London May — sunlight filtering through tall trees in Hyde Park on a warm spring afternoon

London · United Kingdom

May

Chelsea Flower Show, warm parks, 18°C — London at its most seductive before summer prices arrive.

Best match

#1 of 12 months

May is one of the best times to visit London.

Climate

High

18°C

Low

10°C

Rain

49mm

Sun

6.4hrs/day

30-year climate normals · Open Meteo ERA5

How May scores in London

Weather
Excellent
Value
Good
Crowds
Good
Events
Excellent
Atmosphere
Excellent

What you gain in May

  • Chelsea Flower Show (third week of May): world-famous garden event with real local excitement around it
  • Royal Parks in full green: Londoners picnic in Hyde Park, Regent's Park, and Hampstead Heath in earnest
  • Sunset at 21:00 and 18°C highs make evening walks along the Thames or South Bank genuinely lovely

What you sacrifice

  • Prices climbing toward summer — a week at a 3-star central hotel costs noticeably more than March
  • Chelsea Flower Show week sees south-west London traffic disruption and accommodation pressure
  • Half-term (late May bank holiday) briefly crowding family attractions across the city

May in other destinations

Climate data: 30-year normals (1991–2020) from Open Meteo ERA5 reanalysis. Scores compare months within London, not across destinations. Methodology →