United Kingdom, Europe

London in August

Peak crowds and prices with no weather upside over June. The one big draw: Buckingham Palace state rooms open to visitors in summer.

Think twiceWarm, highs near 73F (23C), muggy spells

Tower Bridge over the Thames, London — LondonPhoto: Bob Collowan, CC BY-SA 3.0

The straight answer

August is a month to think twice about visiting London. Peak crowds and prices with no weather upside over June. The one big draw: Buckingham Palace state rooms open to visitors in summer.

Weather: Warm, highs near 73F (23C), muggy spells
Crowds: 5 of 5
Prices: 5 of 5

What August is like in London

August is London's hardest month to justify. Highs near 73F (23C) with muggy spells, the year's biggest crowds at the Tower and Westminster, and the highest prices. The weather is no better than June. On the plus side, the Buckingham Palace state rooms are open and Notting Hill Carnival fills west London on the late August bank holiday weekend.

Go only if school holidays leave no choice or you want Carnival. Everyone else should pick June or September, when the weather is similar and the city is calmer and cheaper. If you do go, start early and lean on the parks.

Make the most of August

What is especially good about London this month.

Notting Hill Carnival

Europe's biggest street festival, with steel bands and sound systems, takes over west London on the late August bank holiday weekend. Expect huge crowds.

Buckingham Palace state rooms

The summer opening continues through August. Book an early timed slot to keep things calm.

Parks as an escape

When the main sights are packed, Regent's Park and Hyde Park give kids room to run and adults a breather.

What to pack for August

Light, breathable clothes
A refillable water bottle
Sunscreen and sunglasses
A light rain layer for the odd shower

Our timing tip

Book every paid sight online for the earliest slot of the day, and save free museums for weekday mornings.

Book London for August.

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Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in London
Opens a hotel search for London in August, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
Hotels for August
Vacation rentals. Vrbo
Vacation rentals in London
Whole homes, condos and villas. Usually the better deal for families and groups, with a kitchen and room to spread out.
Rentals on Vrbo
Tours and tickets. Expedia
Tours and tickets in London
Timed-entry tickets, day trips and guided tours in London for August. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
Tours and tickets

What's on in August

Notting Hill Carnival

The Sunday and Monday of the August bank holiday weekend every year, ending on the last Monday of August

Often called Europe's biggest street festival: Caribbean costume bands, steel pan, sound systems, and jerk chicken across West London.

Notting Hill Carnival

The late August bank holiday weekend

Europe's biggest street festival: steel bands, sound systems, and over a million people in the streets of west London.

Things to do in London

Full guide

Tower of London

Book online and arrive at opening; go straight to the Crown Jewels before the queue builds. Yeoman Warder tours are free with entry and worth planning around.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

British Museum

Free entry, but book a timed slot in busy months. The Rosetta Stone room is calmest in the first hour.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Westminster Abbey

Closed to tourists on Sundays for services. Verger-led tours are the sleeper upgrade.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Borough Market

Full market runs Wednesday through Saturday; Saturdays are a crush by 11am. Go hungry, early, midweek.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

The South Bank walk

Tate Modern to Tower Bridge along the river is the best free afternoon in London, in any weather.

Tickets and tours →

West End show

The TKTS booth in Leicester Square sells legitimate same-day discounts. Midweek matinees are easiest.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Beat the crowds

Do the Tower of London at opening or after 3pm; the cruise-excursion and coach-tour wave hits between 10am and 2pm.
The free museums are busiest on weekends and rainy afternoons. A sunny weekday morning at the British Museum feels like a different institution.
Book Westminster Abbey's first entry and you will have the Poets' Corner nearly alone; by late morning it is a slow shuffle.
Ride the London Eye in the last daylight hour instead of midday: shorter lines and better light.

Know before you go

London has no off-season shutdown. Museums, theatre, and restaurants run at full speed all twelve months; winter changes the light and the price, not the access.
December 25 is the one true closure day: nearly everything shuts, including the entire Tube network. December 26 (Boxing Day) still runs reduced hours and transit.
Buckingham Palace's state rooms open to the public only in summer, generally July into September. The rest of the year you are looking at the outside.
Westminster Abbey closes to sightseers on Sundays, and state occasions can close it or the surrounding streets with little notice.

London in August, quick answers

Is August a good time to visit London?

August is a month to think twice about visiting London. Peak crowds and prices with no weather upside over June. The one big draw: Buckingham Palace state rooms open to visitors in summer.

What is the weather like in London in August?

Warm, highs near 73F (23C), muggy spells.

Is London crowded in August?

August is peak crowd season in London; expect lines at the headline sights.

What is happening in London in August?

Notting Hill Carnival (the late august bank holiday weekend).