The Quiet Luxury of an Afternoon Off

Not every London afternoon needs an agenda. The city is brilliant at busyness, but it is just as good at the slow pleasures: a spa with no clock, a pot of tea and a tiered stand, an hour that belongs to no one but you.

Our guide to the best spa days in London is where to start, and for the full ritual, our round-up of afternoon tea is hard to beat.

Switch the phone off. That is the luxury.