The winter months bring with them so many of life’s little pleasures. From warm fluffy socks and oversized scarves to hot chocolates and sitting by log fires, and of course, there’s Bonfire Night, Christmas and New Year’s Eve too.
All of this presents you with plenty of opportunities to organise fun activities, days out and evening celebrations. And what better place to go for these events than London?
Well, if you’re planning a trip to London this winter, then this guide is for you. Below we will look at 10 of the best things to do in the capital over the coming winter months.
1. Stick to the classics
If you don’t mind wrapping up warm, then why not stick to the classics and visit some of London’s biggest and best tourist attractions? You can buy yourself a travel card for the day or even get a ticket for an open-top bus if you’re brave enough and go exploring the city.
You can pop by the usual spots, including Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey. If you really want to keep warm, you could even take a tour of the city on foot and just have a jolly good day out in London.
2. Visit Winter Wonderland
It would be remiss of us to talk about things to do in London this winter without mentioning Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park. Running for six weeks, this magical festive experience offers a wide variety of attractions, activities, Christmas shopping and, of course, food and drink. You can ice skate, drink in the Ice Bar, have a stein of Bavarian beer and be merry.
There is so much to do that this makes for the perfect day out, whether you go with friends, family or for a romantic winter date.
3. Go for a cosy dinner
There are so many wonderful places you can eat in London, and many of these only get better in the winter. Not to mention there will be plenty of pop-ups offering delicious seasonal food and drink to stave off the cold.
You could enjoy some alpine-themed decor at Neverland or warm up with traditional British dishes flanked by toasty fires at Hollybush. Alternatively, enjoy the electric atmosphere at the Prince or lose yourself in a cheese fondue served inside an igloo at the Dining Domes.
In fact, there are so many places to choose from that it’s almost too difficult to decide where to eat in London in the winter!
4. Catch a show
Instead of dinner, why not catch a show at the theatre? Although some of the classics will still be running, such as Wicked, The Book of Mormon, Lion King and more, there are also some seasonal treats too.
Get down to the West End for some winter spectaculars like Frozen, Elf the Musical and A Christmas Carol.
You could even catch a Christmas concert or panto if you want to feel really festive, with some of the highlights being Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol, Jack and The Beanstalk, The Snowman and Potted Panto.
5. Kew at night
Kew botanic gardens is a UNESCO World Heritage site home to over 50,000 plants and one of London’s most visited tourist attractions. However, in the winter, they run an event called Kew in the dark.
Visit for a magical nighttime experience where you can explore the gardens and go on a fairytale walk, viewing all the sculptures, buildings and plants in a completely different way. All the while tempted by the smell of roasting chestnuts and other delicious wintery treats for you to enjoy.
6. Ride the London Eye
If you want to view London in all its glory, then what better way to do that than riding the London Eye? As it gets darker earlier in the winter months, you get a different perspective of the capital lit up at night. And if you go during the festive season, you’ll even get a Birdseye view of the Christmas lights and decorations across the city.
In previous years the London Eye has also hosted various festive pop-ups for you to check out before you ride.
7. Stop by Southbank Centre Wintertime Festival
Southbank during the winter is one of the most magical places in London. Even on the coldest, greyest day, your heart will be warmed by the beautiful decorations, lights, and Riverside bars, all serving up delicious winter warmers.
There will be wooden pop-ups selling crafts, gifts and other winter goodies, as well as various live entertainment acts across the season.
8. Go ice skating
In many places, between October and January, you will start to see some of the city’s best ice rinks reappearing. You can go ice skating at the aforementioned Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park, but you can also visit one of London’s most iconic ice rinks at Somerset house, in partnership with Fortnum and Mason.
Or why not visit another iconic establishment and go skating outside the natural history museum? This rink has more than 80,000 twinkling lights, and the Christmas tree stands at an impressive 40 feet tall. Just be careful you don’t fall over!
9. Go shopping under the Christmas lights
Christmas shopping always feels a bit more special and authentic under cover of darkness when all the shops are lit up with twinkling lights. So this year, why not make a day of it and do your shopping under some of London’s most impressive displays?
Visit Regent Street’s famous ‘mile of style’ displays, go to Covent Garden, explore pop-up Christmas markets, and, of course, how can we forget about Selfridges and Harrods?
10. Watch the fireworks on New Year
Last but certainly not least, one of the most iconic events of the year in London is the New Year’s Eve fireworks display. Bookings have already begun for the main event, so be sure to get in there fast, and you can ring in the New Year in style.
And hey, if you don’t wanna pay to go in, you can always find yourself a cosy spot nearby to enjoy the sky light up as the clock strikes midnight.
