Who else thinks London is amazing in the summer?

[FallingInPadThai]

Went out for coffee in soho and met some really cool and interesting people doing a stranger meetup thing.

Walked around the area for a bit. Went to my old uni to relax and charge my phone in the library.

Then headed back out to meet my friends for some fabulous Mexican food. Such a great day. I love it when the weather is like this.

I think I like spring in London best. The weather isn't too hot and the parks look fabulous. But I agree it's a great place to mooch around. Walk, bus ride, historic buildings and free museums, bookshops, eat and drink. One can spend a day exploring just one small part.

Edit to say it's not necessary to spend a lot of money either.

Oh yes. It's not summer yet. Just to me sun was out. Weather was good. I felt alive.

Yes, lived there for my first 40 years, but was back visiting family yesterday and everywhere felt so happy and alive.

Best city ever

And not just Central London. I went for a five mile walk from Wimbledon Park to Richmond Park the other weekend which was lovely, & I’m shortly off for a walk along the riverside with a friend.

There’s a hill in Brent that is a sheet of buttercups in spring, & so many places that you’d never think were in a capital city.

It’s amazing how much energy a bit of sunlight gives us Brits!

London is a fabulous place much of the time, but as with anywhere it’s particularly good in the summer. Everyone having a drink outside the pubs, the various parks, all the outdoor dining etc.

God yes. It took me a few years to get over moving out of London. But at least now for me I go there purely for fun, so it’s exciting from the moment I step off the train. And either in the spring or summer it is so full of energy and excitement.

Tbf I am lucky to live near a university city. What makes the difference is enough young people. I live near a town that must have an average age of about 60 and my God you can feel the difference.

It’s March. London in the sun does not equal London in the summer.

London in summer is a different beast. Humid as fuck, rammed full of people, impossible to do anything to escape the concrete radiating the heat back at you because it’s too busy. The Victoria line is like a sauna in February, it is unbearable during the last week of June.

I’ve lived here for yonks and I love summer, but it’s absolutely hellish in London. London is for spring, autumn and winter!

London April-May is beautiful. All of it. Lilac everywhere, and the light.

I grew up in Richmond upon Thames
so spent a lot of my teen years going into the city with friends. I moved away in my 20’s but still love going into the city and visiting family still in my childhood area. I definitely feel a different vibe there.

I like it a lot more than the cold and rain of October - February

Big nope from me. Yes it's lovely to sit outside in the sun, but the heat of summer feels more stifling. Where I live I can afford a house with a decent garden, so we have the pool (one of those fixed frame ones, not an actual pool!) up from May - September, as well as being able to eat outside most days if it's nice I WFH sat at our outdoor sofa.

In 10 minutes I could be in the woods to cool off. In half an hour I could be on a golden beach. I travel places in an air conditioned car, rather than being stuffed in someone's stinky armpits in a boiling tube.

London April-May is beautiful. All of it. Lilac everywhere, and the light.

Go down to Kew in lilac-time, in lilac-time, in lilac-time;
Go down to Kew in lilac-time (it isn’t far from London!)

The whole poem is too long to post here, but well worth reading:
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47543/the-barrel-organ

I remember one visit, think it must have been spring 2022. It was the first time I'd seen the City really come back to life after Covid. Warm sunny weather, all the pubs and bars busy with people spilling out into the pavement and the buzz of talk. I remember dodging through the crowds in Paternoster Row on my way back to Cannon Street.

I feel like most busy places are much better with a bit sunlight and warmth. It creates good moods, more people out and about. We get so little that it really energises us to enjoy those days!

London is getting much better at doing summer than it was when I was a kid. There are some great street food places, and Bermondsey Street, which I didn't know at all until working around the corner, is fantastic is summer. Loads of cool cafes and restaurants - on our anniversary last year we decided to just spend the evening there and it was great. Turned out to be one of the hottest days of the year as well.

I actually like London in the summer. Providing you know what you’re doing and where you’re going. Had a great date a few years ago met at London Bridge walked to Rotherhithe via Thames path walkways. I don’t even mind travelling from eg Richmond via train into London in summer.

Adore London in all seasons but yes, it's particularly amazing now.

I love it all year round but especially Spring and Summer.

The royal parks look amazing and I love the riverboat trips.

Not so keen on how hot the underground gets during my journey home, but I bought a neck fan and it's been life changing! 🥵 🤣

Oh god me, too. Grew up in London but moved out (far away) in my early 40s. I miss it a lot but the reasons I moved are valid and right for now but I do miss it a lot and I love to be there at all times of year. There is something about the heat off the pavements in the city that you just don’t get anywhere else. In fairness it’s too hot for me these days but i still love the heat of the city on the hot days

Yes, I love it. I even like the smell of the underground in the summer.

Er, nope! The heat and extra crowds in the summer make it way less enjoyable. But to be fair I'm an all year round London hater. The best part of any trip is arriving back at Kings Cross for the train home!

I agree that the parks, canals and walking around the city is lovely, especially in the nicer weather.

What isn't great is trying to WFH from a roasting hot London flat! We lived between zone 1-2 and although it was a decent sized 2 bed with a garden roof terrace, the inside was always several degrees hotter than outside. We had fans and air con which barely helped. On the plus side though, we barely needed any heating.

Apart from the 2 days a week when I’m in the office I mostly stay away from central London in the summer holidays. Too packed.

I love it in the spring.

there’s a street near where my son lives that has loads of cherry trees and it’s lovely to sit with a coffee and just enjoy it.

Yes, it's fabulous.
And even this time of year is great when the sun's out - I was in Hyde Park last Tuesday and it was gorgeous.
I'm looking forward to a few more visits this summer, and I go as often as I can.