If you have the time to catch your breath between museums, the Queen’s house, and pubs, take a stroll through some of London’s neighborhoods and get a taste of something special. Notting Hill, although now popular with tourists (thanks Hugh Grant), is a delight to the senses. Its Saturday Portobello Market can fill hours with its endless stalls selling everything from boutique fashion, to fruit, to any bric-a-brac you can imagine.
If you find yourself in the West End, London’s answer to Broadway, grab a last-minute ticket to some of the best stage performances on the planet.
The capital city of Great Britain is a place where you will find amazing museums, exhibitions, and many more historic places. But there is also a side of this city which is unexplored by most travelers. It is a big city, so finding quirky places is a task, but they often provide you with some memorable and fun experiences.
So, if you want to see more than the museums and the Buckingham palace, here is a list of cool things that you can do while in London. Are you searching for the ultimate guide to visiting London in summer? Visiting the city, the home to red phone booths, fish n chips, Buckingham Palace, and Big Ben?
Our ultimate city guide for London includes the top things to do, the best photography spots, restaurant recommendations, and transportation tips that will make planning your trip simple!
Trust me, you will not want to miss visiting the one hidden gem spot for photography that is unlike the others. London is one of the most exciting cities in the world. This beautiful city is home to one of the most dynamic cultural and cosmopolitan population. This city is the second most popular vacation spots in the world and will add a pinch of both traditional charm and modern wonders to your Europe Trip.
Summer is the most beautiful season in London. The sun is shining everywhere, the people are out on the streets. The rooftop bars are filled, the parks are thriving with people enjoying their picnics, summer festivals are in full swing and the world-class open-air theatres are thriving. Here are the best things to do in London during summer.
London in summer truly brings out a festive feel. There is something for everyone, be it sports or beautiful gardens, food or music festivals, from the sophistication of Buckingham palace to the craziness of Soho Waiter’s race, the city of London has it all. A trip to London in summers will give you an experience of a lifetime.
So here are some things to do in London during the summer that you should add to your bucket list. 1. Open Air Cinemas and Theatre in Regent’s Park
Take a taxi from the entrance and make your way over to stretch your legs, you'll be stiff from your journey. Take in the greenery and work that appetite because it's time for breakfast! A short walking distance away is Honey & Co, a hidden diamond. Wife-and-husband run - the food is delicious.
If you want something more British take the tube down from Regent's Park to Green Park, and two blocks away you will find the famous eggs benedict in the elegant surroundings of the Wolseley. As you come out take a right turn and walk past the historic Ritz and into Green Park. Time to hire a boris bike! Avoid the roads and head straight into the park.
Do a circle of the park and you'll find yourself at the foot of the Queen's home, Buckingham Palace. When the sun is out in London, you can enjoy everything in the open air and this applies to cinemas and theatres as well. When it comes to cinemas you can enjoy all types of classics, new cinemas and even Bollywood on the rooftop cinema in Wembley Park.
The open-air theatre and operas are the next big thing to enjoy the classic London summers. You can enjoy the Regent’s Park Open air theatre that is almost hidden away in the centre of the park making you feel like you are in a different world altogether.
2. Opera in Holland Park
If you are a lover of Opera then you should definitely not miss the Opera in Holland Park. They make around five productions every year and you can even enjoy the Royal Ballet there.
There are various festivals too that have open-air theatres and cinemas like the Summer by the River Festival, Underbelly Festival, Greenwich and Dockland International Festival. You can enjoy various puppet shows, enjoy the food stalls and pubs and have a merry time with your family.
3. Cheer teams on the Great River Race on the River Thames
If you are a sports enthusiast, then London is definitely the destination for you. The city thrives with various sports festivals and tournaments during the summer. You can take part in the Westminster Miles and cheer the teams on the London’s Great River Race. There are various riding events and races every year, you can cheer or and even take part in them.
4. Dance in Music Festivals in Camden Town
Camden Town is home to its own amazing market, as well as an unbelievable selection of independent coffee shops, bars, and restaurants, all waiting for your business. At night, it turns into a lively corner of the city where any genre of live music can be scouted out from inside old-school pubs and high-end jazz bars.
Summer Music Festivals are one of the must do things in London. There are so many events and shows of every type of music and is truly a heaven for music enthusiasts. You can dance to all that groovy music, enjoy various food stalls and bars and sing along with some of the world-famous performers and bands. Some of the major music festivals are:
- We Are FSTVL, Upminster,
- Jam on Rye, Victoria Park,
- Field Day, Meridian Water,
- Camden Rocks, Camden,
- Wireless, Finsbury Park,
- British Summer Time, Hyde Park,
- South West Four, Clapham Common
So if you are planning a trip to London in summer, make sure you get the feel of at least some of these festivals.
London is a place of romance. Yet many Londoners feel disillusioned by the lonely city that takes energy and sentiments away. This makes London a place of indulgence, one-night stands and the general commitment-phobia. Distances in London are so big and life so busy. You need to book two weeks in advance to catch up with a friend. When the day comes, either party is allowed to feel tired enough and end up postponing.
Parties in Central London tend to be overcrowded and overrated, being gatherings of too many random people. There’s a pretty big rotation of people. There are millions of them, they come from practically every part of the world, but they tend to come and go.
London is a city of no commitment. There are so many companies, males, females, flats, bars, temptations and places to go. Sometimes it’s easier to move on. Going for a more exciting option than to make an effort in fixing existing problems is definitely easier.
If you are a coffee lover, you have to try at least a few of the cool and hip cafes that this city has. Here are a few of them: Story coffee, Cereal Killer in Camden Town, Cult Coffee and Tattoos, Four corners.
Must Read: Festivals You Must Visit in London
5. Enjoy Flower Events in Central London
London in summer blooms with gardens and greenery. There are various flower festivals throughout the city of London that lets you enjoy the beauty of a variety of flowers and phenomenal gardens. Chelsea and Belgravia hold free flower festivals during the summer season simultaneously with the nearby Chelsea Flower Show.
You can enjoy special gardens made by the top gardeners of the world in the Chelsea flower show and then enjoy special events and shopping in the flower festivals nearby. You can also walk around open garden squares during the weekends which are only open during summer times. 10 Downing Street and Ballots are some of the most popular venues.
Waterloo station is the biggest station in the country (covering 25 acres) and also the busiest - 24 active platforms in the main train shed plus 4 more at nearby Waterloo East (and several underground ones served by the Waterloo & City, Northern, Jubilee and Bakerloo tube lines), more than any other UK railway station.
Some 95 million travelers use the station each year and it offers services to destinations as diverse as Aldershot, Windsor, Portsmouth, Epsom, Exeter St Davids, Reading and Weymouth. London Waterloo also has Europe's largest ticket gate line. The barriers at all 24 platforms spanning the length of the station. For a time, the station also had international trains, when Eurostar operated there.
It’s also the only terminal station in central London to be situated on the south bank of the Thames - every other terminal is sited north of the river. From the numerous bridges in London to its Buildings, monuments, parks and the classiest cabs on earth, it's easy to fall in love with walks by the River Thames. London Bridge is also on the south bank, but has through as well as terminating platforms, with trains later crossing the Thames.
After departing London Waterloo, the next station on the line is Vauxhall, which gives its name to the Russian word for station Vokzal. Many trains departing from London Waterloo next call at Clapham Junction - purported to be world’s busiest railway station with trains sometimes departing every 30 seconds. Arrive at the Waterloo Station, then choose the first flight at 10am on the London eye to first get a panorama and feel of the city.
Within the same area, head over to the Big Ben and Houses of Parliament to quench that thirst for more pictures. Walk through Green park to marvel at the grandeur of the ritz London, and on to Jermyn Street to get an English wardrobe update, or right through Piccadilly to Piccadilly Circus, and stroll on to Leicester Square. Onwards to the National Gallery via the Pigott Education Centre entrance for some serious art before it closes at 6, exiting to the world famous Trafalgar Square.
Cross the jubilee bridge and marvel at the London eye once more, crossing over to the south bank to watch a film at the IMAX, or just marvel at the night lighting. Waterloo Station is nearby. Head over to St Paul’s Cathedral, accessing the dome for a midday view. See if you can catch the infamous scorch from 20 Fenchurch, also known as the walkie talkie.
Continue south, crossing the millennium bridge to the Tate modern, to complete the art exposure. Before sunset, head to the top of the Shard, to catch sunset and a night view of London. You can also see that London Bridge is not falling down.
6. Visit Buckingham Palace Summer Opening
Buckingham Palace, one of the most royal palace, opens its gates for the commoners during the summer. You can visit around 19 rooms in the royal palace and get the feel of that royal living. You can view her Majesty’s collection of gifts and visit the Throne Room. You can also roam around in the beautiful royal gardens.
7. Check out Open House in The Gherkin
Open house of London happens during the summer season. You can go and check out the sophisticated buildings of London such as BT Tower, The Gherkin and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Some of these buildings are free to visit, and some require prior booking. It is better to book the tickets in advance for some of the popular buildings.
If you are on a family summer vacation to London, you have come to the right city. The city has various family attractions that your kids would love. The first and foremost is, of course, the Warner Brothers Studio. You can also roam around the city in the Original London sightseeing bus tour, and enjoy various world-famous museums.
You can become a kid yourself and enjoy the oldest and the grandest Hamleys toy store in London. There are also various festivals just for the kids in London like the Kids Week, May Half Term etc.
8. Food and Drinks in St Katharine Docks
When it comes to food, London is a pure delight. From street food to fine dining places, the London aces them all. In summer, London blooms with rooftop cafes and bars. You can enjoy the sun while dining out with a stunning view of the beautiful city of London. Treat yourself to some fish and chips - preferably in a sea-side town, this will be the best!
Must Read: Best Restaurants in London
9. Enjoy the prison bar in Brick Lane
Do you have a fantasy to wear the famous orange jumpsuit that you see in British shows and movies? Well, now you can live this fantasy without committing a felony and in a fun way. All you have to do is go to the popular Alcatraz bar in London. Here you wear jumpsuits and enjoy tons of alcohol for some time. Even the staff wears police uniforms or maiden ones.
Whenever we see kids enjoying the ball-pit, don’t we wish to just get in there, and have some fun ourselves? Well, in London, you can do this at the Ballie Ballerson bar. Enjoy playing with tons of balls while listening to some fun disco music. You can find this bar here - 97-113 Curtain Rd, London EC2A 3BS, UK.
10. A magical Harry potter tour
If you are in London and you are a potter-head or if you have kids, you cannot miss this. A guided Harry Potter tour where you can see the Diagon alley or walk into the 9 ¾ platforms or watch and learn more interesting things about the golden trio has to be on your list. It is a full nerdy tour which lasts for 2.5 hours. The price for the same is around 26 pound.
A free walking tour is gaining popularity in many countries. Through this, you can enjoy and explore the whole city. The price is the same as the price of one glass of beer, meaning pretty affordable.
11. Checkout the theatre and musical shows near Westminster
If you are into musicals and theatres, London is a dream place for you. Why? Because here at the West End, you can watch tons of musicals from award-winning scores from movies to other original theatre shows. It is a great way to enjoy the rich culture of London.
12. Enjoy hot tub baths at the London canal
It is one of the pleasurable things to do in London. We all do hot-tub at pools, but have you ever got into a hot-tub in a canal? Here you can enjoy hot-tugs (as known here), and also, they use wood fired self-drive hot-tub. It warms up to a comfortable degree and will keep you warm in all types of weather. Do bring drinks and snacks they don’t provide them. However, they do change the water after every trip, so don’t worry about germs.
13. Tower of London
If you are a history buff, a walk through the Tower of London is a must for you. Here you can check out the histories of palaces or former prisons or even catch a glimpse of the crown jewels. You must take a tour guide with you so that you are aware of the beautiful or tragic history of every item you visit.
Another piece of advice is that don’t do this tour with family (who doesn’t like these places) or with kids.
14. Get your Sherlock hat on
Love watching Sherlock and wish you could solve the puzzle just like him? Well, at Clue adventures, you get to solve puzzles or run through maize and get to spend the best 60 minutes trying to figure out the clues. It is an adrenaline rush, of course, don’t expect weird things that our favourite detective solves, but it's pretty sick!
(In a British accent) London is calling, are you ready to have some fun, mate? Also, don’t forget to take lots of pictures and create a collage or a poster to make it memorable.
Accommodation in London
Properties in London are not cheap. When looking for a room for the first time, you may question whether prices are for a room or the whole flat, per week or month. This seems too expensive to be true. Forget the British comedies where everybody seems to live in Bloomsbury or Notting Hill. That is more like an exception than the rule.
A lot more…
Summing up the summer in London is a hard task. London's summer offers so much to the vacationers. There are so many more things you can do in summer. It hosts some of the quirkiest festivals and events like the Soho Waiter’s Race, where the waiters run with trays in their hands, The Notting Hill carnival where dancers, musicians, drummers fill up the streets to have a gala time, May Fayre Puppet Festival and even Naked Bike Ride.
Don’t come to England just to visit London! There are some beautiful seaside towns here including towns in Devon and Dorset, they have some of the best beaches in Europe!
Summer in London is truly a marvelous experience and a perfect vacation for all types of travelers. So this summer, think no more and book your Europe tour package from the USA and experience the best time of your life.
Life in London can be exhausting but to leave this city may mean to give up a lot. You may either love it, hate it or both. Yet one rarely becomes indifferent to London.
