Events in London in December 2026 [Festive Fun + Things to Do]
December is a month London does really well (it is one of my favourite times of year to visit). The lights are up, the tree is in Trafalgar Square, and the whole city smells faintly of mulled wine. The downside is less daylight – the sun is gone by four – but it’s a good trade.
This guide lists every event worth planning around in London in December 2026, with confirmed dates, current prices and the nearest stations. It also covers what actually runs over Christmas itself, when the transport stops, and which attractions are shut on which days.
Three dates to know before you book. Christmas Day 2026 falls on a Friday and Boxing Day on a Saturday, so the substitute bank holiday is Monday 28 December. New Year’s Eve is a Thursday.
For weather averages, daylight hours and what to pack, read our guide to London in December, or listen to our podcast episode on visiting London in December. If you are here specifically for Christmas, read things to do in London at Christmas.
London in December 2026 at a glance
Every December opening in this guide, in date order, plus the major events already running. Anything marked as running started earlier and carries on past the end of the month.
| Date | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Sat 14 Nov | Hogwarts in the Snow, to 17 Jan | Warner Bros. Studio Tour, Leavesden |
| Fri 13 Nov | Christmas at Kew light trail, to 3 Jan | Kew Gardens |
| Thurs 19 Nov | Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, to 3 Jan | Hyde Park |
| Wed 25 Nov | Chelsea Winter Village, to 28 Dec | Royal Hospital Chelsea |
| Tues 10 Nov | A Christmas Carol, to 9 Jan | The Old Vic |
| Sat 21 Nov | The Snowman, to 3 Jan | Peacock Theatre |
| Sat 21 Nov | Jack and the Beanstalk, to 31 Dec | Hackney Empire |
| Tue 1 Dec | Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella opens, to 17 Jan | Sadler’s Wells |
| Thu 3 Dec | Trafalgar Square Christmas tree lighting, from 5 pm | Trafalgar Square |
| Thu 3 Dec | Adult-only evening at Christmas at Kew | Kew Gardens |
| Thu 3 Dec | The Little Match Girl opens, to 2 Jan | Wilton’s Music Hall |
| Fri 4 to Sun 6 Dec | Festive Fayre, weekend one | Hampton Court Palace |
| Sat 5 Dec | Cinderella opens, to 10 Jan | London Palladium |
| Sat 5 Dec | Peter Pan opens, to 3 Jan | New Wimbledon Theatre |
| Sat 5 Dec | Jack and the Beanstalk opens, to 3 Jan | Richmond Theatre |
| Sat 5 Dec | Sleeping Beauty opens, to 3 Jan | Churchill Theatre, Bromley |
| Tue 8 to Thu 10 Dec | Santa in the City run and walk | Paternoster Square, St Paul’s |
| Wed 9 Dec | Adult-only evening at Christmas at Kew | Kew Gardens |
| Wed 9 Dec | Cinderella opens, to 31 Dec | Broadway Theatre, Catford |
| Fri 11 to Sun 13 Dec | Festive Fayre, weekend two | Hampton Court Palace |
| Fri 11 Dec | PDC World Darts Championship opens, to 3 Jan | Alexandra Palace |
| Fri 11 Dec | Cinderella opens, to 3 Jan | Fairfield Halls, Croydon |
| Thu 17 Dec | The Nutcracker opens, to 10 Jan | London Coliseum |
| Fri 18 Dec | A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong opens, to 23 Jan | Wyndham’s Theatre |
| Tue 22 Dec | King’s Cross Christmas market closes | King’s Cross |
| Thu 24 Dec | Christmas Eve. Transport winds down early; no Night Tube | Across the city |
| Fri 25 Dec | Christmas Day. No public transport at all | Across the city |
| Fri 25 Dec | Peter Pan Cup swim, 9am, free to watch | Serpentine, Hyde Park |
| Sat 26 Dec | Boxing Day sales begin | Across the city |
| Mon 28 Dec | Substitute bank holiday | Across the city |
| Thu 31 Dec | Mayor of London’s New Year’s Eve fireworks, midnight | Along the Thames |
| Fri 1 Jan | London’s New Year’s Day Parade | Piccadilly to Parliament Square |
Christmas lights in London in December 2026
The festive season starts in November in London. By the time December arrives, the lights have been on for weeks, which means December visitors get the whole display without waiting for anything to be switched on.
The 2026 switch-on dates
The 2026 dates had not been announced when we updated this guide, and they usually land in late September or early October. We will update as soon as we know the dates.
Based on 2025, expect the West End and Leicester Square in the first days of November, Oxford Street around 3 November, Regent Street and Carnaby around 6 November, and Covent Garden, Bond Street and Savile Row around 12 November, with Leadenhall, Knightsbridge and St Katharine Docks a day or two later.
None of this affects a December visit, when everything is already lit, and our November guide has the switch-on detail.
The Trafalgar Square tree
The tree in Trafalgar Square is a gift from the people of Oslo, sent every year since 1947 in thanks for British support during the Second World War. It is a proper Norwegian spruce, usually over 20 metres, and it is lit with vertical strings of white lights in the Norwegian style.
The lighting ceremony traditionally falls on the first Thursday of December, which in 2026 is Thursday 3 December. Expect the ceremony from around 5 pm with the switch-on at about 6 pm.
Free carol singing runs at the foot of the tree throughout December, mostly by community and charity choirs. The tree comes down just before Twelfth Night in early January.
- Where: Trafalgar Square
- When: Lighting ceremony Thursday 3 December, tree stays until early January
- How to get there: Charing Cross, Leicester Square or Embankment
Seeing the lights
Walking is still, in our opinion, the best way to enjoy the lights – though plan a few nights as there are lots of lights to see.
The classic loop runs from Piccadilly Circus up Regent Street, across to Carnaby, then down to Covent Garden, and takes an easy hour with stops. It is flat, paved and step-free the whole way, though the pavements are narrow and very crowded at weekends.
One important change for 2026. Oxford Street is being pedestrianised. Transport for London is aiming to close a 0.9km stretch between Orchard Street, by Selfridges, and Great Portland Street, including the Oxford Circus junction, from the second half of October 2026. Bus routes 139 and 98 will be diverted away from Oxford Street once that happens, which retires the old advice about riding the 139 to see the lights.
For a bus tour of the lights this year, take the 88 or the 453, both of which still run the full length of Regent Street from Piccadilly Circus to Langham Place. Sit upstairs at the front. This is also the answer if an hour on your feet is not realistic, since you see most of the same display sitting down and warm. Check the current position on the TfL website before you travel, since the works are ongoing and the dates may move.
For the full rundown of which streets are worth the walk, see our guide to the best Christmas lights in London.
Seeing the lights from the river
The other way to do it, and the warmest, is from the water. The Thames frontage is lit through December, and a sightseeing cruise gives you Tower Bridge, the Shard, the South Bank and the Houses of Parliament in one go without standing in the cold. It is also the easiest option for anyone who cannot manage a long walk, since you are seated throughout.
City Cruises sail year-round from Westminster, London Eye, Tower and Greenwich piers, with heated saloons as well as open-top decks, which matters a good deal in December unless you wrap up very warmly.
There are sightseeing sailings, and lunch and afternoon tea cruises if you want to make an afternoon of it.
There is a family offer running for the 2026 season: book two adults and one child and a second child goes free. On lunch cruises children get the adult menu; on afternoon tea they get a children’s menu of cheese and jam sandwiches, juice and cakes. Vegan and gluten free children’s sandwiches are not available on the afternoon tea.
Shop windows and Christmas shops
The shop windows and displays are worth checking out too, plus many of the larger shops have dedicated Christmas shops.
Liberty on Great Marlborough Street is one of my favourites. Its Christmas shop takes over the fourth floor of the mock-Tudor building, strung with fairy lights between the original beams, and it is free to wander round. There are lifts, but the building is old, and be aware that the floors can be uneven in places.
Fortnum & Mason on Piccadilly is another favourite, with the food hall hung with a variety of decorations including Christmas puddings and a giant advent calendar on the shop floor.
Hamleys on Regent Street and Selfridges on Oxford Street also do the big theatrical windows.
Christmas markets and winter villages
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland
The biggest festive event in the city, with more than 150 attractions across Hyde Park: fairground rides, an ice rink, a circus, the Magical Ice Kingdom, an ice slide, Santa Land, a Christmas market, bars including an ice bar, and live music. New for 2026 are a K-pop circus and a Frozen Neverland attraction.
Entry starts at £1 for off-peak slots, rising to £5.50 standard and £8.25 at peak times, and everyone aged two and over needs an entry ticket. Entry buys you the site, not the rides, and each attraction is charged separately.
Two things that save money. Pre-book online and spend £25 or more in a single transaction on rides, attractions, packages or meal deals, and your entry is free. Or take a package: Arctic Adventure starts at £44.50 and bundles ice skating, the Magical Ice Kingdom, the Real Ice Slide and £20 of ride credit with free entry.
One practical warning. The whole site sits on grass with temporary trackway laid over it, and after a wet week it churns up badly. If you use a wheelchair, a stick or a pushchair, check the event’s access page before you book and go on a dry day if you can.
- Where: Hyde Park
- When: 19 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, closed on Christmas Day
- How to get there: Hyde Park Corner, Marble Arch or Green Park
Chelsea Winter Village
Quieter, smaller and considerably cheaper than Winter Wonderland, in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea. The village itself, with its market stalls, bars, fairground and curling lanes, is free to enter. The ticketed part is the Illuminations, a 1.5km light trail through Ranelagh Gardens.
Curling is the thing to try here if you have not before. It is a British winter sport somewhere between bowls and boules, played on ice, and the lanes are set up for beginners.
Tickets start at £19 for adults and £13 for children, with infants free. The village opens from 4.30 pm, the trail closes at 10 pm, and the village at 11 pm. Pre-booking is sensible for the trail. The trail runs on park paths and grass in the dark, so it is worth checking the access page if surfaces are a concern.
- Where: Royal Hospital Chelsea, Royal Hospital Road, SW3 4SR
- When: 25 November to 28 December 2026
- How to get there: Sloane Square, about a ten minute walk, or buses 11, 170 and 360
Christmas markets
All of London’s Christmas markets are free to enter. Most had not confirmed their 2026 dates when we updated this guide, so the dates below are what we expect based on previous years, with one exception.
| Market | Dates | Status |
|---|---|---|
| King’s Cross | 27 November to 22 December 2026 | Confirmed |
| Southbank Centre Winter Market | Expected 2 November to 4 January 2027 | Expected |
| Leicester Square | Expected early November to early January | Expected |
| Trafalgar Square | Expected from 8 or 9 November to 5 January 2027 | Expected |
| Winter by the River, London Bridge City | Expected 12 November to 4 January 2027 | Expected |
| Greenwich Market Christmas lates | Expected 18 November to 24 December | Expected |
| Leadenhall Market | Dates to be confirmed | To be confirmed |
Note that the London Bridge market was renamed Winter by the River a few years ago.
King’s Cross closes on 22 December, earlier than most, so leave it until the last week, and you will miss it.
Ice skating in London in December 2026
Six main rinks, all outdoors, all ticketed separately from whatever site they sit on. Skate hire is normally included.
| Rink | Dates | Price | Nearest station |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skate at Somerset House | 11 Nov 2026 to 10 Jan 2027 | £11 to £28.50 | Temple or Covent Garden |
| Skate Leicester Square | 31 Oct 2026 to 3 Jan 2027 | 2026 prices to be confirmed | Leicester Square |
| Queen’s House, Greenwich | 18 Nov 2026 to 3 Jan 2027, 10am to 9pm | 2026 prices to be confirmed | Cutty Sark DLR |
| Hampton Court Palace | 20 Nov 2026 to 3 Jan 2027, closed Christmas Day | To be confirmed, skate aids £6 | Hampton Court |
| Hyde Park Winter Wonderland | 19 Nov 2026 to 3 Jan 2027 | From £11.50 adult, £8.50 child | Hyde Park Corner |
| Glide at Battersea Power Station | Expected, 2026 dates not announced | To be confirmed | Battersea Power Station |
Somerset House is the prettiest and tends to sell out first. The Hampton Court rink is bookable separately from palace admission, so you can skate without paying to go inside, and our guide to getting to Hampton Court Palace covers the journey.
Two things to know. The ice rink at Canary Wharf is not returning for Christmas 2026. And JW3 in Finchley Road is the only rink in London open on Christmas Day.
Royal parks and gardens in December
A winter walk in one of the royal parks is the antidote to a morning of Christmas shopping, and they are all free. St James’s Park, Green Park, Regent’s Park, Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park and Greenwich Park are all walkable from central London, and the main paths in all of them are surfaced and level. Richmond Park repays the longer journey for its free-roaming deer.
Kew Gardens has two reasons to visit in December, and they happen at different ends of the day.
Christmas at Kew
The light trail is the big one. Around two miles of illuminated installations through the gardens after dark, with sparkling tunnels, immersive soundscapes, a fairground, festive food and the fountain show at the Palm House to finish. Wrap up properly and wear comfortable shoes.
The route is one way and largely flat, but two miles is two miles, and there is no shortcut once you have started. Kew publishes an access guide for the trail, so check it before booking if that distance is a problem.
Tickets start at £29.50 for adults off-peak, rising to £37 at peak times, with children aged four to sixteen from £20 and a family of four from £89. Kew members pay less, from £25.23. These are separate from daytime garden admission.
Two details to take note of. The trail is closed on 25 December. And last entry varies by gate: Brentford closes at 7 pm, Elizabeth at 7.20 pm and Victoria at 8 pm, so check which gate your ticket names. On Christmas Eve everything shifts an hour earlier and the gardens close at 9 pm.
There are two adult-only evenings in 2026, on Thursday 3 and Wednesday 9 December, which are new this year and useful if you would rather not queue behind pushchairs.
- What: Christmas at Kew
- When: 13 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, 4.20 pm to 10 pm
- How to get there: Kew Gardens on the District Line and Overground, or Kew Bridge for South Western Railway
Henry Moore in daylight
Running right through December in the gardens themselves is the largest outdoor presentation of Henry Moore’s work ever staged: 30 monumental sculptures across Kew, plus 90 smaller works in the Shirley Sherwood Gallery. It is included with normal Gardens admission, and there are free guided walks daily at 12.30 pm and 2 pm.
Winter daylight hours at Kew are much shorter than the summer ones, so check the current closing time before you go rather than assuming.
- When: 9 May 2026 to 31 January 2027
Festive events at the palaces and beyond
Hampton Court Palace: Festive Fayre and Winter Palace
Two things run at Hampton Court this December, and both are included with palace admission.
The Festive Fayre brings over 100 artisan stalls into the palace grounds across two weekends, with street food, pop-up bars and live festive music. It runs 10 am to 5 pm.
Winter Palace: The Christmas Beast Ball is new for 2026 and runs the whole season. Four mythical beasts, a Panther, a Winter Phoenix, a Unicorn Foal and a Dragon Guardian, take over the state apartments with interactive installations and live performance. There is extended evening opening to 7.30 pm on 9 to 11, 16 to 17 and 19 to 30 December, which is when the palace is at its most atmospheric.
The state apartments sit in a Tudor and Baroque palace, so expect stairs, thresholds and uneven floors in places. Historic Royal Palaces publishes an access guide for the site, and the grounds where the Fayre is held are much easier going than the building.
One pricing note. Adult admission rises from £29 to £32 off-peak or £35 peak from 28 November, when Winter Palace opens, so the Festive Fayre weekends fall in the higher band.
- Where: Hampton Court Palace
- When: Festive Fayre 4 to 6 and 11 to 13 December. Winter Palace: 28 November 2026 to 3 January 2027
- How to get there: South Western Railway from London Waterloo to Hampton Court, a five minute walk from the station. Your Oyster or contactless card covers this route.
Santa in the City
Several thousand people in Santa suits running or walking past St Paul’s, the Millennium Bridge and Tower Bridge after dark. It is a spectacle even if you are only watching, and Paternoster Square is the place to stand.
Entry is £39.95 for adults, with under-18s free, and the Santa suit is included. It raises money for London’s Air Ambulance. Walkers set off at 7 pm and runners at 7.15 pm.
- Where: Paternoster Square, by St Paul’s Cathedral
- When: Tuesday 8 to Thursday 10 December 2026
- How to get there: St Paul’s
PDC World Darts Championship
Alexandra Palace in late December is one of the loudest, oddest and most enjoyable sporting events in Britain, and it is a genuine London December fixture rather than a Christmas one. A record 180,000 tickets are on sale for 2026, and for the first time the final moves to a Sunday, 3 January 2027, in the Great Hall with capacity raised above 5,200.
The tournament breaks for Christmas from 24 to 27 December.
- Where: Alexandra Palace
- When: 11 December 2026 to 3 January 2027
- How to get there: Alexandra Palace rail station from Moorgate, or Wood Green tube then the W3 bus. The walk up from the station is steep, so take the W3 if that matters
The Peter Pan Cup
On Christmas morning, while the rest of the city is indoors, members of the Serpentine Swimming Club race 100 yards across the Serpentine in water hovering a few degrees above freezing. They have done it every Christmas Day since 1864, and it is free to watch.
Given that nothing else is open, and no transport is running, this is one of the very few things you can actually do on Christmas Day in London, assuming you are within walking distance of Hyde Park.
- Where: Serpentine Lido, Hyde Park
- When: Christmas Day, 9 am
London theatre and carols in December 2026
The Nutcracker
English National Ballet returns to the London Coliseum with over 100 dancers and musicians and a live orchestra. Tickets start at £27.25 including fees, and under-16s get 25% off with a maximum of two children per full-price adult. Recommended for ages 5 and up, with a family-friendly matinee on 9 January where under-fives are welcome.
- Where: London Coliseum
- When: 17 December 2026 to 10 January 2027
- How to get there: Charing Cross or Leicester Square
A Christmas Carol
The Old Vic’s production reaches its tenth year in 2026, in Jack Thorne’s adaptation directed by Matthew Warchus. Tickets run from £29.50 to £227; it lasts two hours including the interval, and it is recommended for ages eight and up.
The 2026 Scrooge had not been announced when we updated this guide. Past years have had John Simm, Christopher Eccleston and Paul Hilton, so it is usually worth waiting for the casting news before booking if the actor matters to you.
- Where: The Old Vic
- When: 12 November 2026 to 9 January 2027
- How to get there: Waterloo
Pantomime
Going to the panto at Christmas is a British family tradition, and it is nothing like a normal theatre trip. There is booing, there is shouting back at the stage, and there is at least one man in a dress. If you have never been, it is the most fun you can have in a London theatre in December.
Almost every London borough puts one on. These are the ones worth travelling for.
| Panto | Where | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cinderella | London Palladium | 5 Dec 2026 to 10 Jan 2027 | Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders as the Ugly Sisters, their first stage reunion in 17 years, with Julian Clary and Nigel Havers |
| Cinderella | Lyric Hammersmith | 14 Nov 2026 to 3 Jan 2027 | Written in-house rather than bought in. £10 to £48, under-16s from £20. Age 6+ |
| Robin Hood and the Merry Mandem | Theatre Royal Stratford East | 21 Nov 2026 to 2 Jan 2027 | Set on east London streets and estates. £10 to £41.50, with Pay What You Can performances from £6 |
| Jack and the Beanstalk | Hackney Empire | 21 Nov to 31 Dec 2026 | Clive Rowe directs and stars. £10 to £48 |
| Jack and the Beanstalk | Greenwich Theatre | 27 Nov 2026 to 10 Jan 2027 | Won Best Pantomime and Best Script at the 2025 UK Pantomime Awards. Adult £43.50, child £22.50 |
| Jack and the Beanstalk | Richmond Theatre | 5 Dec 2026 to 3 Jan 2027 | Bonnie Langford, Dr Ranj and Basil Brush. From £15 |
| Peter Pan | New Wimbledon Theatre | 5 Dec 2026 to 3 Jan 2027 | Jessie Wallace as Captain Hook, Aston Merrygold as Peter Pan |
| Sleeping Beauty | Churchill Theatre, Bromley | 5 Dec 2026 to 3 Jan 2027 | Vernon Kay. From £28 |
| Cinderella | Fairfield Halls, Croydon | 11 Dec 2026 to 3 Jan 2027 | Lee Latchford-Evans of Steps. From £18 |
| Cinderella | Broadway Theatre, Catford | 9 to 31 Dec 2026 | Amelle Berrabah, formerly of Sugababes. £17 to £45.50 |
| Dick Whittington: Adults Only | King’s Head Theatre, Islington | 26 Nov 2026 to 2 Jan 2027 | Strictly 18+, drag and musical theatre guest stars |
| Cinderella: Buttons Undone! | Charing Cross Theatre | 21 Nov 2026 to 9 Jan 2027 | Strictly 18+, from the He’s Behind You! company |
Which one to pick?
- The Palladium is the spectacle, with the biggest names, the highest prices and by some distance the bluest jokes.
- Hackney Empire is the traditionalist’s choice and Clive Rowe is the most decorated Dame in the country.
- Greenwich is the critics’ pick and the best value of the quality ones. The Lyric Hammersmith writes its own every year and is sharper and more contemporary than the star-vehicle model.
- Stratford East is the most affordable, with Pay What You Can seats from £6, and the most rooted in London itself. For an adult group, Charing Cross or the King’s Head.
Most venues run relaxed performances for sensory-sensitive visitors, usually one or two dates in December. West End theatres vary enormously on step-free access and many have no lift to the upper circle, so check the venue’s access page and book wheelchair spaces by phone rather than assuming.
Christmas shows that are not pantomime
If panto is not for you, December has plenty of other options.
| Show | Where | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Snowman | Peacock Theatre | 21 Nov 2026 to 3 Jan 2027 | New staging of the Howard Blake score. From £18, 90 minutes, all ages |
| Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella | Sadler’s Wells | 1 Dec 2026 to 17 Jan 2027 | 30th anniversary of the Blitz-set production. From £15 |
| The Jungle Book | Olivier, National Theatre | 13 Nov 2026 to 6 Feb 2027 | Directed by Indhu Rubasingham. Age 7+ |
| Sherlock Holmes and the 12 Days of Christmas | Alexandra Palace Theatre | 24 Nov 2026 to 17 Jan 2027 | Victorian murder mystery crossed with panto. Age 10+ |
| Pinocchio the Musical | Shakespeare’s Globe | 28 Nov 2026 to 3 Jan 2027 | Indoors in the candlelit Sam Wanamaker Playhouse |
| The Little Match Girl | Wilton’s Music Hall | 3 Dec 2026 to 2 Jan 2027 | 80 minutes, under-12s from £8 |
| A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong | Wyndham’s Theatre | 18 Dec 2026 to 23 Jan 2027 | Mischief Theatre. From £30 |
The Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at the Globe is worth the ticket on its own in December. It is lit entirely by candles, which in the depths of a London winter is the whole point. Be aware the seating is wooden benches and the auditorium is reached by stairs.
Our London theatre guide covers how to book and where to sit.
Carols and festive music
Carol services are among the best free things in London in December, but the good ones need planning.
St Paul’s Cathedral runs its main Christmas carol services free of charge, but the popular ones are allocated by free ticket ballot which usually opens in the autumn. Midnight Eucharist on Christmas Eve and the Christmas Day services are unticketed. Our guide to visiting St Paul’s Cathedral covers the building itself.
Westminster Abbey holds Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve and a Sung Eucharist on Christmas Day, both free to attend with no sightseeing ticket needed, though queues are long. Both cathedrals have step-free entrances and reserved spaces for wheelchair users, but they fill early, so arrive well before the advertised start.
St Martin-in-the-Fields on Trafalgar Square runs a paid programme of Carols by Candlelight through December alongside its free church services. The Royal Albert Hall stages around fifteen singalong carol concerts plus Carols at the Royal Albert Hall with the Royal Choral Society, all ticketed.
None of these venues had published their 2026 dates when we updated this guide. The St Paul’s ballot in particular is one to set a reminder for.
Harry Potter in London in December 2026
Hogwarts in the Snow
The Warner Bros. Studio Tour at Leavesden decorates the sets for Christmas: the Great Hall laid for the Christmas feast, the common rooms dressed, and Diagon Alley and the Forbidden Forest under filmmaking snow.
New for 2026 is a Foley presentation on the Backlot Stage showing how the sound of Christmas was created for the films, followed by Butterbeer on the Backlot while the snow falls.
It costs nothing extra. Every Hogwarts in the Snow feature is included in the standard tour ticket, which is £58.50 for adults, £47 for children aged five to fifteen and £188 for a family of four. Under-fours are free but still need a ticket.
Book early. Tickets are dated and timed; they must be bought in advance, and December is the busiest month of the year.
As of late August 2026 the Dinner in the Great Hall evenings on 7, 8 and 9 December were already sold out. Tickets are currently only released to 31 December 2026, so anyone wanting early January will need to wait for a further release.
Getting to Warner Bros. Studio Tour is easier than people expect. London Euston to Watford Junction takes about 20 minutes on a direct train, with Oyster and contactless valid, and the shuttle bus from Watford Junction takes another 15 minutes and is included in your entry ticket. Door to door is roughly 40 minutes.
There are also direct coaches from Victoria, Baker Street and King’s Cross with entry included, which cost more but save the interchange.
The tour itself is step-free throughout and wheelchairs can be borrowed free of charge, but it is a long route and most people are on their feet for three hours or more.
- Where: Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, Leavesden, WD25 7LR
- When: 14 November 2026 to 17 January 2027
- Price: From £58.50 adult, £47 child, £188 family of four
- How to get there: Euston to Watford Junction, then the free shuttle bus
The tour is closed on Christmas Day, and hours on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day vary. It runs late into the evening through the week between Christmas and New Year, which is when the snow-covered sets look their best.
Check the official opening times calendar before booking.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Read this bit carefully if you have seen the play advertised before, because it has changed. The two-part production ends in September 2026. From October 2026 the Palace Theatre is running a reimagined one-part version, booking to June 2027.
That means a December visitor sees it in a single evening of 2 hours 55 minutes rather than committing a whole day and two tickets. Prices run from about £25 to £175, and it is recommended for ages eight and up.
- Where: Palace Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue
- How to get there: Tottenham Court Road or Leicester Square
Two free Harry Potter stops
The Harry Potter Shop at Platform 9 3/4 at King’s Cross is free to walk into, and the luggage trolley disappearing into the wall beside it is free to queue for and photograph.
Expect a long queue in December, all of it standing. It opens 8 am to 10 pm Monday to Saturday and 9 am to 8 pm on Sundays.
The House of MinaLima in Soho is a free gallery over several floors, showing the graphic design work behind the films: the Marauder’s Map, the Daily Prophet, the Hogwarts letters. It is a narrow townhouse reached by stairs, with no lift.
It moved recently and is now at 157 Wardour Street, W1F 8WQ. Open daily 11 am to 6.45 pm.
Exhibitions you won’t want to miss in December 2026
The Bayeux Tapestry
The blockbusting exhibition of 2026. This is the first time the tapestry has come to Britain in nearly 1,000 years since it was made in the 1070s. The 70-metre embroidery tells the story of the Norman Conquest and the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
Demand broke records, with £2.5 million of tickets sold on the first day, and every ticket to 31 December 2026 has gone. There is no general availability in December at all.
If you are set on seeing it, the next release is the one to diarise. Tickets for 1 January to 31 March 2027 go on general sale on 21 October 2026, with British Museum members getting priority booking from 6 October. April to July 2027 dates will follow in early 2027.
- Where: The British Museum, Room 30, the Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery
- When: 10 September 2026 to 11 July 2027, sold out to 31 December 2026
- Price: £27 to £33 adult, under 16s free with a paying adult
- How to get there: Tottenham Court Road, Holborn, Russell Square and Goodge Street are all a five to ten minute walk. Russell Square and Goodge Street have no step-free access
Agatha Christie: A World of Mystery
The British Library’s big autumn and winter show, marking 50 years since Christie’s death. Personal items, notebooks, letters and photographs, many never displayed before, including the 1937 Remington typewriter she wrote on, plus immersive sets: a country house, a First World War dispensary and an Orient Express carriage.
December falls in the cheaper band. Off-peak tickets are £20 until 21 February 2027, with peak days at £25 and members free.
- Where: The British Library
- When: 30 October 2026 to 20 June 2027
- How to get there: King’s Cross St Pancras or Euston, both step-free
Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style
Extended by six months because of demand, and now running to 18 April 2027. Over 300 items of clothing worn by the late Queen, the largest collection ever shown, including her christening gown, wedding dress and coronation dress, with jewellery and accessories throughout.
- Where: The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace
- When: To 18 April 2027
- How to get there: Green Park, Victoria or St James’s Park
London’s major museums and galleries
If you want an hour away from tinsel, the permanent collections at the British Museum, the National Gallery, Tate Modern, the V&A, the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum are all free and all a good deal calmer than the shopping streets.
All six are step-free and all have seating throughout, which makes them the best fallback on a day when walking is not working.
| Exhibition | Where | Runs to | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frida: The Making of an Icon | Tate Modern | 3 January 2027 | Check on booking |
| Van Eyck: The Portraits | National Gallery | 11 April 2027 | Ticketed, check on booking |
| Renoir and Love | National Gallery | 31 January 2027 | Ticketed, check on booking |
| Jurassic Oceans: Monsters of the Deep | Natural History Museum | 3 January 2027 | £15 off-peak, £17.50 standard adult |
| Tim Walker’s Fairyland: Love and Legends | National Portrait Gallery | 7 February 2027 | Tickets not yet on sale |
| Rising Voices: Contemporary Art from Asia, Australia and the Pacific | V&A South Kensington | 10 January 2027 | Free |
| The Music is Black: A British Story | V&A East Museum | 3 January 2027 | £22, £10 for 12 to 25s |
| David Bowie Centre | V&A East Storehouse | Permanent | Free, some displays need booking |
| Yinka Shonibare and Thomas Gainsborough: A Conversation | National Gallery | 7 February 2027 | Free |
Two venue notes. V&A East Museum and V&A East Storehouse are different buildings in the Olympic Park, so check which one your exhibition is in. And V&A East closes from 24 to 26 December.
Our guide to London museums has the full list of what is free and what is not.
New Year’s Eve in London
The main event is the Mayor of London’s New Year’s Eve fireworks, fired from the Thames around the London Eye at midnight after Big Ben chimes. The display runs for roughly twelve minutes.
The riverside viewing areas are ticket-only, and you cannot get in without one. Tickets normally go on sale in October with a smaller second release in November, through Ticketmaster, which is the only official seller.
In 2025, they cost £20 to £55 depending on the viewing area, with a reduced rate for London residents, and they sold out. Gates open around 8 pm.
The 2026 tickets had not been released when we updated this guide. There is normally an accessible viewing area with its own ticket type, but it is small and goes fast, so book the moment sales open.
If you would rather not pay for a viewing area, the fireworks are broadcast live on BBC One, and the city’s pubs, restaurants and clubs all run their own nights. The other option is to be on the water rather than beside it, on a Thames cruise with dinner and a view of the display from the river.
London’s New Year’s Day Parade follows on Friday 1 January 2027, running from Piccadilly to Parliament Square. Free to watch from the street, with paid grandstand seats available.
What actually runs over Christmas
If you are in London between 24 December and 1 January, this section matters more than any of the listings above.
Transport
Christmas Day, Friday 25 December: there is no public transport at all. No Tube, no buses, no DLR, no Overground, no Elizabeth line, no trams, no river boats, no cable car, and no National Rail. Nothing. Your options are walking, a black cab or a minicab booked well in advance, or a Santander Cycle. Visitors regularly do not believe this until they are standing outside a shuttered station.
This matters most if you cannot walk far. With no buses and no Tube, a black cab booked in advance is effectively the only accessible way to move around the city on Christmas Day, and demand is high, so book it days ahead rather than on the morning.
Christmas Eve, Thursday 24 December: services run but wind down early, and there is no Night Tube and no night buses. Last trains are much earlier than usual.
Boxing Day, Saturday 26 December: reduced service, roughly Sunday levels, on the Tube and buses. National Rail is severely limited, with some operators running nothing at all and major terminals often closed for engineering work over the holiday. Check National Rail directly in December rather than assuming your train runs.
New Year’s Eve, Thursday 31 December: special overnight services normally run on most Tube lines, the Elizabeth line, the DLR, trams and some Overground lines, plus the 24-hour bus routes. Travel is not free. It used to be, and a lot of older articles still say so, but TfL stopped that several years ago.
The Congestion Charge is suspended between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, and metered parking is usually free on the public holidays.
Our guide to how to get around London covers the network the rest of the year.
What is open, and when
| Date | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Thu 24 December | Most attractions close early and the Tower of London is closed all day. A handful stay open, including Somerset House, the Courtauld Gallery, the London Transport Museum shop, the Charles Dickens Museum and the Sherlock Holmes Museum |
| Fri 25 December | Effectively everything is closed. The Tower of London, British Museum, National Gallery, Buckingham Palace, London Eye, Kew and Westminster Abbey and St Paul’s to sightseers |
| Sat 26 December | Most major museums stay shut. Somerset House, Eltham Palace, the Sherlock Holmes Museum and the Clink Prison Museum are among the few open. The shops, however, are very much open |
| Sun 27 December onwards | Most attractions reopen, though hours may be reduced until the new year |
Historic Royal Palaces had not published its 2026 Christmas closures when we updated this guide, but the Tower of London is normally closed 24 to 26 December.
What you can actually do on Christmas Day
Less than you would hope, but the day is not a write-off. Church services are free and open to all, and Midnight Mass at Westminster Abbey or St Paul’s is a genuinely memorable way to spend Christmas Eve.
The Peter Pan Cup swims at 9 am in Hyde Park. JW3 has the only ice rink open in the city. Chinatown is the reliable standby for lunch and stays largely open. Hotel restaurants serve Christmas lunch but need booking weeks if not months ahead in our experience.
Boxing Day sales
The sales run from 26 December through to mid-January. In 2026, Boxing Day falls on a Saturday, which means Sunday trading restrictions do not apply and the big stores can open full hours rather than the six-hour Sunday limit.
Specific opening times for 2026 had not been published when we updated this guide. Expect early opening, often between 9 am and 10 am, and check individual store websites in the week before.
How we would plan a December trip to London
December splits into three quite different parts.
- First half, 1 to 15 December.
The best of it. Everything is open, the lights are up, the markets and rinks are running, the Trafalgar Square tree is lit on the 3rd, the pantos open, and the city has not yet reached peak crowding. Hotel rates are still reasonable in the first week. This is the fortnight we would book.
- Second half up to Christmas, 16 to 24 December.
Busiest and most expensive. Oxford Street and Covent Garden are difficult to walk through at weekends, and the shopping streets are best avoided on Saturdays. Against that, this is when London looks its absolute best, and the carol services are at their peak. Book everything, and plan on doing one thing a day rather than three.
- Christmas and after, 25 December to 1 January
A completely different city. Nothing runs on Christmas Day, most things are closed on Boxing Day, and then it fills again for New Year. If you are here for this stretch, treat Christmas Day as a walking day and book your New Year’s Eve plans by October.
Whichever you pick, book the theatre, the panto and any ticketed exhibition well before you fly. Our guide to how far ahead you should book for London has the realistic lead times.
One more thing worth planning around. December days are short and the pavements can be wet and will be crowded, so build in more sitting down than you think you need. The river cruises, the museums and the theatres are all seated and warm, and pairing one of those with each outdoor thing can make a December trip enjoyable rather than exhausting.
Also on in London in December 2026
A few more things running through the month.
- Winter Light at the Southbank Centre, a free outdoor art and light trail along the river, no booking needed
- Old Spitalfields Christmas Market and the Greenwich Market Christmas lates, both free
- A Thames sightseeing cruise, which is the warmest way to see the lit riverside and works on the short December afternoons
- Afternoon tea, which peaks in December and books up early. See our pick of the best places in London for afternoon tea
- Guided Christmas tours, if you would rather have someone else do the planning. Our recommended Christmas tours in London can be customised to your itinerary
- Day trips, since Bath, Oxford, Cambridge and Windsor are all excellent in December. See day trips from London by train, but check services carefully over the holiday week
If you can only pick one day, make it Thursday 3 December. The Trafalgar Square tree is lit that evening, Christmas at Kew holds one of its two adult-only nights, and the whole city is festive without yet being too impassable.
Planning a different month? See our guides to events in London in November 2026 and events in London in October 2026, or start with our London travel planner to build the trip from scratch.
