London for Christmas 2025

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to the carol service at Kings College Cambridge one Christmas Eve. That's the famous one broadcast on the BBC every year.

These days there's a ballot for tickets a couple of months beforehand, so you could give it a try.
https://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/chapel/a-festival-of-nine-lessons-and-carols

This is on my bucket list. I am very jealous!

This was a long time ago. A group of us college friends living in the UK at the time met up in Cambridge for Christmas. We rolled up to the chapel and got last minute seats. It was misty and cold and memorable for sure.

[Anonymous]

The Savoy. Luxury and safe, lovely food and central London. Beautiful rooms.

We stayed there 2 Christmases in a row.

[Anonymous]

I’m currrently in London and would not recommend it. Everything is closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day including public transportation. It was super hard to find a restaurant for Christmas Day. I did find something weeks ago and it was a great restaurant and was super special but super super expensive. Also, so many tourists and so crowded. It’s not that I don’t like London, it’s actually my favorite city, it just was not what I expected for Christmas. I recommend Germany which I also visited during Christmas last year because the Christmas markets are so beautiful and even Berlin has one almost every block. They were festive and full of locals just enjoying their evening vs just a bunch of commercial cheesy venues in London. Southern Germany looked like a winter wonderland.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m currrently in London and would not recommend it. Everything is closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day including public transportation. It was super hard to find a restaurant for Christmas Day. I did find something weeks ago and it was a great restaurant and was super special but super super expensive. Also, so many tourists and so crowded. It’s not that I don’t like London, it’s actually my favorite city, it just was not what I expected for Christmas. I recommend Germany which I also visited during Christmas last year because the Christmas markets are so beautiful and even Berlin has one almost every block. They were festive and full of locals just enjoying their evening vs just a bunch of commercial cheesy venues in London. Southern Germany looked like a winter wonderland.

We are coming to London on Sunday after a week in Paris. Everything I read prior to booking said London is dead on Christmas and to avoid so we did it this way. Paris has been great!

[Anonymous]

Rothenburg-Ob-der-Tauber!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m currrently in London and would not recommend it. Everything is closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day including public transportation. It was super hard to find a restaurant for Christmas Day. I did find something weeks ago and it was a great restaurant and was super special but super super expensive. Also, so many tourists and so crowded. It’s not that I don’t like London, it’s actually my favorite city, it just was not what I expected for Christmas. I recommend Germany which I also visited during Christmas last year because the Christmas markets are so beautiful and even Berlin has one almost every block. They were festive and full of locals just enjoying their evening vs just a bunch of commercial cheesy venues in London. Southern Germany looked like a winter wonderland.

Agree with PP. We’ve been to Christmas markets in Austria, Germany, Norway, Sweden and Denmark. I think the most authentic are the Austrian and German markets with local crafts and food. The others seem very commercial and pre-packaged. The best one we’ve been to is outside Vienna at Schloss Grafenegg.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m currrently in London and would not recommend it. Everything is closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day including public transportation. It was super hard to find a restaurant for Christmas Day. I did find something weeks ago and it was a great restaurant and was super special but super super expensive. Also, so many tourists and so crowded. It’s not that I don’t like London, it’s actually my favorite city, it just was not what I expected for Christmas. I recommend Germany which I also visited during Christmas last year because the Christmas markets are so beautiful and even Berlin has one almost every block. They were festive and full of locals just enjoying their evening vs just a bunch of commercial cheesy venues in London. Southern Germany looked like a winter wonderland.

Agree with PP. We’ve been to Christmas markets in Austria, Germany, Norway, Sweden and Denmark. I think the most authentic are the Austrian and German markets with local crafts and food. The others seem very commercial and pre-packaged. The best one we’ve been to is outside Vienna at Schloss Grafenegg.

Have been to Austria and Germany at Christmastime and can confirm— totally magical.

[Anonymous]

Has anyone been to London the week of Thanksgiving? Are the Christmas decorations up by then?

[Anonymous]

Consider a Viking River cruise over the holidays. It will be festive and fun. Or even a more traditional big ship cruise.

[Anonymous]

Are the hotel restaurants open on Xmas and Boxing Day?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone been to London the week of Thanksgiving? Are the Christmas decorations up by then?

Yes they are - I think they go up in early November. Thanksgiving week is very Christmassy there. Kew Gardens Christmas lights start by then, Harrods is completely done up, The Regent Street decor is up, etc.

We have been that week at least 5-6 times and I enjoy that time of year.

[Anonymous]

We did this a few years ago. Perfection!!

Christmas market on the river

Enjoyed a football match on Boxing Day. This is something a lot of people there do. We attended a local London team match.

Also attended a larger football match. Chelsea

Watched the fireworks on NYE and had a roast at a pub on New Year’s Day

Several cozy pub meetups with a friend

Museums

Good restaurants

A LOT was closed on Christmas so we streamed movies, visited a Muslim-owned bakery and a Turkish grocery, and enjoyed a low-key day at home.

Hope you all have lots of fun!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m currrently in London and would not recommend it. Everything is closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day including public transportation. It was super hard to find a restaurant for Christmas Day. I did find something weeks ago and it was a great restaurant and was super special but super super expensive. Also, so many tourists and so crowded. It’s not that I don’t like London, it’s actually my favorite city, it just was not what I expected for Christmas. I recommend Germany which I also visited during Christmas last year because the Christmas markets are so beautiful and even Berlin has one almost every block. They were festive and full of locals just enjoying their evening vs just a bunch of commercial cheesy venues in London. Southern Germany looked like a winter wonderland.

Agree with PP. We’ve been to Christmas markets in Austria, Germany, Norway, Sweden and Denmark. I think the most authentic are the Austrian and German markets with local crafts and food. The others seem very commercial and pre-packaged. The best one we’ve been to is outside Vienna at Schloss Grafenegg.

Have been to Austria and Germany at Christmastime and can confirm— totally magical.

Just understand that the various hand made items at central European Xmas markets usually are expensive. It is magical, but non-food items often are expensive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are the hotel restaurants open on Xmas and Boxing Day?

Yes, but unless you reserve each meal, you will have difficulty finding a place to eat.