As we speak I wish to share my information to spending Christmas day in London with you. Whereas the Christmas season is a busy time within the UK capital, December twenty fifth is a very completely different story. In case you’re planning to be in London on Christmas day, you’ll must know a couple of necessary issues. Learn on for my information. I’ve included a map, too.
Christmas Day in London
From weblog readers to social media followers and journey planning shoppers, lots of people ask me what it’s wish to spend Christmas day in London. It’s a part of many Christmas itineraries, and it may be a preferred time to go to.
As we speak I wish to reply that query and provide you with some suggestions and recommendation from my private expertise of spending many December 25ths within the metropolis.
Whether or not you’re a customer, an expat, or somebody who’s new to London this 12 months, spending Christmas day within the UK capital is exclusive and unforgettable.
It’s the one time of 12 months you’ll expertise sure phenomena, and it’s one thing you’ll all the time keep in mind.
Whether or not you’re planning to spend Christmas day in London this 12 months or sooner or later, my information will allow you to put together for the one-of-a-kind points of the day so you may take advantage of your time right here.
Is Something Open on Christmas Day?
The primary query folks ask me is whether or not something in London is open on Christmas day. The final reply is not any. Whereas the run-up to December twenty fifth sees the town buzz with festive pleasure, the day itself is the alternative.
The identical could be true of Christmas Eve on December twenty fourth and Boxing Day on December twenty sixth. And don’t overlook New Yr’s Day on January 1st, when loads of issues are closed once more.
However again to December twenty fifth. Outlets are closed on Christmas day in London. Christmas markets are closed. Eating places, bars, and pubs are closed. Museums and sights shut their doorways, excursions stop to run, and the town is sometimes called a ghost city.
There are notable exceptions, notably amongst church buildings (clearly), resorts, and a choose variety of eating places and pubs (extra on that under).
In case you’re planning to be in London on Christmas day, be sure that to perform a little research nicely forward of time to see what’s open if you’re right here.
Does Public Transport Run on Christmas Day?
One other query I usually get requested is whether or not public transport runs on Christmas day in London. Once more, the reply is not any. In case you’ve ever needed to have a genuinely quiet day in London, that is the time.
There are not any trains. No tube. No Overground. No DLR. No trams. No buses. Nothing. There are hardly any automobiles driving round, as most locals have left the town (or pushed elsewhere within the metropolis the evening earlier than) to spend Christmas with household or pals.
In case you don’t have a automobile, you’ll must plan fastidiously. I like to recommend staying in a resort in central London so you may stroll to any locations you wish to spend time in. You possibly can see choices and e book one right here. I’ve written extra about this under, too.
Do Taxis Function on Christmas Day?
You possibly can e book a taxi, black cab, automobile service, or Uber, however remember that costs are very excessive on Christmas day. In case you can keep away from it, I like to recommend doing so. In case you can’t, I like to recommend reserving nicely prematurely and getting a value quote up entrance.
How Else Can I Get Round?
In case you don’t wish to take a taxi or stroll, you may hire one of many many bicycles or scooters docked across the metropolis. With so few automobiles on the highway, it may be an gratifying time to experience round.
The place Ought to I Keep?
As I discussed beforehand, I like to recommend staying in a resort in central London so you may stroll to any locations you wish to spend time in. You possibly can see choices and e book one right here.
You too can check out my weblog posts concerning the greatest space to remain in London, the greatest resorts in your model, and quirky resorts for extra concepts.
I’ve even printed a weblog submit about the most effective pubs with rooms in London. It’s an excellent one to have a look at if you’d like one thing distinctive and completely different for the festive season.
In case you’re after one thing notably Christmassy, there are many resorts that get all dressed up for the season. Annually The Dorchester decks its halls with stunning decorations and gives Christmas meals and afternoon tea.
There’s all the time a designer Christmas tree at Claridge’s, and the foyer of The Langham is decked with decorations. Within the Metropolis of London, The Ned has gorgeous bushes and festive adornments all through its eating places (that are open on Christmas day).
Over by Liverpool Road station, The Andaz all the time has nice decorations. The Andaz is likely one of the prime London resorts at Christmas on quite a lot of ranges, together with its festive meals choices.
In case you don’t wish to break the financial institution, The Rubens on the Palace in Victoria has nice decorations. It’s proper by Buckingham Palace and it’s cheaper than a number of the different festive London resorts at Christmas. If that appeals, you may e book a room right here.
Is it Chilly on Christmas Day?
It may be very chilly exterior in London in late December. The climate is unpredictable, and temperatures can plummet round this time. It might probably even snow. It might probably positively rain.
I counsel sporting layers of heat clothes and carrying an excellent umbrella with you if you go. You will get the umbrella I like to recommend on Amazon right here.
My winter packing listing for London can assist you determine what to put on, too. It has numerous concepts for how you can gown in London in December.
What Can I Really Do on Christmas Day?
In mild of every thing I discussed above, the following query folks ask is what there’s to do on Christmas day in London. Whereas there’s lots to entertain you in the course of the Christmas season, there’s not a lot taking place on December twenty fifth.
Other than strolling via empty streets and seeing the town at its quietest, is there something happening? The reply is sure. Fortunately.
You possibly can nonetheless discover excursions and different issues to do in London on Christmas day. Choose excursions and river cruises run on December twenty fifth, together with guided sightseeing walks and boat rides with lunch. You possibly can see choices and e book one right here.
You possibly can even take a day tour from London on December twenty fifth. Whether or not you wish to see Windsor or Oxford (or each!), there’s one you’ll love. You possibly can see choices and e book your favourite right here.
You too can reap the benefits of all of the issues London has to supply that don’t contain going indoors. Strolling via the Royal Parks is one in every of them.
In case you go to Hyde Park, you may watch members of the Serpentine Swimming Membership participate within the annual Peter Pan Cup race on the morning of December twenty fifth.
You too can uncover a new-to-you neighborhood on one in every of my free self-guided strolling excursions. A well-liked alternative is my Covent Backyard stroll, the place you may see a few of London’s most well-known Christmas bushes and decorations with out all of the crowds. My different Christmas walks are enjoyable, too.
There are lots extra to select from, and there are further routes within the e book London’s Hidden Walks as nicely. You possibly can get it on Amazon right here. It has numerous enjoyable concepts for locations to discover on foot.
In case you’re into ice skating, the JW3 Ice Rink on Finchley Street in North London is open on Christmas day (and Christmas Eve, Boxing Day, and New Yr’s Day). It’s a enjoyable place to get outside and have some winter enjoyable on December twenty fifth.
In case you’re occupied with a non secular service, locations like Westminster Abbey and St Paul’s Cathedral provide Christmas day church providers.
You possibly can take a look at their web sites for details about the timing. It’s a good suggestion to reach early, as Christmas church providers could be very crowded. Some require you to order a spot prematurely, too.
The place Can I Eat?
One other query folks ask me is whether or not any eating places are open in London on Christmas day. Whereas most are closed, a couple of hold their doorways open and their kitchens heat.
That is most typical with resort eating places that provide conventional Christmas lunch and dinner for company and out of doors patrons. Lots of the metropolis’s well-known luxurious resorts provide a giant feast on December twenty fifth, as do a number of the others within the metropolis middle.
Just a few examples of resort eating places which might be open on Christmas day are a number of eating places at Claridge’s in Mayfair, The Aubrey and Dinner by Heston Blumenthal on the Mandarin Oriental in Knightsbridge, Canton Blue at The Peninsula London on Hyde Park Nook, The Eating Room at The Goring in Belgravia, The Ritz Restaurant at The Ritz on Piccadilly, a number of eating places at The Dorchester on Park Lane, and The Sport Hen at The Stafford in St James’s.
Just a few examples of non-hotel eating places which might be open on Christmas day in London are Duck & Waffle on Bishopsgate, Kahani close to Sloane Sq. (it’s nice when you like upscale Indian meals), Orrery in Marylebone, Bluebird in Chelsea, and Tayyabs in Whitechapel (it’s one in every of my favourite eating places in London for no-frills Indian meals).
Except for these, quite a lot of choose locations to eat keep open on Christmas day. Some eating places in Chinatown are open on December twenty fifth, and some resort bars additionally keep open. They’re nice locations for Christmas drinks and festive cocktails.
A handful of pubs hold their doorways open, too. They’re normally chain pubs, they usually’re normally open for lunch solely. One is The Founder’s Arms, a riverside pub on the South Financial institution. A non-chain choice is The Guinea, an upscale pub in Mayfair.
In case you’re occupied with any of those (or others), you’ll wish to e book nicely prematurely. Some locations e book up months earlier than December twenty fifth.
London Christmas Map
As promised, I created an interactive Google map of all of the locations I discussed on this weblog submit. You possibly can see it right here. I hope it helps you propose a enjoyable and festive day!
Christmas Day in London
I hope you’ve discovered my information useful and that you just’re feeling extra ready to spend Christmas Day in London. Whether or not you do it this 12 months or sooner or later, it’s sure to be a memorable expertise.
Above all, plan forward. Be versatile. Have enjoyable. It’s Christmas, in any case!
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