Keep up to date with all things festive on our Christmas 2026 in London page, and see when the rest of London's Christmas lights are switched on this year.

Image: The Shard

Eyes to the skies in London this Christmas, as the Shard's festive illuminations transform the skyscraper into a giant Advent calendar.

Every evening from 1 December, a new Advent design featuring bespoke animations will be revealed in the lights at the top 20 storeys of the skyscraper. It'll be shown every 15 minutes from 4pm throughout that evening. The following day, a different design will be unveiled, every day until 24 December.

Once Advent is over, the Shard will continue to light up over the 12 days of Christmas (25 December-5 January), as the festive animations continue without the Advent countdown.

Image: The Shard

With the right conditions, the sky-high lights could be seen from up to 40 miles away. However, if the fog we've had recently continues, the lights may not be visible from the ground. In other words, the Shard Advent calendar's days might be... numbered.

In 2018, Londonist went behind the scenes to see how the Shard's Christmas lights are set up.

The Shard Christmas lights run from 1 December 2026-5 January 2027.

Adapted from a feature that first appeared in November 2025 on Londonist: Time Machine, our much-praised history newsletter. To be the first to read new history features like this, sign up for free here.

Everybody knows that the old London Bridge got shipped over to Arizona, but did you hear the one about the Thames bridge that moved to Africa?

I’ll admit, the crossing in question is quite obscure. It spanned the Thames for just eight years, and was never used. Few Londoners today would know that it ever existed, despite its prominent location.

Here, I’ve marked it on a Google Earth screengrab:

NOTE: We’re hovering over Millbank here and SOUTH is UP.

Imagine stepping out of Tate Britain, and there before you is a direct bridge to Vauxhall. That was the reality between 1940 and 1948 when ‘Emergency Bridge No. 2 made its not-so-dainty way across the river, to align with Tinworth Street on the southern shore.

Looking back towards the Tate gallery from the bridge. Image via Pathé (see below)

The astute reader will see those dates, clock the name ‘Emergency Bridge’, and put the rest together. Yes, this was an emergency wartime bridge, constructed for redundancy should Lambeth or Vauxhall bridges be smote by the Luftwaffe.

The bridge was designed to be temporary, but built for strength. Sturdy wooden foundations made of Douglas fir were piled into the riverbed. These supported steel girders, and hardwood decking. It was capable of supporting the weight of tanks or heavy guns, which would roll south in the event of a land invasion.

Emergency Bridge No. 2 cost £135,000 to build. The Bank of England’s inflation calculator estimates this to about £6.5 million in modern money. This was reckoned to be around half the cost of a permanent bridge.

In the event, the crossing was never needed. Vauxhall and Lambeth Bridges were not seriously damaged in the Blitz. Indeed, the temporary span at Millbank came to be known as ‘The Bridge They Never Used’. It would also become ‘The Bridge They Couldn’t Get Rid Of’, lingering on for three years after the war thanks to labour shortages.

It was only in 1948 that the unused bridge was finally taken down. The cost to the taxpayer was £78,000, about £2.5 million in today’s money. Pathé news was there to record the operation:

As mentioned in the video, the individual pieces were labelled up and lowered down into waiting barges. The materials were then shipped down the Thames and out of Britain altogether. The flatpacked bridge was destined for Zambia, then known as Northern Rhodesia and a British Protectorate.

There, the structure was reassembled to bridge the River Kafue, a tributary of the Zambezi. This key communication connecting Lusaka and Harare opened in 1949. Whereas in London it had stood before the Tate gallery, it now boasted a hippo pool for its neighbour.

The Kafue road bridge in 1949, fresh from the Thames. Image: Crown copyright.

The bridge found far more use in the southern hemisphere than it ever got on the Thames. It didn’t last long, though. Rising water levels and general wear and tear necessitated a more permanent structure. It was demolished in 1992 to make way for a new bridge, funded by Japan. A series of plaques at the site records this unusual history.

Image courtesy of Geoff Keys, personal communication.

The South Bank bridge

Now, you may have noticed that the crossing was labelled ‘Emergency Bridge No. 2’ on the map. This begs a very obvious question: where was Emergency Bridge No. 1?’. The answer is: right here:

Image: Matt Brown

The central struts of the London Eye align almost perfectly with the long-vanished Emergency Bridge No. 1. It straddled the Thames between the future site of the Eye and the Ministry of Defence Building (itself under construction at the time). Here's another Google Earth view…

Once again, we’re over the North bank looking South (i.e. SOUTH IS UP).

As you might suppose, the purpose of this bridge was to act as backup if either Westminster Bridge or Hungerford Bridge (which had a pedestrian crossing as well as rail links) were to be clobbered. This was a vital corridor of communication, with London’s local government based in County Hall on the South Bank, and the various ministries of national government just across the water in Whitehall.

This Emergency Bridge was painted in watercolour by artist Frances Macdonald in 1945:

Image: public domain

Were she to take up her palette on this spot today, then Macdonald would feel the jostle of punters heading into the Shrek Adventure or the London Dungeon, immediately behind. I wonder what London’s wartime planners would have made of that.

The sketch gives us a good impression of the bulk of the bridge. It had to clear the river by some height, with two large central spans to allow shipping to pass. We can also get a feel for just how much timber went into the supporting columns (as well as the decking and foundations). A couple of good photographs can be seen here, and here’s an aerial view:

The Emergency Bridge can be seen as the middle span to the upper-left. Image via Leonard Bentley, creative commons licence.

Unlike the unused bridge in front of Tate Britain, this one did enjoy a bit of wartime action. We can see why by looking at the official Second World War bomb-damage map compiled in 1945.

That circle over Hungerford Bridge records a strike by a V-1 flying bomb. It piled into the side of the bridge on 18 June 1944. A whole section of track fell into the Thames, but fortunately nobody seems to have been injured. The adjacent pedestrian walkway was also destroyed.

In response, the authorities opened the Emergency Bridge to foot traffic. By all accounts, it was little used. An Evening Standard reporter — Arthur La Bern, who would go on to write the novel behind Hitchcock’s Frenzy — crossed the bridge in October. He provides one of the few first-hand accounts of these Emergency Bridges. He was not impressed.

“The most dejected, deserted, forlorn-looking bridge I have ever seen,” was the verdict. “I spent an hour on the bridge and did not see more than half a dozen pedestrians cross it”. One reason, he discovered, was that a spurious ‘do not use’ notice was still pinned to the southern end. Britain’s wartime logistical planning was not always a well-oiled machine.

It seems there was little demand for any pedestrian crossing here, at least outside rush hour. Everyone used Westminster Bridge. Few noticed when Hungerford footbridge reopened in November. “After several hours,” reported the Evening News, “only one man, an Army Corporal, had crossed the Thames by the footpath.”

Like the Millbank Bridge, the crossing to County Hall lingered around for three years, but did see some minor use. It served as a fireworks platform during the Victory Celebrations of 1946 and, according to one newspaper aside, it briefly reopened in November 1947 to help with the crowds for the wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip. After that it was taken apart for recycling. The strong Douglas fir piles and wooden decking were largely taken on by London County Council, providing material for some 600 new houses.

Another cache of wood — ‘250 standards of timber’ — was retained at the riverside. Towards the end of the 1940s, the embankment between Westminster and Waterloo bridges was expanded further into the Thames as part of preparations for the 1951 Festival of Britain. The old bridge timbers were reused in its construction, and may still be down there.

As it transpired, the bridge should have been left intact. It would have been extremely handy for the 1951 Festival. Instead, a new bailey bridge was constructed by the Army along the upstream side of Hungerford Bridge, and demolished again soon after the Festival. Today, one of the magnificent Golden Jubilee Footbridges stands here.

A third bridge at Chelsea

One other temporary bridge was built in the 40s, when “Emergency Bridge No. 3” was thrown across the Thames between Chelsea and Battersea Park. This one was particularly strategic. Chelsea Bridge led immediately north to Chelsea Barracks, a site expected to come under enemy attack. The Luftwaffe, it was feared, would no doubt also target the nearby bridges.

This time the view is from the South, looking North.

The third span was completed around the same time as its two downriver siblings, all to similar designs. And all three were constructed by Holloway Brothers, who’d recently worked on nearby Wandsworth and Chelsea bridges. The ever-exceptional A London Inheritance has a photograph.

Like the bridge at Millbank, it was never called into action. According to one press report, the Chelsea end was blocked off by a tree, which would, presumably, have been felled if the bridge were ever needed. It wasn’t, so it wasn’t, and the bridge lingered on like its siblings until its demolition in 1948.

It, too, was destined for Africa. The central span was loaded onto barges and shipped over to Uganda, where it became a key crossing over the Kazinga Channel, replacing a ferry. It was initially hoped that the bridge would improve communications in the region, a big obstacle to Britain’s ‘East African Groundnut Scheme’. This inept venture hoped to grow vast quantities of groundnuts in African soil to help with food shortages — particularly margarine — back in Britain. It failed miserably, but at least Uganda got a bridge out of it.

Image courtesy of Geoff Keys

Image courtesy of Geoff Keys

And it still stands. After initial publication of this article, reader Geoff Keys kindly sent me these photographs from 2025 of the bridge still spanning the Kazinga Channel. It also comes with a memorial stone:

Image courtesy of Geoff Keys

Next time someone asks you: “Did you know that an American once bought London Bridge and had it reconstructed in Arizona?” you can counter with “Yes I did. But did you know that two London bridges were also shipped off to Africa, and one of them still stands?”.

Looking for somewhere special to sink an eggnog or mulled wine with friends over the festive season? Try one of these pop-ups. Merry Hic-Mas! 🍸☃️

Keep up to date with all things festive on our Christmas 2026 in London page.

Apres Bar at London Bridge Rooftop

London Bridge Rooftop gets into the alpine spirit. Image: London Bridge Rooftop

Though it's open year-round, London Bridge Rooftop gets into the alpine spirit from November (exact date TBC), becoming Apres Bar — a fir tree and bauble-festooned drinking setup, scattered with vintage alpine paraphernalia and serving up shots off skis. It's fully-covered, sheltering you from any snow rain storms, and those after a little privacy can book a private cable bar booth or Christmas grotto.

Apres Bar, London Bridge, from November (exact date TBC) 2026

Miracle on Russell Street, Covent Garden

The drinks are gimmicky, yet delish. Image: Londonist

Travel back to the gaudy Christmasses of decades past, with Miracle's spec-tacky-ular pop-up in Covent Garden. For 2026, it moves to a larger venue, with a minor rebrand to 'Miracle on Russell Street'. But the concept is reassuringly similar: slurp OTT festive cocktails from ludicrous mugs, while admiring plastic Christmas trees bespewed with tinsel. The drinks are gimmicky, yet delish. Our fave — and we have knocked back a few here in our time — was the Jingle Balls Nog, sloshed together with cognac, cream sherry, almond milk, cream, egg, vanilla and nutmeg.  Miracle books up way in advance, although there are limited walk-ins each day. Don't forget to buy an armful of souvenir drinkware on the way out.

Miracle on Russell Street, Covent Garden, 9 November-30 December 2026

The Montague Ski Lodge, Bloomsbury

Swear that snowman was standing on the right a second ago... Image: The Montague.

Transporting you to a wintry alpine mountaintop, the Montague Ski Lodge comprises a cosy setting of lanterns, fairy lights, snuggly woollen blankets and ski equipment pinned on the walls — complemented by a menu of festive drinks (think spiced cider, hot chocolate cocktails). Here's the rub: it's for exclusive hire and overnight guests of the Montague on the Gardens hotel. BUT they do occasionally accept walk-ins. In short: if you're in Bloomsbury and fancy a festive snifter, pop your head round the door and ask nicely.

The Montague Ski Lodge, Bloomsbury, 11 November 2026-31 March 2027

Churchill Arms, Kensington

The Churchill Arms switches on some 20,000 fairy lights each Christmas. Image: Matt Brown/Londonist

London's most instagrammable pub once again cracks out 90-odd conifer trees, slaps them on the building's exterior and smothers them in fairy lights. We can only assume that the soaring leccy bills are cancelled out by the stream of thirsty punters pouring in through the doors. Though the Churchill Arms is not a festive pop-up per se, the pub's interior is also draped in garlands and twinkling fairy lights (plus the odd bonus tree because you can't have enough trees), and they serve mulled wine.

Churchill Arms at Christmas, 12 November 2026-early 2027

Mariah Carey's Holiday Bar, Greenwich

Photo ops galore at this bar. Image: Mariah Carey's Holiday Bar

Mariah herself is in town this Xmas (well, late November), but if you don't get the chance to wish her a good one, you can at least pose with cardboard cutouts of her at Mariah Carey's Holiday Bar, pitching up at the O2. There are now eight festive pop-up Mariah bars, but the rest are in the US, and it'll prove a darn sight faster/cheaper to hop on the Jubilee line and get your fix of Make My Wish Come True cocktails here.

Mariah Carey's Holiday Bar, O2, Greenwich, 19 November-late December 2026

Humbug, Greenwich

Be serenaded by Santa at Humbug. Image: Londonist

Less bar, more bonkers bacchanal, Humbug — which has shifted to Greenwich Borough Hall for 2026 — nudges you into playing festive games, and role-playing with characters including a disgruntled waitress and a mailman who's lost his letters. Order festive cocktails and grub, with live music from Santa himself (backed by house band Johnny Whiskey & the Barflies). A good bet for group parties, this, and definitely not for those seeking a quiet sherry by the fireside.

Humbug, Greenwich, 4-24 December 2026

The cinema, which first opened in 1929, became a Wetherspoon in 2001. Image: Happiness Corp

For over two decades, Forest Hill was home to one of south London's most remarkable pubs.

The neo-classical Capitol building originally opened in 1929 as a cinema, but — in a story that was echoed across Britain — pivoted into a bingo hall in the late 1970s. In 2001, it began a third lease of life, when taken over by Marmitey pub company Wetherspoon, and transformed into a cut-price drinking palace lauded by Deserter as "simply one of the wonders of the western world."

No longer a thrifty lager palace. Image: Happiness Corp

Though rumours ebbed and flowed over the years about the Wetherspoon branch closing (including a suggestion it might go back to being a cinema, prompting one local to observe "After working all day I want a fag and a decent pint, not Fassbinder and a fucking flap-jack"), it survived until October 2023, when Wetherspoon shut up shop.

The good news: the building has finally reopened; the bad news (for thrifty thirsties at least): it's no longer a pub, but soft play centre, Gambado Forest Hill. The £1.3m revamp has seen the site fitted with a soft play, ball pits, climbing frames and party rooms — although importantly the Capitol's outstanding historical features, including a decorative mezzanine balcony and a proscenium arch, remain in fine fettle.

Wetherspoon shut up shop here in 2023. Image: Ben Sutherland, Creative Commons

So while you can no longer watch a film, get a full house or sink a beer for under two quid here, consider this just the latest chapter of a century-old building that understands it must shift with the times.

Meanwhile, Wetherspoon's game plan for London domination is far from waning; two central boozers are on the cusp of opening; one in the Trocadero building in Piccadilly, the other next to Charing Cross station. Neither are in old cinemas, although extant Charing Cross Wetherspoon the Montagu Pyke, is.

The classic option: bowling at Rowans. Image: Matt Brown

They call it "competitive socialising".

It's the rapidly growing trend for pairing food and drink with some kind of group activity. If you're looking for something a bit more 'experiential' for your office party, while still within reach of a well-stocked bar and versatile menu, then consider one of the following venues (activities listed alphabetically).

10-PIN BOWLING: The original competitive social experience is still going strong, with dozens of venues across the capital. All Star Lanes (Brick Lane, Holborn, Stratford, White City) continues to lead the way at the more sophisticated end of the bowling spectrum, with a cocktail bar, restaurant and other activities such as karaoke and shuffleboard. Lane 7 (Victoria and Camden) does something similar with a more clubby, neon look. Rowans in Finsbury Park has long been a favourite of Christmas parties, with lanes that stay open until the early hours.

AXE-THROWING: Arguably the most surprising social activity to invade London's bars in recent years is the trend for axe-throwing. Several venues have got in on the axe, including Axeperience in the Square Mile and Game of Throwing in Hammersmith. The format works best for smaller groups, but most venues can handle larger bookings.

Hit your colleague for six at Sixes. Image: Sixes

CLAY TARGET SHOOTING: Wielding a firearm takes training, a gun licence and a drive out to the countryside... unless you pop down to Clays. Three venues in Soho, Moorgate and Canary Wharf offer virtual clay pigeon shooting on giant screens. The lack of actual projectiles means your group can safely work its way through the cocktail list between rounds.

CRAZY POOL: You've heard of pool. You've heard of crazy golf. It was only a matter of time before crazy pool was a thing, and so it is, at Roxy Ball Room. Needless to say, the game takes your classic pool setup and skews it with all manner of obstacles to pot your way around. Trick shots are the rule, not the exception.

CRICKET: Don't worry if you've never wielded a cricket bat in your life. Sixes cricket has everything set up so that anyone can experience the thrill of thwacking a ball into the nets. The bat and ball are real (though the ball's soft), but you get a virtual bowler — including some of the game's most famous names. Between overs, players can relax and enjoy the well-stocked bar and food menu. Christmas packages are available at all London venues (London Bridge, Wembley, Stratford).

Get your curl on at Curling Club. Image: Matt Brown

CURLING: The peculiar Scottish sport in which players slide stones across ice, which is then polished by frantic broom action, makes a pop-up appearance in London each winter. The lanes at the Curling Club (Chelsea and Vinegar Yard) use plastic surfaces, and dispense with the brooms, but it still makes for a memorable team activity. Or, book a team building curling experience at London's only authentic curling rink, at Queens.

DARTS: One of the oldest forms of competitive socialising, darts was invented in London about a century ago. It was also reinvented in London in 2015 when the first branch of Flight Club opened in Shoreditch. The chain offers various dart-based activities fuelled by comprehensive food and drink menus. Flight Club offers Christmas packages for groups of up to 37 at all of its venues, including the four in London (Shoreditch, Bloomsbury, Islington and Victoria).

ESCAPE ROOMS: Not entirely a competitive social, in that you're generally working as a team rather than against one another, but escape rooms have a similar vibe to the other activities in this list. Venues come and go. Perhaps the most exciting right now (for Tube nerds at least) is the Mission: Breakout escape room, which takes place in a genuine ghost station (South Kentish Town). Other popular venues include ClueQuest on Caledonian Road, Escape Plan in Shoreditch and Sensas in Vauxhall (which also includes a Tube-themed section). Many other venues are available across London.

FOOTBALL: Normally if you start a kickaround in a bar you'll be... well, barred. TOCA Social at the O2 actively encourages you to hoof a ball as part of its interactive soccer-based games, including penalty shootouts. The venue can handle lots of small parties, or has a dedicated "players lounge" that can cater for groups of up to 250. Back of the net! There's a second London venue in White City too.

Back of the net! Image: TOCA Social

HOOKY: Sometimes the lowest-key games prove the most addictive, and such is the case with hooky, a tabletop setup, in which you take it in turns to swing a ring on a string (what a satisfying rhyme) in a bid to loop it over a hook. We actually first discovered this game in a pub in the Lake District, but you can play it for free at Players Social in Spitalfields. Plenty of other (paid-for) games are available here too.

LASER TAG: Like the idea of paintballing but don't want all the mess and the pain and the outdoorsiness? Then consider the old childhood favourite of laser tag. Laser Quest has a number of venues across town, including Brent Cross, Enfield and East Ham.

MINI-GOLF: The old seaside favourite first swung into London's bars over a decade ago now. Various chains and one-offs offer competitive putting for groups. Puttshack (venues in Bank and White City) is one of the most established, and comes with dedicated Christmas packages. Swingers goes for a vintage look at its Oxford Circus venue. Ted's Crazy Golf in Shoreditch is the place for shabby chic putting.

Swingers is one of many places you can play crazy golf in the capital. Image: Swingers

MONOPOLY: The hoary family game has had a glow-up and a grow-up to become Monopoly Lifesized in Fitzrovia. Work your way around a walkable board, accruing properties and making bags of cash. Better than the real thing, in that it only lasts 80 minutes! After the game, relax in the Top Hat bar and restaurant. Best suited for smaller groups. Note: it leaves London in January 2027, so this is a last call for Christmas parties!

MULTI-SPORTS: Can't decide which activity to try? Some venues have multiple offerings. Boom Battle Bar has branches at Aldgate East, Ealing, the O2, Oxford Street and Wandsworth. Inside the "Battleground", you can compete at axe-throwing, augmented-reality darts, beer pong, shuffleboard and more. They even put on cocktail masterclasses and karaoke. Similarly, Gravity at Westfield Stratford and Wandsworth will leave your bucket list overflowing. Street golf, AR darts, e-karting and video gaming are just some of the activities.

Is petanque your game? Boule-y for you. Image: Boulebar

PÉTANQUE: "I must have some boules. I demand to have some boules!!" So shouted Withnail in the 1987 cult classic. Or perhaps it was booze. Not sure. Happily, Boulebar, on the South Bank and in Spitalfields, offers both. The gentle French game is reimagined for small groups, with a bar and street food to merry things along.

PING PONG: One of London's most established competitive social venture, Bounce first opened its doors in 2012, shortly after the London Olympics, and currently offers pimped-up ping pong in Battersea Power Station. More boozy patrons can even have a go at beer pong: "you sink em, you drink em". Special Christmas packages available.

SCAVENGER HUNT: Kind of like an escape room, but with the whole of London to puzzle over. One of the most novel is Chicken Rush. One of your party dresses up as a chicken, then hides somewhere in the local area. The rest of the group then use GPS and other clues to hunt the bird. (Jokes about massive cocks are probably mandatory.)

Shuffleboard has gradually slid its way into many a pub and bar across the city. Image: Electric Shuffle

SHUFFLEBOARD: Almost unheard of in London a decade ago, Shuffleboard has gradually slid its way into many a pub and bar across the city. Electric Shuffle in King's Cross, Canary Wharf and Bermondsey is a venue entirely dedicated to the shuffling arts. Get up to 16 players around one board, or hire the whole place out for larger corporate events. Snazzy bars too.

VIDEO GAMES: Most competitive socialising venues give real-world sports a digital makeover. But some places put video games themselves at the heart of the experience. Immersive Gamebox in Stratford, Wandsworth, Shoreditch and South Bank, has booths for up to six people, with games ranging from Angry Birds to Squid Game. Meanwhile, F1 Arcade's offering is self-explanatory, with Formula 1 racing simulators built around a bar area in One New Change next to St Paul's. Or check our round-up of where else to play arcade games in London.

Keep up to date with all things festive on our Christmas 2026 in London page.

Winter Light is a free trail around Southbank Centre. Image: Gareth Gardner

December can be an expensive month, especially in London.

If you're looking for ways to save cash and enjoy the festive season on a budget, indulge in these free and festive ideas for things to do in London for Christmas 2026. You won't have to spend a dime — Merry Thriftmas!

See the London 2026 Christmas lights

The Christmas lights in central London are a free festive highlight. Image: Regent Street

London's array of Christmas illuminations are switched on from early November (see the exact switch-on dates), and they're all free to admire. Wander round Regent Street, Oxford Street, Covent Garden, Carnaby and other areas to witness London at its twinkly best.

Seek out Dennis and Gnasher in Fleet Street

Image: Fleet Street Quarter

Last year it was Snoopy. Before that, penguins and snowmen. This year it's Beano characters Dennis the Menace and Gnasher. 12 sculptures of the duo are dotted around the Fleet Street area in a free sculpture trail (18 November 2026-15 January 2027), each one designed by a different artist. This collaboration with Wild in Art marks 75 years of the scruffy-haired cartoon character.

The Elf on the Shelf trail

Images: Andrew Abbott/Jasmeen Hemmings via creative commons

In addition to the Beano art trail (above), a trail of 12 giant Elf on the Shelf sculptures will be on show in central London (16 November-late December 2026), with Elfie swapping the shelf for a series of London landmarks including Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square and Westminster Cathedral.

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Experience a Victorian Christmas at St Katharine Docks

Image: St Katharine Docks

Step into the magic of a Victorian Christmas village at St Katharine Docks this season, complete with festive cabins, twinkling lights and carol singers — all just moments from Tower Bridge and the Tower of London.

For a fantastically festive day out, head to Marble Quay, overlooking the water by the storied Dickens Inn. Wander through a charming Victorian-inspired setting and enjoy traditional decorations, festive lighting and live performances. The costumed carol singers are a particular highlight.

While enjoying the atmosphere of the historic dockside, browse unique gifts, artisan products and seasonal treats — all supporting independent businesses offering something a little different from your usual festive shopping experience.

Victorian Christmas Village is at St Katharine Docks, 7 November 2026-3 January 2027, open 11am-8pm daily. Entry is free.

Wander around London's Christmas markets

Entry to the Southbank Centre Winter Market is free. Image: Adam Luszniak

London has numerous Christmas markets and fairs, and many offer free admission — although you will have to part with your pennies if something tempts you, or if you fancy warming up with a mulled wine.

Top of the list is Southbank Centre's Winter Market (until 3 January 2027), a collection of wooden chalets decked in sparkling lights, next to the river. It's free to stroll along, soaking up the festive atmosphere, though it gets busy at weekends. While you're there, check out...

Southbank Centre's Winter Light

Winter Light is a free light trail. Image: Jakob Kvist, Dichoic Sphere (2020)

London's packed with light trails and festivals this time of year, but some are pricey to get into. Not so with Winter Light at Southbank Centre (24 November 2026-31 January 2027), which is free to admire, and consists of a series of outdoor artworks by a dozen artists, colourfully illuminated at night. You could combine it with a visit to the Southbank Centre Winter Market (above).

Admire the Ever After Garden in Duke of York Square

Image: Cadogan

Over 30,000 glowing roses light up London again this winter, as the Ever After Garden (5 November-21 December 2026) returns to Chelsea's Duke of York Square. It provides somewhere for Londoners to remember absent loved ones in the run-up to Christmas, and there's the option to dedicate a rose, for a minimum donation of £15 to The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.

It's free to visit, but as it's for charity, do consider donating a couple of quid if you can.

Wander through the Firefly Festive Forest

There's a new addition to Sloane Street this festive season. Image: Cadogan

New for Christmas 2026 is Chelsea's Firefly Festive Forest (12 November-1 December 2026), a free outdoor art trail of 30+ Christmas tree sculptures wending its way down Sloane Street. Artists including Alison Jackson, Charlotte Colbert and Tom Faulkner each created their own tree, and they'll all be auctioned off in December to raise money for the Quintessentially Foundation. Until then, they're free to view. Why not pair this with a visit to the nearby Ever After Garden (above).

Sing your heart out at a carol concert

Image: All Souls Langham Place

If you wanted, you could go to a carol concert every evening in December, and still barely scratch the surface. Particularly popular — and free — are carols at All Souls Langham Place, which has three concerts on each of eight days this year (phew!), and Carols by Candlelight at Union Chapel, which is free, though a £10 donation is encouraged if you can afford it.

Free choir performances at Winter by the River

Image: London Bridge City

Seasonal festival Winter by the River returns to the area surrounding Hay's Galleria (10 November 2026-3 January 2027), complete with a free-entry market, pop-up bars and curling. Though there's a charge for much of the entertainment, you can get your fill of Christmas spirit for free at pop-up choir performances. Gather round the beautifully-decorated Christmas tree inside Hay's Galleria on selected lunchtimes, afternoons and evenings throughout December and treat your ears to different musical groups performing seasonal tunes.

Watch the Peter Pan Cup on Christmas Day

What'll you be doing at 9am on Christmas Day? One hardy group of swimmers takes to the frigid waters of the Serpentine in Hyde Park for the Peter Pan Cup, a traditional race dating back to the 1860s under different names. The race itself isn't open to the general public — so you're off the hook for a chilly festive dip — but it is free to watch, with spectators gathering at the lake's edge. Just remember there's no public transport (except cycle hire) in London on Christmas Day.

Keep up to date with festive happenings in the capital on our Christmas 2026 in London page.

Book your Christmas lights bus tour and admire the decorations in style. Image: Matt From London, Creative Commons

London's bewitching in November and December, twinkling with Christmas lights.

You could wander around them all, or you could hop on a bus and watch the illuminations roll by your window; several special bus tours operate during the festive season. Here's a selection of organised tours which'll take you into the heart of the festive magic.

Note that due to the pedestrianisation of a large part of Oxford Street from October 2026, many of these tours are taking different routes to previous years.

Golden Tours' London Christmas Lights bus tours 2026

Disco bus, but make it festive. Image: Matt From London, Creative Commons

Golden Tours offers a bus tour of the London Christmas lights with a live guide on an open-top bus, passing the lights of Oxford Street, Regent Street and Piccadilly Circus, as well as the Trafalgar Square Christmas tree (in situ from early December). For Christmas 2026, the route heads up Regent Street, through Oxford Circus, west along Wigmore Street, and southwards back through Mayfair, including Berkeley Square where Annabel's always puts on a fantastic display. Although you don't travel along Oxford Street, you cross it twice, getting a glimpse of those Harry Potter lights.

For added audience participation, book onto the Singalong Christmas Lights Tour, and spend 90 minutes touring the sights while singing along to well-known Christmas tunes. Mince pies, shortbread biscuits and festive drinks are included (or hot chocolate or prosecco are available on different versions of this tour). Note that this one is not an open-top bus.

Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis and can't be reserved in advance. And unlike other Golden Tours routes, these are not hop-on, hop-off tours.

Duration: 70-90 minutes.

Departure and return locations: Choose between the London Eye, Buckingham Palace Road (Victoria), or Green Park station, and take a full circular tour.

Dates: From 7 November 2026.

Tootbus Christmas Lights Tour 2026 with boat cruise

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Tootbus' non-stop Christmas sightseeing tour starts close to Leicester Square. Board an open-top double-decker and pass the lights of Trafalgar Square (from early December) and Piccadilly, before heading up Park Lane, crossing Oxford Street twice, and heading back down Regent Street — all while a guide regales you with stories of London Christmases past and present. Alternatively, an audio guide is available in 10 different languages.

New for 2026: Your ticket includes a daytime hop-on hop-off Thames cruise operated by City Cruises, to be taken before you board the evening bus tour.

Duration: Approx. 75-90 minutes on the bus (plus separate boat cruise).

Departure and return location: Coventry Street (between Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus)

Dates: 14 November 2026-3 January 2027.

Vintage London Christmas Lights Bus Tour 2026

Image: The Classic Tour

For added retro glam, take a tour of the illuminations on a vintage 1960s Routemaster. The Christmas Lights Bus Tour provides you with live commentary as you pass Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, Regent Street, Berkeley Square, Hyde Park (home to Winter Wonderland during Christmas), Piccadilly, Big Ben and the London Eye. Festive music is thrown into the mix.

Note: it's a semi open-top Routemaster, so dress warmly. Though you're guaranteed a seat on the top deck, specific seats are on a first-come, first-served basis and can't be reserved in advance.

Duration: 75 minutes.

Departure and return location: Round trip from Northumberland Avenue (just south of Trafalgar Square).

Dates: 16 November-30 December 2026.

Brigit's Bakery's London Christmas Lights Afternoon Tea Bus Tour 2026

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Legendary roving afternoon tea slingers Brigit's Bakery offer two options for seeing the Christmas lights from buses this year.

The Christmas Lights Afternoon Tea Sightseeing Bus Tour is a 90-minute route swinging past landmarks including the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Hyde Park, St James’s Park, the Royal Albert Hall, Marble Arch, Nelson's Column, the Regent Street lights and the Trafalgar Square Christmas tree. Note that different routes run at different times of day — check the FAQs at the bottom of this page for details. For the best view of the lights, book the 5pm or 5.30pm trip (it's dark by then). Your ticket includes an on board afternoon tea, consisting of cakes, pastries and tea, coffee or hot chocolate (bubbly is available at an extra cost).

Alternatively, the Sparkling Christmas Lights Open Top Bus Tour is a 60-minute route on an open-top bus (so wrap up warm!) taking place in the evening with an entertainer on board. You'll pass the Regent Street angels, the Trafalgar Square Christmas tree (from early December), plus Hamleys' Christmas windows, the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Marble Arch, Piccadilly Circus and the Ritz. This option includes a glass of Silverhand bubbly for all adults, with the chance to add on a festive hamper of treats (must be booked in advance).

Note: the Brigit's Bakery booking process gives you the chance to specifically reserve a seat on the top deck — make sure you do so, for the best views!

Departure and return locations: Christmas Lights Bus Tour from Victoria Coach Station. Sparkling Christmas Tour from Trafalgar Square.

Dates: 11 November 2026-5 January 2027.

Santa's Sleigh Christmas Lights Open-Top Bus Tour 2026

Image: Londoner Buses

There's festive music on board the Santa's Sleigh Christmas lights tour, which whisks you on an open-top past Trafalgar Square, through St James's and Piccadilly, up Regent Street (passing the Hamleys windows) and across Oxford Street before returning to Trafalgar Square.

Duration: 90 minutes.

Departure and return locations: Board at Embankment station. Choose to get dropped off at Trafalgar Square or return to Embankment.

Dates: 14 November 2026-3 January 2027.

Keep up to date with all things festive on our Christmas 2026 in London page.

Duck & Waffle serves roast turkey with all the trimmings on Christmas Day. Image: Duck & Waffle

Are any restaurants open in London on Christmas Day 2026? Though most are closed, a handful dish out festive feasts to those seeking a special meal. Whether you're visiting London over Christmas or are a Londoner looking to dodge the cooking (or washing up), we've put together a guide to eating out in the capital on 25 December.

It tends to be the high-end (read: pricey) restaurants which do open for Christmas dinner, usually with set menus. You'll need to book in advance for 25 December, as lots of people will be looking to do the same thing.

And remember: there's no public transport in London on Christmas Day (other than cycle hire). Find other things to do in London on Christmas Day 2026, and find out what else is likely to be open, if you're not after a full meal.

RAILS opens on Christmas Day 2026. Image: RAILS

RAILS, KING'S CROSS: Begin Christmas Day at RAILS with a glass of Nyetimber sparkling wine, before moving on to a three-course feast. Starters include truffled wild mushroom soup or crab ravioli, followed by turkey with sage & apricot stuffing; roast sirloin of beef, black cod with tapioca; or red onion, pumpkin, rosemary & chestnut galette. Finish with festive treats such as Christmas pudding, or panna cotta, followed by mince pies and tea/coffee. See full menu. £115 per person.

JOIA, BATTERSEA POWER STATION: Tuck into a festive repast with a view, on the 15th floor of art'otel Battersea, where tradition meets Iberian. The menu begins with sharing plates of petiscos (Portuguese small plates) and tapas including iberico ham and cured wild salmon, followed by fillet of venison, or turkey with cabbage and madeira sauce. Dessert takes the form of Christmas pudding with a brandy flambé, warm chocolate mousse with an intriguing olive oil caviar and orange ice cream, or an Iberian cheese selection with red-pepper jam. View full menu. £145 per person.

The Winter Garden serves a rather fancy Christmas Day buffet. Image: Landmark London

THE WINTER GARDEN, MARYLEBONE: Do Christmas lunch buffet-style at The Winter Garden, within the Landmark London hotel. This is no run-of-the-mill buffet though: there's a selection of sushi, platinum caviar, plus lobsters and langoustines to start. Continue with roasted bronze turkey, beef fillet, grilled lobster, and wild mushroom and truffle en croûte, served alongside seasonal salads and sides. To finish, the dessert station includes chocolate yule logs and chestnut Mont Blanc, champagne trifle and gingerbread brûlée. Your meal includes unlimited rosé champagne too, for £450 per person. The restaurant also offers a more traditional Christmas Day dinner later in the evening (£275 per person). More information and booking. Elsewhere in the Landmark London, the Great Central pub serves a Christmas Day pub lunch (£165 per person).

THE PRINCE ALBERT, NOTTING HILL: For the first time, Notting Hill pub the Prince Albert opens its doors on Christmas Day, welcoming festive feasters with a five-course meal. Expect traditional favourites including starters of chicken liver and brandy parfait or prawn cocktail. The main event includes a choice of hand-carved turkey breast; blade of beef; or root vegetable wellington, along with pan-roasted duck breast and Scottish sea trout. Dessert choices include a decadent dessert trio, with mini mince pies to end. More information and booking. £90 per person.

This Notting Hill pub opens on Christmas Day for the first time. Image: The Prince Albert

SKYLON, SOUTH BANK: Christmas dinner in a sleek restaurant overlooking the Thames. The Christmas Day menu at Skylon comprises four courses plus coffee and mince pies (mains choices are turkey, lobster thermidor, roast rib of angus or a veggie roast), and we'd put money on the food being both classy and delicious. More information and booking. £125 per person, or £150 per person for a table with a window view (children £65).

THE GUINEA GRILL, MAYFAIR: Apparently London's oldest steakhouse and pub, the Guinea Grill serves three courses plus amuse-bouches on Christmas Day. It begins with warming starters such as roasted pumpkin, sweet potato & carrot soup, while mains include turkey with maple and chestnut stuffing; dry-aged rib of beef with lamb cutlets; and wild mushroom wellington. Finish with a Guinness Christmas pudding or sticky toffee pud, followed by mince pies. More information and booking. £175 per person (including a glass of champagne).

THE WINDMILL, MAYFAIR: Expect traditional favourites with an elevated twist at Mayfair pub the Windmill, from starters of caramelised onion and ale soup with rarebit sourdough toast, to mains of rump beef, or turbot with salmon caviar. Round it off with a sticky fig pudding or British cheese plate. More information and booking. £110 per person.

The Windmill puts an elevated twist on traditional fare. Image: The Windmill

KAHANI, CHELSEA: Fine-dining Indian restaurant Kahani opens on Christmas Day, offering a six-course festive menu. Turkey is the centrepiece, in the form of a tikka anardana with nilgiri green curry, roasted corn kosambari and pickled green apple. Other courses include roasted pumpkin, fennel and cinnamon soup, and a seafood platter. Dessert is a Kesar kulfi Yule log, followed by tea, coffee and petit fours. More information and booking. £120 per person (optional wine pairing £80 extra).

CINNAMON CLUB: Spice up Christmas Day at Vivek Singh's Cinnamon Club, situated within the Old Westminster Library. It's another fine-dining Indian restaurant offering its own take on Christmas Day dinner, via a four-course menu packed with bold flavours and aromatic spices, finished off with Singh's famous garam masala spiced Christmas pudding. More information and booking. £150 per person.

Christmas Day in the Old Westminster Library? Yes please! Image: The Cinnamon Club

NICHOLSON'S PUBS: Most Nicholson's pubs open on Christmas Day, many serving a three- or four-course traditional Christmas dinner, with a separate kids' menu available. Prices vary between locations, starting at £80 per adult/£50 per child.

BOKAN, CANARY WHARF: Celebrate Christmas with a panoramic view, 37 floors up at Bōkan. The main restaurant area opens for a buffet lunch on Christmas Day, while the bar area (one floor up) opens later in the evening. Starters include British charcuterie and local cheeses, or smoked salmon with crème fraîche. For mains, there’s traditional sage and cranberry-stuffed roast turkey; roasted beef sirloin or Josper-grilled salmon, all served alongside marinated tofu, crispy roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings and red wine gravy. Don't skip dessert — opt for sticky toffee pudding, apple crumble with vanilla custard, or a fruit salad. More information and booking. Lunch £59 for adults/£35 for under-12s. Dinner £35 per person.

Enjoy Christmas dinner with a view. Image: Duck & Waffle

DUCK & WAFFLE: We're reliably informed that Duck & Waffle, located 40 floors above Bishopsgate, will be serving a traditional festive feast on Christmas Day 2026. Keep an eye on the website for further details.

CITY CRUISES: For something different, book a City Cruises Christmas Day lunch sailing, and enjoy turkey with all the trimmings as you voyage along the Thames ogling London's landmarks. Board at Westminster Pier and enjoy a welcome drink and a three-course festive meal with all the trimmings, before returning three hours later, much fuller. From £175 per person.

The galleon will remain in London for the rest of 2026. Image: Nao Victoria Foundation.

A full-size replica of a 17th century Spanish galleon sails into London this week, docking near the Tower of London until the end of the year.

El Galeon Andalucia — a replica of a ship that traded ivory, spices, tea and textiles — moors up at St Katharine Docks from Friday 13 November 2026, and will remain here until the new year.

Launched in 2009, the ship is one of a fleet built by the Nao Foundation in Spain, and has sailed more than 70,000 nautical miles, visiting over a hundred ports. The ship first visited London in September 2024, when it proved such a popular attraction, its stay was extended.

Visitors can admire the vessel from the shore (work it into a visit to the upcoming Christmas market/festive illuminations here), or pay to board it and explore six decks of exhibits and a crew in period costume.

Earlier this year a replica of the 16th century Nao Victoria — the first ship to successfully circumnavigate the world — docked at St Katharine Docks.

El Galeon Andalucia, St Katharine Docks, from 13 November 2026

All weekend

New attraction Alice Immersive Wonderland opens in time for the weekend. Image: © Cités Immersives

SANTANDER CYCLES CHANGES: A warning that from the evening of Friday 13 November, the Santander Cycles service won't be available until Tuesday 17 November. This is because TfL is launching a new Santander Cycles app with some upgrades. The cycles will be available again from Tuesday evening, when the new app will be up and running, and the old app will no longer work.

MIRACLE CHRISTMAS BAR: If you like your Christmases like your aunt used to do it in the eighties (i.e. by the absolute bucketload) Miracle is the place for you. The blindingly kitsch festive pop-up bar is back, with as many decorations as they can squeeze in, alongside an OTT Christmas cocktail menu which we've rather enjoyed slurping our way through in years gone by. Miracle has a new, bigger location this year, on Russell Street in Covent Garden. 9 November-30 December 2026. For more like this, see our guide to London's best winter and Christmas pop-up bars.

AN OAK TREE: Tim Crouch's experimental play An Oak Tree is at the Other Palace until this weekend, with Crouch joined by a different guest co‑star at each performance — Katherine Parkinson on Saturday, and Suranne Jones on Sunday. The piece examines loss, suggestion and blame following a fatal accident involving a stage hypnotist. Until 15 November 2026

INSIDE AARDMAN: Inside Aardman: Wallace & Gromit at the Young V&A celebrates the 50th anniversary of the stop-motion studio with models, sets and storyboards from Aardman's archives, many of which have never been on public display before. This weekend is your last chance to see it. Until 15 November 2026

FIREFLY FESTIVE FOREST: A new Christmas attraction for 2026, the Firefly Festive Forest opens on Sloane Street in Chelsea. It's a free outdoor art trail of 30+ Christmas tree sculptures, designed by artists including Alison Jackson, Charlotte Colbert and Tom Faulkner. It's one of our picks of free festive things to do in London this Christmas. FREE, 12 November-1 December 2026

Last chance to view Inside Aardman. Image: Londonist

BLOOMSBURY DUO: Vanessa Bell — sister of Virginia Woolf — and her husband Duncan Grant were the most famous artistic duo of the Bloomsbury Group. View their works and learn about their relationship in a new exhibition at Tate Britain. 12 November 2026-11 April 2027

SYLVIA: The rebellious middle child of suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst is the subject of the musical Sylvia, which transfers from the Old Vic to a short run at the Royal Albert Hall this weekend. It uses a soundtrack of hip‑hop, funk and soul music, with Beverley Knight appearing as Emmeline Pankhurst and Naomi Katiyo as Sylvia. 13-15 November 2026

EFG LONDON JAZZ FESTIVAL: Get down with the trumpets at the EFG London Jazz Festival, which kicks off its first weekend of 2026 with an array of concerts and events — including a Jazz FM live broadcast and performances by Ineza, Faris Ishaq and Chip Wickham. 13-22 November 2026

WUNDRFUL WORLD OF CHRISTMAS: Some might say that mid-November is too early to be getting the kids wound up for Christmas. But if that's not you, take them along to the Wundrful World of Christmas at Excel, where they can meet Santa and his elves via a mixed reality experience, including riding a special lift to the North Pole and visiting the North Pole Post Office. 13 November-24 December 2026

CHRISTMAS AT KEW: We know we shouldn't have favourites, but we have a soft spot for Christmas at Kew, the spectacular light and illuminations festival that glows up the gardens each winter. Over a million lights and thousands of laser beams go into creating the event, which also features a fire garden, light tunnel and illuminated trees. 13 November 2026-3 January 2027. Find other light festivals in London this winter.

Sylvia is at the Royal Albert Hall for one weekend only. Image: Sylvia

ALICE IMMERSIVE WONDERLAND: 10 large-scale rooms bring Alice's Wonderland to life with live performance, interactive games and a 20-minute 360° projection finale. New experience Alice Immersive Wonderland opens at Dock X in Canada Water, offering the chance to meet Lewis Carroll's zany characters and step into scenes including the Mad Hatter's Tea Party and the Cheshire Cat's Forest. From 13 November 2026

CLUB NVRLND: Immersive nightclub experience Club Nvrlnd transforms the Vaults in Waterloo into Peter Pan's underground nightclub. The audience becomes part of a nostalgic party, with a soundtrack of 2000s hits from the likes of Britney Spears, Rihanna, P!nk, Outkast and Coldplay. 14 November 2026-31 January 2027

LIGHT +FLIGHT: The London borough of Barnet offers two weekends of free events and activities for Light + Flight Festival. This first weekend sees large-scale art installations, live music, film, performance, creative workshops and the unveiling of a major new artwork, at Finchley Lakeside. FREE, 14-22 November 2026

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS TRAIN: Choo choo! All aboard the Epping Ongar Lights Express, a special ride on a train bedecked with fairy lights. Once on board, admire specially-installed illuminations through the windows. New for 2026, there are three different themed rides to choose from. 14 November 2026-2 January 2027

Saturday 14 November

The Lord Mayor's Show parades through the City. Image: iStock/lovemax

BENGALURU TO BETHLEM: Today's the final day to see the Bethlem Museum of the Mind's exhibition Manasa Chitra: the Art of Mental Health from Bengaluru to Bethlem, which contains works by artists from India who have a lived experience of mental distress. FREE, 9.30am-5pm

SPITALFIELDS TO STEPNEY GREEN: Explore 500 years of architectural and social history on this walking tour through the East End. The route takes in Georgian buildings, Brick Lane, Altab Ali Park, synagogues, the former Whitechapel Bell Foundry and Stepney Green, examining the area's Huguenot, Jewish and Bangladeshi communities. 10am

LORD MAYOR'S SHOW: If you're a sucker for pomp and pageantry, don't miss the Lord Mayor's Show. The event marks the outgoing Lord (or in this case, Lady) Mayor being replaced by the new one, and takes the form of a procession through the City of London. For the first time in several years, things kick off with a river pageant. FREE, procession from 11am

FAMILY CONCERT: 'Recorder explorer' Sarah Jeffery leads an interactive family concert at St Michael & All Angels Church in Blackheath, exploring everything from the world's tiniest recorder to the square contrabass recorder. The Wrong Recorder invites children to help create a new piece of music, with Wallace & Gromit-inspired musical mishaps along the way. 11am

VERTICAL FARM TOUR: Learn how vertical farming works and why it matters for the future of food on a 45-minute tour at Corner Corner in Canada Water. The session explores how indoor growing can help reduce waste and environmental impact. 11am

Hear about the art deco posters of London's transport. Image: Matt From London, Creative Commons

AFROBEATS BRUNCH: Koyesax and The Fortune Collective Band bring live Afrobeats to Soul Mama Islington, blending Fela and Lagbaja with modern hits from Davido, Wizkid and Rema. African-inspired dishes accompany the performance, with doors opening at noon and music from 1pm. 12pm-4pm

WATERCOLOUR CHRISTMAS CARDS: Valence House Museum in Dagenham runs a festive workshop for adults, exploring the history of Christmas cards. Handle original Victorian examples for inspiration, then create your own watercolour card. Tea, coffee and a mince pie are included. 1pm

ART DECO POSTERS: London Transport Museum's senior curator Georgia Morley explores how art deco transformed London's public transport network into a showcase for modern art and design. This curator's talk draws on the museum's exhibition and the work of artists including Jean Dupas, Vera Willoughby and Edward McKnight Kauffer. 2pm

VIRGINIA WOOLF: Actor, singer and theatre maker Lucy Stevens writes and performs An Audience with Virginia Woolf: Writing One's Mind at Wilton's Music Hall. Drawing on The Waves, Orlando, To the Lighthouse and A Room of One's Own, the play explores Woolf's critique of patriarchy, literary freedom and the vulnerability behind her words. 2.30pm/7pm

JOHN KEATS: Keats House in Hampstead hosts an afternoon of readings and conversation with poets Julia Bird and Mike Sims. Explore the Gothic thrills of La Belle Dame sans Merci and ghostly visions in Keats's work, with tea and cake served. 3pm-4.30pm

Club de Fromage turns 20 in style. Image: Club de Fromage

CLUB DE FROMAGE: Legendary over-30s clubbing event Club de Fromage celebrates its 20th anniversary with a birthday party at Scala in King's Cross. Dance the afternoon away to pop, rock, indie, power ballads and disco tunes from the likes of ABBA, Queen, Bon Jovi and Madonna. Expect balloons, birthday cake and sing-alongs, with fancy dress very much encouraged. 3pm-7pm

COUNTRY CLUB: Saddle up for Country Club, an indoor country music festival at Boxpark Wembley. Expect non-stop country hits, line dancing, cowboy and cowgirl hat giveaways, red Solo cups, Wild West décor and festival lighting. Yee-haw! 3pm-10pm

ICE HOCKEY: Support the local team as Haringey Huskies take on Oxford Rising Stars at Alexandra Palace Ice Rink. The fast-paced evening is suitable for all ages, with an hour-long ice disco taking place straight after the game. Refresh yourself on London's ice hockey scene before you go. Doors 5pm

LONDON FROM THE MARGINS: Rich Mix's London From The Margins festival brings together the people, spaces, sounds and communities that have shaped some of the UK’s most influential underground movements. Tonight, it's Grime night, with a screening of Jesse Bernard’s The Dance Begins at Home, followed by a panel discussion exploring how grime's spaces are built, sustained and passed onto the next generation. 6.30pm

THE AFRONAUTS: The world premiere run of The Afronauts, a Zambian space race epic by award-winning writer Ryan Calais Cameron (For Black Boys...) marks the finale of the Royal Court Theatre's 70th anniversary Downstairs season. Watch the true(ish) story of the Zambian Space Program, and a nation's defiant dream to reach for the stars, play out on stage. 6.30pm (and until 19 December 2026)

A new play celebrates the Zambian space race. Image: The Afronauts

THE WEST WING WEEKLY: Joshua Malina and Hrishikesh Hirway bring a live taping of their podcast The West Wing Weekly to Union Chapel in Islington. The podcast began by focusing on the show it's named after, but has since moved on to Netflix political thriller The Diplomat: this episode features an episode-by-episode discussion of the latest series. Doors 7pm

STRIP YER WILLOWS: Whether you're a dab hand/leg at a ceilidh, or you've never tried one before, head over to Crypt on the Green in Clerkenwell tonight for a charity evening of dancing. Strip Yer Willows raises money for Arthritis UK through music, dancing and raffles. 7pm-10.30pm

BLAZIN' FIDDLES: Scotland's Folk Band of the Year 2025, Blazin' Fiddles bring their rich regional fiddle styles to Kings Place in King's Cross. Jenna Reid, Kristan Harvey, Rua Macmillan, Angus Lyon and Anna Massie combine quicksilver playing, driving piano and guitar, humour and stories from more than 25 years of Scottish folk music. 8pm

DAVID BOWIE SPECIAL: How Does It Feel To Be Loved? brings its annual David Bowie night to Signature Brew Haggerston, mixing plenty of Bowie favourites with the club night's usual indie pop and soul selections. The 18+ event also features music by artists including Belle & Sebastian, Dusty Springfield, the Cure and the Supremes. 9pm

MATRIX PARODY MUSICAL: It's the Matrix, but not as you know it. The Keanu Reeves film franchise gets the musical parody treatment at Lower Marsh Arts Club in Waterloo, offering "an absurd, stupid and clown-y journey through the events of the iconic 1999 sci-fi film, only this time told through the eyes of The One that got away". Sunglasses and long black coats optional. 10pm

Sunday 15 November

Help with the conservation of Chiswick Eyot. Image: Marathon, Creative Commons

CHISWICK EYOT CONSERVATION: Help Thames21 to restore Chiswick Eyot in west London by stabilising its banks and enhancing the island for wildlife. Volunteer tasks include willow spiling, marginal planting, scrub removal, tree pruning, litter clearance and invasive plant removal. Equipment is provided. 10am-2pm

MIDCENTURY MODERN: 85 vintage dealers and modern designers exhibit and sell their wares side by side at the Midcentury Modern at Dulwich College. Immerse yourself in a highly-curated midcentury aesthetic as you peruse furniture and large homewares. 10am-4pm

GIANT LONDON FLEA: Alternatively, head to Stratford's Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park for the Giant London Flea, a gathering of seasoned antique traders and East End house-clearers, alongside a new generation of thrift sellers, offering furniture, home decor, fashion and oddities. 10am-5pm

WIGS AND WIGGLES: Handel Hendrix House in Mayfair holds an interactive concert series for under-fives and their families, bringing Baroque music to life through singing, dancing and movement. Put on a favourite wig and explore the world of Handel's music in historic surroundings. 10.15am/11.30am

Browse the Midcentury Modern in Dulwich. Image: India Roper-Evans

CHRISTMAS FAIR: Handmade crafts, books, treats and festive decorations fill the Great Hall at Blackheath Halls for Blackheath Christmas Fair. There are children's activities, charity Christmas cards, a raffle and seasonal refreshments in the café, with proceeds supporting Age Exchange, its Creative Dementia programme, and Blackheath Community Library. 10.30am-4.45pm. Find other Christmas markets and fairs in London this year.

LABYRINTH 40TH ANNIVERSARY: 2026 marks 40 years since the release of fantastical film Labyrinth, starring David Bowie as the Goblin King. The Prince Charles Cinema marks the occasion with a special anniversary screening, showing a special 4K re-issue of Jim Henson's masterpiece. 12.15pm

CHRISTMAS CABARET: A double bill of comedy, cabaret and singalong classics comes to the Fox and Firkin in Lewisham with 4 Poofs and a Piano x La La Piano Bar: The Christmas Special. The 4 Poofs and a Piano quartet perform an hour of comedy and harmonies, followed by La La Piano Bar's festive set of Christmas jingles and pop songs. 3.30pm-6pm

Hunt for bargains in Stratford. Image: Giant London Flea

RE-ENCHANT: Live literature series Re-Enchant brings poets Gale Burns, Luigi Coppola and Nadia Larina to the Cockpit in Marylebone, with open-mic slots alongside the readings. Curated and introduced by Nick Moss, the evening explores "poetic experiments for a new world". 5pm

THE IMPERFEKTIONIST: Described as 'Mose Allison meets Kraftwerk', the Imperfektionist returns to the Old Library in New Cross to perform tracks from new LP Plunderfoniks. FREE, 5pm

BOB DYLAN: D. A. Pennebaker's landmark music documentary Don't Look Back screens at the Nickel in Clerkenwell, capturing musician Bob Dylan during his 1965 British tour through backstage encounters, interviews and performances. The 96-minute screening is accompanied by Dylan concert footage. 5.45pm

LONDON GAY BIG BAND: The London Gay Big Band brings jazz, soul, swing, musical theatre and diva classics to Toulouse Lautrec as part of the EFG London Jazz Festival. This special seven-piece performance combines big-band energy, powerhouse vocals and LGBTQ+ celebration. 6pm-8pm

RAPHAEL WALLFISCH: One of the world's most recorded cellists, Raphael Wallfisch joins Conway Hall Artistic Director Simon Callaghan for a programme spanning Martinů’s rhythmic 7 Arabesques, Ethel Smyth's Cello Sonata, Henriëtte Bosmans's 3 Impressions and Beethoven's Op.69 Sonata. 6.30pm-8.30pm

SIMPSONS TRIBUTE: An unofficial, unauthorised drag tribute to The Simpsons comes to the Divine in Stoke Newington, hosted by Ash Bestos with rising London drag stars. Expect lip-syncs, comedy, drama and games in tribute to the long-running animated show. 8pm

Keep up to date with festive happenings in the capital on our Christmas 2026 in London page.

Winter Wonderland is back in Hyde Park for Christmas 2026. Image: Joshua Atkins

When is Hyde Park Winter Wonderland this year?

The huge funfair and festival in Hyde Park opens its gates for the Christmas 2026 season on 19 November 2026, running until 3 January 2027.

It's open every day except Christmas Day. The opening hours vary on different days, opening at either 10am, 11am or 12pm and remaining open until 10pm — check the ticketing portal for details of specific days. We've known it to close slightly early on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve in the past — and fair enough, as the staff have places to be.

How to get to Hyde Park Winter Wonderland 2026

Go ice skating at Winter Wonderland. Image: Joshua Atkins

The Winter Wonderland site (and it's a MASSIVE site) is located in the south-east corner of Hyde Park — just head for the flashing funfair lights and big wheel. The nearest Tube stations are Hyde Park Corner, Marble Arch, Green Park and Knightsbridge, though those first two in particular tend to get very busy. If you have accessibility requirements or are travelling with children, Green Park is your best bet as it has step-free access.

There are multiple entrances to Winter Wonderland, although not all are open at all times. Plenty of signs and stewards will help you find your nearest entrance. The Winter Wonderland travel guide tells you which gates (and Tube stations) are closest to each attraction.

Do you need to pay for a ticket to get into Hyde Park Winter Wonderland 2026?

Dress warmly for the Magical Ice Kingdom at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland. Image: Joshua Atkins

As with the last few years, once again you need to book a ticket for everyone in your party to enter the Winter Wonderland 2026 site, regardless of which activities you're doing once inside. This is where things get slightly confusing, because your entry fee depends on when you're visiting:

❄️ If you're visiting Off-Peak (which includes all day Monday-Thursday throughout November), entry is £1. Attractions also offer off-peak pricing during these slots.

❄️ If visiting in Standard times (generally weekend mornings, weekday afternoons), entry is from £5.50 per person

❄️ In Peak times (weekend afternoons/evenings, and weekday evenings closer to Christmas), it's from £8.25 per person. December weekends tend to sell out way in advance, so get in quick if you're planning a visit.

If you're thinking that entry + ice skating + food + a ride or two for the whole family is starting to sound spendy, there's a way around this. Entry tickets are free at any time, if you spend £25 or more on attractions or advance food and drink packages.

A limited number of fast-track tickets are once again available for selected rides this year, helping you to skip the queues once you're in. Keen to ride the biggest rides? The Five Peaks Pass gives fast-track access to the five biggest rides at Winter Wonderland. Alternatively, the Santa Land Unlimited Pass gives unlimited turns on 16 rides within Santa Land for the kids.

There are also special ticket packages available again, allowing you to combine several attractions or rides into a single ticket, rather than paying for them separately.

Is Winter Wonderland 2026 child-friendly?

Hyde Park Winter Wonderland has a free Santa's grotto. Image: Joshua Atkins

Winter Wonderland has plenty for children to do, including mini fairground rides, an ice rink and Santa Land, where you can meet the man himself for free (though be prepared to queue...) or watch Santa's helpers take part in the Winter Wonderland Parade on selected dates. The Jingle Bell Bistro claims to be the world's first street food market just for kids, offering a menu designed for young taste buds.

And that's barely scratching the surface. The bright lights and colours, Christmas decorations and myriad sweet stalls make it something of a child's paradise.

The Santa Land Unlimited Ride Pass is back again this year, giving children unlimited access to 16 family-friendly rides in Santa Land from £27.50. You can ride as many times as you like without the bill going up.

Beyond the entertainment, the Winter Wonderland organisers put in a solid effort at making the whole experience as child-friendly as possible, with plenty of baby changing facilities. If it all gets too much, there's a covered chill/quiet area at the north of the site near the family entrance, where younger visitors can spend downtime away from the bright lights and excitement of it all. It's music-free, with neutral lighting.

A buggy park is provided outside the circus show as buggies aren't allowed inside the dome for fire-safety reasons, but there are no other official pram parks at Winter Wonderland. Kiddie skates and skate aids are available on the ice rink.

Is Winter Wonderland at Hyde Park accessible and wheelchair-friendly?

Winter Wonderland is home to a traditional Christmas market. Image: Justine Trickett

While organisers have made Winter Wonderland as accessible as possible, bear in mind that once you're inside the site, the pathways are temporary, usually made from plastic matting. The majority of attractions are accessible to wheelchair users but organisers recommend contacting them in advance so they can accommodate you.

Other useful information for visiting Winter Wonderland with accessibility requirements:

❄️ Disabled visitors will need to be registered with Nimbus Disability to book Essential Companion tickets this year.

❄️ The ice rink is accessible for both manual and electric wheelchair users, with a maximum of five per session — but the motor must be switched off on the latter.

❄️ Accessible toilets are available at most (though not all) toilet blocks at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, accessed using a Radar key.

Find out more about accessibility at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, including specifics of each of the attractions, before you go.

What's on at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland 2026?

Plenty for kids at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland. Image: Joshua Atkins

What's not on at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland? The huge festival site encompasses a Christmas market, funfair rides, bars, food and drink stalls, a circus, an ice rink and more. Here are the main highlights:

New for 2026 at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland

The Zippo's Circus of previous years is replaced by the Gandeys K-Pop Dragon Circus, a family show combining the vibrant energy of K-Pop with circus artistry to tell the story of a young dragon

Ice rink at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland 2026

Apparently the biggest open-air ice rink in the UK, Winter Wonderland's skating area is rather picturesque, centred around the park's bandstand, and often with live acoustic music to accompany your figures of eight. It's at its best at night, with a canopy of lights overhead. Book ahead, especially at busy times, or check out your other winter ice skating options in London.

Christmas market at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland

The Christmas market once again centres around a Scandinavian-themed Market Square with brightly coloured Danish-style chalets selling artisanal crafts. It's also home to the Star Bar, offering live music and Scandinavian-themed food.

Plenty of food and drink options at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland. Image: Justine Trickett

Ice Kingdom at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland

If walking in a Winter Wonderland isn't festive enough, how about walking in an ice kingdom in a Winter Wonderland? This year, the Magical Ice Kingdom is impressed by Peter Pan's world of Neverland, in association with Great Ormond Street Hospital. Dress warm — the sculptures are made from 500 tonnes of ice and snow, and kept at -10°C. Book ahead for this one, too.

Funfair at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland

Even if you've never been to Winter Wonderland, you've probably seen its rollercoasters protruding into London's winter sky. Dozens of rides and games pepper the Hyde Park site, ranging from a traditional funfair for kids and tamer adults, to wild loop-the-loop rollercoasters and waltzers. For us, it's all about the huge observation wheel — it's 70m high (the tallest transportable wheel in the world, natch), and offers views over the fun below, and the skyline beyond. The real ice slide is always popular with thrillseekers too.

Food and drink at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland 2026

Image: Joshua Atkins

Whether you're after a warming hot chocolate/mulled wine, or a slap-up meal for the family, Winter Wonderland has plenty of eating and drinking options — though bear in mind it can add up. Seating can be limited/non-existent at busy times, but thankfully, some of the following venues do take advance bookings.

For bars and watering holes, Bar Ice (12+ after 7pm, book ahead) serves alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails in -10°C surroundings, with tables, chairs and glasses sculpted from ice. Your session only lasts 20 minutes (!) so sup fast.

The open-air Fire Pit bar has a rustic vibe, with live music sets and cocktails. A carousel bar (18+, hard work after a couple of pints) and Arctic Lodge (18+) are just some of your other options for liquid refreshment... and that's before we get to the beer at the Bavarian Village.

To soak it all up, you've got (deep breath): street food, crepes, waffles, churros, sweet stalls, barbecue pits, hog roasts, fish and chips, bratwursts and a whole host of sit-down restaurants in the aforementioned Bavarian Village. And as mentioned above, Santa Land has a kiddo-friendly food market. Just don't go chowing it all down at once, especially if you're planning a post-lunch whirl on the waltzers.

Hyde Park Winter Wonderland has plenty for thrillseekers. Image: Justine Trickett

Free things to do at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland 2026

As we've said, entry to Hyde Park Winter Wonderland is free if you can go off-peak, but things get pricey once you're inside. There are ways to do it on the cheap though.

Visit Santa at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland

Winter Wonderland's Father Christmas is free to visit* — a rare thing in a city of grottos where you usually fork out for a face-to-face with Santa — and there's even a gift included. That said, you can't book for your freebie rendezvous with the man in red, and queues have been known to be several hours long in past years.

*excluding the Winter Wonderland admission price.

Best time to visit Hyde Park Winter Wonderland 2026

Want to visit Winter Wonderland without the crowds? Good luck with that — a rumoured 2.5 million people visiting during its six-week run every year, though the ticketing system has helped to ease crowding a little in the last couple of years.

As you'd expect, weekends and evenings are the most popular times — and Saturday evenings can be the most... 'vibrant' — so visit on a week day if possible. If that doesn't fit into your schedule, try to visit earlier in the run; the weeks closest to Christmas tend to be busy all day, every day. Weekday mornings are the best, if you're fully flexible, and are ideal for visiting with pre-school age children.

Tips for visiting Hyde Park Winter Wonderland 2026

Image: Justine Trickett

Meeting people at Winter Wonderland

If you're meeting up with family or friends for a trip to Winter Wonderland, we recommend meeting outside the Hyde Park attraction, and heading through the gates together. Not only do the crowds make it hard to find people inside, we've known it to be so rammed that getting phone signal is tricky.

Hyde Park Winter Wonderland 2026, 19 November 2026-3 January 2027.

Looking to dine for cheaper in London but don't know where to start? In this extract from our newsletter Londonist: Keys to the City we steer you towards eight apps packed with tasty offers.

For loads more thrifty London apps — including for travel, lifestyle and entertainment — read the full newsletter (£).

Eating in London is often expensive, but you can stock up your phone with apps that soften the blow. Image: Kuiyibo Campos, Pexels License

EatClub

EatClub is basically an app that, if you have even a tiny bit of planning in you, gets you major discounts eating out. You download the app and look around you for restaurants you want to try — they've got a pretty diverse selection. It changes daily, so don't get too attached — it might require you to be a little bit flexible about where you go and to try something different rather than you getting a discount on your tried and true local. Select the offer you want for the time slot you want, then show up and pay via the card you will generate in-app (this basically just reskins an existing payment method of your choice). The discount will automatically be applied, and it’s usually 30-50%, which is a pretty significant amount off honestly!

I definitely felt a bit suspicious of this one going in, but I can now seriously vouch for it.

Apple / Google Play (that Apple link has my referral code on it, FYI x)

Too Good to Go

The OG food-saving app: Too Good to Go lets you grab surprise 'magic bags' of unsold food from cafes, bakeries and shops near you, usually at a fraction of the original price. It's a bit of a lucky dip (you don't always know exactly what you’re getting, so food allergy sufferers beware — but also be aware you can usually beg your way into something you're allowed). But if you're flexible and like a bit of adventure, it can seriously cut your food bills and help fight food waste. Bonus points for making you feel like a sustainability hero.

Apple / Google Play

The more you walk, the more treats Paace gives you. Image: Neil Theasby, Creative Commons

Paace

Not another food delivery app; pace is a walking and movement app that rewards you with cashback for hitting your step goals. The more you walk, the more money you earn, which you can spend at participating shops and restaurants in London. I clock up around 15,000 steps a day just existing, so it's a good way to save money by simply getting out and about. They're mostly about coffee or treats, but you can get a discount on a bigger meal too.

Apple / Google Play

Karma

Like Too Good to Go's posher cousin. Karma partners with trendy cafes and restaurants offering unsold food for half price, but crucially you know exactly what you're getting before you buy. No mystery bags here — you get discounts on meals or baked goods that would otherwise go to waste. Saves you money and helps cut food waste.

Apple / Google Play

Score 50% off food with First Table. Image: RDNE Stock project, Pexels License

First Table

I've waxed poetic about First Table since I found out about it. This app offers 50% off food (not drinks, don't get caught out) if you book an early dinner, usually between 5pm and 7pm (perfect for all those intermittent fasters) at hundreds of London restaurants. Like an earlybird deal but you don't even have to be 60 to get it. They also usually stipulate if there are any rules with your deal right before you put down your nominal reservation fee (£4-£8). It's great if you can be flexible with your meal times and fancy eating out without the usual shock to your wallet. Plus, it's got a really good bunch of options for fine dining spots, not just cheap chains.

Apple / Google Play

The Fork

Think of The Fork as your dining discount genie. You can book tables at loads of restaurants with discounts up to 40% on your bill, plus collect loyalty points redeemable for free meals. It's a solid way to plan affordable nights out (for big parties, too) without compromising on the experience. Plus you can try loads of new places that you've never even heard of!

Apple / Google Play

Embargo gives you free digital stamps you can spend on coffee and more. Image: willnoble13, All Rights Reserved

Soft Launch

A newish player on the scene, Soft Launch offers exclusive early-access discounts at bars and restaurants before they officially open to the public. It's a free (to access) fun way to try new spots for less, and feel a bit fancy while you're at it. Bonus points if you like being in the know before everyone else — you'll get to try some new stuff out! They also have a VIP section where you have more access all the time for the pretty low sum of £3 a month.

Find out more here.

Embargo

A loyalty app for indie coffee shops, cafes and a few casual lunchtime restaurants. You earn digital stamps each time you buy something, and once you've collected enough, you get a freebie — usually a drink or snack. It's like a paper loyalty card, but smarter and way harder to lose at the bottom of your bag. Especially handy if you have a couple of local favourites you hit up often.

Apple / Google Play

Our pick of free things to do in London this week. Get earlier access to this article, delivered straight to your inbox for free every week, via our newsletter.

Image: Matt From London, Creative Commons

Fulham art

Fulham Library hosts the Annual Autumn Exhibition of work by the Society of Fulham Artists and Potters (SoFAP), with a collection of paintings, ceramics, sculptures, drawings and 2D and 3D artworks. All are free to view, although if you're in Christmas shopping mode, all are also available to purchase.

Until 15 November.

Press, polemic and the Dreyfus Affair

The 1890s saw one of history's first viral mass media moments — the Dreyfus Affair, in which the only Jewish captain in the French Army, Alfred Dreyfus, was wrongly accused of treason and held prisoner on Devil's Island off the coast of French Guiana. The Wiener Holocaust Library's free exhibition J'accuse! Press, Polemic and the Dreyfus Affair explores this pivotal moment in which the whole of France was forced to do some soul searching.

Until 19 March 2027.

Catch a free talk or lecture

It's a bumper week for free talks and lectures in London, covering a gamut of subjects, including:

WOMEN CLIMBERS: Hear about nine extraordinary women mountaineers from the 18th century until present day, either in person at the Royal Geographical Society, or online. 9 November

WOMEN IN THE ARCHIVES: Cultural historian Dr Debbie Challis and historian of archaeology Dr Amara Thornton present case studies of tracing women in archaeological records at UCL and the Petrie Museum, focusing on how understanding names and naming are key to unlocking women's involvement in archaeology. 9 November

MATHS AND AI: Will artificial intelligence end mathematics as we know it? Professor Alain Goriely gives a Gresham College lecture about the outcome of AI being able to solve problems once thought to be impossible. 10 November

THIS LITTLE WORLD: Historian Nandini Das discusses her latest book This Little World, in an online talk for the National Archives. Hear about a new vision of England's global past, including the multicultural people who lived in England in the 16th and 17th centuries, but are often left out of the history books. 11 November

What can the sun teach us? Image: Jonathan Borba, Unsplash License

THE SUN: Gresham Professor of Astronomy Chris Lintott tackles what our Sun can teach us about other stars in the Milky Way, and how it can help us in our search for extra-terrestrial life. 11 November

DICKENSIAN TIME TRAVEL: Author Elly Griffiths discusses her new novella, The Case of the Christmas Card, in which Charles Dickens finds himself in 2024 — and even visits the museum in his former home, where this talk takes place. See Griffiths in conversation with Dickens' own great-great-great granddaughter, fellow author Lucinda Hawksley. 11 November

HATTON GARDEN HISTORY: Another offering from Gresham College, this time looking at how the Hatton Garden area went from actual garden to glittering jewellery district. 12 November

GILDED AGE FASHION: And finally... Dr Elizabeth L. Block from MoMA in New York takes part in a discussion about her latest book, Gilded Age Fashion, at the V&A South Kensington. Get an insight into the social etiquette and customs that guided the sartorial choices of the fabulously wealthy of elite American society in the 1870s-90s. 12 November

Coming-of-age in style

Image: © Nakamura Kenta

One of our art critic's picks of must-see November exhibitions, Japan House opens Tradition/Rebellion: Coming-of-Age Style in Kitakyushu. It's a celebration of the eclectic fashion worn by 20-year-olds in the Japanese city of Kitakyushu as they mark their entry into adulthood. In the rest of the country, this is normally a formal affair, but in Kitakyushu they combine tradition with deeply personal fashions — in the name of demonstrating individuality.

11 November-18 April.

London's Lost & Found

Free exhibition Lost & Found is an ongoing exploration of London through its waste, by artist Ryan Blackwell. View photos of the objects, images and ideas that sit at the edges of our attention, from discarded litter to abandoned mattresses.

12-17 November 2026.

Wander through the Firefly Festive Forest

New for Christmas 2026, the Firefly Festive Forest is unveiled in Chelsea on Thursday, and is free to visit.

The outdoor Christmas art trail comes to Sloane Street, featuring more than 30 artist-designed Christmas tree sculptures. Wander among them while they're in situ — they'll be removed in early December and auctioned off, raising money for Quintessentially Foundation's Firefly Project, which supports disadvantaged children and young people across London.

The Firefly Festive Forest is one of our picks of free things to do in London this Christmas.

12 November-1 December 2026.

See inside a working fire station

Fulham Fire Station on Fulham Road holds a free open day on Saturday, inviting the public inside to get a closer look at its vehicles and equipment, while also celebrating the station's 130th birthday.

14 November.

Watch the Lord Mayor's Show...

Things get lively in the Square Mile on Saturday, when the annual Lord Mayor's Show takes place, celebrating the new Lord Mayor taking up the role. The whole event is free to watch, and this year begins with a flotilla on the river — for the first time since 2017 — followed by a lengthy procession through the City.

All manner of performers and community groups are part of the epic three-mile long procession (the procession being longer than the actual route) from Mansion House via Cheapside and St Paul's Cathedral to the Royal Courts of Justice, then back to Mansion House.

14 November.

... and visit St Paul's for free

Get inside for free. Image: Matt From London, Creative Commons

As is tradition on the day of the Lord Mayor's Show, St Paul's Cathedral offers free entry to visitors to the Square Mile. Access to the cathedral floor is free until 4pm on Saturday, or you can climb to the dome for the reduced price of £13.50 — though note that free entry cannot be booked in advance and it's very popular every year, so be prepared to queue, or possibly even be turned away if it gets too busy.

Another perk of the Lord Mayor's Show is free guided walks led by City of London Guides, with four different routes, and tours leaving approximately every five minutes between 3pm and 4pm.

14 November.

Light + Flight Festival

Image: Light + Flight

Taking place this weekend and next, Light + Flight Festival is a free borough-wide festival in Barnet.

This first weekend unfolds at Finchley Lakeside, with large-scale art installations, live music, film, performance and hands-on workshops for families.

Next weekend, the fun moves to the RAF Museum and Artsdepot.

14-15 and 21-22 November.

London's Christmas light displays

Image: Fitzrovia Quarter

Some of London's Christmas lights have already been switched on for the season, with more joining them this week.

Oxford Street's Harry Potter illuminations can be seen from Monday, with Knightsbridge, Spitalfields, Marylebone, Bond Street and Covent Garden among the other areas holding their own free switch-on events this week. Particularly worth knowing about are:

☕ FREE HOT CHOCOLATE: XO Chocolate (35 Riding House Street) gives away 100 free hot chocolates between 5.30pm-6.30pm on Thursday 12 November, as part of Fitzrovia Quarter's lights switch-on event. To claim yours, follow XO Chocolate on Instagram and visit the shop during the promotional hour. 100 freebies available on a first come first served basis.

🎄 REINDEER RACE: What is apparently London's first-ever Great Reindeer River Race forms part of the Fulham Pier Christmas lights festivities. Head here on Thursday 12 November to watch six illuminated rowing boats transformed into racing reindeer for an after-dark showdown along the same stretch of the Thames where the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Races take place.

Image: © Historic Royal Palaces

Ever heard of Shire Horse Sunday?

In one of those quirky events that London does so well, the Shire horses of Hampton Court Palace receive a special blessing in the palace grounds this autumn.

Shire Horse Sunday sees the entire herd blessed by HM's Chaplain of the Chapel Royal, in a unique ceremony held just outside the palace. The horses, led by their riders, line up to receive the blessing, watched by quite a crowd.

Anyone's welcome to spectate, and to join the evensong service at the Chapel Royal, within the palace complex, afterwards.

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A post shared by Operation Centaur (@operationcentaur)

London's last working Shire horse herd is owned by Operation Centaur, who run the Christmas carriage rides in Richmond Park each winter.

The horses live in Home Park, part of the wider Hampton Court Palace grounds, helping to maintain the wildflower meadows both here, and at Kensington Palace, through traditional ploughing.

Image: © Historic Royal Palaces

Shire Horse Sunday 2026 takes place at Hampton Court Palace on 22 November at 3pm. It falls during a garden open weekend, meaning you can visit the gardens (and watch the ceremony) for free — though note that normal admission fees apply if you want to visit the palace itself.

The Hampton Court Palace ice rink opens on 20 November 2026, in case you fancy a skating sesh before/after your equine encounter.

Your weekly roundup of Londonist news and features.

Christmas 2026 Tube Strikes: Action Announced For November-February

Eight x 24-hour strike periods planned.

Image: wellybob_dont_jump, Creative Commons

Oxford Street's Harry Potter Christmas Lights 2026: Dates And Details Announced

Starry nights are back, with added magic.

Image: Oxford Street/Dani Adkins

London Christmas Gift Guide 2026: Ideas For The Londoner Who Has Everything

Books, booze and banging stocking fillers.

Image: TfL/Seats of London

"We're Opening A Lesbian Pub In South London"

Dorothy's is landing in Camberwell.

Image: Dorothy's

Gingerbread City 2026: Biscuity Exhibition Comes To A New Home In Covent Garden

London's most fragrant exhibition returns this Christmas!

Image: © Luke O'Donovan

1746 In Colour: Elephant And Castle To Kennington

Colouring in the John Rocque map.

Image: Matt Brown

Where To Dine And Drink In An Igloo In London This Winter

Delectable domes for seasonal socialising.

Image: Coppa Club

See Thousands Of Peace Doves Inside The Old Royal Naval College's Stunning Painted Hall

Poignant art inside a Baroque masterpiece. (sponsor)

What It's Like Playing A Grand Piano Through The Streets Of London

A moving concert, in more ways than one.

Image: Katya Lebedeva

Santa Steam Express: Meet Father Christmas On A Vintage Train In London

The kids will be chuffed.

Image: Steam Dreams

At A Glance: What's Happening With London's Transport In 2027

Station closures // tram-iversary // more Superloops!

Image: Southsea_Matt, Creative Commons

Columbia Road's Late Night Christmas Shopping Wednesdays Return For 2026

Xmas shopping with a little less stress.

Image: Shutterstock

"Why I Became The Phantom Of The Opera... In The Guise Of Hugh Jackman"

"He's kind of a colossal prat, in truth."

Image: Rob Trendy

Christmas 2026 Carol Concerts In London To Get You Feeling All Kinds Of Festive

Including one with dogs.

Image: All Souls Langham Place

The Lost Island Of Shadwell

Rediscovering a lost island... by colouring in maps.

Stunning Light Trails And Illumination Festivals To See Near London This Winter

Absolutely enchanting evenings out in south-east England.

Image: © RBG Kew

Looking Ahead: Things To Do In London This Week: 9-15 November 2026

Top events spanning Alice in Wonderland, Wallace & Gromit, the London Jazz Festival and the Lord Mayor's Show.

Image: © Cités Immersives

Brixton is often heralded for its diversity — and when you think about it, that applies to its architecture too. Taken from the new book, Brixton and Herne Hill in 50 Buildings, here are six underrated architectural moments to seek out in SW9.

1. Southwyck House ('The Barrier Block'), Coldharbour Lane, 1981

Image: Amberley Publishing

This unmissable structure has become one of the symbols of Brixton. On its inception it was widely disliked by most, but it is increasingly admired by both modernists and brutalists. It has an unfortunate history and one that many have reason to regret. When the Greater London Council was planning its 'box of motorways' project for London, there was to be an elevated six-lane motorway above Coldharbour Lane. It would have looked similar to the Westway in Paddington and the Hammersmith flyover. The motorway would have been some 60 feet in the air, so the proposed housing estate for 2,500 people alongside needed to be protected from all the expected noise and pollution. Given the job of designing a solution was a young Polish woman, Magda Borowiecka, an in-house architect at Lambeth Council. A blank wall was required, and so small turret windows were inserted fronting bathrooms rather than lounges and kitchens. Zig-zag concrete banding was designed to deflect sound downwards. This intimidating wall was immediately universally hated, even more so when the motorway scheme was cancelled and it became a monumental, marooned monolith.

Image: Amberley Publishing

At its more secluded rear, residents enjoy more spacious balconies and large windows serving the 173 tiered maisonettes, stacked upon each other. Sadly, the estate became a haven for crime in the 1980s and John Major spoke vehemently for its demolition, despite being on the very Planning Committee at Lambeth Council that had approved it. Later, alterations and the addition of new lifts and concierge space, to monitor comings and goings, were added as part of the Brixton Challenge project. This project aimed to rejuvenate Brixton following the infamous uprisings, but probably only increased the feeling of isolation felt by its residents. The Twentieth Century Society is quick to defend Southwyck House: 'it's a distinctive and a local landmark. Yes, it's partly a response to a road scheme that never went ahead but it speaks to the inventiveness of a generation of highly socially committed architects who worked hard to deliver good quality affordable housing — it's also a rare example of a major building by a woman architect at this time.' In response to a noise pollution problem, architect Magda Borowiecka, by her own words, became an accidental brutalist.

2. Brixton Water Lane Cottages, 1816-23 (Grade II)

Image: Amberley Publishing

If you are seeking a rural idyll in Brixton, then these estate workers' cottages will get your imagination working overtime. They were built for the estate staff working for John Blades at Brockwell Hall. The meandering medieval track which ran alongside the River Effra was formerly known as Watery Lane. Today's Brixton Water Lane is a sharp turn westwards from Dulwich Road where there are nine listed buildings from the early 19th century giving an almost rural appearance around the concealed gateway into Brockwell Park.

Image: Amberley Publishing

The most attractive cottages are Nos 56, 58, 60 and 64; all are small, two-storey terraced houses with stuccoed fronts. No. 56, formerly Kent Lodge, and No. 58, formerly Sussex Cottage, were built with pyramidal slate roofs and porches with Tuscan-style columns. No. 60, formerly Olive Lodge, has a veranda on slender cast-iron columns across the ground floor and No. 64, still called Norwood Cottage, has a wooden trellis-work veranda with wreaths in the frieze work.

3. Brixton Police Station, Brixton Road, 1959

Image: Amberley Publishing

A symbol of authority for some, a symbol of repression for others, Brixton Police Station occupies a prominent high street location, the current building replacing an earlier Victorian structure of 1858. The current police station was designed by John Innes Elliott in 1959. It is faced in Portland stone with metal windows, has a distinctive raised and stepped plinth, and a curved canopy above. The Twentieth Century Society describes the architect as 'Innes of the Met', as he was the in-house surveyor and chief architect for the Metropolitan Police for 27 years from 1947 until his retirement in 1974. He designed over 20 London police stations, most in the brutalist style; many of these buildings survive, though few are still operational. Those that are still used include Kennington Police Station, the Metropolitan Police Central Communications Command Centre at 118 Lambeth Road, and his largest commission, Hendon Police College and its Peel Buildings of 1974. In 1983 Brixton Police Station underwent extensive refurbishment with a sympathetic, multi-storey red-brick extension added along Gresham Road which included new cells and bigger canteen facilities. Some may consider Innes Elliott's designs unfashionable. Perhaps that was never their purpose!

4. Reliance Arcade, 1923-25 (Grade II)

Image: Amberley Publishing

Reliance Arcade represents Brixton's unique multi-cultural spirit and feel. Its frontage is topped by a modern, dynamic, rainbow arch above an art deco entrance of striking black glass and stainless steel. It continues to host an eclectic mix of independent traders. Reliance Arcade was formed by incorporating a Georgian house and its lengthy garden running between Brixton Road and Electric Lane. This gives the arcade a very individual feel as you enter the narrow space. Together with Granville Arcade and Market Row, it forms the listed Brixton Market complex. Now home to over 25 businesses across its 40 units, you are immediately drawn to the restored black Vitrolite glazing and original lighting above you. Its 2019 restoration was as much about reclaiming cultural heritage as repair of the fabric, celebrating its survival from redevelopment.

Image: Amberley Publishing

Perhaps it is the rear entrance in Electric Lane that is the real gem. The colourful Egyptian art deco façade is one of the earliest surviving examples of this style in Britain. It retains its original signage amid the tiling that Historic England describes as 'buff faience'. Egyptian style became popular in Britain after Howard Carter found Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922, so the combination of art deco features and Egyptian detailing, including papyrus and lotus plants, was perhaps the perfect combination as an attraction for Brixton shoppers during the interwar years.

5. Cressingham Gardens Estate, 1967-79

Image: Amberley Publishing

The arguments rumble on — whether to demolish and redevelop, or renovate and improve Cressingham Gardens. The architectural community, like the Twentieth Century Society, is increasingly supportive of retaining this influential 1960s 'move away from high-rise tower blocks towards low-rise, high-density, patio developments'. Following housing legislation of the late 1960s and 1970s, there was a move away from large-scale demolition and redevelopment to a more piecemeal approach which included the retention and renovation of the existing housing stock. There was also a recognition that high-rise blocks were not the best housing solution for families with children. In response to changes in national housing policy, Ted Hollamby, assisted by second architect Roger Westman, designed Cressingham Gardens. There are 306 dwellings, ranging from one-bedroom bungalows to four-storey houses of London stock brick, each with their own private outdoor space. To avoid obscuring views of Brockwell Park, and to create a feeling of green space, the whole estate was kept low-rise, while an underground car park ensured no residential land was taken up by cars. Paved pedestrian walkways and paths lead to a central green and to a children's nursery in a sunken rotunda, described in the Architectural Review of 1979 as 'a shining silver umbrella of seamed aluminium capped by a conical roof light'. The recent threat of demolition of the whole estate stems from the rise in maintenance costs and Lambeth Council's deliberations on future options, although as of October 2026, such fears are allayed for now.

6. Coldharbour Works, 245a Coldharbour Lane, 1887

Image: Amberley Publishing

A crew of artists from Bread Collective was tasked with painting the rear face of this building with a dramatic and colourful mural to give it an identity befitting its contemporary 21st century use. Brixton is seen as an excellent location for start-ups and the re-interpretation of this 19th century grain store reflects a trend away from traditional offices, as businesses seek more flexible workspaces.

Image: Amberley Publishing

The building nestles next to the railway arches at Loughborough Junction, on the corner of Coldharbour Lane and Shakespeare Road. Built in 1887 for corn merchants Osborne and Young, trading continued into the 1970s when it operated as 'Pigeon and Poultry Bird Seed Specialists'. It then became the Shakespeare Business Centre until it was recently rebranded as Coldharbour Works. Today it is home to both a specialist NHS outpatient service and 45,000 square feet of mixed-use studios, workshops and offices, overlooking an internal courtyard.

In 2021, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust outpatient services relocated their physiotherapy, musculoskeletal and routine hand therapy services to Coldharbour Works. The NHS part of the building is equipped with brand-new clinic areas and a gym to support patients' rehabilitation needs. Coldharbour Works is an imaginative re-use and re-purposing of a redundant factory.

Brixton and Herne Hill in 50 Buildings by Jenni Bowley, Chris Everett, Jenny Rossiter and Elaine Wein, published by Amberley Publishing.

We featured this book because we know it's the kind of thing our readers will enjoy. By buying it via links in this article, Londonist may earn a commission from Bookshop.org — which also helps support independent bookshops.

Sincerely, The Breakfast Club is on at Sadler's Wells East from 28 April-1 May 2027. Image: Sadler's Wells

Though a sequel to The Breakfast Club was never meant to be, fans of the 1985 coming-of-age classic will be clenching their fists in excitement at news of a stage show opening in London next spring.

Devised by Leeds-based Phoenix Dance Theatre, Sincerely, The Breakfast Club reimagines the John Hughes film — about a group of adolescents forced into a Saturday detention — as a contemporary dance work that "reveals how shared vulnerability can break down stereotypes and create moments of genuine connection."

Like the movie, the stage show will be set in a school library, and feature five disparate characters, all harbouring their own desires and insecurities. Unlike the film, they will dance quite a lot.

The pop-rock soundtrack — which famously featured Simple Minds' Don't You (Forget About Me) — will be eschewed for new music composed by Marc Strobel.

Sincerely, The Breakfast Club, Sadler's Wells East, 28 April-1 May 2027. General tickets on sale from 16 November 2026.

Tube stations will likely be closed during the strikes. Image: CGP Grey from London, United Kingdom, Creative Commons

Eight days of Tube strikes between November 2026 and February 2027 have been announced.

Tube drivers belonging to the RMT union will carry out 24-hour strikes on the following dates:

🚇 Thursday 26 November 2026

🚇 Thursday 17 December 2026

🚇 Saturday 19 December 2026

🚇 Monday 4 January 2027

🚇 Wednesday 6 January 2027

🚇 Wednesday 17 February 2027

🚇 Tuesday 23 February 2027

🚇 Thursday 25 February 2027

Image: wellybob_dont_jump, Creative Commons

These dates fall within the busy run-up to the festive period, when many visitors come to London, as well as what will be the first working day of 2027 for a lot of people. 17 February falls within the half term school holiday for many London and UK schools.

The action is due to a dispute about plans to shorten drivers' working weeks from five days to four. While the change is being presented as voluntary, with drivers choosing whether to move over to the new working pattern, the RMT claims drivers will face "increased time spent driving trains, longer duties, earlier starts and later finishes, short-notice changes to shifts and attacks on existing transfer rights and annual leave arrangements".

The RMT says it has "consistently demanded guarantees that no driver choosing to remain on existing agreements would suffer any detriment, but London Underground management has failed to provide those assurances."

However, the Tube union Aslef is all for the four-day week, and has expressed its surprise at RMT's strike action, which is a continuation of strikes that took place in spring 2026.

TfL has not yet said how the strikes are expected to impact services. Keep an eye on this page closer to the time for updates.

City Thameslink closes completely from May. Image: Thomas Nugent, Creative Commons

Early 2027: Pedestrianisation is all the (road) rage right now. With a chunk of Oxford Street having just gone wheel-less, Camden High Street has followed in its tracks: following an 18-month trial, the stretch between Britannia Junction and the junction with Jamestown Road and Hawley Crescent will now be indefinitely pedestrianised, and early in 2027 temporary barriers will be replaced with permanent ones. In the future, an extension of the pedestrianised area could be on the cards too.

Also early 2027: Roll-out of the new DLR trains picks up in 2027, as they take over the Stratford International and Woolwich Arsenal branch from 10 January, then begin to populate the Bank and Lewisham branch on the same day, before being rolled out between Stratford International and Lewisham, and Canning Town and Beckton from February. It won't, however, be until spring 2028 that the entire DLR network is served exclusively by the new trains. At which point, are they even new anymore?

2 January: Angel Tube station goes exit-only at weekends/bank holidays until further notice. It's so that TfL can take care of its lengthy escalators (some of which are the longest on the network, no less), which haven't enjoyed much TLC since opening in 1992, poor blighters.

The 109 bus route goes all-electric in January. Image: Southsea_Matt, Creative Commons

30 January: The 109/N109 route between Croydon and Brixton becomes the latest route to get new electric double-deckers — 25 of them.

March: That time of the year which makes London's commuters grind their teeth in grim anticipation. At time of writing, 2027's price hikes haven't been announced, but Tube and rail fares within London rose by a huge 5.8% in 2026, while bus and tram fares snuck up by 10p per adult fare.

17 May: More escalator-induced closures! City Thameslink — a station which already takes Sundays off — comprehensively shuts from 17 May-late December 2027, so that 10 escalators can be replaced.

By June 2027? The new Piccadilly line trains were first due to be rolled out by the end of 2025, but due to "a rigorous programme of testing the interactions with the infrastructure and systems" that date's been shoved back. TfL says it is now working to a window between December 2026 and June 2027.

5 July: Happy tram-iversary! 75 years ago on this day, London's last tram ran, as part of London's last tram week. Of course, since then, trams have returned to a small portion of south London. If only it were possible to run vintage trams on the current tracks, what a tribute that would be!

July 2027 marks 75 years since London bid farewell to trams. (It's since said hello again.) Image: mark's vintage topographical postcards, Creative Commons

31 August: It's 40 years since the Docklands Light Railway opened, and to celebrate they're going to take the roof off and run it at triple speed for thrillseekers. Well, that's what we'd suggest, anyway.

16 December: Exactly half a century since the Piccadilly line extension was opened to Heathrow Airport, providing passengers with a new, if somewhat trundling, way to get to their plane. The extension also prompted this plane/roundel mash-up logo from Willian Fenton, which admittedly looks a bit like a 'no planes' sign.

Late 2027: Buses for London takes over the number 6 route, becoming TfL's first publicly operated route since 2009. It marks the beginning of a wider roll out in 2028. What's the benefit for passengers? TfL says "to boost reliability and safety while crucially reinvesting profits to further improve the capital's transport network."

Sometime in 2027? TfL hopes to introduce three more Superloop routes across 2027: the SL13 between Ealing Broadway and Hendon War Memorial; the SL14 between Stratford Bus Station and Hatch Lane; and the SL15 between Clapham Junction and Eltham stations.

Keep up to date with all things festive on our Christmas 2026 in London page.

Coppa Club is home to the OG festive igloos. Image: Coppa Club

Our guide on where to eat, drink and be merry in igloos, globes, domes and other such transparent structures at bars and restaurants in London this winter. Ideal for Christmas parties, meeting friends, and cosy date nights.

Rooftop igloos at John Lewis Oxford Street

Rooftop igloos, right in central London. Image: John Lewis

The sixth-floor rooftop restaurant of John Lewis Oxford Street has heated igloos for the Christmas 2026 season, each with its own speaker so you can choose the soundtrack as you dine. There's space for eight people per igloo (or 10 standing) with a seasonal food and drink menu available throughout your 2.5-hour booking. Choose between the set feasting menu or a la carte menu, and enjoy panoramic views of the capital from up high.

Winter igloos at John Lewis Oxford Street, available 1 October-31 December 2026

Rooftop party pods and snow globes at Circe's Rooftop, Waterloo

Image: Circe's Rooftop

Aurora Nights is the theme at Circe's Rooftop (formerly Bar Elba) near Waterloo, where the party pods and snow globes allow up to nine guests to cosy up beneath blankets while slurping cocktails. Bluetooth speakers mean you can spin your own playlist and though the views aren't as jaw-dropping as some igloos, you can spy about half of the London Eye from up here. Prices start from £200 per pod booking (£270 per snow globe), which is redeemable against food and drink during your visit. There's also a complimentary Grey Goose cocktail for every guest. The food is markedly Mediterranean in style: think padron peppers, homemade hummus, gyros — plus churros with chocolate dipping sauce.

Party pods at Circe's Rooftop, throughout the winter season.

Igloos at the Sipping Room, West India Quay

Image: The Sipping Room

Heated igloos — glimmering beneath a canopy of fairy lights — take centre stage on the waterfront outside the Sipping Room by Drake & Morgan. Each can entertain up to eight guests, and is adorned with cascading amaranths and berry-filled pots.

There's a Mexican theme to the drinks menu, thanks to the bar's Casamigos Cabin pop-up: think tequila cocktails and a Guinness margarita (tequila and triple sec with a Guinness reduction, honey and lime). Warming dishes, including hot honey popcorn chicken, sweet duck bao buns and wild mushroom arancini, are available to soak up the booze.

Winter igloos at the Sipping Room. From 14 October 2026.

Winter Buds at Florattica, Aldgate

Image: Florattica

Over Aldgate way, they don't call it an igloo or a pod — but a 'Winter Bud'. And to be fair, these buds are rather darling — what with their puffs of dried flowers formed into an indoor cloud, and their close-up vistas of the City skyscrapers. As well as signature cocktails, you can order small plates or charcuterie selections — or indulge in a special fizz-fuelled winter brunch. And if you're worried about getting the waiter's attention... simply ring the bell provided. (To paraphrase It's a Wonderful Life: "Every time a bell rings, you'll get more drunk.")

Winter Buds at Florattica, 1 November 2026-March 2027.

Igloos next to the Thames at Coppa Club, Tower Bridge and Putney

Image: Coppa Club

The OG igloos which sent London into an Instagram frenzy have gone permanent. You can now dine in an igloo next to the Thames year-round — but there's an extra layer of magic at Christmas. Case in point: at the Tower Bridge branch you can enjoy the Shard's festive display from your table. Putney's Coppa Club is getting in on the riverside igloo action too.

Decked out with foliage, fairy lights, and cosy faux fur blankets and furnishings, these igloos make an enchanting setting in which to dine on a festive menu, available from 16 November 2026.

Igloos can be booked for two-hour slots, for between four and eight people. They're also VERY popular, so be quick if you want in.

Coppa Club igloos, Tower Bridge, Putney and other locations, throughout the winter season.