For most visitors, the best time to visit London is late spring (May and early June) or September: the weather is usually mild, the days are long, and the city is less crowded than in July and August. Winter is cheaper and quieter but dark and damp, except for the busy weeks around Christmas.
London is a city you can visit in any month. Its big museums are indoors, many of them free, and rain rarely lasts all day. So the question is less "when is it possible" and more "what do you want from the trip": sunshine and outdoor life, lower prices, a particular event, or simply fewer people in the queue for the Tower.
Below we go through the year season by season, with Met Office averages for temperature and rain, the main events, and our view of who each season suits. The weather figures are long-term averages for the Heathrow weather station (1991-2020), which sits at London's western edge; the centre is often slightly warmer.
London's seasons in brief
- Warmest month
- July: average high 23.9°C, low 14.2°C
- Coldest month
- January: average high 8.4°C, low 2.7°C
- Sunniest month
- July, about 218 hours of sunshine
- Wettest months
- October and November, around 65 mm each
- Our pick
- Mid-May to mid-June, or September
- Cheapest period
- January to early March, outside school holidays
London month by month: temperature, sunshine and rain
London's climate is mild. Summers are warm rather than hot, winters are cool rather than freezing, and rain is spread through the year. The table shows the Met Office averages; the rain column counts days with at least 1 mm, which is roughly a day when you would want an umbrella for part of the time.
| Month | Average high | Average low | Sunshine (hours) | Days with rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8.4°C | 2.7°C | 61 | 12 |
| February | 9.0°C | 2.7°C | 79 | 10 |
| March | 11.7°C | 4.1°C | 124 | 8 |
| April | 15.0°C | 6.0°C | 177 | 9 |
| May | 18.4°C | 9.1°C | 207 | 8 |
| June | 21.6°C | 12.0°C | 208 | 8 |
| July | 23.9°C | 14.2°C | 218 | 8 |
| August | 23.4°C | 14.1°C | 202 | 8 |
| September | 20.2°C | 11.6°C | 157 | 8 |
| October | 15.8°C | 8.8°C | 115 | 11 |
| November | 11.5°C | 5.3°C | 71 | 11 |
| December | 8.8°C | 3.1°C | 55 | 11 |
Two things stand out. First, May and June are almost as sunny as July, but noticeably cooler and less crowded. Second, the difference in rain between months is smaller than people expect: even the driest months have around eight rainy days. What changes more is how dark and grey it feels. December has about a quarter of July's sunshine. For packing advice, see our guide to London weather and what to bring.
Spring (March to May): blossom, longer days and Easter crowds
Spring is a lovely time in London. The parks turn green, the magnolia and cherry trees flower, and by May the evenings stay light until late. The clocks go forward one hour on the last Sunday in March (28 March in 2027), which suddenly gives you an extra hour of daylight in the evening.
March can still feel wintry, with average highs below 12°C. April is changeable, with sunny spells and cold showers on the same afternoon. May is often the most pleasant month of the year: average highs of about 18°C and more than 200 hours of sunshine.
The weak point is Easter. In 2027, Good Friday is 26 March and Easter Monday 29 March, and school holidays around it bring families into the museums and attractions. Large shops are not allowed to open on Easter Sunday. May also has two bank holiday weekends (3 May and 31 May in 2027), when popular sights get busier.
Spring events include the London Marathon, which in 2027 runs over two days for the first and only time, on 24 and 25 April, and the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, with public days from 20 to 22 May 2027. Our monthly guides to London in April and London in May list more.
The fortnight after the May half-term is a sweet spot. In the first half of June, the weather is close to its summer best, the days are at their longest, and the main school holidays have not started. If your dates are flexible, this is when we would go.
Summer (June to August): long evenings and the biggest crowds
Summer is London's high season. The average high in July is just under 24°C, which is comfortable for walking, and it stays light until well after 21:00 in June and early July. Parks, rooftop bars, riverside pubs and open-air theatre make the most of it.
The downside is crowding, especially from late July, when the English school summer holidays begin and families from around the world arrive. Queues at the Tower of London, the London Eye and the Natural History Museum are longest in these weeks, and hotel prices are high. Heatwaves happen from time to time, and many older buildings and parts of the Tube have no air conditioning, so a hot week in London can feel harder than the numbers suggest.
Summer is also when some things only open then. The State Rooms at Buckingham Palace opened from 9 July to 27 September in 2026, and the palace is otherwise closed to normal visitors for most of the year. Summer sport and music fill the calendar:
- Trooping the Colour, the King's Birthday Parade, takes place in June; the 2027 date has not been announced yet. See our guide to watching Trooping the Colour.
- Wimbledon runs from 28 June to 11 July 2027. The public ballot for 2027 has closed, but anyone can join the famous Wimbledon queue for a limited number of daily tickets.
- The BBC Proms, a long season of classical concerts at the Royal Albert Hall, ran from 17 July to 12 September in 2026.
- Notting Hill Carnival fills west London over the August bank holiday weekend, on 29 and 30 August in 2027. Our Notting Hill Carnival guide explains how to enjoy it safely.
If you visit in summer, book popular attractions online, start early in the day, and use the long evenings for outdoor sights. Free options such as the parks and the South Bank are at their best.
Autumn (September to November): September shines, then the days shorten
September is our favourite month for a London trip. It is still warm, with an average high of about 20°C, it is one of the drier months, and the summer crowds have gone. The city feels busy with its own life again rather than with tourists. The Open House Festival (12 to 20 September in 2026) opens buildings that are normally closed to the public, and Totally Thames runs river events through the month.
October is cooler and wetter, and it is the start of the rainiest part of the year. Autumn colour in the royal parks and at Kew can be beautiful. In Richmond Park, the deer rut runs from September to November, and the Royal Parks ask visitors to keep at least 50 metres away from deer, and 100 metres from an active male during the rut.
The clocks go back on the last Sunday in October (25 October in 2026), and from then the afternoons get dark early. Several attractions also shorten their hours. At Kew Gardens, for example, closing time moves from 19:00 in September to 16:00 from late October.
November has its own events. The big firework displays for Bonfire Night are not always on 5 November: in 2026, both Battersea Park and Alexandra Palace hold theirs on 7 and 8 November. The Lord Mayor's Show, a free parade through the City of London, is on 14 November 2026. For details, see our guide to London in November.
Winter (December to February): Christmas lights, then the quietest weeks
Winter splits into two very different halves. From mid-November to New Year, London is busy and festive: Christmas lights on Oxford Street and Regent Street, markets, ice rinks and seasonal shows. Hyde Park Winter Wonderland runs from 19 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, with timed tickets booked online. Hotels and flights around Christmas are often expensive, and shops are crowded at weekends.
Christmas Day itself is very quiet. Large shops must by law stay closed, most museums close from 24 to 26 December, and there is no service on most public transport. Plan that day carefully, as our guide to Christmas in London explains. On New Year's Eve, the official fireworks by the Thames need a ticket, which in 2025 sold out; see our New Year's Eve guide for how tickets are released.
January and February are the quietest and usually the cheapest time to visit. It is cold and grey, with average highs below 10°C and around 60 to 80 hours of sunshine a month, but it rarely stays below freezing for long. Museums, theatres, pubs and restaurants are exactly as good as in summer, and you will have more space to enjoy them. Lunar New Year brings celebrations to Chinatown; the 2027 new year falls on 6 February.
Winter daylight is gone by late afternoon. In December and January, it gets dark in the late afternoon, and parks, gardens and outdoor sights close early. Put outdoor sightseeing in the morning and save museums, shops and theatre for later in the day.
Crowds and prices: when London is cheapest
We cannot give reliable average hotel prices, because they change with events, demand and even the day of the week. The pattern is clear, though. Prices and crowds are highest from late July to the end of August, around Easter, and in the weeks before Christmas. They are lowest in January, February and early March, and again in November before the Christmas season starts.
Weekends are busier than weekdays at nearly every attraction, and bank holiday weekends are busier still. Some attractions charge more at busy times: ZSL London Zoo and Stonehenge, for example, have off-peak, standard and peak prices, and Kew Gardens is cheaper from November to January. Many attractions also charge less for tickets bought online in advance than on the day.
The cost of getting around does not change with the season. Tube and rail caps are frozen until March 2027; the only change announced for late 2026 is the bus fare, which rises from £1.75 to £1.85 on 1 November 2026. Our guide to what a trip to London costs puts the numbers together.
Which season suits which traveller
| If you are... | Best time | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Visiting for the first time | May, June or September | Mild weather, long days, fewer crowds than midsummer |
| Travelling with children | June, or school holidays if you must | Parks and outdoor play; book attractions ahead in holidays |
| On a tight budget | January to early March, November | Lower hotel prices; free museums are the main attraction anyway |
| Coming for gardens and parks | Late April to June | Blossom, then roses and long light evenings |
| Coming for theatre and museums | Any month; winter is quietest | Mostly indoors, so the weather matters less |
| Wanting festive atmosphere | Late November to mid-December | Lights and markets without the Christmas Day shutdown |
Families should also look at our guide to London with children, and anyone worried about the weather will find plenty of ideas in what to do on a rainy day.
Dates to check before you book flights
A few dates can change the feel of a trip completely. Bank holidays make attractions busier and change transport and shop hours; in 2027 they fall on 1 January, 26 and 29 March, 3 and 31 May, 30 August, and 27 and 28 December. Our page on bank holidays and opening hours explains what closes.
Large events can also fill hotels near their venues. If you are coming for something specific, such as the Marathon, Wimbledon or the Chelsea Flower Show, book your accommodation as soon as you know the dates. If you want to avoid them, check the event calendar before you choose your week.
Finally, remember that some sights have their own seasons. Buckingham Palace opens its State Rooms only in summer, Windsor Castle is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and outdoor attractions such as the Serpentine Lido run only in the warmer months.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest month to visit London?
January and February are usually the cheapest months, apart from the New Year period and school half-term weeks. Hotel prices tend to be lower, attractions are quieter, and the free museums are just as good as in summer. Expect cold, grey weather and short days.
What is the rainiest month in London?
On Met Office averages for Heathrow, October and November have the most rain, at around 65 mm each, and January has the most rainy days, at about 12. But rain is spread through the year: even the driest months average around eight days with rain.
Is August a good time to visit London?
The weather is usually warm and it is one of the sunniest months, but August is also the most crowded, with school holidays in full swing and prices high. If August is your only option, book attractions online and start sightseeing early in the day.
Is London worth visiting in winter?
Yes, especially if you like museums, theatre and pubs, which are unaffected by the weather. December has Christmas lights and markets, while January and February are quiet and cheaper. The drawbacks are short days, cold weather and early closing at parks and gardens.
How many days of sunshine does London get in summer?
The Met Office measures hours rather than days. June, July and August each average around 200 to 220 hours of sunshine at Heathrow, about four times as much as December. That is roughly seven hours a day, although cloudy days are still common.
Sources
- Met Office - Heathrow climate averages 1991-2020 (checked September 2026)
- GOV.UK - UK bank holidays (checked September 2026)
- GOV.UK - When do the clocks change? (checked September 2026)
- Royal Collection Trust - Buckingham Palace (checked September 2026)
- London Marathon Events - TCS London Marathon (checked September 2026)
- Wimbledon - Public Ballot (checked September 2026)
- Hyde Park Winter Wonderland (checked September 2026)
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew - Opening and closing times (checked September 2026)