Top 16 Things to Do in London in Winter
Date post added: 11th December 2024
Is it worth visiting London in winter?
The answer is a resounding yes! We think it’s the best city in Europe at any time of year, but it looks quite remarkable over winter.
Winter days don’t need to mean hibernation. It’s the most wonderful time of the year in fact. In many respects, London during winter is at its most special. Think twinkling lights, Christmas markets, festive pop-ups and cosy pubs for starters. Wrap up warm and enjoy London this winter with our list of things to do.
Image by Clyde Darra
What are some fun winter activities to do in London?
Here, we list 15 of our favourite things to do in London this winter holiday season – from the traditional to the seasonal to the simply sensational.
Arts and Entertainment
1. London museums and art galleries: top of our ‘free things to do indoors’ list has to be the many London museums and art galleries. Spend the holiday season absorbing the amazing collections at the British Museum, Tate Modern, the National Gallery and the Natural History Museum. Over in the London Museum Docklands, there’ll be a Victorian Christmas grotto from 22nd November to 23rd December. And the incredible Victoria and Albert Museum in South Kensington hosts a Christmas trail with festive objects to find around the museum.
2. Pantomime: this peculiarly British tradition provides laugh-out-loud entertainment. Way before RuPaul’s Drag Race, men dressed as dames and girls played principal boys. It’s silly, family fun. Pantos happen around the country, giving celebrities fruitful employment in winter months. The one at the London Palladium is particularly naughty with Julian Clary and Jane McDonald providing the smut this year!
3. Harry Potter Magic: there are loads of places around London where you can spot signs of Harry Potter and pals. Whether you want to look for Platform 9 3/4 at King’s Cross station or try to find Gringott’s Bank in the City of London, it’s all there to be found “if you know where to go.” The WB Studio Tour just outside London is highly recommended (especially when it’s set up for Hogwarts in the Snow), but so is our Harry Potter film locations walking tour.
Out and active
4. Boost your step count: we may be biassed, but winter walks in London are something truly special. Enjoy the vast green spaces at Greenwich, Hampstead or even central London parks like Hyde Park, Regents Park or Victoria Park. A wander along the Southbank, beside the River Thames, is a beautiful thing and you may be surprised by the seasonal pop-ups that you discover there.
5. Get your skates on: ice skating’s become a big thing and you’ll find several ice rinks around the city over the holiday season. A personal favourite, the ice skating rink at Somerset House is wonderfully picturesque. The ice rink makes the place look even more like St Petersburg. Go ice skating at this must-visit winter wonderland and you can’t fail to feel festive. Don’t forget to stop and take in the surroundings with hot chocolate in hand.
Canary Wharf also puts on a magical ice rink with numerous sessions throughout the day. Then at the new and improved Battersea Power Station, Glide is the capital’s only riverside ice rink, complete with DJ sets in The Glass House bar.
6. Wet and wild winter swimming: the Christmas Day dip in the Serpentine is legendary. It dates back to 1864. Hordes of brave (or daft) swimmers take the plunge in the freezing waters in Hyde Park. It’s quite the sight.
Christmas markets
7. London’s Christmas markets: take the opportunity to pick up presents from independent makers rather than mainstream shops. They’re super festive and usually resplendent with warm mulled wine, hand-crafted Christmas decorations and mince pies. Now that’s the way to do Christmas shopping. Favourites include Covent Garden, Camden and Portobello Road markets. The Southbank Centre’s artisan market is a great place to potter with the scenic Thames as a backdrop.
8. Festive food markets: the best places to find tempting delicacies. Borough Market’s ever popular, but it does get super busy so you’ll need to sharpen your elbows and be prepared to be jostled. Head east and try the street food at Spitalfields Market and the delectable offerings in Leadenhall Market. Both of these markets are covered which is a bonus in winter. Also, Box Park in Shoreditch is a good spot for foodies.
Christmas traditions
9. Sing along with a choir: not forgetting that Christmas is actually about the birth of Christ (rather than Santa, sleighs and overindulgence), experiencing a service with a choir in St Paul’s Cathedral or Westminster Abbey is pretty memorable. St Paul’s Christmas Carol services take place at 4pm on 23rd and 24th December and they’re really something special. And don’t miss live music performances at St Martin-in-the-Fields in the lead up to Christmas too.
10. The Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square: this annual gift from Norway has been presented to the UK since 1947 as a mark of gratitude for Britain’s efforts in World War II. The tree lighting ceremony takes place on the first Thursday in December and it’s rather charming. From there, take a walk around nearby Leicester Square, Piccadilly, Regent Street and Oxford Street to absorb the festive decor and Christmas lights.
11. Look at the lights: London’s Christmas lights get going very early. They transform the city on a grey winter’s night. Coupled with the impressive window displays in major stores like Hamleys, Selfridges and Liberty, the Christmas lights signal that the festivities have commenced. Extra special, Kew Gardens puts on a fabulous light display in winter which makes it even more enchanting.
Tuck in to great food and drink
12. Warm up in the pub: London’s not LA or Luxor. It gets nippy here. That’s why London (and England generally) does cosy so well. It’s a chance to warm up@ That means warm fires (smokeless fuel of course), holly and tremendously tasty, filling meals. There are great local pubs in which to enjoy hearty, warming fare. Favourites include The Horseshoe in Hampstead or The Churchill Arms in Kensington.
13. Time for tea: if a very English afternoon tea’s your thing, The Wolseley is always amazing. This year,the Chesterfield Mayfair Hotel is serving up a sophisticated Winter Wonderland Afternoon Tea that sounds pretty sumptuous.
14. Pop in to a pop-up: you’ll find festive special pop-ups serving up street food and seasonal specialities. Fire and Fromage is returning to the Southbank serving up oozy, cheesy raclette and toasted S’mores. Further along the Thames, Vicinity has Alpine Lodge pop-ups where you can sip on mulled wine, cider or chocolate whilst looking out over Tower Bridge and the City of London.
Merrily on high
15. Head to the top deck: a ride on the upper deck of the number 15 bus from Trafalgar Square in the West End to Tower Hill is a London must-do experience. It’s a heritage bus ride on the classic red Routemaster, complete with a bus conductor. It’s perfect for sightseeing, people-watching and absorbing the wintertime hustle and bustle from a relatively comfy seat. You’ll take in sights like St Paul’s Cathedral, Covent Garden and the Tower of London. You can’t do that from the Tube!
16. Enjoy the view from up high: move on up and enjoy the view. On a crisp, clear winter morning, London looks absolutely spectacular. Head up The Shard, take the London Eye, climb Tower Bridge or brave the steps to the top of The Monument or St Paul’s Cathedral where you can take in iconic landmarks across the City of London. You can also enjoy the viewpoints from natural high spots like Primrose Hill or Greenwich Park.
Of course, the best way to explore London during the festive season is with one of our Christmas walking tours. It’s a must-do activity if you’re visiting London. Get the inside scoop on everything from Buckingham Palace to Borough Market, London Bridge to Leicester Square.
Be inspired with things to do in London over Christmas, on Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve.
Pippa Jackson
Pippa is a word nerd and content aficionado with a background of working in TV on both sides of the globe. She loves to discover and share the diverse and wonderful stories of her much-loved London. When she’s not writing blogs and articles, you’ll find her walking beside the Thames or even paddleboarding on it (in the finest of conditions only!) or enjoying a coffee in the sunshine with a good book.
David Tucker
David – the Seigneur of this favoured realm – broods over words, breeds enthusiasms and is “unmanageable.”* He’s a balterer, literary historian, university lecturer, journalist, logophile and lifelong thanatophobe. For good measure, he’s the doyen of London guides.