What to do in London spring 2026

All the goings-on in the capital from April until the end of June, from electronic festivals to flower displays and riverside pub gardens - here's where and how to enjoy the sunshine in the city. 
Don't forget, if you're staying at The Pilgrm, our guests can borrow a Temple Cycles bike - find out more here. Haven't booked your stay yet? Enjoy 15% and more with our spring offer here.

Events

Belgravia in Bloom (May)
Location: Belgravia
Cost: Free
A floral festival transforming streets with elaborate installations and themed displays. Runs 18–24 May 2026.

London Craft Week (May)
Location: Across London
Cost: Free–£20+ depending on events
A city-wide celebration of craftsmanship with exhibitions, talks, and workshops. Takes place 11–17 May 2026

London Coffee Festival (May)
Location: The Truman Brewery
Cost: Around £25–£35
A lively event for coffee lovers with tastings, demos, and street food in East London.

GALA Festival (May)
Location: Peckham Rye Park
Cost: From around £70
A trendy electronic music festival over the late May bank holiday weekend.

Chelsea Flower Show (May)
Location: Royal Hospital Chelsea
Cost: around £70–£150
The world-famous horticultural show featuring cutting-edge garden design and floral displays.

Taste of London (June)
Location: Regent's Park
Cost: around £20–£30 entry + food
A major outdoor food festival showcasing top restaurants, chefs, and tastings.

West End LIVE (June)
Location: Trafalgar Square
Cost: Free
A huge open-air theatre event with performances from leading West End musicals.

Meltdown Festival (June)
Location: Southbank Centre
Cost: around £20–£80
A curated music and arts festival blending concerts, talks, and experimental performances.

Royal Academy Summer Exhibition (opens June)
Location: Royal Academy of Arts
Cost: around £20
One of the world’s longest-running art exhibitions, featuring contemporary works from emerging and established artists.

British Summer Time Festival (Late June)
Location: Hyde Park
Cost: around £70–£100
A major outdoor concert series with global headliners in a central London park.

Parks & Flowers

Kew Gardens
Location: Richmond, Southwest London
Cost: around £15–£22
One of the best botanical gardens in the world, Kew is spectacular in spring—expect cherry blossoms, magnolias, crocuses, and bluebells across vast landscaped grounds. It’s the most “wow-factor” option if you want a full day surrounded by nature.

Hyde Park
Location: Central London
Cost: Free
A classic London park that is only a 10 minute walk from The Pilgrm. Hyde Park really comes alive in spring with flowering trees, rose gardens, and lakeside views. You can walk or cycle there (find out how to borrow a bike from us here). Great if you want something easy to access, with the added bonus of being one of London's biggest parks - plus you can enjoy relaxing in a deck chair by The Serpentine lake.

Regent's Park
Location: Central/North London
Cost: Free
Famous for its tulips, cherry blossoms, and formal gardens, especially around the Avenue Gardens. It’s ideal for picnics or a scenic stroll.
Also home to one of London’s most beautiful rose gardens later in the season.

St James’s Park
Location: Near Buckingham Palace
Cost: Free
Arguably one of the prettiest central parks in spring, with bright daffodils, tulips, and views of Buckingham Palace. Perfect if you want classic London scenery.

Greenwich Park
Location: Southeast London
Cost: Free
One of the best spots for cherry blossom season (late March–April), with a famous avenue of pink blooms and sweeping views over London.
A slightly quieter, more scenic option with a historic feel.

Al Fresco Eating & Drinking

Towpath Cafe
Location: Regent’s Canal, Hackney
A cult canal-side spot where you sit basically on the towpath itself. No bookings, seasonal menu, and very East London energy. It’s open mainly in warmer months.

Toklas
Location: Temple/Strand
Run by the Frieze art crowd, this has that creative-industry terrace vibe: spritzes, small plates, and an 'in the know' crowd.

Canal
Location: Westbourne Park
A newer canal-side spot with a sun-trap terrace and raw design aesthetic. Concrete, zinc bar, fashion-collab uniforms

Frank's Cafe
Location: Peckham (multi-storey car park)
The blueprint for London’s cool rooftop scene: a bare concrete multi-story car-park-turned-bar with great views across south London. It’s intentionally rough around the edges an attracts the art crowd, but makes a beautiful spot on a sunny evening.

The Rooftop at The Standard
Location: King’s Cross
Stretches over the 11th floor of the hotel with panoramic city views of the city. Comes with DJs, pizza, drinks, and brutalist architecture view for a polished summery feel. 

Ombra
Location: Hackney canal
Italian small plates, natural wine, and canal seating. Low-key, intimate, and very local energy.

Los Mochis London City
Location: Liverpool Street rooftop
Cost: ~£30–£60
Baja-meets-Japanese food with a big terrace: tequila, tacos, and skyline views. Might be a bit busy with the after work crowd in the week.

Brat x Climpson’s Arch
Location: Hackney railway arches
Cost: ~£25–£50
What was once only going to be a temporary residency in the summer of 2020, Brat x Climpson’s Arch is now an established neighbourhood restaurant in London Fields. Semi-outside/marquee dining under arches—wood-fired food, wine, and a very East London atmosphere.

The Black Lion
Location: Hammersmith (West London, riverside)
A beautiful old pub with a big Thames-side garden. Slightly tucked off the main drag, so it feels more like a local secret than a destination.

The Crabtree
Location: Fulham (West London, riverside)
A huge, grassy riverside garden with plenty of space, so even when it’s busy it doesn’t feel packed. Ideal for long sunny afternoons with a group.

The Eagle
Location: Shepherd’s Bush
A proper neighbourhood pub with a big, leafy garden. Less polished than central spots, more relaxed and local. A reliable sunny afternoon option.

Images from top: 
1. Taste of London
2. Towpath Cafe
3. Greenwich Park
4. The Eagle - Shepherd's Bush
5. Kew Gardens
6. Summer Exhibition - Royal Academy
7. The Crabtree - Fulham
8. BRAT x Climpson's Arch 
9. The Serpentine Café at Hyde Park
10. Franks Cafe