West End Arts Library - our favourite free central chill spot

West End Arts Library is our favourite hidden London gem — and our favourite free, calm spot in central London. Tucked behind Leicester Square, walk in and head to the back left-hand side of the library, where you'll find a gorgeous kids section with hundreds of brand-new books, all themed around art. There's an entire Little Dreams section — and books for tots to teens, all immaculate, beautifully illustrated, alongside loads of practical art guides for older children who want to learn to draw, paint and design. Most of the books are brand new. Music lovers are covered too: the Westminster Music Library lives upstairs, with instruments you can borrow and play on the spot, from ukuleles to digital pianos. The setting is remarkable as well — this is the street where Sir Isaac Newton once lived, and the library is a quiet, elegant refuge just steps from Leicester Square and the National Gallery. Best of all, everything is completely free. Every Thursday from 3pm to 4.30pm there's a free Little Painters drop-in, where babies and toddlers get stuck into painting activities. On a rainy day it's hard to beat: stock up on books, then take your pick from the galleries, Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly all within a few minutes' stroll.