‘Tis the season! London is one of the best cities in the world to get hyped up with Christmas spirit. Let us show you our FAVORITE Christmas Markets this year!
Pro Tips
- Wrap up warm! It gets really chilly in London in December, so you want to make sure you wear a thick coat, socks and wellies if it’s raining. Most of the lights look better in the evening time so you want to be sure you’ll be able to stay out late!
- The sun sets really early in London in December! Think around 4 pm – so plan your day accordingly. It also feels darker earlier than the scheduled sun set time because of all the tall buildings casting shadows.
- London gets PACKED during the Christmas season – especially on Oxford Street! Expect lots of long lines for in-store shopping during this time. We prefer window browsing and wandering outside to avoid the crowds.
- If you want to visit multiple Christmas Markets in one day, we suggest getting familiar with the tube map to help whip you around the city! Traffic is often very heavy so taxi’s will usually be the slower mode of transport.
Christmas Market #1: Trafalgar Square Christmas Market
This was our favorite Christmas Market because it did a great job of combining a festive atmosphere without too heavy crowds. This is also a really easily accessible Christmas Market because of the surrounding tube stations (Charing Cross, Leicester Square, Embankment) all on the Northern Line.
Enjoy wandering around this beautiful (but on the small side) Christmas Market, shopping for arts and crafts. Definitely be sure to stop by the Personalized Christmas Ornament stand if you’re looking for a gift for a person who has it all and is difficult to shop for. There is also a large food and drink section where you can pick up a toasty pastry and cup of mulled wine to warm you up. Take a look at the massive Christmas Tree that Trafalgar Square is known for annually.
By the way, this Christmas Market is right next to the National Gallery which is an awesome place to stop by before or after! Also Trafalgar Square is an incredibly famous and iconic square in central London and you’ll see a large statue of Admiral Nelson who led the British to victory in the battle of Trafalgar off the coast of Spain in the 1800’s.
Christmas Market #2: Southbank Christmas Market
We really enjoyed this Christmas Market because of its proximity to the Thames River. You can stroll along the riverbank and enjoy the view of the London Eye, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben while also enjoying this long Christmas Market. This is one we definitely recommend visiting after the sun sets because the lights on the London iconic structures are absolutely mindblowing.
There is plenty to eat and drink at this market, and the market space is sprinkled amongst multiple restaurants and shops as well making for a really fun wandering experience. We tried some very delicious spiced pineapple rum with some festive edible glitter in it!
If you want to combine this Christmas Market with some sightseeing, you can always visit the Tate Modern museum which houses amazing art galleries and also offers a fantastic view over London. It’s really close walking distance to the Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre – even if you don’t catch a show here, it’s worth checking out this historic event space!
The closest tube stations to this market are Bankside and Blackfriars (which is on the opposite side of the river). It’s worth walking across the Millennium Bridge which is featured in the Harry Potter movies!
Christmas Market #3: Covent Garden Christmas Market
Covent Garden is one of Yas’s favorite places in London, with a vibe best described as old-school English romantic. The Christmas Market definitely adds to the charm, with lots of small Christmas trees, fancy lights adorning the outdoor/indoor marketplace, and of course the iconic Covent Garden Christmas Tree.
Walking through the small alleys and market stalls reminds you of a bygone era. There are tons of local craftsmen and artisans selling beautiful jewelry, art and other handmade items that make amazing and unique gifts. The closest tube station is Covent Garden.
Christmas Market #4: Hyde Park Winter Wonderland
Note – the other Christmas Markets referenced in this article are FREE, but this one can occasionally cost money during peak times to prevent the space from getting too crowded (when we visited, it was EXTREMELY crowded!). That being said the venue is more spacious than a lot of the other Christmas Markets and it has more of a theme park type feel. We think this Christmas Market feels larger and more directly focused on Christmas than some of the other markets, and definitely offers more in the way of rides and carnival games.
The closest tube stations are Hyde Park Corner, Green Park and Knightsbridge. This London Christmas Market is easily combined with a trip to Buckingham Palace which is across the street from Hyde Park,
Christmas Market #5: Leicester Square Christmas Market
This was our least favorite (but still really good) Christmas Market we visited in London. It was our least favorite because it was ridiculously crowded. That being said, we did visit on a Saturday evening around 5 pm which is peak time for theatre crowds – probably not a good idea in hindsight!
There was lots on offer in terms of hand crafted arts, jewelry and ornaments and some delicious smelling food. Sadly, we didn’t get to try any because of the crazy long lines. We’d recommend going at off peak times to this market, to try to avoid the tourists and theatre crowds of Leicester Square.
The closest tube stations are Leicester Square, Picadilly Circus and Covent Garden.