Best Time to Visit England

With its royal palaces, regal history and splendid countryside, England has a tale to narrate to its visitors. As the capital city, London hosts tourists from around the globe throughout the year. From spring blossoms to chilly winter, the royal city of London is a sight to behold.

As a dream travel destination for many, planning a tour to London can be overwhelming. For first-time tourists, questions like 'what are the best months to visit London?’ are a big deal.

To find answers to your questions on the best time to visit London and other interesting places in England, read the blog to its end.

Like most European nations, England also has four seasons. These seasons are summer, spring, autumn and monsoon.

However, not all seasons are favourable times for tourists. Following is a list of the best seasons to visit England.

Summer

• Period: June to August
• Average Temperature: 18-21 degrees Celsius
• Average Rainfall: Around 62 mm

Summer marks its arrival, with warm days and pleasant weather from late spring. Summer days start from June and last till August in England. With lovely mild weather, long warm days and occasional precipitation, the summer is undoubtedly the best season to visit London.

Here is a list of some fun summer activities you can partake in and famous places in London to visit:

1. Visit the Imperial War Museum in London

2. Witness the Notting Hill Carnival

3. Enjoy the open-air screening of movies

4. Take a bike packing tour in Dartmoor.

5. Witness the magic of Hogwarts in the Warner Bros Studio Tour

6.Learn the history of castles and fortresses in Northumberland

7. Take a glimpse at the best arts from all over the world at London’s Summer Art Exhibition

8. Click pictures of roses in Kew Gardens

Spring

• Period: March to May
• Average Temperature: 9-15 degrees Celsius
• Average Rainfall: 40-45 mm

As the winter recedes, snow starts to melt, and new leaves appear on trees marking the arrival of spring. You may witness warm, sunny, cool or rainy weather on any given day during these months. Like summers, spring attracts crowds from all over the globe to the famous places to visit in England.

With new leaves, blooming flowers and melodious nightingales, spring is the second best season to visit London.

Following are a few activities to indulge in while your spring visit to London.

1. Participate in St. Patrick’s Day Festivities and Parade

2. Check out Sikh art and other entertainments in Trafalgar Square on the occasion of Vaisakhi

3. Fall in love with colours in the Chelsea Flower Show

4. Take a picture with Wisterias

5. Explore the Kitchen Garden at Hampton State Palace

6. Feed cute cygnets and ducklings on Regent’s Canal

7. Go beer-tasting at London’s Beer Garden

8. Explore one of the oldest universities in the world, Oxford University

Autumn

• Period: September to November
• Average Temperature: 9-18 degrees Celsius
• Average Rainfall: 55-70 mm

With the departure of summer and large crowds from September, leaves turn orange as autumn arrives. While September is warm, like summer, the temperature starts dropping in October. The autumn sky is as unpredictable as most of the winter. We recommend you carry raincoats or an umbrella while visiting London, as it often rains during this season.

Here are a few activities and places to visit in London to make your holiday memorable:

1. Find colours of autumn in Chelsea Embankment

2. Take a guided tour of Mayfair

3. Explore the Hyde Park

4. Visit Primrose Hill

5. Take a trip to St. James Park

6. Visit Richmond Park on the banks of the River Thames.

7. Go along a cycling or walking trail in the New Forest in Hampshire

8. Take part in the Goose Fair in Nottingham

Monsoon and Winter Season

• Period: November to February
• Average Temperature: 0-7 degrees Celsius
• Average Rainfall: 47-70 mm

Winters in England mean rain and chilly weather. The sun sets by 4 PM, and thus, there are fewer hours of daylight throughout the winter. The wet, dark and cold weather can be pretty frustrating. Therefore, visiting the UK during winter can be a mood spoiler, especially if attractions are closed.

The months of December and January have frequent snowfall, thus making most hilly areas inaccessible in winter. As a result, England's countryside sees much harsher weather conditions than its urban counterparts in London.

In addition to bad weather conditions, accessible tourist places are flooded with tourists making this place as chaotic as summer. Moreover, tour package prices to London are also sky-high. Therefore, make winter a season to avoid if you plan a London tour.

As late spring and summer set in, the streets of London are flocked with tourists. Like most European countries, summers in England are pretty pleasant. Royal parks are popular tourist places in England as they bloom with beautiful flowers. Thus, the summer seasons are the peak time to visit London and nearby places.

However, securing a convenient tour package becomes an as tough job as most London tour packages are expensive during this time. Moreover, finding a quiet corner in parks is also problematic as the city gets chaotic.

Therefore, to avoid all the hustle and bustle of summer, you can opt for the autumn months to visit London from India. Tourists leave for their homes at the end of summer, and tour prices tend to fall. The trees all over England change to orange, proving a splendid landscape. Also, the weather starts getting colder as London prepares to welcome winter.

During autumn, tourist spots in London are less crowded, and the countryside sides are even quieter than its predecessor seasons. So autumn is the best season to find solace in this city and a pocket-friendly trip.

While you research the best time to visit London, here are a few points you should also know beforehand:

• Watch out for the ‘look left’ or ‘look right’ indicators before crossing roads in London as drivers and cars travel from the left side of the road.
• Bills in London restaurants come with service tax which is usually a tip. You do not need to tip on top of that.
• Use Oyster cards instead of cash tickets for transportation as the latter is quite expensive in London. Oyster cards offer several credits for making transportation payments with them.
• Use a city mapper to figure out transportation in London.
• Transportation is free for kids under the age of 11.
• Install the London App on your smartphone. This app provides insights like direction and recommendations for travellers.
• Don't just concentrate on your trip to London city. Try to add places like Wales, Windsor, Bath, Brighton and Oxford to your list of places to visit in England. This will also let you experience the English countryside, free from pollution.
• Plan at least 3-4 days stay in London to cover the best places to visit in London.

Here are some tips for you to enjoy a pleasant vacation in London:

• Get an Oyster card as soon as you land in London.
• Hop on double-decker buses whenever your city mapper asks you. Then, take a rooftop seat, preferably in the front, to catch sight of some landmark buildings in London.
• Feast your tastebuds with London’s famous street foods.
• Keep to your right when accessing escalators.
• Always carry an umbrella and warm clothes when visiting London in summer.
• Don't forget to visit Oxford Street on a weekday.
• Always carry G-plug or adapters.
• Do not touch the guards in the Royal Palace.
• If you are visiting London for the first time, stay in Central London.
• Do not miss watching the changing of guards in Buckingham Palace on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 10:45 PM.
• Never miss out on free attractions in London's markets, restaurants, shops and museums.

If you are fluent in English, you will have no trouble communicating with Londoners. However, like the USA and India, Londoners also use slang or colloquial terms, which differ from other countries. Being aware of these terms and phrases makes you less prone to face misunderstanding.

Therefore, to make your communications easier in London, here is a list of some English phrases you should know.

• Not my liking - Not my cuppa tea
• Good looking - Fit
• Mate - it can be used for any random person you meet
• To run away - Leg it
• Beverages - Bevvy
• A cup of - Cuppa
• A 5-pound note - Fiver
• Surprised expression - Blimey
• Isn’t it - Innit

Now that you know about the best time to visit London, you can start packing your backpack to witness the royal beauty of London. Ensure that you get all your bookings done beforehand to avoid wasting time in a queue. Before going to the best places in London, get travel insurance to secure yourself and your luggage from any mishaps.