There is a version of London and Paris that only exists during the summer. The days last until 10 pm, the parks become the main attraction, festivals take over outdoor stages, and the rhythm of both cities changes in a way that no other month can replicate.
If you visit Paris or London in July, the number of options can be endless. This guide tells you the best of each city, with specific dates so you don’t waste any time.
LONDON IN JULY: WHEN THE CITY IS OUT ON THE STREETS
- 🎵 BST HYDE PARK: THE BIGGEST SUMMER CONCERTS
British Summer Time Hyde Park is back for its 13th edition with headliners including Lewis Capaldi, Pitbull, Mumford & Sons, Maroon 5, Garth Brooks, and Kesha, with the festival happening throughout multiple weekends in June and July. The dates in July welcome Maroon 5 on July 3rd and Lewis Capaldi on the 11th and 12th, the complete lineup is available on the official BST Hyde Park website. Hyde Park in the summer has an atmosphere that goes beyond the concert: food markets, outdoor VIP areas, and the benefit of live music surrounded by the biggest and most beautiful parks in Europe. Tickets sell out weeks before, so getting them early is necessary.
- 🎻BBC PROMS: THE BIGGEST CLASSICAL MUSIC FESTIVAL
From July 18th to September 13th, the Royal Albert Hall hosts the BBC Proms, the most important classical music festival, with night concerts at accessible rates for the “Prommers” who buy standing tickets starting at £8. The combination of the Royal Albert Hall’s Victorian architecture and the orchestra’s quality makes any function an experience hard to beat.
- 🎶SOMERSET HOUSE SUMMER SERIES
From July 16-26th, SOMERSET House opens its neoclassical patio for eleven nights of live music with emerging and international artists, including Naïka on July 16th, The Cribs on the 20th, and Black Country, New Road on the 22nd. The venue is one of the most photogenic in London, and the intimate limited-capacity format guarantees a completely different experience from that of a massive festival.
- 🍺 LONDON CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL
On July 17th and 18th, Southwark Park hosts the London Craft Beer Festival, where breweries from the United Kingdom and Europe offer their best products with street food and live music — a well-constructed afternoon for those wanting to explore a more local and relaxed side.
- 👑BUCKINGHAM PALACE: OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
From July 9th to September 27th, Buckingham Palace opens its doors to the public to visit the State Rooms, the rooms where the royal family receives state chiefs and dignitaries. It is one of the few times of the year when you can visit the interior of the most photographed palace in the world, and July is the perfect month to do it with the London summer at its peak. Visit farther places and enjoy with Royal Holiday.
- 🎭OPEN AIR THEATRE REGENT’S PARK
The Open Air Theatre at Regent’s Park presents its summer production of Cats, the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, in July, with Drew McOnie, the theatre’s new artistic director. Seeing the musical under the stars, with a drink in hand, and the London sunlight as a backdrop is an experience that doesn’t need any more context.
PARIS AT ITS FREEST FORM
- ⚽SOCCER AT THE SEINE
From July 12-19th, the Quai de la Photo, by the Seine, becomes a zone for soccer fans with giant screens to watch live games, musical programming, and an atmosphere that combines soccer with the Parisian summer energy. At the same time, the Parc de la Villette has another big fan area with 5v5 soccer courts, workshops, and live transmissions. For those traveling to Paris in the first days of July, the city has a sporty energy that doesn’t usually happen.
- 🎬QUAI 54: STREETBALL BY THE EIFFEL TOWER
From July 10-12th, by the Eiffel Tower, the Quai 54 calls the best streetball teams in the world for the biggest tournament of the discipline, combining high-level basketball with urban culture, live music, and artistic performances — one of the most photographed events of the Parisian summer and completely free for the public.
TWO CITIES, ONE TRIP: HOW TO COMBINE THEM
The Eurostar connects London and Paris in approximately two hours. This makes July the perfect month to visit both cities in one trip: a week in London with BST Hyde Park, the Open Air Theatre, and Buckingham Palace, and another week in Paris with Paris Plages, July 14th, and Quai 54.
As a Royal Holiday member, you can use your vacation credits to stay in both cities. Your vacation advisor can help you structure the full itinerary, including Eurostar transportation between cities, with the backup of Royal Travel.
July in London and Paris is not the calmest month of the year, it’s a more lively and spontaneous version, a trip hard to forget.