If you're planning your London visit for March, we've got you covered. London is a great destination, and one of the best places to visit.
This post is our list of the best things to do in London in March 2023. We include a top 10+ list, free, family-friendly, and nighttime activities.
Disclosure: While our recommendations are always unbiased, we may receive a small share of sales through some of the links below at no cost to you. See the full text.
Below, is our list of the top 10 things to do and see in London this month.
Some of our other most popular posts include:
If you are considering visiting many top attractions, then you should consider a tourist discount card or a bus tour combo ticket.
1. Go to a Concert
March can get quite cold, so it’s the perfect time to spend an evening indoors listening to your favorite artists.
- Abba Voyage | March 2nd-30th
- Panic! At the Disco | March 6th, 7th
- Joss Stone | March 7th
- Lamb of God | March 11th
- Lizzo | March 15th, 16th
- Damien Rice | March 16th
- Fatboy Slim | March 17th, 18th
- Pixies | March 20th, 21st
- Michael Bublé | March 26th, 27th
- Death Cab for Cutie | March 27th, 29th
You can find all the concerts in the city here.
2. See a Sports Event
London is known for its many football clubs, and you can get tickets on StubHub to watch a number of those clubs play this month.
If you're a football fan who hasn't yet experienced a London crowd, don't miss one of these matches!
Football (Soccer)
Rugby
- The Six Nations 2022 England vs France game is also taking place on March 11th, 2023.
If you can’t make it to the stadium, don’t worry! These matches will be played on televisions in pubs throughout the entire city.
NOTE: Both a Chelsea and Arsenal Stadium Tour are included for free with the London Pass.
3. Enjoy the Theatre
London’s West End is famous for its many theatre productions and musicals.
From classic, long-running musicals to new, modern plays, there’s something for everyone.
Here are a few shows that will be produced in London this month:
- The Mousetrap
- Tina: The Tina Turner Musical
- Phantom of the Opera
- Les Miserables
- Mamma Mia!
- The Lion King
- Matilda
Musical fans might want to look into a London Sightseeing Pass, as it includes an Encore Theatre Passport.
This passport provides access to some of the most popular musicals on the West End, often including titles such as Wicked, Come From Away, The Book of Mormon, and more.
If you’re looking for cheap theatre tickets, check out our handy discount ticket guide to London theatre.
4. Take a Walking Tour With Free Tours by Foot
March means spring is on the horizon and it’s the perfect time to get out and about with us as the winter chill finally starts to disappear!
We’ve got two recent additions to our tour schedule which are proving popular with visitors and locals alike so consider joining one of them this March!
Go through centuries of theatre history and get the behind-the-scenes stories about some of the world’s most famous west end shows on our Theatreland Tour.
Or experience the trials and tribulations of the Blitz and learn how Londoners survived during our World War II Tour.
Our tours are name-your-own-price tours, so you decide at the end what they were worth - a deal for any budget! Look into other free things to do in March below.
5. Celebrate Mother's Day
In the United Kingdom, Mother’s Day is celebrated in March.
In 2023, it falls on March 19th, which means restaurants and hotels will be very busy.
Check out our guide to affordable afternoon teas to find out which one you’d like to experience.
6. See a Comedian
There are a few comedians performing in March in the London area.
- Jim Jefferies | March 21st, 22nd
- Peter Kay | March 22nd
You could also visit the Comedy Store where some of the biggest names in British Comedy have performed.
It's a good place to discover new stand-up comics.
7. Take a Walk Through the Park
London is one of the greenest cities in Europe which means there are dozens of beautiful parks and squares to spend some time in.
Since the first day of Spring is March 21st, this is one of the best times to visit these wonderful parks!
From world-famous Hyde Park to Royal St James, charming Bloomsbury Square to the rustic Richmond Park, there is plenty to explore.
Expect beautiful flowers, picnic spots, paddle boating, or even deer and pelicans!
Check out our guide to London’s best parks to help you plan your visit.
(Don’t forget, our Royal Westminster Tour takes in views of Green Park and St. James, while our Royal Kensington Tour enjoys the sights of beautiful Kensington Gardens!)
8. Celebrate St. Patrick's Day With a Pub Crawl
The city of London celebrates St. Patrick's Day just like many other cities across the world.
St. Patrick's Day will be on March 17th, 2023 and most of the celebrations will take place on this day.
In addition to the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade which runs from Piccadilly Circus to Whitehall, you can also expect all the major pubs to be offering green beer (and Guinness), Irish dishes, and other specialties for the holiday.
If you're not sure which pubs to visit, consider going on a London pub crawl.
We have an entire list of the best London pub crawls available, including historic locations and even a bar bus!
There is also usually a festival in Trafalgar Square, and that's the perfect place to head either before or after you've had a few drinks in honor of the holiday.
In 2023 this takes place Sunday, 12th of March.
9. Enjoy Kew Gardens During the Orchid Festival
The annual Kew Gardens Orchid Festival takes place March 4th-5th, 2023.
Explore some of the world’s most beautiful and diverse flora during a celebration of Colombia’s plant life and culture.
Guests will get the chance to learn about the orchid’s significance in Cameroonian culture, find out how to save endangered orchid species, and admire a beautiful Orchid Palace.
Kew Gardens is a spectacular place to visit throughout the entire year and entrance is included on many tourist discount passes.
This is something children might like. Click here for more family-friendly activities in March.
10. Save Money with a Tourist Discount Pass
March means winter hours are over for some of London’s biggest attractions!
Longer opening hours mean you can get even more for your money with a London Discount Pass.
The London Pass is just one of several London tourist attraction discount passes available to you.
Passes include hop-on-hop-off bus tours, fast-track entry to numerous locations and entrance to over 80 attractions and tours.
The perfect compliment to our wonderful walking tours!
Included in many of the London tourist passes are great things to do in March such as:
- Kew Gardens
- Hampton Court Gardens
- The London Zoo
- Kensington Palace
- Shakespeare's Globe Theatre
- Royal Albert Hall
- SEA LIFE London Aquarium
Find out which pass will work best for you in our full post.
If you know which discount pass best suits your purposes, you can purchase one here:
The London Pass | Explorer - Go City London | Day Pass - London Sightseeing | London City Pass - Turbopass
London Comic-Con
The largest Comic-Con in the UK is coming back to London on March 4th and 5th.
You'll find a large show floor with vendors for games, crafts, show merch, panels, and cosplay.
You can purchase single-day passes, weekend passes, and upgraded passes with photo opportunities built in.
Celebrities with meet-and-greet sessions include Brian Blessed, Colin Baker, Brian Cox, and Wilf Scolding, amongst others.
Find tickets to London Comic-con here.
Cheer On The Boat Race
One of the world's oldest sporting events, the first Boat Race took place in 1929!
Crews from Oxford and Cambridge universities come together each year, usually in April, to run the almost 7 km (4.25 mile) championship course down the Thames.
Over 250,000 spectators watch the race from the banks of the River Thames.
The race starts past the Putney Bridge and finishes near the Chiswick Bridge. Good places for view are Putney Embankment, Furnivall Gardens - Hammersmith, and also Bishops Park.
This year's race takes place on March 26th.
Cheer on The Head of the River Race
The Head of the River Race does the Gemini Boat Race's course in reverse, going from Mortlake to Putney.
This race was first held in 1926 making it just a bit older than the Boat Race.
400 professional crews and around 3,750 competitors take part, with some of the world's top rowing clubs participating.
One thing that makes it different than the Boat Race - they race against the clock rather than side-by-side.
This year's race takes place on March 18th.
Attend the Affordable Art Fair
This annual contemporary art fair, which began in 1999, was started with the belief that art should be accessible to all.
It's proved so popular that it's expanded to locations throughout the world including New York, Hong Kong, Hamburg, Amsterdam, Brussels, Singapore Stockholm, Melbourne, and Sydney!
In London, the show takes place in Battersea. There's no pressure to buy anything, and guests are welcome to browse, attend workshops and talks, and learn more about art.
Pieces run between £50 to £7,500.
This year events take March 9th-12th. Visit the website for ticket information.
Read Our Post on Top Things to Do in London
We've listed out some of the best things to do in March, but there are plenty of other things to do in the city.
Our post Activities and Things to Do in London provides details on such things are:
- The Changing of the Guard
- The Tower of London and the Crown Jewels
- Thames River Cruise
- Westminster Abbey
- and more!
If you want info on tickets to Madame Tussauds, The Shard, O2, or the London Eye, we have that too.
And if you're looking for a list of the top museums in London, we have a post on that. The best part, all of them are free!
THINGS TO DO AT NIGHT IN MARCH
London doesn’t stop when the sun goes down! Check out these activities that take place at nighttime.
Also, take note that the following section featuring free things to do also includes some evening activities!
For more ideas on night activities at any time of the year, be sure to read our definitive guide on things to do at night in London.
Turn Off the Lights on Earth Hour
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) initiative is inviting people to turn off all their lights between 20:30 - 21:30 (8:30 pm - 9:30 pm) on March 25th, 2023.
This event has been planned in hopes of raising awareness of climate change.
But what makes this event truly worth watching is that all of London is going to join in!
In previous years Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, and the London Eye all went dark for an hour. Get the full details here.
Many restaurants are also participating this year in hopes of breaking last year’s record for the largest simultaneous candlelit dinner party.
Make a reservation at any of the dozens of London restaurants that are taking part in this historic meal!
Attend the Ceremony of the Keys
Every night the Tower of London comes alive with a centuries-old tradition: the Ceremony of the Keys.
This is the official locking and securing of the Tower of London – complete with large rings of keys, secret passwords, Beefeaters, and military music.
The event is free, but tickets are required, and can book out months in advance, though, so check out our guide to the Ceremony and how to get your tickets.
See the Night Sky at Hampstead Observatory
Hampstead Heath is home to the highest point in central London and is a great place to see the London skyline either day or not.
However, for those wanting a real treat, consider visiting the Hampstead Scientific Society.
They open their telescopes for public use from 8 – 10 pm on Fridays and Saturdays from Sept until mid-April for a truly memorable stargazing experience.
FREE THINGS TO DO IN MARCH
Below we list some of the free things to do in London in March.
For more ideas on cost-free activities, do check out our list of 100 free and cheap things to do in London any time of year as well as our guide to London on a budget.
See a Free Comedy Show
Angel Comedy runs comedy shows 7 nights a week – and every single one is absolutely free.
Featuring well-known acts and those new to the scene, and Edinburgh Fringe Award winners, it’s almost always a guaranteed great night!
It’s located just off Upper Street in Islington (a stone’s throw from Kings’ Cross).
Shows start at 8:00 pm, but people start queuing early so make sure you give yourself time to grab a spot!
Watch a Debate at the Houses of Parliament
The Houses return from their summer recess during the first week of March which means the public galleries in the Palace of Westminster are opening their doors to visitors once again.
Take in a debate in the iconic House of Commons, or surround yourself in opulence in the historic House of Lords.
There’s no fee to enter, so take the opportunity to visit a royal palace for free!
Our guide How To Visit The Houses of Parliament will surely come in handy.
(Our Westminster Tour finishes across the street from the Palace of Westminster so consider making this the next stop after your walk with us!)
Walk Across Abbey Road
Recreate the famous album cover by the Fab Four who recorded their material at the Abbey Road studios, located right beside the most famous traffic crossing in the world!
They didn’t go far to reach the crosswalk and neither will you.
It’s located just a short walk from St. John’s Wood Underground station. We detail how to get to Abbey Road in a blog post.
You might also be interested in our self-guided tour of Beatles sights in London, which includes this stop.
For London music lovers, you may be interested in taking our pay-what-you-wish London Rock N Roll Tour, which includes many Beatles’ sites Thursdays and Saturdays at 15:00 (3:00 pm).
We also offer free, self-guided tours of London sights connected to David Bowie as well as Jimi Hendrix.
Be sure to look at our post on the top 10 free things to do any time of year, as well as our guide to London on a Budget.
FAMILY-FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES IN MARCH
Below are just a few of the ideas for things to do with kids in March in London.
You can find even more ideas in our full post about visiting London with kids.
Stay the Night at the Natural History Museum with Dino Snores
This is one on the tamer side of Dinosaur life!
A unique sleepover arranged for kids aged 7 to 11, guests are invited to bring their torches and sleeping bags as they stay the night in the Natural History Museum.
Educational activities, t-shirt making, and a live science show complete the evening’s programmes and all guests leave after a full breakfast the next morning.
You can get the details from their website Dino Snores.
Go on a Harry Potter Tour
We’ve already explained why March is a great time to get walking with us.
But, we have a few tours that little ones seem to love especially, the main one being our Harry Potter Tour!
Let us introduce you to the behind-the-scenes world of Harry Potter.
Our walking tour takes guests through locations used in filming, areas mentioned in the book, and everything in between.
Walk in the footsteps of the world’s most famous wizard with us!
We also have a full post with great information on how to get to the Warner Bros Studio Tour in London.
Take Part in St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations
As mentioned above, Trafalgar Square will once again play host to some family-friendly St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.
Children will love the parade, and afterward can convene in the square for traditional Irish snacks, Irish dancing, crafts, and activities specifically aimed at little ones!
This year the festival takes place Sunday, March 12th, 2023.
Visit A World-Class Aquarium
The London Sea Life Aquarium is home to over 500 species from all across the world, including 40 different sharks.
Guests are led through the building to visit over 65 different displays and 14 themed zones spaced out over 3 floors.
The Sea Life Aquarium is affordable family fun as they also run a spectacular 2-for-1 deal on tickets as well as being included in the London Pass!
For more ideas on keeping your family entertained, see our family-friendly section in our Free Things to Do in London.
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