Christmas in London

There is an opinion among experienced tourists and travelers, that there are two types of Christmas celebration –usual and British, and this is not surprising, because on Christmas London turns into a magic fairy tale.

The British are really very keen on celebrating Christmas and already starting from the end of November you can plunge in to a fairy tale environment that is all over the city and feel the spirit of romantic family holidays everywhere.

If you are interested in a photo shoot in London, get detailed information about the cost of the photographer’s services in London on this page.

The British, like nobody else, love Christmas! There is some magic, going on around London during this time. The city gets totally transformed, starting from the doors of every house, restaurant, and pub! You can spend hours walking around London and admiring its Christmas decorations!

Almost all the unique attractions of the city are closed for Christmas. Only Ripley Museum is open until 8:30 p.m. You can also go to Hyde Park and watch the members of the Serpentine swimming club competing for the Peter Pan’s Cup. The park has a skating rink, an abundance of Christmas attractions and amazing and typically British stores that resemble the stalls and shops from Charles Dickens' stories.

But long walking can be tiresome! Whenever you are satiated with wandering around London sights, go to the Thames waterfront and book a dinner in one of the comfortable British boats.

You should also make sure you visit Mayfair, the district in Central London east of Hyde Park. There you can stroll along the Christmas market, enjoy the magic atmosphere around you and get to see Christmas tree!

And, you should, definitely, take a picture at Annabel's that is currently the most popular photo location in London!

I have never seen anything like this before!

And if you are lucky enough to look into, I think, you will be even more impressed, as every inch of this restaurant is something really marverlous!

By the way, you can spend New Year's Eve here as well! All the information is available on the official website of Annabel's.

One of the most amazing events in London that you can fully enjoy only during these holidays is Christmas services. London churches, especially during these days, look like works of art, real masterpieces of fine architecture. It is better to come early, as there are many people who want to attend the service, and the space is limited. Find out in advance about the service schedule of the church that you want to visit. Here is the list of the cathedrals providing Christmas services: St. Martin's, Southwark Cathedral, St. Paul's Cathedral.

Despite the famous English conservatism, you will not get bored in London even for a single moment! Some of the fabulous English restaurants are open for lunch or dinner even on public holidays. A dinner on Christmas Eve requires a table reservation in most of the restaurants.

Some pubs are open just for few hours before afternoon, but most of them are closing before the night or, if not, then, the table reservation will be required as well. So, don't forget to check the working hours and book a table beforehand. Hotel bars and restaurants is a good option for a drink or a dinner on Christmas Eve, but their schedule should be checked in advance, too. 

26 of December is a special day in London, as it is the Boxing Day and the start of winter sales. All the outlets, stores and kiosks start working again and you can get lost in the abundance of interesting and affordable items. Despite a big inflow of people, there is enough space for everyone during Christmas in London- the streets are not fussy at all and people are politely giving the way to each other saying greetings. Even when the snow is falling, everyone feels the warmth of Christmas fairytale.

You can have a wonderful walk in Covent Carden that is full of stalls, small fairs, markets, cafes and pubs with simply outstanding Christmas decorations.

Whoever was in London on Christmas, will want to come here every year, and a winter photo shoot in London will enable you to memorize this magic, as everyone likes to believe in a fairy tale, regardless of the age.

If you have decided to stay in London after Christmas and celebrate the coming of the New Year, the most memorable and bright impression here will be, of course, the New Year fireworks. It can be watched from the street (but you will have to pay £€10 for a ticket, and get it online in advance). Or, as an option, you can choose one of the special and exquisite places with the panoramic view of London, from which you can perfectly see the fireworks and celebrate the New Year night. And, perhaps, the best place among them is London SkyBar. Read more about London SkyBar on this page.

Usually London is very busy, but during Christmas holidays, despite the fact, that there are more and more people coming, London looks empty.

Please, remember, that on 25 December, on Christmas Day, public transport is not working. The only available transport to get around London is bike, so the best location to stay on Christmas holidays is a hotel in the centre.

You can, certainly, use a taxi, but the best is to walk around fabulously decorated Christmas city and feel magic atmosphere, that penetrates everything and everybody here. Only in this way you can fully admire the festive Christmas illumination and decorations and bright attractions of the city.