Christmas Day in London 2024

As we speak I need 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 totally completely different story. For those who’re planning to be in London on Christmas day, you’ll must know a number 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 purchasers, lots of people ask me what it’s prefer to spend Christmas day in London. It’s a part of many Christmas itineraries, and it may be a well-liked time to go to.

As we speak I need to reply that query and offer you some ideas 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 yr, spending Christmas day within the UK capital is exclusive and unforgettable.

It’s the one time of yr you’ll expertise sure phenomena, and it’s one thing you’ll at all times keep in mind.

Whether or not you’re planning to spend Christmas day in London this yr or sooner or later, my information will provide help to put together for the one-of-a-kind points of the day so you may profit from your time right here.

Is Something Open on Christmas Day?

The primary query individuals ask me is whether or not something in London is open on Christmas day. The overall reply is not any. Whereas the run-up to December twenty fifth sees town buzz with festive pleasure, the day itself is the other.

The identical may be true of Christmas Eve on December twenty fourth and Boxing Day on December twenty sixth. And don’t neglect New Yr’s Day on January 1st, when plenty 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 town is sometimes called a ghost city.

There are notable exceptions, significantly amongst church buildings (clearly), motels, and a choose variety of eating places and pubs (extra on that under).

For those who’re planning to be in London on Christmas day, make certain to do a little analysis properly forward of time to see what’s open while you’re right here.

Does Public Transport Run on Christmas Day?

One other query I typically get requested is whether or not public transport runs on Christmas day in London. Once more, the reply is not any. For those who’ve ever wished 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 vehicles driving round, as most locals have left town (or pushed someplace else within the metropolis the evening earlier than) to spend Christmas with household or buddies.

For those who 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 need to spend time in. You’ll be able to see choices and e-book one right here. I’ve written extra about this under, too.

Do Taxis Function on Christmas Day?

You’ll be able to e-book a taxi, black cab, automobile service, or Uber, however remember that costs are very excessive on Christmas day. For those who can keep away from it, I like to recommend doing so. For those who can’t, I like to recommend reserving properly upfront and getting a worth quote up entrance.

How Else Can I Get Round?

For those who don’t need to take a taxi or stroll, you may hire one of many many bicycles or scooters docked across the metropolis. With so few vehicles on the highway, it may be an fulfilling 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 need to spend time in. You’ll be able to see choices and e-book one right here.

You can even check out my weblog posts about the very best space to remain in London, the very best motels on your model, and quirky motels for extra concepts.

I’ve even printed a weblog put up about the very best pubs with rooms in London. It’s a superb one to take a look at if you need one thing distinctive and completely different for the festive season.

For those who’re after one thing significantly Christmassy, there are many motels that get all dressed up for the season. Every year The Dorchester decks its halls with lovely decorations and affords Christmas meals and afternoon tea.

There’s at all times 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 beautiful timber and festive adornments all through its eating places (that are open on Christmas day).

Over by Liverpool Road station, The Andaz at all times has nice decorations. The Andaz is likely one of the high London motels at Christmas on quite a few ranges, together with its festive meals choices.

For those who don’t need 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 motels 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 could even snow. It could positively rain.

I counsel carrying layers of heat clothes and carrying a superb umbrella with you while you go. You may get the umbrella I like to recommend on Amazon right here.

My winter packing listing for London may also help you determine what to put on, too. It has plenty of concepts for methods to gown in London in December.

What Can I Really Do on Christmas Day?

In gentle of all the things I discussed above, the subsequent query individuals 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 occurring on December twenty fifth.

Other than strolling by means of empty streets and seeing town at its quietest, is there something happening? The reply is sure. Fortunately.

You’ll be able to 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’ll be able to see choices and e-book one right here.

You’ll be able to even take a day tour from London on December twenty fifth. Whether or not you need to see Windsor or Oxford (or each!), there’s one you’ll love. You’ll be able to see choices and e-book your favourite right here.

You can even reap the benefits of all of the issues London has to supply that don’t contain going indoors. Strolling by means of the Royal Parks is one among them.

For those who 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 can even uncover a new-to-you neighborhood on one among my free self-guided strolling excursions. A preferred alternative is my Covent Backyard stroll, the place you may see a few of London’s most well-known Christmas timber 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 extra routes within the e-book London’s Hidden Walks as properly. You may get it on Amazon right here. It has plenty of enjoyable concepts for locations to discover on foot.

For those who’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 open air and have some winter enjoyable on December twenty fifth.

For those who’re all for a spiritual service, locations like Westminster Abbey and St Paul’s Cathedral provide Christmas day church providers.

You’ll be able to try their web sites for details about the timing. It’s a good suggestion to reach early, as Christmas church providers may be very crowded. Some require you to order a spot upfront, too.

The place Can I Eat?

One other query individuals ask me is whether or not any eating places are open in London on Christmas day. Whereas most are closed, a number of maintain their doorways open and their kitchens heat.

That is most typical with resort eating places that provide conventional Christmas lunch and dinner for friends and out of doors patrons. Lots of the metropolis’s well-known luxurious motels provide an enormous feast on December twenty fifth, as do a number of the others within the metropolis heart.

A couple of examples of resort eating places which are 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 Recreation Hen at The Stafford in St James’s.

A couple of examples of non-hotel eating places which are open on Christmas day in London are Duck & Waffle on Bishopsgate, Kahani close to Sloane Sq. (it’s nice should you like upscale Indian meals), Orrery in Marylebone, Bluebird in Chelsea, and Tayyabs in Whitechapel (it’s one among my favourite eating places in London for no-frills Indian meals).

Except for these, quite a few 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 maintain 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.

For those who’re all for any of those (or others), you’ll need to e-book properly upfront. Some locations e-book up months earlier than December twenty fifth.

London Christmas Map

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 yr or sooner or later, it’s certain to be a memorable expertise.

Above all, plan forward. Be versatile. Have enjoyable. It’s Christmas, in spite of everything!

Discover this put up useful? Purchase me a espresso!

New right here? Be part of hundreds of others and subscribe to the A Girl in London weblog through e-mail.

A few of the hyperlinks on this weblog put up are affiliate hyperlinks. For free of charge to you, I earn a small fee while you click on on them and make a purchase order. It doesn’t have an effect on the best way you store, and it’s a good way to help the A Girl in London weblog.

Pin it!