Dance your way through the capital

You don’t need to know anything about ballet or opera to get a kick out of the Deloitte Ignite Festival, a series of mostly free events taking place in and around the Royal Opera House from 3-27 September to mark the launch of the autumn/winter season at the theatre. Dock your Santander Cycle at Tavistock Street then head inside this iconic building – one of the oldest theatres in London – for singing lessons, prop-making sessions, dance classes, tours and more. And keep your eyes peeled for performances taking place all over the building and in Covent Garden Piazza all weekend – there’s something to suit all tastes, from arias to acrobats.

It’s the start of the autumn in some theatres, but the end of the summer in others. Dock your bike at the tennis courts in Regent’s Park to catch the final show at the Open Air Theatre before the atmospheric venue shuts up shop for the winter. The theatre’s critically acclaimed production of William Golding’s The Lord of the Flies returns for just 14 performances from 3-12 September. And if you’re in the area on 6 September, why not double up on culture with a visit to Klezmer in the Park 2015 at the bandstand in the afternoon? Hailing from Eastern Europe and a staple of Jewish celebrations, this spirited folk music is guaranteed to get you dancing.

There’s dancing to be done at the Greenwich Vintage Fair On the Gardens too, where the London Swing Dance Society and Shag Pile Dance Club will be leading classes throughout the weekend (5-6 September). The main event sees Cutty Sark Gardens transformed into a pop-up vintage market where you can buy everything from clothes and accessories to homewares and music. Dock your Santander Cycle across the River Thames at Saunders Ness Road then walk though the Greenwich foot tunnel to reach the market. Bring a rucksack big enough to stow your purchases in.

Meanwhile, over at Somerset House, Now Play This brings together over 20 games, both old and new, for a weekend of play. Wooden pinball machines, papercraft workshops and board games meet digital adventures and video games, plus talks and workshops on game design. Dock your bike at the Santander Cycle docking station right outside and unleash the child in you.

And elsewhere on the banks of the Thames, Santander Cycles is teaming up with the Totally Thames festival for a weekend of family fun in Potters Fields Park. The nearest place to dock your Santander Cycle is at Tooley Street, but the cycling doesn’t stop once you’ve arrived. In addition to performances from live bands, food stalls and entertainment from the Unicorn Theatre, there will be high energy Santander Cycle spinning classes with instructors from BOOM Cycle! Be sure to get there early as it’s first-come-first-served. Go to www.santander.co.uk/cycles to find out more”