London › December Guide
Updated: October 9, 2026 • By Santorini Dave
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December is a fantastic time to visit London if you love Christmas. Hotels can be expensive, central shopping streets get crowded, and transport is severely disrupted around Christmas.
Early to mid-December is my favorite time to visit. The decorations and Christmas attractions are in full swing, but shops, museums, restaurants, and public transport generally follow normal schedules. Christmas week is also fun, but December 25 requires careful planning.
For lower prices and fewer crowds, consider November.
My wife and I in London in December.
London in December: At a Glance
- Weather: Cold and damp, with average afternoon temperatures around 8°C to 9°C (46°F to 48°F). Rain is common; snow is uncommon.
- Daylight: Sunrise around 8:00 AM and sunset before 4:00 PM for much of December.
- Hotel Prices: Often high, especially on popular weekends and around New Year’s Eve. Early December is not necessarily cheaper than Christmas week.
- Best Time to Visit: Early to mid-December for Christmas decorations without major holiday transport disruptions.
- Christmas Day: No regular Tube, bus, or rail service. Most attractions and shops close. Book Christmas lunch and transportation well ahead.
Quick Hotel Picks for December
A central hotel is worth the extra cost in December, especially if you want to walk to Christmas lights, theaters, and restaurants.
- Best for First-Time Visitors: NoMad London in Covent Garden.
- Best for Festive Luxury: The Savoy on the Strand.
- Best for Families: Park Plaza Westminster Bridge on the South Bank.
- Best Luxury Hotel for Eurostar: St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel.
- Best Value: Motel One Tower Hill.
- Best Mayfair Luxury: The Connaught.
When to Visit London in December
Early to Mid-December
This is the best period for most visitors. Christmas lights, markets, seasonal shows, and Winter Wonderland are operating, while museums, shops, restaurants, and transport generally follow normal schedules.
Weekdays are easier than weekends, particularly around Covent Garden, Regent Street, Oxford Street, and the South Bank. Hotel rates can still be high, especially during the Christmas party season.
Christmas and New Year
December 24 through January 1 is busy, with the biggest disruptions on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
- December 24: Many shops, attractions, and restaurants close early. Public transport finishes earlier than usual.
- December 25: Most attractions, shops, and public transport close. A pre-booked Christmas lunch and activities within walking distance of your hotel are the best plan.
- December 26: Boxing Day sales attract large shopping crowds. Some attractions reopen, but transport remains limited.
- December 27 to 30: Most attractions and shops operate, and Christmas decorations remain up. Rail engineering work can disrupt journeys.
- December 31: New Year’s Eve fireworks, parties, and road closures bring large crowds to central London.
- January 1: Many attractions reopen, but transport operates on holiday schedules.
What to Book Ahead
- Hotels: Book central hotels and family rooms early.
- West End Shows: Reserve popular musicals, pantomimes, ballets, and weekend performances well ahead.
- Winter Wonderland: Book entry and major rides or shows in advance, especially for weekends and evenings.
- Christmas at Kew: Popular evening entry times sell out, particularly on weekends.
- Festive Afternoon Tea: Reserve The Ritz, Claridge’s, The Savoy, and other famous venues early.
- Christmas Day Meal: Essential to book ahead. Many restaurants close, and those that open often serve special Christmas menus.
- New Year’s Eve: Book fireworks tickets, restaurants, cruises, and hotel celebrations in advance.
- December 25 Airport Transfers: Regular airport trains and Tube services do not operate. Arrange a private car or check available coach services before traveling.
Best Things to Do in London in December
Walk the Christmas Lights
My favorite central Christmas lights walk starts at Oxford Circus, follows Regent Street, detours through Carnaby Street, and continues toward Piccadilly, Bond Street, and Covent Garden. Allow 90 minutes to two hours, depending on crowds and photo stops.
Regent Street has the grandest display, Carnaby is more creative, Bond Street is the most polished, and Covent Garden has the best overall Christmas atmosphere.
Start around 4:00 PM on a weekday.
See a West End Show
December is a great month for West End musicals, plays, pantomimes, and ballet.
Book popular performances ahead, especially on weekends and during Christmas week. A matinee works particularly well on a cold or wet afternoon.
Visit Hyde Park Winter Wonderland
Winter Wonderland combines rides, food stalls, bars, shows, games, and seasonal entertainment in Hyde Park.
It is large, commercial, expensive, and crowded, but families and visitors seeking a high-energy Christmas event can have a great time.
Book entry and important activities ahead. Weekday afternoons are generally less crowded than weekend evenings. Skip it if you prefer traditional markets, quiet streets, or a subtle Christmas atmosphere.
Visit Christmas at Kew
Christmas at Kew is a ticketed evening light trail through the Royal Botanic Gardens.
It is more polished and atmospheric than Winter Wonderland but requires a separate trip from central London. Allow roughly 45 to 75 minutes each way, depending on your starting point and the entrance assigned to your ticket. Check the entrance carefully, as not all entrances are used for every event.
Explore Covent Garden
Covent Garden is my favorite neighborhood for Christmas decorations, shops, restaurants, street performers, and theaters.
Visit in the morning for photographs and fewer crowds, or after dark for the lights and dinner.
Visit the South Bank
The South Bank has seasonal food stalls, Thames views, the London Eye, National Theatre, and Tate Modern.
Walk east along the river toward Borough Market or west toward Westminster. The walk from the London Eye to Borough Market takes roughly 30 to 40 minutes.
Have Festive Afternoon Tea
The Savoy, Claridge’s, The Ritz, and Fortnum & Mason are excellent choices for festive afternoon tea. Prices are high, and popular reservations fill early.
Choose one special tea rather than trying to combine it with a large lunch and dinner on the same day.
Visit London’s Museums
The British Museum, National Gallery, Tate Modern, Victoria and Albert Museum, Wallace Collection, and Courtauld Gallery are excellent choices on cold or rainy days.
Visit major museums when they open for smaller crowds, or check for late-opening evenings. Many close around 5:00 PM or 6:00 PM, so don’t leave a major museum visit until late afternoon.
Take a Thames Boat to Greenwich
A Thames boat to Greenwich is one of my favorite London outings. Scheduled river services have enclosed seating, making the trip comfortable even in cold weather.
Leave central London before noon if you want time to explore Greenwich Park in daylight. Combine the trip with the Old Royal Naval College, National Maritime Museum, and Greenwich Market.
Check winter boat schedules, particularly around Christmas.
Celebrate New Year’s Eve
London’s official New Year’s Eve fireworks display is ticketed, with controlled viewing areas around the Thames. Buy tickets through the official ticket seller when they become available.
Without a ticket, do not expect to walk into Westminster and find a good view. Book a restaurant, hotel party, theater performance, or river cruise instead. If booking a cruise specifically for the fireworks, confirm that it includes a fireworks viewing position.
Christmas and New Year Transport in London
- Christmas Eve: Services finish earlier than normal. Check the last train or Tube before making evening plans.
- Christmas Day: No regular Tube, London bus, Elizabeth line, or National Rail service. Walking, taxis, pre-booked private cars, and some private coach services are the main options.
- Boxing Day: Some Tube and bus services normally operate, but schedules are reduced. National Rail service is limited, with some routes not operating.
- December 27 to 30: Most services resume, though rail engineering work can affect airport and intercity journeys.
- New Year’s Eve: Road closures, station restrictions, and large crowds affect central London, particularly around Westminster and the Thames.
- New Year’s Day: Reduced or holiday transport schedules.
Check Transport for London’s published Christmas service arrangements and your rail operator’s holiday timetable shortly before traveling. Exact schedules and engineering closures change each year.
What Is Open in London on Christmas Day?
Most museums, attractions, shops, and markets close on December 25. Some hotel restaurants, pubs, and independent restaurants open, often with special Christmas menus that require advance reservations.
A good Christmas Day plan is a morning walk, a pre-booked lunch, and a relaxed afternoon near your hotel.
Do not count on finding an open restaurant without a reservation.
Where to Stay in London in December
I recommend staying in Covent Garden, Soho, the Strand, or another central neighborhood where you can walk to restaurants, theaters, and Christmas lights.
See my full guide to the best places to stay in London and the London neighborhood map.
Covent Garden and Soho: Best for First-Time Visitors
Covent Garden and Soho put Christmas lights, theaters, restaurants, Trafalgar Square, Regent Street, and much of the West End within a 5 to 25-minute walk.
NoMad London is my favorite upscale choice. Z Hotel Soho and The Z Hotel Covent Garden are cheaper but have tiny rooms, some without windows.
South Bank and Westminster: Best for Families
The South Bank is close to the London Eye, SEA LIFE London Aquarium, Westminster, river boats, theaters, and seasonal stalls.
Park Plaza Westminster Bridge has family rooms and an indoor pool.
The Westminster Bridge area is touristy and crowded. Bankside, farther east toward Borough Market, is generally calmer in the evening and has a better selection of casual restaurants.
Mayfair and the Strand: Best for Festive Luxury
Mayfair and the Strand have London’s grandest hotels, decorated shopping streets, afternoon teas, and easy access to the West End.
The Connaught is my favorite Mayfair choice. The Savoy is better for Covent Garden, theater, and the Thames.
King’s Cross and St Pancras: Best for Eurostar
King’s Cross and St Pancras are convenient for Eurostar arrivals and onward rail travel.
St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel is attached to St Pancras International and is an excellent luxury choice.
Most Christmas attractions require a Tube ride or a 25 to 45-minute walk.
Tower Hill and the City: Best Value
The City often has better weekend hotel rates than the West End.
Motel One Tower Hill is close to the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Thames boats, and Tower Hill and Aldgate Tube stations.
The area is quieter in the evening than Covent Garden or Soho, but has less Christmas atmosphere.
London Weather and Daylight in December
December is cold, damp, and dark rather than severely wintry. Average afternoon temperatures are around 8°C to 9°C (46°F to 48°F), with nights near 3°C to 4°C (37°F to 39°F).
Wind and moisture make it feel colder, especially along the Thames and on exposed bridges. Snow occasionally falls but rarely settles for long.
Sunset is before 4:00 PM for much of December, with fewer than eight hours of daylight around the winter solstice.
Getting to London Airports in December
Heathrow: The Elizabeth line runs directly to Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon, Liverpool Street, and Canary Wharf. The Piccadilly line is cheaper and often more convenient for South Kensington, Leicester Square, and Covent Garden. Heathrow Express is fastest to Paddington but usually less useful if your hotel is elsewhere.
Gatwick: Gatwick Express and Southern trains serve Victoria. Thameslink serves London Bridge, Blackfriars, Farringdon, and St Pancras International. Choose the service closest to your hotel rather than automatically taking Gatwick Express.
An airport hotel is worth considering before a very early flight on dates affected by holiday closures or engineering work.
See my guides to the best Heathrow Airport hotels and Gatwick Airport hotels.
What to Pack for London in December
- Warm waterproof coat: Wind protection matters as much as insulation.
- Layers: Shops, museums, restaurants, and the Tube can be warm and crowded.
- Water-resistant walking shoes: Best for wet streets and long days of sightseeing.
- Scarf and gloves: Useful after dark and beside the Thames.
- Compact umbrella: Helpful in drizzle, though a hood works better in wind.
Heavy snow boots and extreme cold-weather clothing are unnecessary for a normal London December.
London in December vs November and January
- November: Generally cheaper and less crowded. Many major Christmas lights are switched on by mid-month, though some seasonal attractions open later.
- December: Best for the full Christmas experience, with festive events, decorated hotels, markets, and seasonal performances. Expect high hotel prices and busy shopping streets.
- January: Quieter and generally better value after New Year. Most Christmas decorations and seasonal attractions disappear during the first week.
About Santorini Dave