Best Things to Do In London During the Holidays – There is something magical about being in London during the holiday season. London is one of those cities that goes all out with festive decorations. From the elaborate window decorations, to the mulled wine sold on the side of the river, it is impossible for you to not feel the holiday spirit when walking through the streets.
In this guide we will give you our top list of things to do in the city during the holidays! If you are planning a trip to London in December, than this guide will be all you need to ensure you have the ultimate Christmas experience!
Ice Skating at the Natural History Museum
Winter is not complete without ice skating! One of the most popular rinks in London is located in front of the Natural History Museum. On the rink you will find a giant Christmas tree decorated to the nines, with fairy lights all around. Next to the rink you can also find a beautiful cafe that serves some delicious mulled wine.
Best Things to Do In London During the Holidays
Winterland
Winterland is the ultimate adults playground during the holidays. Located right along the Thames, Winterland is beautifully decorated for Christmas and even has hot tubs you can enjoy. We booked a hot tub session ourselves one cold afternoon and had an absolute blast! It is the perfect way to warm up on a cold, blustery day. You are even allowed to enjoy some wine, or cocktails in the tub. If getting wet isn’t your idea of fun, do not worry! The entire space is equipped with something for everyone. They have a full arcade with games and beer pong. They even have a cozy space with blankets and a fire where you can enjoy some fondue with your friends. In the evenings, the bar area turns into a festive dance floor and is the ultimate party place to bring your friends.
Enjoy A Festive High Tea
We love a good high tea, especially if it is themed specifically for the holidays. If you are a chocolate lover, we highly recommend you check out the ‘Do You Like Chocolate’ High Tea offered at the infamous Kimpton Fitzroy Hotel. From start to finish you will be indulged with some of the best chocolate pastries and cocktails! That’s right… chocolate infused cocktails; each uniquely crafted to pair nicely with the courses of food. This entire tea experience was thoughtfully designed by renowned pastry chef,Thibault Marchand, winner of Bake Off: The Professionals and well known cocktail connoisseur, Sean Fennelly, who thoughtfully infuses chocolate into your beveridges. The atmosphere of the hotel alone will instantly put you in a festive holiday spirit. Thus, if you are looking for a spectacular tea experience, we couldn’t recommend this one enough.
Go See A Play
During the holidays, the theaters in London are stacked with some of the best productions of the year! If you enjoy theater, we definitely recommend you check one out. Our personal favorite this season is the production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child currently playing at the Palace Theater in London. Tickets for this show are hard to come by since it’s new to be released. We hope to see it ourselves soon!
Have Dinner in an Igloo
If you are looking for a unique dining experience, make sure you check out the heated igloos at Coppa Club. These gorgeous lit igloos are situated right along the river Thames, with a stunning view of the Tower Bridge in the distance. These igloos make for an amazing photo opportunity. Due to the popularity of the igloos, make sure you make a reservation far in advance. They book up quickly!
Best Things to Do In London During the Holidays
Oxford Street Christmas Lights
Oxford street is one of the most iconic streets in all of London. During the holidays it is lit up all the way down with gorgeous fairy lights. Some in the shape of angels, others in balls. It is such a beautiful street to walk along and shop if you are in the city.
Find the Perfect Gift at Harrods
It doesn’t matter the time of year, Harrods is one of the world’s most famous department stores. Each floor sells something unique. From designer bags, artisan chocolates, caviar, to electronics, this place has it all. It is such a fun experience to spend the day running up and down the escalator to find the next best thing. Hands down you will find yourself, and your loved ones the perfect gift for Christmas, or Hanukkah in this store!
Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park
In December, you can bet that nearly everyone in the city makes a trip to the infamous Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park at one point or another. A blocked off section of Hyde Park is decorated head to toe with the most festive lights and shops. They have an enormous ferris wheel, rides galore, christmas shopping, tasty food stalls and fun beer gardens to enjoy with family and friends. It is our yearly holiday tradition to spend an evening here with some friends to catch up, sing and enjoy some mulled wine over the fire! They also have their own ice rink and bar too! If you plan to visit on the weekend, just be prepared for the crowds. It does get rather busy on those days, so just bear that in mind.
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a neighborhood in London that is always particularly festive during Christmas. They have wonderful shopping and restaurants who go all out on the holiday decor. We really enjoy walking around covent garden and finding the cute shops to pop our heads into. They also have roasted nuts and incredible street performers on the road, perfect for getting you in the holiday spirit!
Southbank Center London Christmas Market
If you find yourself strolling around the London Eye, make sure you take a moment to stop off at one of the best Christmas Markets in London! The Southbank Center London Christmas market is a wonderful spot to find some festive bites and drinks. They even have a cider lodge perfect for a warm mulled wine!
Admire the Christmas Decorations on the Streets of Mayfair
Bond Street is known to be one of the most popular luxury shopping streets in London. Each designer shop goes all out during Christmas to come up with the best festive window decorations. Some of the most famous include, Cartier, Tiffany, Annabels, and Hedonism Wines. Definitely try to make a stop off at these stores to admire their festive showcases.
Carnaby Street Christmas Lights
Every year, Carnaby Street is decorated with festive Christmas lights. This street has always been known to have some of the most festive and elaborate Christmas decorations in the city. Each year they follow a specific theme for the lights and have a special ceremony to ring in the new season of decorations. This year, they decided to collaborate with the ocean conservation charity Project Zero. They created an eco-friendly Christmas display with the theme, ‘under the water.’ All materials used to create the decorations were from recycled materials which is incredible! Each year it is a blast to walk down Carnaby Street to witness the special theme and elaborate display!
We hope that you were able to gather some bits of inspiration from this blog post. Should you have plans to visit London during the holidays, consider yourself lucky. It is such a magical city to explore during this merry time of year!
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