Live Guide, 1.5-Hour Ride
A 1.5-hour ride through the Christmas lights with a live guide on board.
Check availability
Christmas In London: Tours, Lights And Markets
Lights bus tours, festive walks, Thames cruises and day trips, compared by rating, duration and cancellation policy.
- $33lowest per-person from-price on the roster
- £1Winter Wonderland entry, from · Off-Peak slots are free but must be booked; Standard £5.50, Peak £8.25; rides, attractions and the rink cost extra
- 8 to 10 C / 3 to 5 CAverage December high and low · long-term Met Office averages for London; sunset is about 4pm in mid December
Stonehenge, Windsor Castle, and Bath from London
Likely to sell out.
from $106 per person, live price on the listing
Check Price & Availability →Opens the operator's official listing with live dates. Book there; nothing is charged on this site.
- Duration
- 11 hours
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation
Christmas In London 2026: Numbers To Know
19 Nov to 3 Jan
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland · open every day except Christmas Day; the final day is a Family Fun Day
£29.50
Christmas at Kew, adults from · off-peak; £37 peak, both with a £1 booking fee included; separate from normal Kew admission, closed 25 Dec
£13
Somerset House rink, adults from · adults £13 to £28.50, children £11 to £15, plus £1.50 per ticket; 11 Nov to 10 Jan
Free
Southbank Centre Winter Market · walk in; open 2 Nov to 4 Jan, daily 11am to 10pm, closed 25 and 31 Dec
5 Nov
Regent Street lights switch-on · a Thursday, with the street closed to traffic from 5pm to 9pm
4 Nov
Carnaby Street lights switch-on · a Wednesday; this year's theme is Press Play on Christmas
12 Nov
Covent Garden lights switch-on · a Thursday; over 300,000 lights and the Theatre of Christmas
14 Nov to 17 Jan
Hogwarts in the Snow · at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour, included in the standard timed ticket; closed 25 and 26 Dec
20 Nov to 3 Jan
Hampton Court Palace ice rink · open daily except Christmas Day, tickets from £13.50
31 Dec
Mayor's New Year's Eve fireworks · 8pm start; ticketed viewing areas, ticket release date not announced yet
Tours And Experiences For Christmas In London, By Type
Lights bus tours
Open-Top Night Ride, Live Guide
An evening open-top ride past the lights, live-guided, 90 minutes long.
Check availability
Open-Top Bus, Live Guide
An open-top bus with a live guide, running 1.5 hours through London's Christmas lights.
Check availabilityWalking and bike tours
Silent-Disco Walk With Music
A 1 hour 45 minute guided walk through the lights, with Christmas music playing as you go.
Check availability
Markets Walk, Mulled Wine Included
A 1 hour 30 minute guided walk through Christmas lights and markets, with mulled wine included along the way.
Check availability
3-Hour Bike Tour, Local Guide
This three hour ride from The London Bicycle Tour Company strings together London's main Christmas displays in one outing, from Sloane Square past Harrods and through Hyde Park to the big shopping streets, ending along the South Bank.
Check availabilityAfternoon tea bus tours
1960s Routemaster Tea Bus
A 1960s Routemaster double-decker carries passengers through central London for 1 hour 25 minutes while an afternoon tea of sandwiches, cakes and pastries is served at the table.
Check availability
Lights Bus, Optional Afternoon Tea
A 1 hour 30 minute Christmas lights tour by bus, with the option to add an afternoon tea to the ride.
Check availability
Snowman-Themed Tea Bus, 1 Hour
A one-hour bus ride through central London's Christmas lights, with a Snowman-themed afternoon tea served on board.
Check availabilityThames cruises
Afternoon Tea Cruise, 1.5 Hours
Afternoon tea served on board while the boat cruises the Thames for 1.5 hours, taking in central London from the water.
Check availability
Christmas Day Lunch, 3.5 Hours
On Christmas Day the boat sets out on the Thames for a 3.5-hour cruise past the riverside landmarks of central London, and a traditional Christmas lunch is served at the table while the city drifts past the windows.
Check availability
Party Lunch Cruise, 3 Hours
A 3-hour Christmas party lunch cruise on the Thames, with food served on board while the sights of the river pass by.
Check availabilityStudio and day trips
Stonehenge, Windsor And Bath Day Trip
An 11-hour coach day trip from London taking in Stonehenge, Windsor Castle and Bath in a single outing.
Check availability
Harry Potter Studio, Branded Bus
A branded coach runs from central London to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour on this 7.5-hour Harry Potter day trip.
Check availability
Studio Tour Plus Thames Cruise
One booking pairs the Warner Bros. Studio Tour with a sightseeing cruise on the River Thames.
Check availabilityNarrow The Christmas In London List To Your Trip
A starting shortlist first: the three best-reviewed tours of the 22. Tap any answer below and the list rebuilds.
Show more tours
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Vintage Double-Decker Lights Ride
1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours 10 minutes · Free cancellation
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Compare Every Tour For Christmas In London
Show
On the night
Sort by
All 22 tours, most reviewed first. Tap a sort chip twice to flip the order.
| Tour | Kind | On the night | Length | Meets | From | Rating | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stonehenge, Windsor And Bath Day Trip | Studio and day trips | No meal | 11 hours | Where tours begin | $106 | ★ 4.620,907 reviews | View Tour |
| Harry Potter Studio, Branded Bus | Studio and day trips | No meal | 7.5 hours | Where tours begin | $122 | ★ 4.720,108 reviews | View Tour |
| Live Guide, 1.5-Hour Ride | Lights bus tours | No meal | 1.5 hours | Where tours begin | $33 | ★ 4.05,439 reviews | View Tour |
| Afternoon Tea Cruise, 1.5 Hours | Thames cruises | Meal included | 1.5 hours | Where tours begin | $53 | ★ 4.43,938 reviews | View Tour |
| 1960s Routemaster Tea Bus | Afternoon tea bus tours | Meal included | 1 hour 25 minutes | Where tours begin | $94 | ★ 4.42,121 reviews | View Tour |
| Open-Top Night Ride, Live Guide | Lights bus tours | No meal | 1 hour 30 minutes | Where tours begin | $40 | ★ 4.52,049 reviews | View Tour |
| Studio Tour Plus Thames Cruise | Studio and day trips | No meal | Where tours begin | $112 | ★ 4.8995 reviews | View Tour | |
| Open-Top Bus, Live Guide | Lights bus tours | No meal | 1.5 hours | Where tours begin | $40 | ★ 4.1531 reviews | View Tour |
| Lights And Bites Routemaster Bus | Lights bus tours | Meal included | 1.5 hours | Where tours begin | $60 | ★ 4.1185 reviews | Check availability |
| Vintage Double-Decker Lights Ride | Lights bus tours | No meal | 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours 10 minutes | Where tours begin | $43 | ★ 4.0135 reviews | Check availability |
| Silent-Disco Walk With Music | Walking and bike tours | No meal | 1 hour 45 minutes | Where tours begin | $52 | ★ 4.9118 reviews | View Tour |
| Markets Walk, Mulled Wine Included | Walking and bike tours | Meal included | 1 hour 30 minutes | Where tours begin | $61 | ★ 5.072 reviews | View Tour |
| 3-Hour Bike Tour, Local Guide | Walking and bike tours | No meal | 3 hours | Where tours begin | $60 | ★ 4.867 reviews | View Tour |
| Dickens Small-Group Walk | Walking and bike tours | No meal | 3 hours | Where tours begin | $120 | ★ 5.055 reviews | Check availability |
| Christmas Day Lunch, 3.5 Hours | Thames cruises | Meal included | 3.5 hours | Where tours begin | $232 | ★ 4.547 reviews | View Tour |
| Lights Bus, Optional Afternoon Tea | Afternoon tea bus tours | No meal | 1 hour 30 minutes | Where tours begin | $34 | ★ 4.438 reviews | View Tour |
| Small-Group Walk, Official Guide | Walking and bike tours | No meal | 2 hours | Where tours begin | $61 | ★ 4.929 reviews | Check availability |
| Party Lunch Cruise, 3 Hours | Thames cruises | Meal included | 3 hours | Where tours begin | $99 | ★ 4.717 reviews | View Tour |
| Party Dinner Cruise, 4 Hours | Thames cruises | Meal included | 4 hours | Where tours begin | $126 | ★ 4.316 reviews | Check availability |
| Snowman-Themed Tea Bus, 1 Hour | Afternoon tea bus tours | Meal included | 1 hour | Where tours begin | $47 | ★ 4.614 reviews | View Tour |
| Christmas Day Sightseeing Cruise | Thames cruises | No meal | 1 hour | Where tours begin | $43 | ★ 5.09 reviews | Check availability |
| Cotswolds Day Trip, Lunch Included | Studio and day trips | Meal included | 11 hours | Where tours begin | $264 | ★ 4.29 reviews | Check availability |
| No tours fit that combination of filters right now. Remove one category or try another mix and the full set of London Christmas tours returns to the grid. | |||||||
Christmas In London, Month By Month
Lights
Markets And Rinks
Light Trails And Studio
Closures And Travel
- Reported or just starting
- Present
- Building or consistent
- Common or peak
- Not named
- This month
January
Lights: Present: Regent Street lights run to Jan 5 Markets And Rinks: Present: Southbank market to Jan 4; Winter Wonderland and Hampton Court rink to Jan 3; Somerset House rink to Jan 10 Light Trails And Studio: Present: Christmas at Kew to Jan 3; Hogwarts in the Snow to Jan 17 Closures And Travel: Consistent: check TfL for New Year holiday timetables
February
Lights: none Markets And Rinks: none Light Trails And Studio: none Closures And Travel: none
March
Lights: none Markets And Rinks: none Light Trails And Studio: none Closures And Travel: none
April
Lights: none Markets And Rinks: none Light Trails And Studio: none Closures And Travel: none
May
Lights: none Markets And Rinks: none Light Trails And Studio: none Closures And Travel: none
June
Lights: none Markets And Rinks: none Light Trails And Studio: none Closures And Travel: none
July
Lights: none Markets And Rinks: none Light Trails And Studio: none Closures And Travel: none
August
Lights: none Markets And Rinks: none Light Trails And Studio: none Closures And Travel: none
September
Lights: none Markets And Rinks: none Light Trails And Studio: none Closures And Travel: none
October
Lights: none Markets And Rinks: none Light Trails And Studio: none Closures And Travel: none
November
Lights: Builds: Carnaby switch-on Nov 4, Regent Street Nov 5, Covent Garden Nov 12 Markets And Rinks: Begins: Southbank market opens Nov 2, Somerset House rink Nov 11, Winter Wonderland Nov 19, Hampton Court rink Nov 20 Light Trails And Studio: Begins: Christmas at Kew Nov 13, Hogwarts in the Snow Nov 14 Closures And Travel: Some: Oxford Street, Leicester Square market and Trafalgar tree dates not announced yet
December
Lights: Peak: the Regent Street, Carnaby Street and Covent Garden lights are all on Markets And Rinks: Peak: every market and rink is open; Winter Wonderland, Kew and the Hampton Court rink are closed Dec 25, the Southbank market Dec 25 and 31 Light Trails And Studio: Peak: Kew has adult-only evenings Dec 3 and 9; the Studio Tour is closed Dec 25 and 26 Closures And Travel: Consistent: no Tube or buses on Christmas Day last year; London Eye closed Dec 25; NYE fireworks Dec 31
Open the full table
| Month | Lights | Markets And Rinks | Light Trails And Studio | Closures And Travel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Present: Regent Street lights run to Jan 5 | Present: Southbank market to Jan 4; Winter Wonderland and Hampton Court rink to Jan 3; Somerset House rink to Jan 10 | Present: Christmas at Kew to Jan 3; Hogwarts in the Snow to Jan 17 | Consistent: check TfL for New Year holiday timetables |
| February | none | none | none | none |
| March | none | none | none | none |
| April | none | none | none | none |
| May | none | none | none | none |
| June | none | none | none | none |
| July | none | none | none | none |
| August | none | none | none | none |
| September | none | none | none | none |
| October | none | none | none | none |
| November | Builds: Carnaby switch-on Nov 4, Regent Street Nov 5, Covent Garden Nov 12 | Begins: Southbank market opens Nov 2, Somerset House rink Nov 11, Winter Wonderland Nov 19, Hampton Court rink Nov 20 | Begins: Christmas at Kew Nov 13, Hogwarts in the Snow Nov 14 | Some: Oxford Street, Leicester Square market and Trafalgar tree dates not announced yet |
| December | Peak: the Regent Street, Carnaby Street and Covent Garden lights are all on | Peak: every market and rink is open; Winter Wonderland, Kew and the Hampton Court rink are closed Dec 25, the Southbank market Dec 25 and 31 | Peak: Kew has adult-only evenings Dec 3 and 9; the Studio Tour is closed Dec 25 and 26 | Consistent: no Tube or buses on Christmas Day last year; London Eye closed Dec 25; NYE fireworks Dec 31 |
Christmas In London Venues Compared: Winter Wonderland, Kew And The Rinks
| Winter Wonderland | Christmas at Kew | Southbank Winter Market | Somerset House Rink | Hampton Court Rink | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Format | Funfair, market and rink in a royal park | Illuminated garden trail after dark | Open-air chalet market on the riverside | Skating in a historic courtyard | Skating in the palace grounds |
| 2026 dates | Nov 19 to Jan 3 | Nov 13 to Jan 3, selected dates | Nov 2 to Jan 4 | Nov 11 to Jan 10 | Nov 20 to Jan 3 |
| Price | Entry £1 off-peak, £5.50 standard, £8.25 peak; rides extra | Adults £29.50 off-peak, £37 peak | Free to walk in | Adults £13 to £28.50, plus £1.50 per ticket | Tickets from £13.50 |
| Where | Hyde Park | Kew Gardens, Richmond | Queen's Walk, South Bank | Somerset House, the Strand | Hampton Court Palace, south-west London |
| Booking | Book an entry time slot online | Timed entry, advance booking essential | Walk in | Book online, dynamic pricing | Book online |
| Christmas Day | Closed | Closed | Closed | Not stated | Closed |
| Best for | Families and an evening of rides | Lights and music after dark | A free stroll with food stalls | Skating beside Covent Garden | Skating in a Tudor palace setting |
Where Christmas In London Happens, On The Map
Loading the map. Every place is also listed below.
Map tiles and place names: © OpenStreetMap contributors
Meeting Points
- Live Guide, 1.5-Hour Ridefrom $33
Day Trips And Studio
- Trafalgar SquareLights And Markets
- Regent StreetLights And Markets · 850 m straight-line from Trafalgar Square
- Oxford CircusLights And Markets · 1.3 km straight-line from Trafalgar Square
- Carnaby StreetLights And Markets · 950 m straight-line from Trafalgar Square
- Covent Garden MarketLights And Markets · 640 m straight-line from Trafalgar Square
- Leicester SquareLights And Markets · 360 m straight-line from Trafalgar Square
- Southbank Centre Winter MarketLights And Markets · 820 m straight-line from Trafalgar Square
- Hyde Park Winter WonderlandSeasonal Attractions · 2.3 km straight-line from Trafalgar Square
- Christmas at KewSeasonal Attractions · 12 km straight-line from Trafalgar Square
- Somerset House Ice RinkSeasonal Attractions · 890 m straight-line from Trafalgar Square
- Hampton Court Palace Ice RinkSeasonal Attractions · 19 km straight-line from Trafalgar Square
- London EyeMeeting Points · 1.0 km straight-line from Trafalgar Square
- Victoria StationMeeting Points · 1.8 km straight-line from Trafalgar Square
- Green Park StationMeeting Points · 1.0 km straight-line from Trafalgar Square
- AldwychMeeting Points · 1.1 km straight-line from Trafalgar Square
- Westminster PierMeeting Points · 680 m straight-line from Trafalgar Square
- Charing Cross StationMeeting Points · 240 m straight-line from Trafalgar Square
- Warner Bros. Studio Tour LondonDay Trips And Studio · 29 km straight-line from Trafalgar Square
- Windsor CastleDay Trips And Studio · 33 km straight-line from Trafalgar Square
What Visitors Say After Booking
The traveler reviews shown here are published by the tour operators' booking platforms; this site did not collect, write, or edit them, and they are quoted as published.
“Good tour. Lots of pretty lights. Very festive. Note- riding up on top is cold. Bundle up and enjoy.”
“A wonderful way to see the Christmas lights without having to deal with the crowds.”
“We had a wonderful time, the bites and lights tour was fun, knowledgable and the treats were delicious.”
Where To Stay For Christmas In London
The Savoy
The Strand, a short walk from Covent Garden, Somerset House and Trafalgar Square
December rates are high and vary by date; check live dates on the booking page
Check ratesThe Langham, London
Portland Place beside Regent Street, a few minutes from Oxford Circus and the Regent Street lights
December rates are high and vary by date; check live dates on the booking page
Check ratescitizenM Tower of London
Next to the Tower of London and Tower Bridge, east of the City
Christmas-week rates vary by date; check live dates on the booking page
Check ratesChristmas In London FAQ
When Does The Festive Season Start In London?
Olympia London hosts the Spirit of Christmas Fair from 2 to 8 November 2026, an indoor market-style event that gets the shopping season started early. Covent Garden brings market stalls and its lights switch-on on 12 November 2026, and the displays stay up into early January 2027.
When Do London's Festive Lights Switch On?
Covent Garden switches its lights on on 12 November 2026, with market stalls and displays continuing into early January 2027. The Spirit of Christmas Fair at Olympia London opens earlier still, running 2 to 8 November 2026.
Which Tours Show The Best Lights?
The four bus tours cover the lights from a seat instead of on foot, lasting 1.5 hours, or up to 2 hours 10 minutes on the vintage double-decker. The open-top tour with live guide rates 4.1 from 531 reviews, and the London by Night bus tour scores 4.5 across 2049 reviews.
Is The Studio Tour Good At Christmas?
The studio's festive overlay runs from 14 November 2026 until 17 January 2027, and a standard timed ticket covers every seasonal extra. Festive Foley sound effects arrive at the Backlot Stage for 2026, alongside Dinner in the Great Hall evenings on chosen December dates.
What Runs On Christmas Day Itself?
Two Thames cruises operate on 25 December. The Festive London Christmas Day River Thames Lunch Cruise lasts 3.5 hours and rates 4.5 from 47 reviews, while the Thames River Christmas Day Sightseeing Cruise runs an hour, scoring 5 from 9 reviews with free cancellation.
What Is Actually Open On Christmas Day?
Both river options sail on 25 December: the lunch cruise lasts 3.5 hours, while the sightseeing cruise runs for one hour. The Sky Garden stays shut on 25 and 26 December 2026, and the studio tour closes on those same two days before reopening.