The best things to do in London this Christmas

The Royal Albert Hall in Kensington is famed for its distinctive domed building. It has served as a concert venue for over 150 years and in the run-up to Christmas it hosts festive carol concerts. Performances run several times each day, with the final ones of the year on Christmas Eve.

Arguably one of the most photogenic pubs around, The Churchill Arms is widely-recognised for its floral façade. At Christmas, the pub gets a bit of a makeover, decked out with row upon row of Christmas trees. Remember to get a few photos before venturing inside for a warming drink in this traditional pub.

Battersea Power Station has transformed into a magical Christmas destination with stunning Art Deco-inspired decorations, over 150 Christmas trees, and spectacular displays including a 40ft tree. Children can experience Santa's School For Elves, meeting Santa and receiving an official Elf hat and certificate, while adults can participate in festive arts and crafts workshops, including candle painting and calligraphy. The riverside ice rink, festive dining options, plentiful shopping opportunities, and the Lift 109 experience for panoramic city views ensure a memorable holiday visit for all.

Attending the carol services at St. Paul's Cathedral, a masterpiece by architect Sir Christopher Wren, is an annual ritual for many Londoners. Throughout December, you can enjoy a range of concerts, spanning family-friendly services, and traditional carols. Standout events include  the Christmas Carol Service on 23 and 24 December, both free and hugely popular – arrive early and brace for queues.

The Peter Pan Cup has been around since 1864, making it one of the city's oldest festive rituals. Reserved primarily for spectators unless you belong to the Serpentine Swimming Club, this 100-yard swimming race unfolds on Christmas morning at Hyde Park's lido. The race's moniker dates back to 1904 when Sir James Barrie, the renowned author and playwright, introduced the trophy. Brave participants dive into the waters at 9 am.

At Christmas, Old Spitalfields Market, a unique blend of East End artistry and City luxury, transforms into a refuge from the high street, inviting visitors to marvel at London's artistic essence. Steeped in history since the 1800s and once a hub for silk weavers and fruit sellers, the market now stands as one of London's most diverse shopping destinations, showcasing a rich array of local artisans and producers beneath dazzling fairy lights and Christmas wreaths.

It’s the big daddy of them all – Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park. This is London’s ultimate destination for Christmas fun, an expansive area with market stalls, street food and drinks, amusements, rides, and live music performances. There’s something to entertain every age group at this unashamedly festive attraction, so it’s great for families.

Scaling The O2 with Up at The O2 is an exhilarating experience all year round, but it's extra special this Christmas. Once you scale the The O2's iconic roof, you'll be able to chill out in an immersive snow globe 52 metres above the ground. The whimsical winter pod on the rooftop comes complete with falling snow, plenty of photo opportunities, and gingerbread cookies, as well as the option to buy drinks.

Shopping centre Leadenhall Market is impressive all year round but come Christmas its distinctive architecture is enhanced with dazzling festive decor. There are also seasonal workshops and pop-ups, plus festive guided walks. Snap some photos of the decorations and get some Christmas shopping done with the independent retailers based here.

Visit Trafalgar Square to see the Christmas tree that Norway famously gifts the UK every year. This prominent landmark also has other seasonal decorations and displays, and hosts a Christmas market where you can shop for gifts and treats. This is the magic of Christmas in the heart of the capital.

Explore a magical Christmas light trail around Kew Gardens for a festive evening activity suitable for all ages. The gardens here are spectacular at any time of the year but the dazzling illuminations make them even more special. Along the "Christmas at Kew" trail, you can stop at vendors selling treats, including hot drinks and snacks.

During the holidays, Kenwood House in Hampstead becomes a magical winter wonderland. The impressive stately home is lit up in a dazzling display, and kids can embark on a festive quest to uncover the magic of the season. Winter cocktails and festive food are available to buy during your visit, and the mansion also hosts Father Christmas visits, a Christmas market, and other fun events throughout the season.

Relive the childhood magic of Christmas along with some tempting cocktails at the uber-festive Miracle at Henrietta bar. This Christmas-themed pop-up in Covent Garden is decked out with retro decorations and lights and has a menu of seasonal cocktails, served up in cups and vessels that are right on theme.

Winter by the River transforms the Thames into a winter paradise. Wooden cabins line the area around London Bridge, offering a wide variety of festive treats ranging from stocking filler gifts to mulled wine and street food. Other exciting events like storytelling sessions, workshops, and seasonal tasting events are on too, and you can even try curling at the pop-up curling lanes, a new addition in 2024.

Liberty is famous for many things – a striking building, gorgeous textiles, and its Christmas shop. If you’re looking to really go all out on the decor this year, this place is a must-visit. You’ll find imaginative baubles and decorations in every possible design, plus the store’s other departments are fab for Christmas shopping.

Home to the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Cadogan Hall is a concert hall in Chelsea. Performances cover genres ranging from classical to jazz and pop, plus dance and films. At Christmas the venue is hosting a variety of seasonal concerts and performances from ballet to choir music, carols, singalongs, and orchestral music.

Visiting Hamleys in Regent Street is a fab Christmas activity for kids. The world’s oldest toy shop offers seven floors of fun, and is one of London’s favourite places for meeting Santa in his grotto. Lots of other festive fun is going on too like parades, performances, and character meet-and-greets.

Throughout the year, Sadler's Wells is a top venue for dance performances and productions covering a wide variety of styles. Every year this theatre near Angel puts on a Christmas ballet production, with this year's show being “The Snowman”, along with family-friendly guest productions of the “The Nutcracker” and “The Twelve Months”. This is a great way for dance fans to get into the festive spirit.

During the 2024 Christmas season, Crystal Palace Park in South London is hosting a series of festive pop-up screenings. Cosy up in the just restored Victorian Subway space and enjoy classic Christmas movies like “Elf”, “Home Alone”, and “Love Actually”. Other festive events such as a fun run will also be held in the park during the festive season, and all the usual attractions such as the dinosaur statues are open to visitors as well.

London Transport Museum has fun festive family-friendly events going on during the Christmas season. The museum is dedicated to celebrating London's busy transport network, and during the holidays this includes Santa's magic sleigh, which little ones can climb aboard and explore. There's also a digital family trail to explore, storytelling sessions to enjoy, and more.

Going to the pantomime is a festive tradition, so check out what's on at The London Palladium. This famous venue in the West End hosts a broad range of performances and puts on a popular panto every year, with this year's being “Robin Hood” starring Jane McDonald and Julian Clary. The theatre can seat more than 2,000 audience members.

Browsing in Covent Garden Market is a great tip for Christmas shopping, with various big retailers and independents. You can experience much more than that here – every year, the market transforms into a Christmas Village with world-famous Christmas lights, including over 40 giant bells with bows, 12 huge baubles, and eight spinning mirror balls. There's fabulous decor, warming mulled wine, and special events such as making your Christmas table centrepiece.

Iconic department store Harrods is famous for the elaborate Christmas decorations that adorn its famous exterior. Pop down during the festive season to admire the decor and window displays. If you’ve still got some presents to buy, the various departments here offer lots of choice from fashion and jewellery to foodie gifts.

This December, Broadway Theatre is hosting a modern panto retelling of “Sleeping Beauty”, featuring a gothic twist and following Princess Tahlia's journey as she confronts a curse and her destiny. The cast includes local talent, such as Durone Stokes and Lisa Davina Phillip, highlighting the show's strong ties to the Lewisham community. The theatre is also hosting other on-theme events during the 2024 festive season, including Christmas comedy nights and drag bingo.

Tim Burton's “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is a modern-day Christmas classic, and its catchy soundtrack is a big part of its everlasting appeal. This Christmas, acclaimed composer Danny Elfman, who wrote all of the film's songs, will be performing the songs live in sync with the movie as it's projected on the big screen. He'll be accompanied by the BBC Concert Orchestra and special guests.

The Raymond Gubbay Christmas Festival returns to the Barbican London this December, offering a month-long programme filled with diverse festive events. Highlights include orchestral tributes to legendary composers Hans Zimmer and John Williams, candlelit concerts, carol singalongs, and performances by renowned ensembles like the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The festival also features The Big Christmas Party with festive pop hits, traditional favourites, and performances by four headline singers.

Between The Bridges on the South Bank is hosting a festive Electric Winter season this year, featuring a wide range of entertaining events  – live DJs, themed craft markets, a Taylor Swift tribute night, Christmas drag brunch, mass karaoke singalongs of Christmas favourites, Sunday socials, and more. Visitors can enjoy street food, drinks, and a variety of activities in a winter-proofed venue that's perfect for the colder months.

Explore Christmassy architecture at The Museum of Architecture’s annual The Gingerbread City exhibition. Visitors can explore a series of cities designed by professional architects, made from gingerbread, and showcasing sustainable design concepts. You can also have a go at creating your own gingerbread structure at a gingerbread house-making workshop.

Royal Museums Greenwich are hosting a number of family-friendly events and activities during the festive period. Visitors will be able to gild their own Christmas decorations aboard the famous Cutty Sark, discover the science behind the winter solstice, enjoy a full day of sea shanties, and more.

Brick Lane Jazz Festival is teaming up with Sounds Queer again this year, hosting a raucous Xmas Party highlighting the best of London's queer jazz scene at Juju's at the Truman Brewery. Headliner Charles, a rising star of the city's funk and soul scene, will be in charge of the proceedings, accompanied by numerous special guests.

Formerly home to a grand North London postal sorting office, Islington Square is transforming into a festive hub with The Christmas Sorting Office, offering complimentary workshops, a special Father Christmas post box, and an illustrator creating handmade gift tags. This seasonal pop-up on 23 November complements a wider event, where local shops, restaurants, and bars present unique holiday experiences, including promotions, special menus, and discounts.

If the winter chills are getting to you, a nice mug of steaming mulled wine is one of the best ways to chase it away. It's very convenient then that Fables & Company, which operate several wine bars in London, have put together a nice little mulled wine trail to embark on this holiday season. Connecting two of its bars, the just-opened Quill in Borough Yards and Covent Garden's Plume, the trail lets you fill up the tankard you get at both venues, with an additional pitstop at the Southbank Centre Food Market.

Centrally-located church St Martin-in-the-Fields is well-known for its programme of classical and choral music concerts in a unique setting. During the festive season, it hosts candlelit carol concerts performed by the church's choir and brass band. Some concerts are designed to be family-friendly or specifically made to entertain little ones. Wreath-making workshops are held here as well.

“The Nutcracker” is classic Christmas entertainment for the whole family, and you can take in a performance at the London Coliseum. This is the largest theatre in London, seating almost 2,500 people. It's also the base for the English National Ballet, the company that puts on the Christmas performance each year.

Kingswood House, a beautiful Victorian mansion that now hosts a community arts centre, is hosting “Once Upon a Kingswood Christmas” again this year, a magical adventure for the whole family to enjoy. As you traverse multiple impressive sets in the mansion's halls, you'll be tasked with saving Father Christmas from the clutches of the Snow Queen. If you succeed, the grateful man might even stick around for a photo.

Every year, the festive spirit covers the London streets with a blanket of twinkling Christmas lights, transforming the sombre city streets into a winter wonderland. Numerous neighbourhoods throughout the capital cover themselves with Christmas lights and other festive decorations, making London's Christmas lights a major attraction for winter visitors from around the world. Our guide on the best places to see the dazzling lights in London allows you to plan your very own trail to see the best of London's Christmas lights.

For many, food is the best thing about Christmas, and there are many places in the city where you can indulge when the festive season comes around. Numerous restaurants in London will feature special festive menus during the Christmas season, and we're showcasing some of our favourites in our guide to Christmas dinners in London.

We've mentioned a few of our favourite Christmas markets already but there are many more for you to explore, so we've written the ultimate rundown of the best Christmas markets that are popping up this year. Whether you want to stock up on gifts crafted by local artisans or you just want to see how much mulled wine you can guzzle down, you'll be able to do all this and more at London's multitude of Christmas markets.

Ice skating has been one of the most popular things to do at Christmas for centuries, and there are lots of different ice rinks to glide around on in London, from classic covered venues to seasonal ones that pop up across the city. Most are open throughout winter, but they're especially nice to visit during the holidays, when they feature festive decor to add to the atmosphere. Our guide to where to go ice skating in London tells you everything you need to know about this fun Christmas activity in London.

'Tis the season of indulgence, and a traditional afternoon tea is one of the most indulgent experiences you can have in London. During the festive season, lots of the afternoon teas on offer across London undergo a Christmas-themed makeover. Whether it's carefully sculpted Christmassy treats or the introduction of traditional festive flavours – or both – Christmas afternoon tea is sure to add a bit of unforgettable culinary magic to the holiday season.

For many, Christmas brings peace and joy, but that's not the case for everyone. Many Londoners feel the most lonely when Christmas comes around or might be grappling with challenges such as homelessness, hunger, or isolation. If you fancy helping someone else this Christmas, our guide to charity at Christmas is a good place to start. From volunteering at a food bank to fundraising to help tackle homelessness, our guide lists a few things you can do this festive season to help someone else.