St. Albans at Christmas

Roman city. Medieval streets. Tudor inns. A great cathedral. And Christmas glowing into dusk.

St Albans Cathedral – nearly 2,000 years of history, just minutes from London. London Walks – Streets Ahead.

Twenty minutes from London and you’re somewhere else entirely.

St Albans is one of those places that seems to contain far more England than ought reasonably to fit into one small city. Roman Verulamium lies at its feet. Medieval streets climb the hill. Half-timbered houses lean over old lanes. Coaching inns, market stalls and church towers crowd the centre. And above it all rises the great cathedral, built from the fabric and memories of nearly 2,000 years of history.

Come in December and the whole thing acquires another layer.

Yes, it’s AI-generated, a little St Albans Christmas pull-together. An evocation rather than documentation, and very much the feel of the place at this time of year.

The market is in full swing. The Christmas lights are up. Shop windows glow. The old streets are busy with shoppers, market stalls and people making the most of a winter afternoon. By late afternoon the city begins to light up, and St Albans becomes especially lovely.

We travel out together from West Hampstead, just 20 minutes by train, and make our way uphill from Victorian St Albans into the older city.

Along the way, Alison tells the extraordinary story of how St Albans came to be here at all. We’ll uncover the Roman city below the hill, discover why the settlement moved, wander through the old market streets and explore a city of medieval lanes, Tudor buildings, ancient inns and wonderfully unexpected corners.

Then we break for lunch.

The Fleur de Lys, St Albans, a time-honoured pub where history and a good pint go hand in hand.

And St Albans is very good at lunch. You can grab something from the market, settle into an old pub, or choose one of the city’s many cafés and restaurants. There’s also time, if you prefer, to dip into the cathedral or museum.

In the afternoon we go further back.

Through the old streets and into the Cathedral Quarter, we reach the heart of the St Albans story: Alban himself, Britain’s first recorded Christian martyr, and the extraordinary church that grew around his memory.

From there, the city opens out again towards Roman Verulamium, once one of the largest and most important towns in Roman Britain.

A wonderfully festive St Albans postbox overflowing with handmade letters and parcels for Santa Claus.

And throughout the day there’s Christmas in the weave of it all: where our traditions came from, how they changed, and the small seasonal rituals that still give December its magic.

The walk finishes with the afternoon fading, the lights coming on and the cathedral close at hand.

You can head straight back to London.

Or don’t.

Stay for Evensong. Find an old pub. Have a festive drink. Wander through the Christmas lights. Let St Albans keep you for another hour.

If you love old England, hidden history and Christmas properly done, this is a very good day out indeed.

Finally, and very much to the point, Alison lives in St Albans and guides it regularly. That matters. This is her city. Local knowledge is always a chart topper.

Alison and her husband David, very much at home in Christmas St Albans.

ST ALBANS AT CHRISTMAS – THE PRACTICALS

Meet Alison at 10.45 am just outside the exit of West Hampstead Tube.

Please note that the price listed is the cost of a morning and afternoon walk in St Albans. It does NOT include your train ticket. You will need a day return to St Albans which you can buy at West Hampstead or from central London. You will need to select the best ticket for yourself, depending on whether or not you have an oyster card or a travel card. On average a day return will be between £15 and £20.

You can be back in central London by about 5 pm if you wish. Or stay on for Evensong, a drink or another wander through the illuminated streets.

On the return journey you can continue directly beyond West Hampstead to St Pancras International, Farringdon, Blackfriars or London Bridge.

Tempted? Thinking of going on this one? Wondering whether it’s for you? Wondering whether you should visit a place that’s not nearly so well known as, say, Windsor or Stonehenge or Oxford? Have a listen to this. It’s the merest bagatelle – just ten minutes long – but I guarantee you it’ll be case closed. Make that little ten-minute investment and it’ll be “Oh yes! St Albans here I come.”

LONDON WALKS REVIEWS

“Best Tourism Experience in England”   Gold Medal Winner, Visit England

“London Walks was acknowledged as the premier walking tour company in the entire world“   American Tour Guides Convention

ST. ALBANS SOUPÇON

“St Albans Cathedral is the oldest place of continuous Christian worship in the UK – and has the longest nave of any Cathedral, including St Paul’s and Westminster Abbey. St Albans has the only medieval clock tower in the country. St Albans has the oldest public school in Britain where Pope Adrian IV, the only Englishman to occupy the papal chair, and scientist Stephen Hawking were educated. The Roman city of Verulamium (now the site of St Albans’ Verulamium park) was the second-largest town in Roman Britain after Londinium and was burned and destroyed by Queen Boudicca and her army (St Albans) in AD60. St Albans’ pub Ye Olde Fighting Cocks is in the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest pub in the country. St Albans Abbey (now Cathedral) was at one time the principal Abbey in England and was the location of the first meeting (in 1213) which ultimately led to the sealing of the Magna Carta (in 1215). World-famous heavy rock group Enter Shakari are from St Albans, and still play the odd gig in the city. St Albans has more pubs per square mile than any other town in the country. Legendary filmmaker Stanley Kubrick lived and worked in the area and produced The Shining in St. Albans.”

ST. ALBANS, ALL TO YOURSELVES

Can’t make one of the scheduled St Albans day trips? Go private.

You can have the St Albans day trip, or any London Walk or day trip, on a day and at a time that suits you. We’ll tailor it to your requirements and, as always with a private booking, take particular care to match you with exactly the right guide.

Ring Fiona, Peter, Mary or Niamh on 020 7624 3978 or email [email protected] and we’ll set it up for you.

GIVE THE GIFT OF LONDON WALKS

A private St. Albans day trip makes a fabulous birthday gift or anniversary present or whatever. Merchandise schmerchandise (gift wrapped or not) – but giving someone an experience, now that’s special. Memories make us rich.

IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE GUIDING

“If this were a golf tournament every name on the Leader Board would be a London Walks guide”

LONDON WALKS – STREETS AHEAD!

Don’t just take it from us.