Tourists In London Should Be Wary Of This Unexpected Weekday If They Want To Avoid Large Crowds

London is one of the world's greatest cities. A huge, bustling metropolis of close to 10 million people, it effortlessly combines vibrant modernity with an extraordinarily rich history. With streets and landmarks that date back to Roman times, strolling around London means literally walking in the footsteps of the past, and it boasts some of the best museums in the world, many of which are completely free. While it was once something of a culinary wasteland, London is now considered one of the foodie capitals of the world, as well as being a cultural powerhouse and an extraordinary destination for art and theater lovers. At every turn, London offers something for everyone, combining edgy, exciting nightlife with amazing parks and fun, family-friendly activities that make it one of the best cities in Europe for kids.

But London's iconic landmarks and gloriously chaotic center often come with a side helping of crowds, particularly on the weekends. Oxford Street is Europe's busiest shopping street, and on Saturdays and Sundays, this means it can be overwhelming, while spots like Notting Hill, Camden Market, and Greenwich also suffer from the sheer number of people visiting.

Many travelers to London will try to include a Friday in their itinerary to benefit from what should be a more relaxed, crowd-free city on a weekday. But tourists might be surprised by what they find, particularly on Thursday evenings, as many Londoners have embraced a new trend in working and going out in the last few years. Indeed, today, Thursday really is the new Friday, so plan accordingly and make your reservations in advance.

Since 2020 and the COVID pandemic, hybrid working has become far more popular around the world, and London is no exception. Working from home for part of the week has become the new normal, and most Londoners who do so choose to extend their weekend by staying in their home office on Fridays. This means that the main business areas of the city — the City of London, Westminster, Holborn, and Canary Wharf — are calm and peaceful on Friday mornings, with coffee shops and lunchtime restaurants feeling the pinch.

Thursday evenings, however, have gone into overdrive. According to research carried out by the Mayor of London's office, Thursdays between 6 pm and 9 pm are the busiest weekday evenings, as workers swap their 'end of the week' celebrations and post-work drinks from Friday to Thursday nights. If you are looking to blend in with the locals on your London vacation, then pints in a central London pub on Thursday are on the cards, but if you want a relaxing dinner or a romantic evening out, choosing another night is a good idea.

The same research shows that the number of office workers has fallen significantly on Friday during the day, a phenomenon which is not replicated on Thursdays. This means that Thursday might be a great time to avoid a night out in central London and visit other parts of the city, saving the most popular spots for earlier in the week if possible. Fridays, on the other hand, are great for heading to places where daytime workers usually congregate, meaning that exploring the delights of Westminster, including the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey, might be a great idea.

There has been a lot of talk in the last few years about the decline in London's nightlife, and it is undeniable that it is not quite as attractive a destination for party-minded travelers as it once was. Licences to sell alcohol late into the night are less common, and noise complaints from new developments have negatively affected several iconic venues, making it difficult to stay open in the later evening — or at all, in extreme cases. This, combined with the well-documented tendency among Gen Z toward less excess, might make it seem like the days of Swinging London are well and truly over.

But the facts don't seem to back this up. According to the Mayor of London's research, while night-time spend in central London might be highest on Thursday evenings, in London as a whole, Friday is still the biggest night. So while workers might not be basing their Friday nights near the office anymore, people are still going out on Friday night! So if you want to plan a night out at one of London's amazing clubs or elegant bars, there's no need to skip the end of the week — just be sure to choose where to party wisely and be prepared for a crowd.