We’ve gone from the school gates to the Aegean, and here’s what we’re loving this July.
With the glorious stretch of long evenings and sun-cream-scented optimism, this month’s hotlist is here to make the most of every minute. We’re jetting off to the brand-new Mykonos property, where whitewashed Cycladic luxury meets a kids’ club steeped in Greek mythology; celebrating fifteen years of the West End’s naughtiest heroine; and staying closer to home for a long, lazy lunch at Restaurant Isca, the new glasshouse restaurant at Borde Hill where children forage and play while parents linger over a Pea Pod Martini. Add in a new baby skincare brand bringing grown-up standards to the littlest members of the family, and balmy nights watching children’s favourite singalong songs and movies. Wherever July takes you – canal-side, poolside or front row – we’ll see you there.
WATCH THIS Matilda
Fifteen years on, and the West End’s most rebellious little heroine still hasn’t lost her spark. Now celebrating its 15th year in London’s West End, Matilda The Musical, inspired by Roald Dahl’s beloved book, has been seen by 13 million people in over 100 cities worldwide and collected 101 international awards, including 25 for Best Musical. The anarchic tale of an extraordinary little girl who dares to change her own destiny remains the perfect school-holiday theatre trip: whip-smart, wickedly funny and just the right amount of naughty. Between Miss Trunchbull’s tyranny, the ever-looming chokey and Minchin’s irresistible ear-worms, from the heartbreaking ‘Miracle’ to the emboldening ‘Naughty’, it delivers powerful messages of strength and courage without ever feeling overly earnest, reminding small audience members that even the smallest voice can make the biggest difference (and their grown-ups that sometimes you have to be a little bit naughty). Catch it at the Cambridge Theatre, where booking has been extended to January 2027 in honour of the milestone, or on the anniversary UK and Ireland tour, running through to January 2027.
TAKE THE FAMILY HERE Four Seasons Mykonos
The Cyclades’ most anticipated arrival is finally here: Four Seasons Hotel Mykonos welcomed its first guests on 26 June, marking the brand’s second Greek address after the Astir Palace in Athens. Designed by acclaimed Greek architect Nicos Valsamakis in classic Cycladic style, the property cascades down rocky cliffs across six hectares of landscaped terraces and gardens to a private stretch of beach on the western side of Kalo Livadi Bay, on the island’s quieter southern coast. All 94 rooms, suites and villas come with panoramic sea views and furnished terraces, many with private plunge pools that appear to spill directly into the sea, and interconnecting rooms and suites make it family-friendly rather than family-tolerant. Little ones are looked after at the Kids For All Seasons club, a supervised programme for ages five to 12 (although are littles are very welcome with guardian supervision), while teens get curated activities including interactive sessions bringing Mykonian history and Greek mythology to life, with babysitting available on request. Add two infinity pools, a private beach with watersports offering a calmer alternative to the island’s famed beach clubs, a Wimberly Interiors-designed spa with seven treatment rooms, and the hotel’s own jetty for yacht excursions to Delos-— the legendary birthplace of Apollo – and this is Mykonos recast for families: all of the magic, none of the mayhem.
USE THIS ON YOUR BABIES Smoosh
Enter Smoosh, the elevated baby skincare brand raising the bar for little ones’ bathroom shelves. Founded by Sophie and Victoria, friends-turned-mothers and long-time beauty and baby-brand insiders (both former Boots alumni), the brand was born from the gap between the results-driven skincare adults expect and what’s on offer in the baby aisle. Every product is suitable from newborn, vegan, fragrance-free and made with 97–99% naturally derived ingredients, with formulations that are clinically tested, dermatologically tested and paediatrician approved – gentle enough for the most sensitive, dry-prone baby skin. The brand is as considered in look as it is in formula: its soft, fluid identity, complete with a bubble-inspired floating ‘o’, is designed to sit as happily on a curated bathroom shelf as in the baby aisle. And purpose is built in from day one, Smoosh donates 10% of net cumulative profits to charitable initiatives supporting maternal and infant welfare. Proof that baby skincare can be effective, beautiful and kind, all at once.
TAKE THIS DAY TRIP Restaurant Isca, Borde Hill
Just forty minutes from central London, a new era has dawned at Borde Hill with the opening of Restaurant Isca – a striking glasshouse overlooking the estate’s reimagined 1906 Walled Kitchen Garden, now redesigned into four elemental quadrants of earth, wind, fire and water. Named after a rare magnolia tree in the garden, Isca celebrates the estate’s botanical diversity through joyful seasonal cooking: under Executive Chef Jack Hazell (formerly of Marcus at the Berkeley and Bibendum), menus evolve with the equinoxes and solstices, shaped by the two-acre biodynamic Market Garden growing just metres from the kitchen – think cured Chalk Stream trout with walled garden flowers, and baked cheesecake with pickled magnolia and rhubarb, alongside a signature Magnolia Margarita in The Cosmos, the flower petal-shaped aperitif space where guests sip foraged cocktails from their own ‘plant booth’. Best of all for families, Isca’s garden-led philosophy extends to little ones with the Treehoppers Kids Club: hosted by the acclaimed Treehoppers Forest School on the first Saturday of each month until September, children aged 4–10 enjoy 2.5 hours of supervised outdoor adventures (12:30–3pm, £10 per hour per child) while parents linger over a leisurely, unhurried lunch in the glasshouse. Purposeful play for them, a Pea Pod Martini for you – everyone wins.
ENJOY THIS EVENING OUT Everyman on the Canal, King's Cross
London’s loveliest (and most wallet-friendly) summer tradition is back: Everyman on the Canal has returned to King’s Cross, running throughout July until 16 August, and it’s completely free. Set on the Regent’s Canal beside Granary Square, the open-air cinema invites families to sprawl across the astroturfed stadium seating along the water’s edge while films play on a giant screen across the canal. This year’s expanded programme mixes recent blockbusters, family hits and cult classics, Paddington, The Parent Trap, The Goonies and Cool Runnings alongside Grease, Top Gun: Maverick and the Dune films. Expect four films a day, with the earlier 12pm and 3pm slots perfect for smaller cinephiles before the evening crowd descends (from Bebefinn to Pinkfong). The 2026 season opened with DJ Yoda soundtracking the celebrations, and the vibe is pure summer holiday: frozen margaritas and ice cream sundaes for grown-ups, popcorn and chocolate strawberries for little hands, and a fresh visual identity designed by a Central Saint Martins graduate from just up the road. No tickets, no bookings, seating is unreserved, so arrive an hour or so early for the family favourites, stake out a beanbag, and settle in for the most idyllic movie afternoon or night in London.
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