London in March: Weather, Events and Tips

Published 18 September 2026 · By the Guide to London editorial team · Editor: Terje Moy

March is the month when London turns from winter to spring: it is still cool and changeable, but the days get longer quickly, blossom appears in the parks and the city is calmer than it will be from Easter onwards. In 2027 both Easter and the clock change fall at the very end of the month, which makes the last week of March busier than usual.

If you are planning a trip, think of March as two different months. The first half often still feels like late winter, with grey skies, cold wind and short afternoons. The second half brings more sunshine, the first warm days and, in 2027, a long Easter weekend with bank holidays and school holidays.

Hotels are usually cheaper than in summer, the big museums are quieter on weekdays, and outdoor sights begin to reopen for the season.

Cool days, cold nights and more sun than February

The Met Office's long-term averages for Heathrow, on the western edge of London, give a March average high of 11.7°C and an average low of 4.1°C. That is almost three degrees warmer by day than February. Frost is still possible: Heathrow averages about three nights of air frost in March, compared with more than six in February.

March is actually one of London's drier months on paper. The average rainfall is 38.8 mm, the lowest monthly figure in the whole year, with rain of 1 mm or more on about eight days. The problem is not the amount of rain but how often the weather changes. A bright morning can turn into a cold shower by lunchtime, and wind makes 10°C feel much colder when you are standing on a bridge or waiting at a bus stop.

Central London is often a little warmer than these airport figures, especially at night, but the pattern is the same. For a fuller picture of the year, see our guide to London's weather across the seasons, and compare with the colder month before.

St Patrick's Day: the parade and the Trafalgar Square festival

London has a large Irish community, and St Patrick's Day (17 March) is marked with a free festival organised by the Mayor of London. It is usually held on a Sunday close to the date itself rather than on 17 March, so check the day before you plan around it.

In 2026 the festival took place on Sunday 15 March, from 12:00 to 18:00 in Trafalgar Square, with music, dance and food stalls. A parade of Irish county associations, community groups, marching bands and dancers set off from Hyde Park at 12:00 and followed Piccadilly, Piccadilly Circus, Regent Street St James's and Cockspur Street, passing Trafalgar Square and ending in Whitehall. The 2027 date had not been announced when we checked in September 2026; watch the Mayor of London's events pages.

The square fills up early in the afternoon. If you want a view of the parade, find a spot along Piccadilly before noon. Expect road closures in the West End for most of the day, which slows buses down; the Tube is the easier option. Pubs across the city are busy that weekend, so book a table if you want to eat in one of London's older and more characterful pubs.

Easter falls in March in 2027

Easter moves every year. In 2027 Good Friday is 26 March, Easter Sunday is 28 March and Easter Monday is 29 March. Good Friday and Easter Monday are both bank holidays in England, so the last weekend of the month becomes a four-day weekend for most people who work in London.

Three things change for visitors over Easter. First, school holidays start: in Lambeth, for example, the Easter holiday runs from Friday 26 March to Friday 9 April 2027 (each borough and school sets its own dates). Museums, the zoo and family attractions get noticeably busier. Second, on Easter Sunday large shops (over 280 square metres) are not allowed to open by law, so department stores and big supermarkets close for the day, although many small shops, cafés and restaurants stay open. Third, public transport runs a different timetable on bank holidays, and engineering works are common on long weekends.

Our guide to bank holidays and Sunday opening hours explains what closes and what stays open. If you want a quieter trip, the first two weeks of March avoid all of this.

An hour more daylight from 28 March

The UK moves from Greenwich Mean Time to British Summer Time (GMT+1) at 01:00 on the last Sunday in March. In 2027 that is Sunday 28 March. Your phone will change automatically; hotel alarm clocks and watches will not.

The effect on a trip is real. In the days before the change the sun sets at around half past six in the evening; afterwards it sets at around half past seven. That extra evening hour makes a riverside walk after the museums close far more pleasant.

Blossom and spring gardens worth seeking out

March is when London's parks start to look alive again. Daffodils and crocuses appear on the lawns, and the first cherry and magnolia blossom usually opens in the second half of the month, depending on how cold the winter has been. You do not need a ticket to enjoy it.

• St James's Park and Green Park. Walk from Trafalgar Square to Buckingham Palace through these two royal parks; Green Park is known for its spring daffodils.
• Regent's Park. Formal flower beds and the walk up Primrose Hill, with a clear view over the city on a bright day.
• Kew Gardens. The best single place for spring flowers, with glasshouses to retreat into when it rains. Tickets are paid; our guide to Kew Gardens covers how to get there and when to go. Kew Palace and the other Historic Royal Palaces buildings at Kew are closed until spring 2027, so check whether they have reopened before you go.

Royal sights: what is open and what is not

Several royal sights change their hours or reopen around March, so it pays to check before you build a day around them.

Windsor Castle switches to its longer summer hours on 1 March (10:00-17:15, last admission 16:00), but it is closed every Tuesday and Wednesday. The Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace is seasonal; in 2026 its season began on 5 March, and it too is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The State Rooms of Buckingham Palace are not open for normal visits in March: between October and May there are only small, expensive guided tours on selected dates.

At Kensington Palace, the Queen's State Apartments are closed until spring 2027 for a major re-presentation, and at Hampton Court the Mantegna Gallery is closed until spring 2027. Neither palace has given an exact reopening date, so look at the official website shortly before your visit.

Mothering Sunday and other dates to book around

Mothering Sunday, the British Mother's Day, falls on 7 March in 2027. It is one of the busiest days of the year for restaurants, afternoon tea and Sunday lunch. If you want a traditional Sunday roast that day, book well ahead or eat early.

Easter weekend is the other pressure point: hotel prices rise, trains out of London fill up, and the free museums are at their busiest.

What to pack for a changeable month

Layers matter more than a heavy coat. A March day can start at 4°C and reach 12°C, and you move constantly between cold streets and warm museums.

• A waterproof jacket with a hood. Umbrellas are awkward in wind and on crowded pavements.
• A warm jumper or fleece to wear underneath, plus a scarf and light gloves for the evenings.
• Comfortable, waterproof shoes: you will walk more than you expect, and parks and paths can be muddy.
• Sunglasses. They sound optimistic, but low spring sun can be bright.

Have a plan for wet days too. London's free national museums are the obvious answer, and our list of ideas for a rainy day has plenty more.

Fares and getting around in March

TfL fares often change in early March: in 2026 pay as you go Tube and rail fares rose on 1 March, while the daily and weekly caps and Travelcards were frozen until March 2027. That means the caps currently shown on TfL's website may change around the time of a March 2027 trip. Check the current figures on tfl.gov.uk before you travel, and read our explanation of Oyster, contactless and the daily caps.

Otherwise, getting around in March is easy. Outside rush hour the trains are not crowded, and on dry days walking between central sights is often quicker than the Tube.

If March does not suit your dates, see how the weather and events change in London in April, or read our overview of the best time of year to visit.

Frequently asked questions

Is March a good time to visit London?

Yes, especially if you prefer fewer crowds and lower prices to warm weather. Days are getting longer, blossom starts in the parks and most attractions are open. The weather is cool and changeable, with an average high of about 12°C, so you need layers and a rain jacket.

When is Easter in London in 2027?

Easter Sunday is 28 March 2027. Good Friday (26 March) and Easter Monday (29 March) are bank holidays. Large shops are closed on Easter Sunday by law, and school holidays in London begin around the same time, so attractions are busier that week.

When do the clocks change in London in March 2027?

The clocks go forward one hour at 01:00 on Sunday 28 March 2027, when the UK moves from Greenwich Mean Time to British Summer Time. Sunsets move from around 18:30 to around 19:30, which gives you much longer evenings for sightseeing.

What is on for St Patrick's Day in London?

The Mayor of London holds a free St Patrick's Festival with a parade through the West End and music and food in Trafalgar Square, usually on a Sunday near 17 March. In 2026 it was on Sunday 15 March; the 2027 date had not been announced in September 2026.

Does it snow in London in March?

Snow that settles is rare in March, but frost is still possible: Heathrow averages about three nights of air frost in the month. Cold rain and wind are much more likely than snow, so a waterproof jacket is more useful than winter boots.

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)
• Mayor of London - St Patrick's Festival 2026 (checked September 2026)
• Lambeth Council - School term dates 2026 to 2027 (checked September 2026)
• legislation.gov.uk - Sunday Trading Act 1994, Schedule 1 (checked September 2026)
• Royal Collection Trust - Windsor Castle opening times (checked September 2026)
• Transport for London - Capping (checked September 2026)