestled in the heart of Wandsworth, the Avenue Cooking Skill offers a three-course cooking workshop with – in true Italian style – an Aperol Spritz on arrival. Booze is unlimited across the three hours you’ll be cooking up your Italian storm, while the menu ranges from pasta, risotto, gnocchi and desserts such as tiramisu and panna cotta. Certain menus can be adapted to suit a vegetarian/gluten-free diet on request – but it’s best to check in advance. Other add-ons include the Avenue’s cookbook, apron and cancellation cover – in case you’re not 100% sure you’ll make it. Buon appetito!

Keen to get your graphic design skills up to scratch? Check out Time Out Offers’ own Adobe web and graphic design master package – with over 135 courses to choose from. Learn how to use industry-standard software and cover the basics, before heading over to the more advanced courses where you’ll get to know your way around Photoshop, Illustrator and more. The course offers a full 12 months of access – that should be enough time to become an Adobe master by then, right?

Ever wanted to design a hand-written card yourself? Well, now’s your chance. The beginner’s guide to brush lettering is an incredible class in London that will teach you all you need to know when it comes to brushing letters. In your craft kit, you’ll receive eight brush markers, one A5 notebook, an A4 bleed-proof paper pad, luggage tags, and a template for guidance. It’s recommended for right-handed beginners but if you’re a leftie, give them a call to see if they can help you out. Ready to write your next Valentine’s Day card? We think so.

Coursera offers more than 250 leading university and company online courses to both individual learners and organisations worldwide. From ongoing projects to degree programmes, Coursera has something for everyone. Take this Yale course, for example. During the height of COVID-19’s 2020, the ivy league university shared its most popular course, The Science of Well Being, online – for free. And it’s no wonder that it’s still as popular today as it’s said that 13 perfect of learners started a new career after completing these courses. With Coursera, rest assured that you’ll be able to advance your learning and broaden your skillset. It’s a win-win.

While you may have heard of MasterClass through the likes of Annie Leibowitz’s photography philosophy or Gordon Ramsay’s beef wellington winner, it has so much more to offer. MasterClass is the go-to online streaming platform for anyone looking to watch or listen to video lessons taught by over 180 of the world’s best in their business. Whether you’re looking for business or leisure, MasterClass’s specialists will have you mastering your new skill before you know it. Keen to join the other 88 percent of people who have said that MasterClass has positively improved their lives? Let’s get started.