Warmer weather attracts more visitors – and so do the many festivals – but it’s still affordable to travel to England in May and the crowds haven’t taken over the sights yet. Spend time in the outdoors, plan to visit the sights and enjoy the early summer (or last days of spring).
Weather
May still falls during spring – albeit by the end of it – so the weather is not exactly reliable, however it’s one of the best times to visit England. Sure, you might end up having sunshine during your entire stay. But, as always when you plan to visit England, pack an umbrella and a sweater.
Sample temperatures
Bath avg high 15C / avg low 6C
Birmingham avg high 15C / avg low 6C
Bristol avg high 16C /avg low 8C
Leeds avg high 16C / avg low 8C
Liverpool avg high 15C / avg low 7C
London avg high 16C / avg low 6C
Manchester avg high 15C / avg low 7C
York avg high 15C /avg low 8C
>>read more about Weather in England
Flights and Accommodation
May falls during the end of summer and, by now, the prices start to increase. Make sure to plan your flight in advance (stay within the 1 to 2 months range, if possible). If you don’t mind the carry on restrictions, low cost carriers can offer good deals.
As for accommodation, the large cities don’t exactly have season variations when it comes to room prices but you can find discounts online, if you take your time to do some homework. And if hotels are too expensive, there are always the hostels to relay on but remember to book well in advance.
Things to do
May Day (May 1) now stands for the beginning of the summer and Labor Day (in Europe). For the ancestors , May Day was a major festival day, celebrated with dances and music. Traditionally, girls rushed out on May Day to wash their faces with the May due as it was believed to have magic proprieties.
A variety of festivals take place in May all over England. From the Brighton Festival – which is all about music and arts – to the May Day festivals and North Devon and Exmoor Walking Festival.
Should you plan to get married in May, please not that it’s considered an unlucky month (all over the continent; but I certainly many couples who wed in May and they are still together decades after the wedding day).
May is a lovely month to explore the cities and the countryside. There isn’t such thing as shoulder season in large cities, including London, for example, so do expect crowds – and by now they are getting bigger -, but it’s still relaxed and you can soak up the city’s atmosphere.
>>read more about the Things to do in Manchester