Halloween alone in London, and not lonely.

London is the easiest city on this list to be alone in and the hardest to feel alone in, which is exactly the combination you want on 31 October. Note that Halloween is not a bank holiday here (confirmed against GOV.UK's bank holiday list) — so it is a normal Saturday night, which means normal Saturday-night company.

1. The free walk (0 €, about 90 minutes). Cross the South Bank on foot: the Thames path is free, lit and busy, and the bridges let you build a loop that starts and ends at a Tube or rail station. Add the West End streets if you want more neon and more people. London is safe to walk at night in busy areas; the quiet shortcuts are not worth the five minutes they save.

2. A cultural night indoors (free or a few euros). London's national museums are free to enter, which makes a late cultural stop the cheapest good evening in Europe — check opening hours, as many close in the evening. The South Bank and the West End also fill with ticketed 31 October shows; one seat at the back is a perfectly good solo plan.

3. A social format you can walk into alone. Pub quiz: teams in London will almost always take a spare player, and the host will sometimes seat singles together — say the phrase below and you have a team. Language cafés and board-game nights are the other standard door. If you'd rather host, City Quiz is free, needs no account, and gives you the questions and the scoreboard.

Staying safe on your own. Tell one person where you are and share your live location. Keep your drink with you and never leave it; don't accept a drink you didn't watch being made. Stay in public, lit places and keep a first meet in a pub or café. Plan your last Tube or train — or book your ride — before you are tired. The UK emergency number is 999 (112 also works).

Say this to join a group. "I'm on my own — can I join your quiz team?" · "Is this seat taken?" · "What's worth doing after this?" · "Anyone fancy one more before the last train?"

Where to go next. London's city page is being switched on — until then, open https://comealone.app/ and pick one thing from the event feed. Come Alone lists free and low-cost events in 250+ cities where going alone is normal, and the Meet & Mint app shows who else is going.

Phrases in the local language for your evening: Phrases for tonight