With Christmas and New Year’s Eve both mid-week, there are fewer unique events than usual on in London this weekend. However, with the opening of the January sales, spectacular new theatrical productions such as Fuerzabruta and the usual wide range of attractions, it’s still very hard to get bored!

January Sales

Although they’re traditionally called the January sales, most shops actually start discounting their goods very shortly after Christmas. This weekend there are fantastic bargains to be had at famous department stores such as Harrods, Selfridges and Fortnum and Mason, although be warned that, for the most sought-after items, it’s very much a case of ‘the early bird catches the worm’! Take a look at our January Sales 2013 guide for tips and sale dates.

Ice Rinks

Head to London’s many ice rinks for a frosty seasonal treat that the whole family will enjoy. The city’s largest ice rink is at Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park, which also contains rides, shows, seasonal refreshments and the enchanting Magical Ice Kingdom. Elsewhere, lots of ice rinks are conveniently located within other great attractions – why not combine skating with shopping at Westfield London, a trip on the London Eye or a visit to the Natural History Museum?

Museums and Galleries

Most of London’s fantastic museums and galleries are open this weekend, giving you the chance to catch up on some of the great exhibitions that have opened in recent months. You could see stunning works by Pre-Raphaelite painters at Tate Britain (£14), see Mario Testino’s photographs of the Royal Family at the National Portrait Gallery (free), or browse fascinating exhibitions on medicine and death at the Wellcome Collection (free). The Tower of London is also running special Charles Dickens-themed events this weekend, check this flyer for full details.

Theatre & Pantomimes

As ever, London is full of great theatrical productions. Why not celebrate Girl Power at the Spice Girls musical Viva Forever, see the hotly anticipated return of mind-blowing Argentinian show Fuerzabruta, or super-size your theatrical experience at Walking with Dinosaurs at The O2? If you’re in the mood for something more frivolous, you can indulge your silly side at a traditional pantomime in London: find out more about these hilarious, celebrity-filled shows on our dedicated panto page.

Walks 

If you’ve over-indulged at Christmas, a guided walk around London is a great way to burn off some of the calories – not to mention learn something new about our great city! London Walks have a fantastic range of sightseeing tours on everything from The Beatles to Jack the Ripper, and you can view the full schedule by visiting the London Walks website.

It’s turning into Dinosaur week in London. Which, as any six year old, or any grown up dino-nut (guilty as charged), will tell you is only right and proper.

Last night saw the first London performance of Walking with Dinosaurs at The O2. It’s on there until Sunday and then comes to Wembley Arena at the end of the month.

Huxley the paleontologist narrates the journey from the first dinosaur eggs in the triassic through to the meteor impact at the close of the cretaceous (was that a spoiler?). He does the science bit, covering evolution and plate tectonics to tell how the world and its animals and plants have changed over millions of years. But the stars are, of course, the dinosaurs themselves – nine different species, plus one pterosaur.

T. rex is, as in all dino-films, a shameless scene stealer, stomping and roaring as she defends her child from a pair of (justifiably) upset herbivores.

For me the stars were the Brachiosaurs. When Huxley describes the beast towering over him as a youngster and goes on to tell how much bigger he will grow (as tall as a three storey building, as long as two buses, as heavy as ten adult elephants “give or take an adult elephant”) you may think “ah, that’s why they made a small one, there’s no way they could do an adult”, but then a full grown titan joins him in the arena!

The dinosaurs are wonderful creations – they look, move and sound like living animals. For anyone who loves, or even just likes a little bit, dinos, this is probably the closest we’ll come to seeing them in life.

Tickets are selling out fast so book now or enter our competition to win a family ticket.

Dinosaurs are taking over London! We’ve met dinosaurs at The Proms and Walking with Dinosaurs arrives at The O2 tonight.

Are you planning to see Walking with Dinosaurs at The O2 or Wembley Arena? You’ll see full size dinos roaring and fighting on stage!

If you love dinosaurs, head to either the Natural History Museum or Crystal Palace Park before the show for more prehistoric scares.

The Natural History Museum is home to an impressive collection of dinosaur fossils. Get close to dinosaur skeletons and explore the science behind these big creatures. What does dinosaur skin look like? Did you know that there are still dinosaurs alive on earth today? What did they eat and will they eat you? Find out the answers to all your dinosaur questions at the Natural History Museum.

If you want to meet dinosaurs in the wild, visit Crystal Palace Park. These life size sculptures were built by the Victorians and you’ll find them lurking in the woods like a real life Jurassic Park. Scientific understanding about dinosaurs has moved on a bit since these dudes were created so there’s a few funny faces and poses, but they’re still scary and huge.

Entry to the Natural History Museum and Crystal Palace Park is free. It’s not too late to book tickets for Walking With Dinosaurs.