St. Pancras For The Romantics
There seems to be a distinct romanticism about the old place, whether it be the charged anticipation of train-travel, the association with art and music, or the atmospheric buzz of people coming and going, St. Pancras has a unique spot amongst some of London's most romantic destinations.
With that in mind and with Valentine's Day on the horizon, we thought we'd take a look at some of the most romantic things to do at St. Pancras.
Kiss Under The 'Kissing Statue'
Paul Day's The Meeting Place statue is one of St. Pancras' most photographed features. Commonly known as the Kissing Statue, the 9m high bronze sculpture is of a couple's loving embrace under the station's iconic train shed roof and is often the first thing you see when you step off the Eurostar.
Visit Europe's Longest Champagne Bar
When you're sipping Champagne at Searcys St. Pancras, Europe's longest champagne bar, time seems to stand still. Make it a date and cosy into one of their Champagne booths set against the romantic backdrop of the Eurostar trains, on the station's very Instagrammable Grand Terrace.
It's fair to say we're big fans of Searcys, but don't take our word for it, check out this blog post by East London Girl.
Instagram via @eastlondonfoodiegirl
Serenade a Loved One
Over recent years St. Pancras has become one of London’s hotspots for public music; being home to two public pianos (one famously donated by Sir Elton John) the station attracts many amateurs, professionals and celebrities each year who come to play the keys.
Perhaps we’ve watched too much La La Land but a piano serenade is one of the most romantic things we can think of! Whether you're a level 10 concert pianist or you haven’t got a musical bone in your body, our pianos are for you and they’re completely free to use.
All this talk of pianos reminds us of the time Denis Robinson, one of the station’s regular pianists, was joined by Ceili O'Connor, a singer from the West End musical Cats. A clip of the impromptu duet quickly took Twitter by storm as a wonderfully heart-warming moment.
Try the Beers at The Barrel Vault
Perhaps chocolates, flowers and Champagne isn’t your thing. And that’s okay!
As an ode to the station’s history with beer, aptly named The Barrel Vault pub has a fantastic range of real ales and craft beers. Their spacious bar and seating areas, real ales, classic pub grub and informal ambience makes for a relaxed first date.
Take a Romantic Trip to Paris
Seeing as we’re just a Eurostar train from Paris, it would be unfair of us not to mention a romantic trip away to the City of Love… Eurostar have even put together a few handy must-sees here.
Whisk your partner off to Paris for an unforgettable city break. Make it even special and treat yourself to breakfast at The Betjeman Arms before your train.
Via Instagram @dan_gilbert
Get down on one knee...
Okay, we're not saying a marriage proposal is necessarily the best tactic for a first date. However if you've been thinking about popping the big question, St. Pancras is quite a breathtaking place to do it.
Just an FYI, Searcys St. Pancras is a pretty stunning wedding venue too...
Via Instagram @searcysstpancras
Sketch St. Pancras
For those with a creative flair or just looking for something fun and different to do with someone, why not perch yourselves somewhere cosy with a coffee and a sketchbook?
You’ll find inspiration everywhere…
If capturing the station’s Victorian architecture is of interest we’d recommend finding a spot upstairs on the Grand Terrace. There’s a couple of nice coffee or drinking spots which lend a fantastic view of the station – Searcys, Benugo Espresso Bar, AMT Coffee or The Betjeman Arms' terrace springs to mind.
Illustrating the station’s general hustle and bustle is best done downstairs in The Arcade and Circle – we recommend Joe & The Juice, Le Pain Quotidien, PAUL Express, Sourced Market and Starbucks as good places to doodle.
Via Instagram @matthew_eastmond
See Tracey Emin’s 'I Want My Time With You'
In 2018 we continued our partnership with the Royal Academy of Arts and unveiled Tracey Emin’s Terrace Wires light installation, I Want My Time With You.
The installation is suspended above the Grand Terrace beneath the DENT London clock, hanging on wires from the station’s Grade 1 listed Barlow shed roof.