From the spring awakening of the royal parks to summer evenings that seem never to end, from the explosion of autumn colours to the evocative winter landscapes, London continually reinvents itself through the changing seasons, offering its visitors diverse and always surprising experiences.
Let’s discover what the best time to visit London is based on the climate in each season.
London’s spring awakens with grace when the royal parks turn bright yellow thanks to daffodils and crocuses. Temperatures pleasantly range between 10°C and 17°C, whilst intermittent showers alternate with bright spells that give the city that particular light so beloved by photographers. It’s the perfect time to stroll through Kew Gardens or admire the cherry blossoms at Greenwich Park.
Forget Mediterranean heat: temperatures remain pleasant, rarely exceeding 25°C. Long days, with the sun setting around 21:30 at the height of summer, offer endless opportunities to explore the city. Occasional heatwaves are tempered by breezes from the Thames, whilst numerous parks provide shade beneath the canopies of century-old plane trees.
London’s autumn is a season of extraordinary beauty. Hyde Park and Richmond Park transform into natural art galleries, where the leaves paint shades of red, gold and bronze. Temperatures gradually drop from 20°C in September to 10°C in November. Rainfall becomes more frequent, but it’s precisely this that creates the romantic atmosphere that has inspired poets and artists through the centuries. Autumn sunsets, filtered through a fine mist, create unforgettable displays of light across the city’s skyline.
London’s winter, contrary to what one might think, is rarely harsh. Temperatures range between 4°C and 10°C, with occasional snowfall that, when it occurs, transforms the city into a fairy-tale landscape. The often grey skies and short days are compensated for by the vibrant Christmas illuminations on Oxford Street and Covent Garden. It’s the ideal season to discover the numerous free museums in the city or to take refuge in characterful Victorian pubs, where the warmth of a crackling fireplace pairs perfectly with a pint of ale.
The hottest months of the year in London are August and July, when the monthly average temperature reaches 22 °C, while the coldest months of March, January, February and December the thermometer drops up to 3 °C.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max °C | 6 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 17 | 20 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 14 | 10 | 7 |
| Min °C | 3 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 3 |
In London rainiest months of the year are November and October during which monthly rainfall average reaches 71 mm. On the other side, driest months are February and March when the average rainfall is reduced to 35 mm per month.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mm | 52 | 39 | 35 | 43 | 50 | 43 | 41 | 48 | 49 | 71 | 63 | 53 |
| Days | 19 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 17 |
May, July, August and June are sunniest months of the year. During that months, from sunrise to sunset there are 7 total sunshine hours in London. In February, November, January and December sunshine hours are reduced to 1.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hours | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
City Card allow you to save on public transport and / or on the entrances to the main tourist attractions.
