The United Kingdom in March: Travel Tips for First-Timers

March marks the end of winter in the United Kingdom, with the beginning of the month being much colder than the end of the month. In March we recommend visiting London, Belfast, Cardiff, and Edinburgh.

Read on to find out more about travel and weather, including temperatures, rainfall, humidity, and tips on where to go and what to wear for March.

United Kingdom Weather in March: Overview

Averages:

• Temperature range: 3–10°C (38–51°F)
• Rainfall: 8 cm (3 inches)
• Rainy days: 12
• Sunshine hours/day: 4
• Humidity: 70–73% (humid and moderately rainy throughout the UK)

The United Kingdom is cool to cold and a little rainy in March. Temperatures peak at 10°C (51°F) with lows of 3°C (38°F) on average. Although the end of the month is slightly warmer, for those visiting in early March we recommend bringing a winter coat to wrap up warm during your stay.

March sees approximately 4 hours of sunshine per day (on average), and there are around 12 rainy days with 8 cm (or 3 inches) of rain. This means that there is a plenty of humidity throughout the country, and there is also a chance of snow in March depending on how far the temperatures drop.

parks. To avoid the rain and cold, you will want to make sure you've planned some indoor activities as back-ups.

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March Climate Comparison (Averages) for the United Kingdom's Top Tourism Areas

The Best Places to Visit in the United Kingdom in March

Given that March is a little cool and rainy, your trip to the United Kingdom would benefit from having a mix of indoor and outdoor activities planned. Luckily there are plenty of places in the United Kingdom that have both indoor and outdoor offerings.

For visitors to the United Kingdom in March, we recommend visiting London, Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh, to get a good overview of a range of different cities and places in the United Kingdom. Read on to find out more about what to do in each of these cities.

1. Explore London's Museums and Parks

London is full of incredible museums. For families visiting with kids, we recommend the Tower of London, or the Natural History Museum, which have a lot of different activities and tours aimed at younger visitors.

If you're into art or history, there are the British Museum, the National Gallery, the Tate Modern, or the Design Museum. Most museums do have special temporary exhibitions on too, so we recommend checking their schedules closer to the time of your trip.

On a clear and sunny day, it's worth checking out one of London's many parks, such as Hyde Park, Primrose Hill, Green Park, Regent's Park, or Victoria Park. London is a beautiful city with plenty of greenery right in the middle of the city. Primrose Hill in particular is worth visiting as it gives great views over London's skyline.

2. Spend Time, Like a Royal, at the Palace of Holyroodhouse

Edinburgh, Scotland's capital, is home to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. This palace is the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland, and it's possible to tour the inside of the palace to learn more about it.

After the palace, we recommend visiting St Giles' Cathedral and the historic buildings along the Royal Mile as well as Edinburgh Castle. Having a tour guide is the best way to ensure that you don't miss out on any of the architectural sights along the way, and that you get all the history of the area. Your guide would also be able to recommend somewhere to get some traditional Scottish fare for dinner.

3. Take a Walking Tour through Cardiff, and Venture up Wales' Highest Mountain

Being Wales' capital city, Cardiff is the likely first stop on a tour further into Wales. We recommend getting a tour guide to make sure you don't miss any of the sights, including St Fagans National Museum of History and Cardiff Castle as well as Cardiff Bay.

After your time in Cardiff, there are so many different points from which to further explore Wales.

If you like walking, we recommend heading out onto Snowdon, which is the highest mountain in Wales. Snowdon is located in Snowdonia National Park, and the walk to the top is anywhere between 4 and 8 hours depending on your route and your fitness level. We recommend doing this on a dry day, not a rainy day, to avoid dangerous conditions on the mountain.

4. Take a Troubles Tour in Belfast

Belfast has a lot to offer, from history and architecture to museums. In order to better understand the history of Northern Ireland, we recommend taking a Troubles tour, either on foot or by car, to visit some of the locations of the major events during this turbulent period of time. Getting a guide will help you put everything into context.

This city is also where the RMS Titanic was built, and there are lots of Titanic-themed tours to do. It's also possible to visit the Titanic Experience yourself or the dockyards' Titanic Quarter.

Low Season (Except Good Friday 2024): Less Expensive and Less Crowded

March is part of the United Kingdom's low season, with lower prices across transport and accommodation. It's therefore a great time of the year to visit, with fewer tourists around.

The only exception is the very end of March, which marks the beginning of Easter in 2024: March 29 is Good Friday and a public holiday. This day is usually busy with people moving throughout the country to visit family and go on trips domestically or internationally. Flights around this time will be a little busier and generally more expensive.

What to Wear in March

March is cool to cold throughout the United Kingdom, with the occasional rain shower passing through particularly in the Lake District and other western mountain areas. We recommend bringing multiple layers to keep warm throughout your trip. A winter coat is still necessary, and we also recommend bringing a waterproof jacket or an umbrella.

If you are hoping to climb Snowdonia, we do recommend bringing your own technical hiking gear to stay warm as well as safe during your hike. This particularly means bringing supportive footwear and a waterproof layer.

Monthly Weather in United Kingdom