August 2025: We're in the month where summer in London hits its sweaty, sweltering, glorious peak, and that means there's an abundance of things to do all across the city. Festival season is going strong, the beer gardens are buzzing, the park is packed with picnickers, and the lidos and magical wild swimming spots are beckoning.
Notting Hill Carnival is a highlight of any London summer, as thousands of revellers take to the streets to celebrate Black culture and party together. And as the season draws to a close, don't miss our tips on making the most of the August bank holiday weekend.
No matter what your vibe, tastes or interests, there is always something to do in London. Whether you want to see cutting-edge art exhibitions, iconic attractions, secret spots, world-beating theatre, stunning green spaces, it’s all here and you can probably fit all this in and more still barely feel like you’ve scratched the surface of the city. And that’s before you factor in all those historic London pubs, the latest must-visit restaurants and vibrant LGBTQ+ venues. And if you need somewhere to stay? Check out London’s best hotels or Airbnbs.
This London bucket list (curated by our editors and always hotly debated in the Time Out office) is a good place to start because exploring this city can be a little daunting. There truly is something for everyone here.
And if you want to know what’s happening in London, like, right now, check out things to do in London this week and things to do in London this weekend. After a few days pottering about in the capital, you’ll be more than ready to reel off Dr Samuel Johnson’s famous quote: ‘When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.’
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Start planning a great autumn with our roundups of the best things to do in September and October
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