Summer in London

Summer is without a doubt the best time to visit London - the sun is shining, the air is warm, and there’s plenty to see and do while you are a student at Queen Mary's Summer School

London is a city of unlimited opportunity. It’s impossible, even as Londoners, to take advantage of everything that the city has to offer. Whether you choose to spend all of your time in the city itself, or are keen to venture into the rest of the UK or even Europe, our list below will give you inspiration for making the most of your free time.

• Alfresco dining: There’s nothing like being able to enjoy good food with good weather, whether that’s kerbside street food, nibbles in a pub garden, or a picnic in the park.
• Festivals and Events: From football matches to free dance shows, there is something for everyone in the summer. Check out this list of suggestions for July 2024
• Go for a swim: London boasts many places to go wild swimming in the warmer weather – from lidos to lakes.

Travel Opportunities as a Queen Mary Summer School Student

London has great connections to the rest of the country, as well as the European mainland, meaning you can choose to take your London adventure even further afield.

Check out some of our suggestions.

Spend your summer like a local

As soon as the weather heats up, British people flock in their hoards to the nearest seaside town to spend the day lounging in a deck chair and eating fish and chips. You can take a train from London directly to Brighton, where you can dip your toes in the sea and explore the eclectic vintage shops, or to Southend-on-Sea, where you can walk on the world’s longest pier.

See the UK’s tourist spots

London’s well-connected rail and bus network means that you can travel to almost any part of the country easily and quickly. A popular destination for tourists travelling from London is the historic city of Bath about  an 1 hour 30 minutes by train. Our social programme will also offer you the chance to explore outside London, visiting World Heritage sites such as Stonehenge. If you’re feeling like travelling further afield you could also get a train or an overnight coach to Edinburgh in Scotland.

Explore Europe

Travelling to the continent is an easy option from London. Its still possible to snag a cheap fair if you plan in advance and you can travel from one of London’s airports to any city of your choice – whether that’s Dublin, Paris, Rome or Berlin - with typically less than 2 hours flying time. For a more eco-friendly option, you can take the Eurostar from King’s Cross St. Pancras International.

Please note, if you are a non-EU national wishing to travel to Europe during your stay, please consult our Advice and Counselling service to find out if you need to apply for a Schengen visa before travelling.