London in December. Where to find Christmas atmosphere in London

London in December. London is a special place. The more often you visit this city, the more paradoxically you have to see and do. Regardless of the season.

In this post, I will talk about London in December. Is Christmas in London worth it? What to see, where to go? Where are the Christmas markets, where are the ice rinks, and where are the beautiful Christmas decorations?

Christmas London. I dreamed about it for many years. Since the first time I watched the movie Love Actually. And Bridget Jones before that. You know that scene at the end when Bridget runs after Mark in her underwear and no shoes? Beautiful, atmospheric street; it’s snowing. This scene was shot at Cornhill, near the Royal Exchange. And the store Mark left with the new notebook is Montblanc Boutique, which is still open.

In Love Actually, we see the ice rink at Somerset House, decorated Oxford Street, shopping at Selfridges, Grosvenor Chapel in Mayfair, and of course Notting Hill (St Lukes Mewes).

No, I definitely don’t want to discuss romantic comedies here;) It’s just to illustrate the climate. As I guess most of us have seen these movies, at least once, at least for a while.

Christmas in London, when exactly?

Second part of November to beginning of January (notice that some places can already be closed in January).

Just watch out for the dates closest to Christmas, because then the prices of flights go up a lot. In fact, the second half of November will be a good time to go. This year (2024), for example, Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park will open on November 21st.

If you would like to combine a trip with shopping, there are 2 big opportunities: Black Friday (November 24) and sales time. Sales begin right after Christmas (or even on Boxing Day, i.e., 26 December).

Practical information

It’s very easy to get to London from almost everywhere. There are many flights, and standard and low-cost airlines.

Hotels and accommodation in London are quite expensive, and quite specific. During my last two trips I stayed in two different places that I can recommend. First of all, because of the great location. In both cases it is a beautiful district, close to the tube, to many attractions and close to Hyde Park. They are not some special ‘wow’ places, but I think ‘for London’ the quality and cleanliness to price ratio was quite ok.
Inverness Terrace, a room with a small kitchenette, in a newer style (although dark, because part of rooms is in the basement).
Paddington Park Hotel, a typical small hotel, small room, but sufficient for a weekend (no elevator), with a typical English breakfast.

Ice Rinks in London

Photos and videos of decorated ice skating rinks in the city centres in December will appear on social media very often. The most famous “instagram” ones from past years are probably in New York, Amsterdam, and the one in London, exactly at the Natural History Museum.

From 2022, however, we can’t see this ice rink anymore because the place was transformed into a city garden.

So where to go to the ice rink in London?

• Somerset House Ice Rink: this one, which ‘played’ in ‘Love Actually’ 
• Battersea Power Station Ice Rink: at riverside, 3 interconnected rinks for different levels
• Queen’s House Ice Rink in Greenwich
• Westfield Ice Rink: in the shopping centre
• Winter Wonderland Ice Rink: ice rink in Winter Wonderland (a few words more about it later) in Hyde Park. It’s the biggest outdoor ice rink in the UK
• Canary Wharf Ice Rink: in the business district, around skyscrapers, and corpo world
• Hampton Court Palace: at the palace with colourful lights, and a few more:)

Christmas markets in London

As you can probably guess, there is not one Christmas market in London; there are many more. Bigger, smaller; some are whole ‘winter towns’. Where should you look for them?

• Southbank Centre Winter Market, a market on the Thames
• Christmas by the River, London Bridge City, another one overlooking the river
• Leicester Square and Trafalgar Square Christmas markets
• Covent Garden Christmas markets
• Winter Wonderland, Hyde Park

Winter Wonderland

One of the biggest attractions in London during Christmas is Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park. It has been operating in its current form since 2007, and of course it has developed significantly during that time. It is definitely much more than just a Christmas market: an ice rink, a circus, carousels, slide rides, ice sculptures, an ice bar, shows, etc. You can check out all of this year’s attractions in detail here.
There is also a place to eat, there are bars, restaurants, stalls (e.g. a ‘Bavarian village’ or street food).
As for entry, you need to book tickets in advance.
On peak days and times, entry is charged: £5 during standard times and £7.50 during peak times, e.g. weekend afternoons. On other ‘off-peak days and times’ entry is free, but you still need to book a ticket.
You have to enter at the times specified on your ticket. And once you are in, you can stay as long as you want, there is no time limit. Attractions like the ice rink or the wheel are mostly additionally paid. You can book them when booking your ticket. And if you spend £25 on them, you won’t pay for entry.
All the details, and above all, ticket booking, are available at this link.
In my opinion, if you can, it’s worth going to Christmas London when Winter Wonderland is open and planning your time for this visit, at least a few hours. It’s something different, bigger than the standard fairs.
It’s also worth staying longer and seeing it in the dark with lights. Be prepared for crowds, especially during the most popular dates.

Christmas lights and decorations in London

Even if you don’t like crowds like in the markets but are just looking for a festive atmosphere, London is a great place for such a trip. There are lights and beautiful decorations everywhere, so long and pleasant walks await you!

Which of the places are the most famous, and which parts of the city are worth visiting to feel the Christmas atmosphere in London?

• Oxford Street: a classic, but every year the street looks beautiful. Last year, it was decorated with shining stars. In addition, shop windows are decorated, including the already mentioned Selfridges
• Regent Street and Bond Street: streets known for luxury boutiques and restaurants, are both interestingly decorated and illuminated every year
• St. James and Piccadilly, with Ritz and Fortnum & Mason, whose façade transforms into an advent calendar
• Carnaby Street
• Trafalgar Square, with a Christmas tree (traditionally a gift from Norway)
• South Bank Christmas lights, where the fair is
• Belgravia, Mayfair: it’s worth walking around the streets with beautiful Christmas exhibitions and windows; in Mayfair look for the Annabel Club with a spectacular decorations on the building
• Seven Dials
• Covent Garden: I liked this place the most during my December trip to London. Every year there is a Christmas tree, other decorations, and a fair
• Neighbourhoods: Knightsbridge with its decorated Harrods, Chelsea with Ivy Chelsea and Peggy Porschen’s Instagram restaurants and cafes, and the reliable Notting Hill
• Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew: a garden of lights for which you need a ticket, check here

Some of these places are close to each other, to others, you need to take the metro. It’s best to check the map and then arrange a walk.

It’s also a good idea is to take a trip on an open-top bus that will take you to the most famous and beautifully lit streets. The trip has very good reviews, lasts an hour and a half and I think it’s a good idea, especially if you don’t have much time or don’t know London well. It will definitely allow you to see the most famous decorations and lights in a short time.

Visiting Harry Potter

In London there is another great attraction, especially for people who like Harry Potter. It’s Warner Bros Studio- The Making of Harry Potter, where you can be transported to the film set. Take a look at what you can expect on the website.

It’s a year-round attraction, but it’s probably the busiest during the festive period, when the Christmas decorations are up and ‘Hogwarts in the Snow’ is presented. This year’s dates for this time are 16.11-19.01.2025.

The studio is located outside London, you have to get to Watford Junction and take a bus from there, bus is included in the price.

Tickets are available on the website, unfortunately they sell out very quickly and from what I checked, there are practically no tickets left for December.

What you can do is go on an organized one-day trip. Which will be a bit more expensive, but also more convenient, because in addition to the entrance ticket, it includes a bus from the city centre, from Victoria Coach Station, which will pick you up and take you back.

Tickets are easier to get here, although they sell out quickly, so if you want to visit the Studio during the Christmas period, it’s worth booking as soon as possible.

Musicals, plays, shows

London is famous for its huge number of theatres, plays and musicals. And around Christmas, there are also themed, Christmas ones. The most famous one, which appears every year, is the Nutcracker ballet. Another famous annual performance is Snowman.
But that’s not all, of course, and you can find the entire list of Christmas performances recommended this year here.

If there’s a problem with tickets, or these are not the performances that interest you, it’s worth thinking about some regular, not necessarily Christmas musical. Recently, at the end of September, I went to the musical The Lion’s King at the Lyceum Theatre. This musical is a West End hit and I’m not surprised at all: grand scale, beautiful costumes, music, singing, really an amazing show. I sincerely recommend it.
You can buy tickets for performances in London either directly from the website of the theatre in question, or on many websites that sell tickets to various theatres, e.g. here (I didn’t buy through this website, so I can’t recommend it, I’m just providing an example).

Summary of London Christmas attractions

And are these all the places in London with a Christmas atmosphere? Oh no! London cannot be described in one blog post.

And then there are the decorations and events in pubs, restaurants, shops, exhibitions or special Christmas cinemas (e.g. Backyard Cinema or The Luna Cinema).

It is impossible to see all these places during a weekend trip. But that doesn’t matter, such a weekend will be a great trip. Is it worth going to London in December? I hope I have convinced you at least a little that it is.

And if you like December (and November) trips, read about the cities that win the competition for the Best Christmas Market in Europe.

And here, check out which cities are worth visiting in autumn and winter.