I recently went to the Royal Albert Hall to see Cirque du Soleil, a wonderful performance of outstanding acrobats and gymnasts doing all sorts of contortions and beautiful dances. The venue is gorgeous and it’s HUGE! We went for the cheapest tickets with restricted view, and I must say I was very disappointed at quite how restricted the view was- I saw about 70% of the show (and most of it from the back). Make sure that when you buy your tickets the sales person explains quite how restricted your view will be and for certain performances I would definitely say it’s worth spending an extra tenner to get a decent seat. However, the theatre is worth going to just because it’s so beautiful, you really feel dragged back into the last century and it feels so special sitting in such a grand venue. Great place to go to for a smart date!

It’s a historic building, and a London landmark. It’s immense and impressive from the outside. Pay attention to which door you need to enter through, though!

Inside is ornate, detailed, grand and breathtaking. The floor area usually has seats (called the Arena), though these can be removed for some events. Then there is a lower tier of about a dozen rows of seats (the Stalls). Above this is a tier of private Boxes. Above this is a tier of very steep seats (the Circle) - don’t worry about the person in front blocking your views, though you are getting a bit far away now. Finally, the Gallery is a wide open area circling the top. There are no seats here, and you simply stand (or sit, if you can peek through the railing).

Prices obviously get cheaper the higher you go. Not all tiers are open for all events. There are stairs and lifts all the way up. There are toilets on every level, and lounge areas with bars on almost all levels.

The sound is gorgeous in the Hall, and the opulent surroundings give every event a sense of grandeur and gravity.

The Proms - the annual series of popular classical music, with cheaper seats than normal - are a big event, and I’ve been twice. I’ve also seen musical acts like Eric Clapton (who does stints of several nights from time to time), David Gilmour, and The Be Good Tanyas.