Hackney City Farm
1a Goldsmith’s Row, Hackney, London E2 8QA
A little corner of rural bliss in the heart of Hackney, with Larry the donkey and a couple of enormous pigs as well as chickens, goats and bunnies. You’re free to roam the farmyard and get up close to the animals, and there are good courses on a range of eco-friendly gardening and building techniques, as well as one-off events such as (bizarrely) a Mexican Day of the Dead weekend. It’s great fun for kids, and the Frizzante café is a good bet for everyone, with seriously good Italian food. Book in advance for their Thursday ‘agriturismo’ evening, a three-course treat in the candelit café.