Provided you avoid the beer garden at the Spurstowe Arms, London is a fantastic place to spend a whole summer. The streets feel emptier and slower-paced. Half of the residents have cleared out; the rest are in a sticky, giddy Vitamin D-induced state. It’s light until past 9pm. Strangers start having spontaneous chats and sharing drinks in the street. It’s a different city altogether. That’ll be especially true in a delirious World Cup summer, with Londoners of various nationalities egging on every one of the 48 teams. Never mind the Algarve or Antalya – just join the throngs cheering for Portugal in Stockwell or Turkey in Green Lanes.
And if you still feel like you need a change of scenery, you’re in luck: there are more than 500 distinct neighbourhoods in this city, and every one represents a potential minibreak. Why spend all that money to cross national borders when you can’t even remember the last time you visited the other side of the Thames?
Think it’s too hot to get around? Maybe, but the Overground has air con, there’s a bike on every corner and at least your holiday won’t be ruined by wildfires (yet). Sure, there might not be any seaside, but some of London’s best spots are by the river and its outdoor swimming holes are plentiful (though, urban planners take note, we could always do with more). If you really need to get salty, Margate is less than two hours’ drive away.
So pause those Skyscanner notifications, slow down and take it easy this summer. Make it your mission to roll out your picnic blanket in every green space from Richmond Park to Epping Forest. Work your way through the ice-cream essentials, from Caliendo’s in Kentish Town to Chunk in Leyton. Linger on restaurant terraces citywide. Take a few daytrips, maybe even a cheeky hotel staycation. Treat yourself! After all, you’ve skipped the school-holiday crowds and fan-grill temperatures of Marseille, Mykonos or wherever your neighbours are right now. And those flights get much cheaper come September.
This article originally appeared in issue 4 of the Broadsheet London magazine. Find a copy here.
