Light till nine, and a calendar nowhere else can match

A London summer brings light until after 9pm, July highs in the low twenties and a run of events the rest of the year can't touch. It also brings crowds and higher rates, so book the big days first and fill in round them.

Wimbledon, the Proms and the RA

The Championships at Wimbledon run for a fortnight from late June into July. Tickets go through a public ballot months ahead, plus a limited number each day through the famous queue. If you're not going, every pub and terrace in London shows it, and the Henman Hill spirit spreads well beyond SW19.

The BBC Proms fill the Royal Albert Hall with concerts almost every night from mid-July into September, and arena standing tickets are sold on the day for very little. The Royal Academy's Summer Exhibition on Piccadilly is the largest open-submission art show in the world, and a good place to hide from a hot afternoon.

Swimming and eating outside

The Serpentine Lido in Hyde Park opens for public swimming in summer. Parliament Hill Lido on Hampstead Heath is open all year, and unheated, and a morning swim there before the city warms up is one of the best things London does in July.

Summer is also terrace season. The Ivy Chelsea Garden on the King's Road has one of the prettiest gardens in London, Le Pont de la Tour at Shad Thames looks straight at Tower Bridge, Coq d'Argent at No.1 Poultry has a rooftop garden above Bank, and Franco's on Jermyn Street runs a rosé terrace every summer. For a view without a meal, the Sky Garden in the City is free, but tickets are released up to three weeks ahead and go fast.

The State Rooms at Buckingham Palace only open to visitors in summer, from July to late September, with timed tickets sold online. Pair it with a walk through St James's Park and Green Park.

Staying cool

London buildings are built to keep heat in, and a hot week in August can be properly uncomfortable. Only about half the residences on this site have air conditioning, so if you're coming in July or August, use the air conditioning filter in the search or ask the residence before you book.

Food hygiene ratings for the places in this guide

Official fact Food Standards Agency Food Hygiene Rating Scheme, checked 23 September 2026. 5 is the top rating.

Name	Registered address	Rating	Inspected
Le Pont de la Tour	36D Shad Thames, SE1 2YE	5	Feb 2025
Coq d'Argent	1 Poultry, EC2R 8EJ	5	Sep 2025
Franco's	61-63 Jermyn Street, SW1Y 6LX	5	Apr 2025

Ratings cover hygiene only, not food quality. Matched by name and address; a venue not shown was not found or could not be matched with confidence.

London weather by month

July is the warmest month, averaging 23°C by day. July has the fewest wet days (9) and October the most rain (80 mm). For sightseeing on foot, June scores best on our combined warmth-and-dryness measure.

Month	Avg high	Avg low	Rain	Wet days	Chance a 7-day stay sees a washout	Record high / low
January	8°C	2°C	74 mm	13	53%	16°C / -12°C
February	8°C	2°C	51 mm	10	43%	18°C / -8°C
March	11°C	4°C	45 mm	9	44%	23°C / -7°C
April	14°C	5°C	54 mm	10	44%	26°C / -3°C
May	17°C	8°C	54 mm	9	39%	30°C / -1°C
June	20°C	11°C	58 mm	9	35%	34°C / 2°C
July	23°C	13°C	52 mm	9	34%	34°C / 4°C
August	22°C	13°C	68 mm	9	37%	37°C / 4°C
September	19°C	11°C	62 mm	9	39%	29°C / 2°C
October	15°C	8°C	80 mm	11	47%	27°C / -2°C
November	11°C	5°C	76 mm	12	52%	18°C / -6°C
December	8°C	2°C	69 mm	12	50%	16°C / -8°C

Calculated NOAA GHCN-Daily observations at the Hampstead weather station, north London (records 1960–2015; averages from about 25 years per month). A wet day has 1 mm of rain or more.

London weather by month

July is the warmest month, averaging 23°C by day. July has the fewest wet days (9) and October the most rain (80 mm). For sightseeing on foot, June scores best on our combined warmth-and-dryness measure.

Month	Avg high	Avg low	Rain	Wet days	Chance a 7-day stay sees a washout	Record high / low
January	8°C	2°C	74 mm	13	53%	16°C / -12°C
February	8°C	2°C	51 mm	10	43%	18°C / -8°C
March	11°C	4°C	45 mm	9	44%	23°C / -7°C
April	14°C	5°C	54 mm	10	44%	26°C / -3°C
May	17°C	8°C	54 mm	9	39%	30°C / -1°C
June	20°C	11°C	58 mm	9	35%	34°C / 2°C
July	23°C	13°C	52 mm	9	34%	34°C / 4°C
August	22°C	13°C	68 mm	9	37%	37°C / 4°C
September	19°C	11°C	62 mm	9	39%	29°C / 2°C
October	15°C	8°C	80 mm	11	47%	27°C / -2°C
November	11°C	5°C	76 mm	12	52%	18°C / -6°C
December	8°C	2°C	69 mm	12	50%	16°C / -8°C

Calculated NOAA GHCN-Daily observations at the Hampstead weather station, north London (records 1960–2015; averages from about 25 years per month). A wet day has 1 mm of rain or more.