At a Glance
Compared to this destination's peak season
London in May — Travel Guide
By Harry Nara · Last updated
London in May offers some of the best conditions of the year, ideal for all traveller types. Expect temperatures of 9–18°C, around 8 days of rain, and medium–high crowds across the city. Daily budgets typically land around £95–155 for mid-range travellers. Book accommodation two to three months ahead — the most popular rooms sell out fast during peak visiting windows.
Contents16 sections
#At a Glance
May is when London's parks and gardens are at their best and the evenings stretch past nine o'clock.
The month opens with the early May bank holiday on Monday 3 May 2027 and closes with the spring bank holiday on Monday 31 May, two long weekends when Londoners head outdoors.
In between comes the Chelsea Flower Show, open to the public from Thursday 20 to Saturday 22 May, and the city's front gardens and squares are draped in wisteria, then roses. The weather is mild rather than warm, about 18°C on a good afternoon, and it can still turn cool and wet, but the long light makes up for it. Hotels are busier than in April and still below their summer peak.
#Weather in London in May
London in May averages 9–18°C (48–64°F) with around 8 days of rain, and crowds are medium–high.
| Measure | May in London |
|---|---|
| Daytime high | About 18°C / 64°F |
| Overnight low | About 9°C / 48°F |
| Wet days | About 8 |
| Sunset | 8:23pm on the 1st, 9:07pm by the 31st |
| Big dates | Bank holidays, Mon 3 and Mon 31 May 2027; Chelsea Flower Show, 18–22 May |
| Crowds | Moderate, busier on the bank holiday weekends |
Figures are Met Office 1991–2020 averages for London.
What that actually means for your trip:
- May is often one of London's sunnier months, with long, bright spells, but the temperature rarely feels like summer.
- The evenings are cool. It can drop below 10°C after dark, so bring a jumper for a pub garden.
- Showers come and go, usually short; a day of steady rain is less common than in spring's earlier months.
- The light lasts. By the end of May, it is still light at 9:30pm.
Is May a good time to visit London? Yes, it is one of the best: the parks and gardens are at their peak, the days are long, and the summer crowds and prices have not yet arrived. Book ahead for the Chelsea Flower Show and the two bank holiday weekends.
#London's May
The bank holidays. The early May bank holiday, Monday 3 May 2027, and the spring bank holiday, Monday 31 May, make two long weekends. Shops and most sights stay open, but banks and many offices close, and the parks, the river and the trains to the coast are busy.
The Chelsea Flower Show fills the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea from 18 to 22 May 2027. The first two days are for members of the Royal Horticultural Society; the public days are Thursday 20 to Saturday 22 May, with a late opening on the Friday evening and the plant sell-off at the end. Tickets sell out, so book early. See our Chelsea Flower Show guide.
The shops and streets of Chelsea and Belgravia are decorated with flowers in the same week.
The gardens. Bluebells carpet the woods at Kew Gardens and on Hampstead Heath in late April and early May; the wisteria on the terraces of Kensington and Chelsea peaks in early May; and the roses of Queen Mary's Gardens in Regent's Park start to open at the end of the month.
#What to Do in London in May
Solo Travellers
Walk the Regent's Canal from Little Venice to Camden on a bright morning, then on through Regent's Park.
Spend an afternoon at Tate Britain or the Wallace Collection, both free, and catch a play at the Globe, whose open-air season starts in the spring.
Couples
Picnic in Holland Park, with its Kyoto Garden, or walk up to Primrose Hill for the view at sunset.
A drink by the river at a pub in Richmond or Hammersmith on a long evening is London at its best.
Families
Kew Gardens, with its treetop walkway and children's garden, and the Natural History Museum are good for children.
The Diana Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens is busy on fine days.
Groups
Book a table in a pub garden for a long bank holiday afternoon, or take a boat down the river to Greenwich for the park and the view back to the City.
#Getting Around
Every London airport has a rail link: the Elizabeth line, the Piccadilly line or the Heathrow Express from Heathrow, the Gatwick Express or Thameslink from Gatwick, and dedicated trains from Stansted and Luton.
Tap a contactless card, phone or Oyster card on the Tube, buses and trains; the Zones 1–2 daily cap was £8.90 at 2026 prices, and TfL revises fares each March.
May is a good month for walking and cycling: the Thames Path, the Regent's Canal towpath and the Santander Cycles docks across the centre make the city easy to see outdoors. Check for weekend engineering works, especially on bank holiday weekends.
#Budget & Costs
| Travel style | Per day | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | £80–120 | Hostel bed, pub and market meals, contactless travel |
| Mid-range | £180–260 | 3-star hotel, restaurant meals, one paid sight or show |
| Luxury | £480+ | Top hotels and fine dining |
May is shoulder season, with prices rising in Chelsea week and on the bank holiday weekends.
Costs worth knowing:
| What | Price |
|---|---|
| National museums and galleries | Free |
| Zones 1–2 daily cap | £8.90 at 2026 prices |
| Chelsea Flower Show | Ticketed, sold well ahead |
| Columbia Road Flower Market | Free to browse |
| Restaurant service charge | About 12.5% |
- Book Chelsea tickets as soon as they go on sale.
- Check bank holiday engineering works before planning a train day out.
- Hotels near Chelsea are dearest in show week.
#Food & Dining
May brings English asparagus, Jersey Royal potatoes, wild garlic and the first strawberries to the menus, and the markets at Borough and Maltby Street are full of them. Pub gardens and terraces open for the season, and a Sunday roast at a pub with a garden is a classic long-weekend lunch. Book popular restaurants a week or two ahead for weekends.
#Nightlife
The long evenings bring the city outside: pub gardens, rooftop bars in Shoreditch and Peckham, and the terraces of the South Bank.
Ronnie Scott's in Soho has jazz every night, and the West End's spring shows are in full swing.
#Shopping
The flower displays of show week make Chelsea and Belgravia the place to browse in late May.
Columbia Road Flower Market on Sunday mornings is at its most colourful, and Liberty and the shops of Marylebone are good for a showery afternoon.
#Culture & Etiquette
- Stand on the right on Tube escalators, and let people off before boarding.
- Queue for buses, tickets and bars.
- On bank holidays, banks and many offices close; shops mostly open.
- Tipping of about 12.5% is usual in restaurants, often added as a service charge.
#Essential Local Phrases
| What you want to say | What Londoners say |
|---|---|
| A public holiday | A bank holiday |
| A long weekend | A bank holiday weekend |
| The subway | The Tube |
| A pub's outdoor area | The beer garden |
| A sweater | A jumper |
| Thank you | Cheers |
| Fine, okay | Not bad |
| The bathroom | The loo |
#Packing List
- Layers: a light jumper and a jacket for cool evenings
- A light waterproof or compact umbrella
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Sunglasses and sunscreen for bright days
- Antihistamines if you suffer from hay fever
- A contactless card or Oyster card
#Backup Plans (Rainy Days)
A wet May day is what London's free museums are for, from the V&A in South Kensington to the National Gallery on Trafalgar Square; the Sir John Soane's Museum and the Wallace Collection are smaller and quieter. A West End matinee fills a wet afternoon.
If the Chelsea Flower Show is sold out: visit Kew Gardens or the Chelsea Physic Garden, and walk the flower-decked streets of Chelsea in show week.
If a bank holiday is too crowded: head for the smaller parks and squares, or the quieter museums such as the Horniman in south London.
#Safety & Health
London is generally safe; pickpockets work the crowds on Oxford Street, at the big sights and on the Tube, so keep your phone and bag secure. Tree and grass pollen are high in May, so bring antihistamines if you need them.
Emergency: 999, or 111 for urgent medical advice and 101 for non-emergency police.
#What's New for May 2027
- The early May bank holiday is Monday 3 May 2027, and the spring bank holiday Monday 31 May
- The Chelsea Flower Show runs from 18 to 22 May 2027, with public days from 20 May
- London fares: the Zones 1–2 daily cap was £8.90 at 2026 prices, and TfL revises fares each March
- The Elizabeth line runs from Heathrow through central London
- Wisteria and bluebells peak in late April and early May
#About This Guide
By Harry Nara (founder of WhenToWander), updated October 2026 for May 2027. Climate figures are Met Office 1991–2020 averages. Dates and prices verified against:
- GOV.UK for the 2027 bank holidays
- Royal Horticultural Society for the Chelsea Flower Show
- Transport for London for fares
- Kew Gardens for the spring gardens
- Shakespeare's Globe for the open-air season
For the month that follows, see London in June, and for the season as a whole, London in spring.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is May a good month to visit London?
Yes, it is one of the best: about 18°C by day, the parks and gardens at their peak, and sunset after 9pm by the end of the month, before the summer crowds. Evenings are cool, so bring a layer, and book ahead for the bank holiday weekends.
When is the Chelsea Flower Show in 2027?
From 18 to 22 May 2027 at the Royal Hospital Chelsea. The first two days are for RHS members; the public days are Thursday 20 to Saturday 22 May, with a late opening on the Friday evening. Tickets sell out, so book as soon as they go on sale.
What bank holidays are there in May 2027?
Two: the early May bank holiday on Monday 3 May and the spring bank holiday on Monday 31 May 2027. Banks and many offices close, while shops and most sights stay open; parks, the river and trains to the coast are busy.
Are there half-term crowds in London in May?
At the very end of the month. Most London schools take their half-term in the week of the spring bank holiday, from 31 May in 2027, so the museums and family attractions get busier then. Earlier in May they are calmer.
What’s the weather like in London in May?
London in May typically sees temperatures of 9–18°C with around 8 days of rain across the period. Pack lightweight layers that suit both cooler mornings and warmer afternoons.
How much does it cost to visit London in May?
Budget-conscious travellers can expect daily costs of £95–155, covering accommodation, food, and local transport. Prices climb during peak weeks — book early to lock in the lower end of this range.