London in September – top things to do

By Ian Packham
Published: July 18, 2024
A view of central London from the London Eye

Ask a Londoner and they’ll probably tell you it’s September that’s their favorite month in the capital. The kids are back at school, clearing away the crowds in the major museums, yet there’s still a crop of different things to do and the weather is generally as good as it gets in the British capital too. Wondering if London in September is right for you? Check out our selection of the very best attractions and events right here.

Make a date with royalty

Image of Fun, Person, Tourist, Vacation, Accessories, Bag, Handbag, Adult, Male, Man, City,

One of several late summer highlights is the chance to visit the state rooms of Buckingham Palace, official residence of the British monarch since 1837. Closed to all but invited guests for most of the year, its doors are thrown open during the summer so visitors can take in sights including the Ballroom, Throne Room and White Drawing Room, a reception room for official occasions.

On top of that, each year’s opening is accompanied by a new temporary exhibition, ensuring there’s always a second reason to visit. But for your chance to catch sight of a member of the royal family, you’re better off heading to Windsor Castle – the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world. It’s one of several stops on Hop-on Hop-Off sightseeing tours alongside Eton College, which schooled Princes William and Harry as well as 20 British Prime Ministers.

If one location in London can outdo Windsor Castle on age, it’s the Tower of London. Also intricately linked with the British monarchy, some of its walls date back to 1066. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, beefeaters in their summer uniforms of red and gold protect the Crown Jewels, whilst the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula (St Peter in Chains) contains the graves of several noteworthy people executed within the tower grounds including Henry VIII’s second wife Anne Boleyn.

Soak up the sun

default alt tag

Thanks to Open House London, it’s not only possible to snoop around royal residences in London in September. This free event sees parts of the capital usually marked ‘private’ opening up to the public, including the Mayor of London’s offices and Drapers’ Hall, belonging to one of London’s ancient guilds.

But with the September weather on side – average highs hit 20°C and there’s usually plenty of sun to go around – it would be a shame not to explore some of London’s outdoor spaces too. Chiswick House and Kitchen Garden is a little-known gem containing plenty of secluded spots for a romantic lakeside picnic. Meanwhile, Hyde Park contains everything from Speakers Corner and a boating lake to the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain. Her home of Kensington Palace is located on the park’s western edge.

Another way of making the most of the summer weather is by saying goodbye to dry land altogether for a Thames River cruise. Slip beneath Tower Bridge as you make your way towards the Prime Meridian at Greenwich, having already passed landmarks including the Houses of Parliament and St Paul’s Cathedral.

Appreciate the capital’s magical ways

Image of Photography, Face, Head, Person, Selfie, Adult, Female, Woman, Cityscape, Urban,

For similar views to those enjoyed by London’s pigeons there’s The View from The Shard. Soaring to heights nearly twice as high as any other building in the city, you can be sure of the uninterrupted nature of the panoramic views at these observation decks on the 68th and 69th floors. A short distance from the Thames, London will unravel beneath you, showing off the British capital in all its glory.

The way to get any higher is with a little computer trickery as you hop onto a broomstick at The Making of Harry Potter exhibition at Warner Bros Studios – TripAdvisor’s highest rated attraction in the world. If you’ve ever wanted to stand in the Great Hall at Hogwarts or wander down Diagon Alley, now’s your chance.

Other Potter related attractions include the gateway to the Hogwarts’ Express at King’s Cross station’s platform 9 3⁄4 although the muggles amongst us can still have fun on the train network at the Mail Ride at the Postal Museum. A miniature underground network once used to transport London’s mail, it now welcomes visitors on 20 minute rides included with museum entrance.

Enjoy a show

Image of Dome, Parliament, Person,

With over 2000 performances a year – and that’s not including the buskers on the street – spanning music, dance and literature, the Brutalist South Bank Center is one of the largest cultural spaces in Europe.

Even when there’s no performances scheduled, there’s still plenty to see and do, whether you intend to explore the rolling series of art exhibitions at the Hayward Gallery, watch the skateboarders ollie and railslide their way around the Undercroft or peruse the secondhand book market which uses the spans of Waterloo Bridge as protection against sun and rain.

Performances are never hard to find, but London in September is a particularly good time to visit for lovers of the stage. Not only do the West End theaters continue their run of often sold-out shows, but the promenade concert series run by the BBC is also nearing its zenith. Better known as the ‘proms’, concerts are broadcast from the Royal Albert Hall and culminate in the Last Night of the Proms. It’s a blend of tradition dating back 150 years, bonkers Britishness and some of the best voices you’ll ever have the opportunity to listen to.

Celebrate London in September with Go City!

Let’s be honest, shall we? London is a great city to explore whatever the month (and the weather). But for many there’s something a little bit special about visiting London in September. Maybe it’s the – usually lovely – weather, or the reduction in crowd numbers or maybe just the huge array of things to do in London in September. We don’t know. But whatever it is, we think it's something you’re going to want to experience for yourself.

To make it even better, travel with Go City and you’ll get incredible savings on the cost of entering many of London’s top attractions, from the one thousand years of history on display at the Tower of London to the plush seats of the Royal Albert Hall!

Ian Packham
Go City Travel Expert

Continue reading

King's Cross Square London
Blog

Things to do in King’s Cross London

Don’t let fans of the wizarding world of Harry Potter hear you say it, but there are many more things to do in King’s Cross London than attempt entry to Platform 9 3⁄4 for the Hogwart’s Express... No longer an area to be avoided, a huge amount of effort has gone into making King’s Cross a London neighborhood where people want to live, work and relax. Long before Google and Microsoft, one of the earliest institutions to recognize the potential was the newly formed British Library. But beyond its exhibition space you’ll also find a refreshed canal side and plenty of places to enjoy a cup of tea or pint of ale with new friends. Let’s take a look at London’s King’s Cross in a little more detail. Delight in being bookish Much to the amusement of passing commuters, there’s always a steady stream of people having their photograph taken as they push a trolley through the wall to Platform 9 3⁄4 – which sadly doesn’t lie between platforms 9 and ten but beside a small supermarket. Book fans of all kinds can also delight in the miles of shelving which makes up the British Library – permitted by law to collect one of every book published in the English language. It is also responsible for looking after some of the most important documents in British history. Displayed in its ground floor exhibition hall is a Shakespeare first folio and an original copy of Magna Carta. Agreed by King John in 1215, it prevents unlawful arrest and was the start of trial by a jury of peers. Other important artefacts include the hand painted pages of the Lindisfarne Gospels and Beatles’ lyrics in the writing of Paul McCartney. Check out the King’s Cross museums The temporary exhibitions at the multi-million-dollar biomedical research establishment the Crick Institute are no less insightful, helping to bring to life advances in the understanding of the way our bodies function that are resulting in new and better treatments for the world’s biggest health risks. The nearby Foundling Museum was created to help tell the story of the Foundling Hospital. Set up by a wealthy philanthropist in the 1730s, it became the first home for at risk children in Britain. But its collection has a far broader remit, containing paintings by some of the country’s most important artists of that time, including William Hogarth, Thomas Gainsborough and Joshua Reynolds. The upper floor then describes the hospital’s connection with composer George Frideric Handel, who lived in London for many years. In an interesting twist, the house next door would also be occupied by Jimi Hendrix. Another King’s Cross museum worth consideration is the London Canal Museum, whose collection of stories and artefacts help detail the emergence of the capital’s canal network as well as its relatively rapid decline at the hands of the railways. Enjoy nature in the heart of London Stepping out from beyond the red brick edifice of the British Museum or shining glass and steel of the Crick Institute you’ll be mere paces from Regent’s Canal. Reborn as a place to spend your leisure time after a generation of being ignored, its towpath provides an alternative behind the scenes view of the neighborhood, as well as little gems including the Word on the Water floating bookshop. It may not have the physical grandeur of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew but Camley Street Natural Park is one of several pockets of green space you wouldn’t even know existed without being told. The park’s visitor center is worth stopping by, although nothing can beat a pleasant few minutes beside the pond as wildlife envelops you from all around. It’s an all the more impressive feat given the tracks running to London Saint Pancras International – the capital’s Eurostar terminus – run across the back of it. On the opposite side of these tracks you’ll be able to find a similarly idyllic spot, the churchyard of St Pancras Old Church. In its churchyard is the Grade I registered mausoleum to Sir John Soane, founder of the British Museum, which became the unlikely starting point for another recognizable London sight – its red telephone boxes. Meanwhile, on the other side of the canal is Gasholder Park, a small but ingenious reinvention for old engineering. Take in a show Should you get hungry, Granary Square has become a solid choice when it comes to food, with plenty on offer whatever your tastes. A new public square featuring a thousand bubbling water jets that move and light up in different colors, its food options include national restaurant chains like the monolithic Dishoom and authentic British pubs alongside the canal. In the summer months, there’s often a big screen by the waterside showing tennis from Wimbledon amongst other big sporting events like World Cup soccer matches and the Olympic Games. The live entertainment gets even better than that though, with both the Shaw Theatre and the Bloomsbury Theatre only a short distance away. Between them, they host high-quality drama from the UK regions, which often see their way to Broadway and off-Broadway, alongside providing residencies for orchestras and regular live comedy and music nights. The Gagosian Gallery may not have the same heritage, but it does display some of the best 20th and 21st Century artworks outside of a national collection and has shown the works of everyone from Pablo Picasso to Damien Hirst. And if shopping is your raison d’etre, there’s Coal Drops Yard, whose stores are sure to inspire you to get your wallet out. Visit King’s Cross with Go City King’s Cross has moved on a lot since the statue of George IV at a road crossing was removed to build its station in 1845. Having existed in various guises since then, today it’s a neighborhood that has rediscovered its mojo and has become a choice place to spend time in the capital once more. Make the most of your trip to London by traveling with Go City and you can make incredible savings on top attractions such as the Tower of London and the Cutty Sark, the only remaining tea clipper ship of its kind in the world. Be sure to share the resulting snaps with @GoCity on Instagram and Facebook to show us just what a good time you’re having exploring all the things to do in King’s Cross London!
Ian Packham
Aerial shot of London's Westminster neighborhood
Blog

Things to do in Westminster London

Often used as a descriptor for all the goings on in the British parliament, the Westminster neighborhood of London is actually a city within a city. One of the richest areas of the capital financially, historically and culturally, it’s an area jampacked with sights, from the grandeur of Buckingham Palace to bronze and stone statues of giants from the country’s past. As a tourist, you’re probably going to spend at least a day here, so don’t forget to check out all the great things to do in Westminster London before hitting the thoroughfares of The Mall or Petty France. Meet with Big Ben Occupying one of few areas of the Thames riverbank in central London not directly accessible to the public, the Houses of Parliament are a symbol of democracy throughout the world. Showing off the pomp and financial power of the Victorian era – when the complex was rebuilt after a massive fire – Big Ben has to be one of the most snapped structures in the world. In fact, to be strictly accurate the name doesn’t refer to the tower but to its largest bell. Its structure was renamed the Elizabeth Tower in honor of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee – that’s 60 years on the throne. The parliamentary chambers have witnessed many historic moments, including several important speeches by Sir Winston Churchill, the country’s wartime leader. The underground lair protected by secrecy and thick steel girders where the government sought sheltered office space during the London Blitz can be explored at the Cabinet War Rooms a few hundred meters away. But if it’s hundreds of years of history you’re keen to discover, Westminster Abbey should be the next on your list of things to do in Westminster London. Forming a loose triangle alongside the Houses of Parliament and Cabinet War Rooms, its origins predate the Norman Conquest of 1066. Since then it has seen the coronation of every British monarch except two. The simple wood coronation chair is almost lost in this celebration of monarchy and nationhood. Walk amid royalty Cross into St James’ Park and you’ll be treading the same path that royalty has since at least the sixteen hundreds. At the park’s southern end is Birdcage Walk, once the location of a long-disappeared royal aviary. However, some of the park’s most popular residents remain its pelicans, whose generations have waddled their way around the lake for almost 400 years since first being gifted by one of the Tsars of Russia. At its western end St James’ links up with Green Park on the opposite side of The Mall, and Buckingham Palace – official residence of the British monarch. A short route through the palace gardens is open to the public over the summer as part of tours to the state rooms. Two further royal residences just around the corner can be admired from afar. Clarence House has provided homes for the late Queen Mother as well as the Prince of Wales. Next door’s Saint James’ Palace is the oldest of central London’s remaining palaces, although you’ll need ambassadorial credentials to take a look inside. Make time for the museums in Westminster No such career choice is necessary to enjoy the spectacle of the red frock coats and bear-skin hats of the Household Cavalry and their allied foot troops at the Changing of the Guard outside of Buckingham Palace. About as dramatic a way to switch shifts as it’s possible to get, it takes place every day in the summer and several times a week over the winter with music, marching and plenty of horsemanship on show. To learn more about the division responsible for the protection of the head of state – Queen Victoria endured numerous assassination attempts – there’s the Household Cavalry Museum. Situated between Whitehall and Horse Guards Parade, visits not only allow a peek into 350 years of history but also the chance to see the Changing of the Guard ceremony from a very special vantage point. Attached to Buckingham Palace, the Queen’s Gallery is open throughout the year, displaying important artefacts from the Royal Collection. These include gilded silverware purchased by George III and paintings by Van Dyke, official artist to King Charles II. The works of more modern artists can be seen at Mall Galleries just off Trafalgar Square. Home to the Federation of British Artists, it’s also a major player in the contemporary figurative arts scene. Spend some time by the Thames Although it’s partially blocked off by the Houses of Parliament, the River Thames shouldn’t be forgotten about. For one thing, almost diagonally opposite Big Ben is Westminster Millennium Pier, where Hop-On Hop-Off sightseeing cruises arrive and depart on their way to the Royal Museums Greenwich further east. The Thames path is a pleasant place to explore at any time of year, with each season giving something different to an area of riverside as stuffed with monuments and landmarks as any part of London. They include memorials to the Battle of Britain pilots of World War Two and, within Whitehall Gardens, William Tyndale – a leading figure in the protestant reformation. The Thames path also provides an ideal spot to capture shots of the London Eye or eat and drink in barges converted into restaurants and bars. But wherever you end up in Westminster you’ll never be far from the government ministries you’ll recognize from the movies. Many stretch along Whitehall, a major thoroughfare connecting up Parliament Square with Trafalgar Square, where there’s the National Gallery and Nelson’s Column. On Whitehall itself, the war dead are honored at the Cenotaph, and the prime minister’s office at 10 Downing Street can be peered towards through the security gates. Uncover all the things to do in Westminster London A neighborhood which basks in the historic, cultural and political, Westminster is a part of London no visitor is going to want to miss out on. It’s home to the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace, but beside the buildings of state are side streets with churches and verdant squares leading to yet more opportunities to understand the British capital in greater detail. Is it possible to get too much of a good thing? Not in Westminster. And not when traveling with Go City. Our passes provide visitors of all ages with incredible savings on admission to many of the top attractions in London and beyond. So, when you’re thinking about the things to do in Westminster London, make sure Go City becomes a part of your plan!
Ian Packham
Man Looking Across to Westminster Palace
Blog

London’s Best People-Watching Spots for Curious Travelers

See locals, tourists, and city life mingle in London’s top people-watching spots.

Have a 5% discount, on us!

Sign up to our newsletter and receive exclusive discounts, trip inspiration and attraction updates straight to your inbox.