Things to do in London when the sun is out
On a clear day the parks and the river are where London is at its best, and the hills at Hampstead, Primrose Hill and Greenwich give you the whole skyline for nothing.
17 picks that fit, best first. The order assumes the conditions in the title; the live forecast only nudges it.
Hampstead Heath and Parliament Hill
Hampstead
Wild heathland, swimming ponds and the classic skyline view from Parliament Hill.
Clear skies for the view. Free.
- Free
- Outdoors
- Half a day
- Good with kids
South Bank walk
South Bank
The riverside from Westminster Bridge to Tower Bridge, with the skyline the whole way.
Clear skies for the view. Free.
- Free
- Outdoors
- Under 2 hours
- Good with kids
Greenwich Park and the Meridian
Greenwich
A royal park with the best view in south London, the Observatory and the Cutty Sark below.
Clear skies for the view. Free.
- Free
- Outdoors
- Half a day
- Good with kids
Park free; Observatory and Cutty Sark ticketed
Primrose Hill and Regent's Park
Primrose Hill
A short climb to the classic skyline view, with the rose gardens and canal below.
Clear skies for the view. Free.
- Free
- Outdoors
- Under 2 hours
- Good with kids
Richmond Park
Richmond
The biggest royal park, with herds of wild deer and a protected view of St Paul’s.
Clear skies, and this is best outdoors. Free.
- Free
- Outdoors
- Half a day
- Good with kids
St James's Park and Buckingham Palace
Westminster
Pelicans on the lake, the palace at one end and Horse Guards at the other.
Clear skies, and this is best outdoors. Free.
- Free
- Outdoors
- Under 2 hours
- Good with kids
Borough Market
Southwark
London's great food market, mostly under cover beside London Bridge.
- Under £10
- In and out
- Under 2 hours
- Fine in rain
Free to wander; budget for lunch
Tower of London
Tower Hill
A thousand-year-old fortress with the Crown Jewels and the Yeoman Warder tours.
- Over £25
- In and out
- Half a day
- Good with kids
Tower Bridge
Tower Hill
Walk the glass floor forty metres above the river, then see the Victorian engine rooms.
Clear skies for the view.
- £10 to £25
- In and out
- Under 2 hours
- Fine in rain
- Good with kids
Free to cross; exhibition ticketed
Leake Street Arches
Waterloo
A legal graffiti tunnel under Waterloo station, repainted daily and dry in any weather.
Clear skies, and this is best outdoors. Free.
- Free
- Outdoors
- Under 2 hours
- Fine in rain
Shoreditch and Brick Lane
Shoreditch
Street art, vintage shops, curry houses and the bars that keep going until late.
Free.
- Free
- In and out
- Under 2 hours
Kew Gardens
Richmond
Three hundred acres of botanic garden with Victorian glasshouses and a treetop walkway.
- £10 to £25
- In and out
- A full day
- Good with kids
Camden Market
Camden Town
Street food, vintage stalls and the canal lock, busy from lunch until the pubs close.
- Under £10
- In and out
- Half a day
- Fine in rain
Hampton Court Palace
East Molesey
Henry VIII's palace on the Thames, with the maze, the kitchens and the gardens.
- Over £25
- In and out
- A full day
- Good with kids
Soho and Chinatown
Soho
Dinner, dim sum, cocktails and the theatres, all within five minutes of each other.
Comes alive in the evening.
- £10 to £25
- In and out
- Under 2 hours
- Fine in rain
Columbia Road Flower Market
Bethnal Green
A Sunday-only street of flower stalls, traders shouting prices and tiny shops.
Runs on Sundays.
- Free
- Outdoors
- Under 2 hours
Maltby Street Market
Bermondsey
A weekend street-food lane under the railway arches, smaller and calmer than Borough.
Runs on Saturdays and Sundays.
- Under £10
- Outdoors
- Under 2 hours
- Fine in rain
Good to know
Where should I go in London when it is sunny?
On a clear day the parks and the river are where London is at its best, and the hills at Hampstead, Primrose Hill and Greenwich give you the whole skyline for nothing. This page keeps 17 outdoor and open-air picks, with viewpoints and parks pushed up the list when the forecast is clear.
What if the weather turns?
The list is re-ranked with the live forecast. If rain is on the way, mixed indoor-outdoor places move up and the fully outdoor ones move down, so you can still pick something that works.