London in December could also be wet or uncooked however when the solar units within the late afternoon, the lights glitter and you may really feel the magic of Christmas within the air. Like most huge cities, London gives cosmopolitan, big-city enchantment, however throughout the holidays it nonetheless incorporates a number of the attraction of conventional European villages. There are so many enjoyable issues to do in London at Christmas, however if you’re visiting it’s exhausting to suit all of them in so I wished to share a number of the highlights.
We visited London in December simply earlier than Christmas and thought it was an ideal time to see the sights and seize the vacation spirit. Since it was the week earlier than Christmas, we discovered low-cost flights (~$500 per individual) and higher availability at London lodges.
Our days have been crammed with visiting the sights…Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, the British Museum, and all the pieces Harry Potter. But we additionally made time to squeeze in some particular vacation occasions and meals. I imply, if we’re visiting London for Christmas, it’s a should, proper?
While there’s a lot to do in London (see my 7-day London itinerary for find out how to match all of it in), be sure to go away yourselves time to take pleasure in a few of what makes London at Christmas so particular.
Things to do in London at Christmas
1. Play all Day at Winter Wonderland
Winter Wonderland takes over a big a part of Hyde Park in Central London from mid-November via early January. It actually is one thing you may’t miss if you’re visiting London at Christmas. Winter Wonderland is a mash-up of fairground rides with meals stalls, reveals, and a few terrific Christmas markets.
Tickets are actually required to get into this big vacation pageant and should be booked prematurely. During off-peak hours, entrance is free however will price you £5-7.5 for entry throughout peak hours. But if you happen to spend £25 on rides and points of interest, your entrance payment will likely be free.
To get in, you have to to enter via a safety gate so to streamline the method, go away your bag on the lodge and solely deliver your pockets and mobile phone.
You might want to pay to trip any of the rides and to participate in experiences like ice skating, Christmas reveals, and rides on the Giant Wheel (a enjoyable different to the favored London Eye.) Many of those particular actions ebook up early, particularly if you’re visiting on the weekend. I’d extremely advocate reserving these tickets prematurely if you reserve your tickets!
Inside Winter Wonderland you can find a magical ice kingdom, an actual ice slide, ice sculpting workshops, circus reveals, and so many rides from curler coasters to the family-friendly Santaland practice.
If you need to store, there’s additionally a Christmas market throughout the Winter Wonderland. The Angels Christmas Market additionally gives over 100 charming picket chalets packed stuffed with distinctive presents, handmade Christmas decorations, and tempting culinary delights.
There are many beer halls and meals stands all through the park, permitting you to heat up with mulled wine, sizzling chocolate, bratwurst, and different conventional meals.
If you intend forward, you can too ebook reservations at Bar Ice (the place all the pieces is fabricated from ice). There are even big tipis at Thor’s or you may heat up on the Fire Pit bar.
I’d advocate visiting within the late afternoon to be able to get your bearings and discover whereas it’s nonetheless mild out and never as chilly, however keep when the solar units and likewise see the pageant lit up in all of its glory. Just ensure that to bundle up!
2. Shop Traditional Christmas Markets
If you don’t get your fill of the Christmas markets at Winter Wonderland, head throughout the Thames to the Southbank Centre Winter Festival. Here you can find free and ticketed occasions, reveals, household leisure, festive meals, glittering lights, and a standard Christmas Market from early November via early January. You may also discover market stalls providing distinctive presents and artisan crafts.
You can simply spend your entire day on the South Bank between the Borough Market, Globe Theater, Tate Modern, the London Eye, Shrek’s Adventure! London, SEA LIFE London Aquarium, and a lot extra. Or, you may end off a go to to the Tower of London with a stroll throughout Tower Bridge to the Christmas Market on the opposite aspect.
If you stroll from the Southbank Centre in direction of Tower Bridge, you’ll come to Christmas by the River at London Bridge. You can catch lovely views of Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. The market options handmade crafts, specialty meals, and steaming cups of mulled wine.
You also can discover different Christmas Markets round London together with these at Borough Market, Covent Garden, Leicester Square, and Trafalgar Square.
3. Ice Skating
When the rain stops, it’s time to strap on the skates and head to one of many many ice skating rinks round London. Sadly the rink by the Tower of London is now closed, however there are nonetheless many out of doors ice rinks round London together with Hampton Court Palace, Canary Wharf, Somerset House, Skylight Ice Rink on the rooftop of Tobacco Dock, Queen’s House Ice Rink in Greenwich, and Glide on the Battersea Power Station. Of course, you can too add ice skating to your checklist of issues to expertise at Winter Wonderland!
4. See the Christmas Decorations
One of the issues we loved essentially the most about visiting London at Christmas was the tasteful and festive vacation decorations making the streets glitter and glimmer. Regent Street began this custom in 1954 and its “Spirit of Christmas” shows are spectacular with sweeping canopies of sunshine that run from Langham Place all the best way to Waterloo Place on the southern finish of Regent Street St James’s. This is a superb space to stroll round when visiting London at Christmas.
After strolling alongside Regent Street, make sure you additionally see the brightly coloured decorations alongside Bond Street, the place the peacock feathers are actually being changed by a royal theme. The show pays tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II with 93,652 LEDs that function 4 monumental crowns at key junctions on Bond Street, impressed by The Imperial State Crown.
Oxford Street’s mild show of 5,000 dangling stars swap on in early November, however beginning in 2022 they are going to solely keep on from 3 pm to 11 pm due to power prices. The shows throughout this busy procuring thoroughfare are additionally now targeted on sustainability, utilizing 300,000 LED mild bulbs and recycled plastic, making them 75 % extra environment friendly than conventional bulbs.
We additionally favored popping into the retailers in Convent Garden and the Burlington Arcade to see the lights and draping of evergreen garlands displaying off the festive spirit.
If you might be on the lookout for a large Christmas tree or Hannukah Menorah, you can find these in Trafalgar Square.
5. Visit the Shops
The children will love visiting Hamleys, one of many largest toy shops on the earth. Floor after flooring gives delights for all ages. Even although some toys may be discovered anyplace, there are additionally specialty keepsakes, like Hadley’s personal stuffed teddy bears.
Fortnum and Mason is a feast for the eyes and the stomach. This is the place you may order and ship a few of its well-known vacation hampers. They will be crammed with no matter specialty meals and delicacies you want.
When you might be carried out procuring, make sure you additionally cease into the ice cream store for ice cream sundaes. Or, decide up some sweets or lovely marzipan candies on the primary flooring.
And after all, Harrods is a must-visit it doesn’t matter what time of 12 months. But seeing this block-size division retailer draped in twinkling lights is one thing particular. Kids will take pleasure in assembly the life-size Harrod Bears.
Bonus: Blenheim Palace
We didn’t get to go to on our go to however Christmas at Blenheim Palace seems magical! There is an illuminated mild path, fantastically adorned staterooms, classic fairground rides, and an “Alice in the Palace” expertise.
Tips for Visiting London at Christmas
- Visit every week or two earlier than Christmas to keep away from the biggest crowds.
- Read my suggestions for planning your London itinerary
- Find out how a lot a journey to London prices and create your trip price range
- Be ready for visitors jams from supply vans dropping off vacation packages so plan on utilizing the Tube and Heathrow Express as a substitute.
- When utilizing the Tube, keep away from rush hour when it’s most crowded.
- Make a reservation for a vacation meal the place they provide conventional Christmas Poppers and Crowns — it’s a particular expertise!
- Visit the Harry Potter Tour on the Warner Brothers Studio to see Hogwarts as it’s adorned for Christmas (see my information for all of the Harry Potter points of interest in London.)
- Use the London Pass to economize if you happen to plan to go to lots of the widespread principal points of interest.
- Dress in heat layers and make sure you pack rain boots and a protracted, water resistant jacket
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