The Ultimate Guide to Central London Activities for Christmas 2023
When it comes to Christmas activities, few cities in the UK can match London. There are events, small and large, dotted throughout the capital during the build-up to Christmas. Whether you’re a resident of the city, or you’re just planning on paying it a visit, it’s worth looking at a few choice attractions.
Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park
This annual festival of wintry fun is arguably the centre of London’s Christmas celebrations. It offers just about everything you could want from a Christmas-themed park, including markets, ice skating, rides, a range of live events and demonstrations.
If you’d like to watch someone ice-sculpt, pick up a drink at the Ice Bar, or take a moment to enjoy the view of the park from above, Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland is not to be missed.
West End Christmas Shows
Panto Season is now well underway, and the West End is packed with amazing Christmas-themed musicals and theatre productions. There are three versions of A Christmas Carol to choose from: one at Alexandra Palace, one at the Old Vic, and another, Sherlock-Holmes-inspired version at Marylebone Theatre.
If you’re prefer to check out a pantomime, then you might instead look at Aladdin, at the Hackney Empire, or Cinderella, which is being put on at Lyric Hammersmith and at New Wimbledon Theatre – with Craig Revel Horwood making an appearance as the Wicked Stepmother.
Festive Afternoon Tea Experiences
Afternoon Tea is a British institution, and in London there are a number of amazing festive-themed takes on the classic. If you want to pull out all the stops, there’s the Festive Skyline Afternoon Tea, at the Shard’s Shangri-La Hotel. Then there’s the Kaleidoscope Afternoon Tea, which is available at the Orchid Lounge in the City of London.
If you’re looking for something sweeter, then it makes sense to look for Christmas afternoon tea at selected Biscuiteers’ venues. Specifically, you’ll need to go to either Notting Hill or Belgravia. Expect turkey and cranberry brioche buns, fig cakes, and iced biscuits.
Transportation and Logistics
Getting around the capital at this time of year can be a little bit hectic, especially if you’ve brought the whole family. Make sure that you know which tube lines, or roads, are going to be closed. If you want to see the whole city, then the train is a sensible choice; you can get from London Bridge to London Victoria in a matter of minutes.
Conclusion
There’s nothing quite like Christmas in London. If you’d like to see the city, then this is a great time of year to do it. Make sure that you plan your trip in advance, and that you have a loose itinerary in place. This will allow you to cover all of the places and events that you really don’t want to miss!
