Month guide · London · United Kingdom
London in January
What January is really like in London: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Khamtran, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
January is a quieter month with trade-offs. Expect average highs of 9°C (48°F), lows of 3°C (37°F), about 11 rainy days and roughly 8.3 hours of daylight. Cold and short days with sunset around 4pm, but post-Christmas sales and quiet museums make it a good-value month.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 9°C (48°F) / 3°C (37°F)
- Rainy days
- About 11
- Daylight
- About 8.3 hours
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in January
January is the 10th-warmest month in London: days average 9°C (48°F) against a yearly average high of 16°C (61°F), and nights fall to about 3°C (37°F). Rain falls on roughly 11 of its 31 days. Compared with December (9°C (48°F)), January is about as warm; by February highs stay near 9°C (48°F).
- Sunrise (15 January)
- About 07:59
- Sunset (15 January)
- About 16:20
- Daylight
- About 8.3 hours
Winter (December–February). Cold, short days but lively Christmas markets and lights, January sales and quieter museums; hotel prices dip after New Year.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, January rates 2 for crowds (the peak is June at 5) and 2 for hotel prices (highest in June). That makes January one of the better-value months to book.
Events in January
- London New Year's Day Parade through the West End (1 January)
- Lunar New Year celebrations in Chinatown and Trafalgar Square (late January or February)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in January
With cold days, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
Museum · Bloomsbury
British Museum
Pick three or four galleries — Egypt, the Parthenon sculptures and Sutton Hoo are the classics — rather than trying to see everything in one visit.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Rainy day
- Art
Gallery · Trafalgar Square
National Gallery
Western European painting from the 13th to the early 20th century hangs in the National Gallery on the north side of Trafalgar Square: Van Gogh's Sunflowers, Turner's The Fighting Temeraire, Constable's The Hay Wain, Velázquez's Rokeby Venus and Van Eyck's Arnolfini Portrait among them.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Art
- Free
- Iconic
- Rainy day
Gallery · Bankside
Tate Modern
Begin in the Turbine Hall, then walk across the Millennium Bridge for the framed view of St Paul's dome.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Art
- Free
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Museum · South Kensington
Natural History Museum
Alfred Waterhouse's terracotta building, decorated with carved animals and plants, holds some 80 million specimens.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Kids
- Free
- Rainy day
- Iconic
- Nature
What to pack
For highs near 9°C, lows near 3°C and 11 wet days: a warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is January a good time to visit London?
A quieter month with trade-offs, with 2 notable events on the calendar. If your dates are flexible, May–June and September are better overall. Compare every month.
London in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is January a good time to visit London?
It is a quieter month with trade-offs. Cold and short days with sunset around 4pm, but post-Christmas sales and quiet museums make it a good-value month.
+How warm is London in January?
Average highs are around 9°C (48°F) and lows around 3°C (37°F).
+Does it rain a lot in London in January?
Expect rain on about 11 days of the month.