Christmas vacation in london
You have applied for Christmas vacation in london and this is very exciting for you. It is a dream come true. With cheap air tickets available, you should be able to save from your Christmas vacation in london budget. So do not forget to check out flight tickets so that you can plan both your meals and your activities during your holidays
With regards to a Christmas vacation in London, there are plenty of options. The trick here is to select the one that best suits you and your family’s travel preferences. There’s a London holiday option out there for everyone — even if you’re the Scrooge of the family!
Our Christmas vacation in London is all about the lights, the food, and the people. We’ll be walking through Hyde Park, eating traditional English breakfast, and enjoying a performance at the Royal Albert Hall.
We’ve got our sights set on seeing the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, and St. Paul’s Cathedral while we’re there!
London is a great place to spend your Christmas vacation. There are so many things to do and see in the city, and it’s easy to get around using the Tube or buses. You can even take a boat ride down the Thames!
We recommend seeing some of these places:
- The Tower of London
- Buckingham Palace
- St. Paul’s Cathedral
- Trafalgar Square
- Piccadilly Circus
- Nelson’s Column
London at Christmas
We update this post every year to give you dates, timings, train closures, and special events. We’re adding 2022 information as soon as we can find it. But obviously, The Holiday Season is still a long way away and this year things in London could change.
If a Christmas event is not in the post yet it’s most likely that dates have not yet been released or our 2021 information is still displaying to give you an idea.
London at Christmas
London at Christmas
London Attractions You Can Book This Christmas
The attractions below could be perfect for your Christmas outing or special treat. London Zoo is normally open over Christmas but booking are required, see here for details.
Some museums, for instance, the Natural History Museum, were accepting bookings for their special exhibitions.
Things got back to new normal in London from summer 2021. Hopefully, this Christmas (2022) will be business as usual! Fingers crossed.
Christmas Lights and Decorations
London is all lit up like the proverbial Christmas tree early, you’ll see lights on almost every street in the city. The lights are normally switched on in the first week of November. See dates for Londons Christmas Light Switch On Events here. for 2022 switch on dates.
Our favourite spots for amazing festive lights and decorations are:
- Covent Garden (pictured above)
- Oxford St
- Regent St
- Bond St
- Carnaby St
Probably the best way to see the lights this year, and avoid the crowds, would be to book this open-top Christmas lights bus tour. If I were there that would be top of my wish list for 2022.
London’s Christmas Shop Windows
Stores in London really pull out the big guns at Christmas, you’re in for a treat of window dressing art:
- John Lewis on Oxford St.
- Fortnum and Mason in Picadilly
- Harrods in Knightsbridge
- Harvey Nichols Knightsbridge
- Selfridges on Oxford St.
- Dolce and Gabbana on Bond St
- Tiffany Old Bond St.
- Hamleys on Regent St.
- Liberty Regent St.
London Christmas Trees
The most famous tree in the world, the Trafalgar Square tree will be lit on (unconfirmed as yet) December. The tree is an annual gift from Norway to the UK in gratitude for its assistance in WW2.
Covent Garden usually boasts a large and impressive Christmas tree too (pictured above)
London Outdoor Ice Rinks at Christmas
Sadly, most of London’s ice rinks were not open for Christmas 2020 but they should be back this year. Hampton Court Palace and The Queen’s House ice rink in Greenwich were reportedly open. Please check, things are changing constantly.
- Canary Wharf Ice Rink
- Eyeskate at the London Eye.
- Hampton Court Palace Ice Rink
- Hyde Park Winter Wonderland
- Natural History Museum ( above)
- Somerset House
- The Queen’s House at Greenwich
London Christmas Markets and Fairs
There are usually one day Christmas Markets and events all over the city, but the biggest and longest-running attractions are below. For 2020 these were mostly cancelled.
Borough Market will most likely be open, along with Selfridges Christmas Market, Pexmas in Peckham, and Festive Flea at Vinegar Yard. Regulations are in flux, please double-check.
- Hyde Park Winter Wonderland runs for 6 weeks from November to January.
- Southbank Centre Winter Festival is Usually operational November to January 2023
- Covent Garden Market runs all year round, but it’s extra special at Christmas.
- Christmas by The River at London Bridge has outstanding views and over 100 wooden stalls.
- Outside the Tate Modern there was a large market, lots of food, alcoholic winter drinks and crafts.
- Leicester Square has had a small market, a carousel and a scary looking ride.
Special Christmas Events in London
- Christmas at Kew, an after-dark experience of magical lights at the famous Kew Botanical Gardens. There is something happening at Kew this Christmas but you’ll need to check their website for details.
- Winter Wonderland Hyde Park, has it all, ice rink, big wheel, food stalls and a circus. This event runs for weeks and is absolutely huge.
More Christmas Activities in London
If you’d like to book a tour of the most Christmasy sites in London, you can do that. Walking tours and guided tours by taxi, open top bus, and more, are available. There are also special Christmas cruises and dining. Use the button below.
View All London Christmas Activities Here
Of course, most of London’s attractions and places of interest will be open around Christmas time. As Christmas is very busy for Londoners, British visitors, and international tourists, we strongly recommend you book and reserve your spot at your must-see London attractions. For instance, you can book the following.
- Book admission for The Tower of London and to see The Crown Jewels (highly recommended!)
- Place a reservation for fast track access at The London Eye (it will be too cold to stand in line for hours!)
- Book a day trip from London to Stonehenge, Bath and Windsor (wrap up warm!)
- Reserve a time slot for the Warner Bros Harry Potter Studios Tour (this does sell out and it’s incredible!)
- Remember that very little will be open in London on Christmas Day, so we’d recommend booking a hotel with Christmas Lunch or Dinner included. Such as The Lanesborough, which offers a phenomenal Christmas package. It’s Christmas, spoil yourself!
Christmas Day in London
This is the quietest day of the year in London, take the opportunity to walk in the parks and see the Christmas windows and lights. There’s something special about being in London at Christmas time but Christmas day itself in the city is a unique experience.
Very few other places will be open. The annual Christmas day Serpentine swim in Hyde Park is worth a watch if you’re out and about at 9am.
London Public Transport at Christmas
Getting around London is tricky over Christmas, London’s public transport system is excellent, cheap and efficient, but Christmas is the worst time to experience it.
The huge crowds of shoppers make life very difficult for most of the Christmas school holiday period and every weekend. On top of the crowds, there are also closures.
