Page 63 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - London

L ONDON THROUGH THE Y EAR  61

Average Daily Hours of Sunshine Sunshine Chart
Hours London’s longest
10 and hottest days fall
between May and
8 August. In the height
of summer, daylight
6 hours can extend
from well before 5am
4
to after 9pm. Daytime
2 is much shorter in the
winter, but London
0 can be stunning in
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec the winter sunshine.
various City venues. Arts and
Summer music festival with concerts
London’s summer season is in some of London’s most
packed with indoor and out- beautiful churches.
door events. The weather can
be unreliable, but unless you July
are very unlucky there should Hampton Court Flower Show,
be enough fine days to enjoy Hampton Court Palace (see
the great outdoors. There are pp260–63). Henry Wood Prom-
traditional events, such as the enade Concerts (The Proms)
Wimbledon tennis champion- (late Jul–Sep), Royal Albert Hall
ships and the cricket test (see p209). Royal Academy
matches at Lord’s and the Oval, of Arts Summer Exhibition
as well as innovative arts seasons, (Jun–Aug), Piccadilly (see p94).
such as those at the Southbank, Doggett’s Coat and Badge Race,
and outdoor music festivals. a historic river-rowing contest
Well out of view of the general between Thames watermen.
public and prying photo graphers, Revellers at Notting Hill Carnival
the Queen holds garden parties August
for fav oured subjects in the p340). Open-air concerts, Screenings at Somerset
grounds of Buckingham Palace. Kenwood, Hampstead Heath, House (2 weeks in Aug) (see
The August public holiday Kew (see p345). Parks in and p121). If the weather holds, this
weekend is marked by the just outside the city host one- is the most glorious setting for
Notting Hill Carnival, London’s day music festivals and viewing classic films. The last
biggest street celebration. outdoor gigs. Southbank Monday in August is a public
summer season (Jun–Sep). holiday. Notting Hill Carnival
June The Southbank Centre (see (late Aug holiday weekend).
Beating Retreat (see p58). p344) hosts themed festivals An internationally famous
Coronation Day gun salutes including comedy and cabaret and well-attended Caribbean
(2 Jun), Hyde Park and Tower of events. Spitalfields Summer carnival that takes place
London (see p58). Art Antiques Festival (Jun). Two weeks of throughout the area (see p223).
London (mid-Jun), Kensington classical concerts and talks at Sunday is children’s day while
Gardens. Top dealers gather Christ Church (see p174), St Monday is for adults – both
in a purpose-built pavilion Leonard’s (see p175) and other days feature huge crowds,
opposite the Royal Albert nearby venues. City of London spectacular costumes and
Hall (see p209). Trooping the Festival (late Jun–mid-July), DJ sets.
Colour, Horse Guards Parade
(see p58). Duke of Edinburgh’s
Birthday gun salutes (10 Jun),
Hyde Park and Tower of London
(see p58). Wimbledon Lawn
Tennis Championships (2 weeks
in late Jun). The only major tour-
nament held on grass. Cricket
test match, Lord’s Cricket
Ground. Open-air theatre
season (throughout the
summer), stages in Regent’s
Park and Holland Park (see Parading down the Mall for the finale of Trooping the Colour

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