There are such a lot of nice issues to do at Christmas in London however one among my favourites is totally free, wandering this London Christmas lights strolling route and absorbing all of the twinkling decorations across the metropolis.
Every year there appear to be extra added, to not point out the festive mild trails, with nearly all of the lights switched on a while within the first half of November and staying on till early within the New Yr, usually a minimum of January 3 though all switched off by January 6.
You’ll discover a particular Christmas lights bus tour in case you don’t fancy strolling the entire route, but it surely’s onerous to beat simply strolling from one location to a different, possibly stopping for a few of London’s finest scorching chocolate, visiting one of many London Christmas markets or maybe teaming it with an opportunity to meet Santa in London.
London Christmas lights strolling route with children
If you happen to’re following my London Christmas lights strolling route with children, you possibly can simply break it up into smaller sections and go to them on totally different events, or hop on a bus to provide little legs a break – the 139 bus route is an effective choice.
You may’t see all of the London Christmas lights from a bus, even in case you handle to get the coveted high deck entrance row – Carnaby Road and Covent Backyard are each pedestrianised, for starters – and you may anticipate to take a seat in site visitors at busy occasions, but it surely’s a very good compromise.
The stretch between Oxford Road (round Selfridges) and Southampton Road (for Covent Backyard) has the best focus of lights, though the route continues to Waterloo in case you fancy heading to the South Financial institution and its festive market (or in case you’re beginning there, it’ll reduce out loads of the stroll).
You may also begin the stroll at any level on the route – loads of related Christmas lights strolling routes in London start round Piccadilly, for instance, however there’s no proper option to do it… and also you’ll at all times must detour just a little bit if you wish to attempt to see each final one.
The very best time to see the lights is clearly after darkish, however with the solar setting round 4pm as soon as December arrives that provides you loads of time. Heading off as quickly as nightfall falls is usually the most effective thought with children – you gained’t be strolling too late with youthful ones, and you may miss a few of the night crowds, though London is at all times busy within the run-up to Christmas.
Many locations have but to verify their switch-on dates for 2024, so a lot of the dates under are TBC and shall be up to date because the information is confirmed
London Christmas Lights strolling route map
You may stroll this route in both course, from Covent Backyard by means of to Mayfair or vice versa, in addition to detouring from Piccadilly up by means of Bond Road in direction of Oxford Road, then over to Carnaby Road and Regent Road.
Permit a minimum of two hours to stroll the complete route, which is round 4 miles lengthy – you may want longer in case you’re stopping to take photographs or dodging the crowds, and frog-marching everybody from A to B isn’t going to get anybody within the festive temper.
I’ve plotted the areas on a London Christmas lights map so you possibly can select what works finest for you, or divide the route into sections – your individual private self-guided Christmas lights strolling tour. Have a really merry stroll!
Stop1: Covent Backyard
My favorite place to begin a Christmas lights stroll of London, Covent Backyard at all times has loads of festive extras from its enormous glowing tree to faux snow and Santa’s sleigh, to not point out plenty of pop-up occasions within the piazza.
Final 12 months, the outdated favourites of big baubles, mistletoe and mirrorballs took a again seat with a brand new set of bells and bows hanging excessive above the market, and so they’ll be again for 2024 as properly.
Covent Backyard Christmas lights: Have to know
The festive occasions going down in Covent Backyard at Christmas normally begin in early November, with the official switch-on date in direction of the start of the month. 2024 switch-on date Nov 6 (TBC)
As you stroll in direction of Trafalgar Sq., you possibly can go by way of Leicester Sq., which has its personal Christmas market – it’s normally very busy and doesn’t have London’s finest Christmas lights, so personally I’d are likely to keep away from it at the moment of 12 months
Cease 2: Trafalgar Sq.
Yearly since 1947, the individuals of Norway have given the individuals of London a 19m Christmas tree as a gesture of appreciation for town’s help throughout the Second World Struggle.
It’s one thing of a Christmas custom for Londoners to affectionately poke enjoyable on the towering Christmas tree, which remains to be dwarfed by Nelson’s column. I’m positive it regarded wonky final 12 months, but it surely wouldn’t be Christmas with out it.
There’s additionally a small Christmas market within the sq., near the Nationwide Gallery and you may usually hear carols right here as properly.
You may make a small detour right down to the Strand (both from Covent Backyard or earlier than heading in direction of Piccadilly) to see the North Financial institution lights – the baubles are one other late change on, on December 2, and never value going far out of your option to see, however in case you’re heading to Skate at Somerset Home, it’s straightforward to identify them en route
Trafalgar Sq. Christmas: Have to know
The lighting ceremony takes place on the primary Thursday in December, on December 5, 2024 (TBC).
Cease 3: Decrease Regent Road & Piccadilly Circus
From Trafalgar Sq., head in direction of Waterloo Place for the glamorous St James’s Christmas tree earlier than heading up St James’s (Decrease Regent Road) itself to see the Spirit of Christmas angels and on in direction of Piccadilly Circus.
Not solely is it much less busy right here, you may also get a peek down Jermyn Road to see a couple of extra, whereas St James’s Market, simply off Jermyn Road and Haymarket, has an ‘earthbound’ spirit to pose with.
Piccadilly Circus doesn’t have its personal Christmas lights however the likelihood is that there’ll be a festive theme on a minimum of one of many enormous illuminated billboards which it’s well-known.
If you wish to shorten the stroll, you possibly can head straight to Piccadilly Circus and even additional up Regent Road by bus
Decrease Regent Road Christmas lights: Have to know
The lights stretch all the way in which up Regent Road from St James’s, Piccadilly and Jermyn Road so there’s loads of likelihood to see these. 2024 switch-on date Nov 7 (TBC)
Cease 4: Piccadilly & Fortnum & Mason
Take a brief detour down Piccadilly in direction of Fortnum & Mason, which transforms its store home windows into an creation calendar yearly, with numbers on the upstairs home windows.
It’s value taking a peek within the street-level home windows as properly, as there’s at all times one thing new to identify. Final 12 months, you can see animated recreations of the division retailer in miniature – together with presents making an attempt to get into the raise, and champagne bottles dancing on the staircase.
The very best views are from throughout the street, by the Royal Academy, so cross (fastidiously!) to get a take a look at the entire impact earlier than heading again in direction of Regent Road. Or in fact you possibly can at all times cease in to select up a couple of fancy Christmas decorations on your personal tree from the luxurious division retailer.
Above Piccadilly itself, there are extra winged angels – Anteros, to be exact, the god of unrequited love, and a nod to the well-known statue in Piccadilly Circus. Though everybody calls it Eros, there’s extra debate than you’d assume, with loads of proof that it’s really Anteros or the angel of Christian charity.
If you happen to’re doing this Christmas lights stroll of London in a unique order, you may also wander from Piccadilly up the south finish of Bond Road to carry you to Oxford Road – scroll right down to cease 7 for extra particulars
Piccadilly Christmas lights: Have to know
Fortnum & Mason normally unveils its Christmas shows in mid November
Cease 5: Regent Road
If you happen to’re searching for the Spirit of Christmas, you want to head to Regent Road the place the Christmas lights’ official title is the Spirit of Christmas angels.
One other favorite sight, you may also get some nice photographs of the angels above as the road curves spherical to the suitable, and this 12 months, there are new lights within the streets main off Regent Road, together with Glasshouse Road, Swallow Road and the Quadrant Arcade.
Regent Road Christmas lights: Have to know
The lights stretch all the way in which up Regent Road from St James’s, Piccadilly and Jermyn Road so there’s loads of likelihood to see these. They do change off barely earlier, on January 2 in case you have been planning a New Yr go to. 2024 switch-on date Nov 7 TBC
Cease 6: Carnaby Road
Normally one among my very own favourites, you possibly can anticipate one thing extra artistic and fewer conventional alongside right here – and as Carnaby Road is pedestrianised, it’s additionally simpler to cease and take within the particulars (in case you can dodge the crowds).
Final 12 months’s lights had a theme of area and the universe, with planets, moons, nebulas and galaxies swirling above the road.
Earlier years have featured a few of the highlights of the previous quarter century, from lights impressed by Queen and the Rolling Stones to underwater scenes and outsized robins. Preserve a watch out for extra lights within the alleys off Carnaby Road – the shows are smaller however so are the crowds.
Carnaby Road Christmas lights: Have to know
Usually one of many first units of lights to modify on in November. 2024 switch-on date Nov 8 (TBC)
Cease 7: Oxford Road
The taking pictures stars of Oxford Road have been a well-known sights for some time however there’s at all times one thing very uplifting about seeing them twinkle into life as darkness falls.
There have been a whopping 300,000 stars glowing above London’s busiest buying avenue final, all utilizing LED lights as soon as once more to make use of much less power. You would sponsor one to help kids’s charity Starlight as properly.
It could be one of many metropolis’s busiest buying streets, however Christmas is all about giving in any case.
Oxford Road Christmas lights: Have to know
One other of the earliest units of lights to be switched on in case you’re visiting London at first of November. 2024 switch-on date Nov 5
Cease 7: Bond Road
The lights right here change every now and then – the illuminated peacock tails that shimmered above the realm round Bond Road, a reference to the society dandies (or peacocks) who as soon as strutted the streets right here, have been changed by a royal-themed show of crowns in 2022.
There have been a staggering 93,652 LED lights to avoid wasting power with out shedding any of the dazzling show – in all probability probably the most lovely Christmas lights in London.
4 monumental crowns impressed by the Imperial State Crown hung above key junctions, with glowing gold, silver and pearl lights making a tiara-style gateway on the north with New Bond Road and south at Outdated Bond Road.
If you happen to’re doing this Christmas lights stroll of London in a unique order, you may also wander from Piccadilly up the south finish of Bond Road to carry you to Oxford Road
Whilst you’re within the space, take a peek within the home windows of Selfridges on Oxford Road and don’t miss South Molton Road, subsequent to Bond Road tube, whose arch of sunshine is at all times a spotlight.
Bond Road Christmas lights: Have to know
One of many later shows to activate, they’re properly value ready for. 2024 switch-on date November 16
Cease 8: Grosvenor Sq. & Berkeley Sq., Mayfair
Elevating cash for the Royal Marsden Most cancers Society, the Ever After Backyard in Grosvenor Sq. is again for the sixth 12 months, filling the sq. with over 20,000 illuminated white roses.
Guests can dedicate the roses to family members they’ve misplaced, with the price of every flower elevating cash for the most cancers charity. It’s free for anybody to enter although, and whereas the sight at all times brings a lump to my throat, it’s a tranquil oasis among the many festive bustle.
From right here, it’s only a few minutes to Berkeley Sq. the place non-public members’ membership Annabel’s is at all times illuminated for the festive season. Final 12 months, there was a carousel theme, whereas earlier years have seen it remodeled right into a glowing gingerbread home. Happily you don’t have to pay the expensive membership price to take a look.
Grosvenor Sq. lights: Have to know
The Ever After Backyard closes sooner than a few of the different Christmas lights, ending on December 18, 2024. It opens mid-November (on November 14, 2024) so you continue to have a month to go to.
Need extra London Christmas lights?
If you happen to can’t get sufficient of the lights over central London – or if you end up round Victoria and South Kensington, there are some extra Christmas illuminations to be discovered.
Head to Belgravia to see the lights at Elizabeth Road, Motcomb Road, Eccleston Yards, Halkin Arcade and Pimlico Street, together with the glowing white timber illuminating South Molton Road.
And in Knightsbridge, Harrods blazes with mild every year – to not point out some nice Christmas shows within the home windows.
Or you possibly can usually discover some vibrant lights down on the South Financial institution for Winter Lights, artwork installations which play with mild, with a backdrop of the festive market and the buildings lit up alongside the river Thames.
For extra festive enjoyable try my choose of the place to go for the finest ice skating rink in London in addition to the most effective Christmas theatre in London with children
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Principal picture/The Strand/Regent Road/Bond Road courtesy of Depositphotos, Instagram photos as credited, all different photos copyright MummyTravels