More about: 10 Things to Do in London in summer
In a city like London in the summer, there are loads of great things to do beyond just visiting the city’s typical tourist attractions.
Day trips, music, open-air cinema, dancing, boat trips… and that’s just a small taste of what you can do in London. I’ll tell you all about the rest below!
1. Explore central London on a guided tour
Making the most of the lovely summer weather in London, if you’re the sort of traveller who loves getting lost in the streets of a city to explore it inch by inch, then I recommend taking a guided tour of the city centre to discover all the hidden corners and secrets tucked away in the heart of this beautiful city.
During the tour, you’ll be accompanied by a guide who’ll tell you countless stories and anecdotes about the city that you may not know, and you can choose between a walking tour, a bus tour or a bike tour (this option is always the most fun!) to explore central London and see landmarks such as:
- St Paul’s Cathedral
- The Tower of London
- Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster
- Westminster Abbey
- Buckingham Palace
- St James’s Park
- Trafalgar Square
- Covent Garden
- Tower Bridge
- And many more…
By the end of the guided tour of central London, you’ll have learnt loads of new things, taken loads of photos for your social media and, above all, had a brilliant time.
2. Cruise down the Thames on a dinner cruise
London’s summer evenings are wonderful. For a romantic and unique evening during your stay, I recommend heading to the riverbank to enjoy a dinner cruise on the Thames.
It will be one of the most beautiful memories of your trip! An opportunity to go out for dinner a bit more dressed up and in a very original setting, such as an elegant boat, to celebrate something in a special way.
What’s more, during the cruise along the Thames, you can watch the sunset from the deck and see the city’s colourful lights gradually come to life whilst sipping a glass of champagne.
The monuments lining the riverbank glow in a special way and look even more spectacular than during the day. It’s a magical moment! Oh, and don’t worry about how much a Thames cruise costs, as many are affordable.
3. Explore the inside of Buckingham Palace
Most travellers visiting London usually take a souvenir photo with the façade of Buckingham Palace and the Queen’s Guard in the background, but every summer, when the palace doors open to the public, a lucky few can step inside to see it from within once Queen Elizabeth II has left for her summer holiday.
In summer, you can only explore the interior of Buckingham Palace for a few weeks a year (between late July and early September), so demand is extremely high and tickets sell out in the blink of an eye as there are so few opportunities.
If you’d love to wander the corridors of Buckingham Palace and don’t want to miss out on this chance, my advice is to book your tickets online well in advance to secure them.
What will you see?
During the tour, you won’t see the Royal Family’s private quarters, but you will see the ‘State Rooms’ – the rooms where the Queen receives her guests at official events and holds her public audiences. And it’s absolutely spectacular!
I suggest you set aside a day of your summer holiday in London to do something typically ‘British’, such as visiting Buckingham Palace, watching the Changing of the Guard and having afternoon tea. In the post ‘How to see the Changing of the Guard and Buckingham Palace’, I tell you all about this experience in detail.
4. Enjoy the best open-air cinema
When the weather’s on our side, Londoners make the most of every moment to have fun doing outdoor activities. And summer evenings are perfect for watching a film under the stars whilst munching on popcorn, don’t you think?
- The Luna Cinema (July and August): It holds screenings at various locations across London and shows films to suit all tastes: romantic comedies, musicals, blockbusters and more.
- Film4 Summer at Somerset House (August): The courtyard at Somerset House is transformed into an open-air cinema showing new releases and classics. Sometimes there are special guests at the screenings!
- More London Free Festival (September): At The Scoop open-air amphitheatre next to Tower Bridge, you can enjoy the best cinema classics and blockbusters for free.
5. Watch the summer solstice at Stonehenge
Make the most of your holiday in London to take a trip out of the city and see amazing sites such as Stonehenge, Europe’s most famous prehistoric monument.
This time of year is the perfect time to visit, as during the summer solstice Stonehenge attracts groups of druids alongside a most unique crowd to perform magical rituals celebrating the union between the Earth and the Sun. It’s a truly fascinating event!
Although you can visit this megalith on your own, given how difficult it is to get there by public transport and the distance from London (130 kilometres), the option I’d most recommend is an organised guided bus tour to Stonehenge.
But make sure you book your tickets online and as far in advance as possible to secure your place, as they sell out very quickly for special occasions such as the summer solstice. In the post ‘Trips to Stonehenge from London’, I tell you in more detail all about this exciting adventure.
6. Watch the sunset from a London rooftop
After a busy day of sightseeing, walking and excursions, you’ll need to take a break to rest, and in summer this is particularly important when the heat is on.
London’s rooftops are little oases high above the city where you can escape the hustle and bustle and the heat of the streets to catch your breath and enjoy a refreshing drink whilst watching the sunset with the British capital’s skyline on the horizon. Sounds like a brilliant plan, doesn’t it?
Many of the city’s rooftops only open during the summer season, so before you head to any of them, I’d advise you to check their websites to make sure they’re not closed.
Some of London’s coolest rooftops are:
- The Culpeper (Whitechapel): 40 Commercial St, London E1 6LP, United Kingdom
- The Vista Bar (Trafalgar Square): 2 Spring Gardens, Trafalgar Square, London SW1A 2T
- Golden Bee (Shoreditch): Singer St, London EC1V 9DD, United Kingdom
- Aviary (Shoreditch): 22-25 Finsbury Square, London, EC2A 1DX
7. Experience the magic of West End musicals
As well as the cinema, another type of show you can enjoy in London in the summer are the West End musicals.
You might not be a huge theatre fan, but I can assure you that their impressive staging and vibrant musical numbers will, for a few hours, immerse you in a fantasy world that will leave you speechless.
Experiencing the magic of London ’s West End musicals is definitely one of the must-do experiences during your stay. Especially if you’re travelling with the family. The children will have a brilliant time with all that music, colour and lights on stage!
If you’re planning to include a musical in your London itinerary, I’d advise you to buy tickets online as far in advance as possible before you travel, as some shows are in extremely high demand; West End theatres tend to fill up very quickly and the box offices put up the ‘Sold Out’ sign in no time.
8. Have a picnic in St James’s Park
Central, charming and intimate. These are the adjectives that best describe St James’s Park, the oldest of the city’s Royal Parks, situated very close to Buckingham Palace.
It is a wonderful spot for a picnic on a sunny day in London because the grounds are beautifully maintained and the views by the artificial lake are simply lovely. What’s more, it isn’t one of the capital’s most popular parks, so there aren’t usually large, noisy crowds to disrupt the bucolic, countryside atmosphere of James’s Park.
You can lie back on the soft grass and listen to the birds singing or read a book whilst soaking up the sun. What’s more, if you’re visiting London with the family, the children will love having a bit of free time to play, run and jump about.
9. Tuck into some delicious food at the Taste of London food festival
The Taste of London food festival takes place in Regent’s Park throughout June, bringing together the city’s most prestigious chefs to delight food lovers with their culinary creations.
The event isn’t free, but the ticket price is well worth it as it gives you the chance to sample many of the dishes on offer at the food stalls gathered there, which belong to famous restaurants such as ‘Burger&Lobster’, ‘Bao’, ‘Lina Stores’ and ‘Sagardi’, amongst many others. What’s more, you can watch the food being prepared, attend workshops and wine tastings, and even buy some food products as souvenirs.
For a foodie, attending the Taste of London Festival during the summer holidays will be like going straight to paradise! And if you’re left wanting more when you leave, you can always take a food tour through the streets of London to discover little culinary gems that will make your trip to the British capital even more enjoyable.
10. Dance at the Notting Hill Carnival
Caribbean rhythms take over the streets of Notting Hill to celebrate a huge carnival on the last weekend of August, somewhat reminiscent of the famous carnivals in Rio de Janeiro or Tenerife. If you’re in the mood to party… now’s your chance!
This festival celebrates Caribbean culture in style with an impressive parade of floats and dancers decked out in feathers and sequins, dancing to the best Caribbean music.
Follow the floats as they make their way through Notting Hill whilst you groove to the exotic tunes that liven up the parade, or just stay put somewhere and enjoy some Jamaican ‘jerk’ chicken and a few beers. You’ll have a brilliant time and take some fabulous photos full of colour and good vibes!