When is the best time to visit England?

Visiting England in February

February is cold and usually mildly drier than January, but snowdrops begin to poke through the frosty ground toward the end of the month. London Fashion Week usually falls in February, bringing excitement to the capital.

Events & Festivals

• London Fashion Week is held in February and September, showcasing the latest styles and fashions on the catwalk.

Visiting England in March - April

Temperatures rise and spring flowers emerge in the countryside, most notably daffodils in March and fruit tree blossoms and bluebells in late April. Bath holds a literature festival every March, with talks, shows and readings. Easter is a public holiday and places (and hotels) get very busy over this period.

Visiting England in May - June

May and June are typically warm and sunny, with less rainfall than over winter. This is a fantastic time for visiting gardens and parks — indeed the prestigious Chelsea Flower Show is held during late May. May has two public holidays, one at either end of the month, making the first and last weekend of May very busy. June is when the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship is usually held, and Royal Ascot horse races also take place in June or July.

Events & Festivals

• Wimbledon Tennis Tournament is held in London for a fortnight, where the best tennis players compete from all over the world on a grass court.
• A celebration of the great English garden, the Chelsea Flower Show is held in London over several days and showcases award-winning gardens and their creators.

Visiting England in July - August

Ostensibly the hottest, driest months of the year, July and August nevertheless cannot be relied on for good weather. The schools break for the summer in mid-July, so this is one of the busiest and most expensive times of year to travel to England. Several music festivals are held over this period, and the Notting Hill Carnival is celebrated toward the end of August, to coincide with the summer’s final public holiday.

Events & Festivals

• The Notting Hill Carnival is a celebration of dance and music and decorated floats, held in London on the last weekend of the month, a public holiday.

Visiting England in September

Temperatures begin to cool slightly in September, although this is often still a warm, dry and sunny month. Farmers in rural areas prepare for the harvest. York Food and Drink Festival and Bath’s Jane Austen Festival are held in September.

Events & Festivals

• London Fashion Week is held in February and September, showcasing the latest styles and fashions on the catwalk.
• The York Food and Drink Festival is a celebration of Yorkshire produce, with cookery lessons, chef demonstrations, street food, tastings and pop-up bars.

Visiting England in October

Autumn foliage and cool temperatures typify October, a lovely month for countryside hikes followed by a meal next to a roaring fire in a local pub. Schools typically break for half term in the latter half of the month, which is a busy week to travel. Falmouth Oyster Festival is celebrated in October down in Cornwall.

Events & Festivals

• Celebrating the start of the oyster dredging season, the Falmouth Oyster Festival is made up of cookery demonstrations, live music and food stalls.

Visiting England in November

November is usually a cold and damp month, with the sun setting at around 4pm to 4:30pm. Guy Fawkes Night is celebrated early in the month with bonfires and fireworks, while on the 11th of the month, Remembrance Day is held in every town, village and city across the country to commemorate fallen soldiers.

Events & Festivals

• Guy Fawkes night is held on or around 5th November, with bonfires and firework displays in most towns, cities and villages in England.
• Remembrance Day commemorates the fallen soldiers in the wars. Wreaths of poppies are placed on war memorials, in particular, the Cenotaph in London.

Visiting England in December

Christmas lights decorating England’s towns and cities are usually switched on in early December, brightening the dark evenings. Across England, Christmas Day and Boxing Day (26th Dec) are public holidays, and many shops will only close over these days. Other attractions and sites may close for a longer period in between Christmas and New Year.

Events & Festivals

• Christmas is celebrated in December with Christmas trees and lights decorating towns, villages and cities and carol singing.