Rome Toolkit 
Paris Toolkit What to do in London at Christmas time
Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day tours
London is a magical place at any time of the year but at Christmas time, London really comes alive with its Christmas decorations, Christmas lights and enormous Christmas trees.
Whether it's enjoying the buildup to Christmas watching the glorious lights of London or opting for a relaxing Christmas Day lunch where your fabulous meal is all cooked for you, we have plenty of options for you with tours and attractions in and around London at Christmas. You might enjoy a top day out on Boxing Day and see somewhere new in England for a festive season you'll remember forever.
And don't forget New Year's Eve - the party evening of the year. A fabulous New Year's Eve cruise down the River Thames will see your 2023 go in with a bang.
Check our links below to discover how you can have an amazing festive period in London whatever the date.
Tours available throughout Christmas in and leaving from London
Christmas lights vintage bus tour
This tour will take you around London’s beautiful Christmas lights in vintage style, perfect for photography lovers. You are dropped off at Winter Wonderland at the end.
Christmas Market day trips
Birmingham, Canterbury and Winchester Christmas markets await where you can discover traditional food and drinks with return transport from London.
Christmas lights bus tour with live guide
Enjoy all the festive magic of the Christmas light displays of London as it gets dark, from the terrific view of the top deck of this fabulous open-top bus.
Lightopia Festival London
A multi award-winning winter wonderland in London’s Crystal Palace Park. An illuminated trail offers mesmerising light displays for all the family.
What to do in and around London on Christmas Eve 2022
Illuminated tour, dinner & midnight mass
Includes a beautiful tour of illuminated London, sumptuous 3-course meal & Prosecco, followed by the famous midnight mass at St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square.
Leeds Castle, Canterbury Cathedral, Dover & lunch
Christmas Eve visit to Leeds Castle, walking tour of Canterbury including the Christmas market, 2-course lunch, see the white cliffs of Dover and visit historic and beautiful Greenwich.
Christmas Eve Total London Experience
Enjoy a panoramic tour of London, visit the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Horse Guards Parade & St Paul’s Cathedral. Take a boat ride down the Thames and finally experience the London Eye.
Stonehenge & Bath on Christmas Eve
Visit these two World Heritage Sites on Christmas Eve, for a fabulous relaxing day out seeing the gorgeous Georgian architecture of Bath and the awe-inspiring megalithic monument of Stonehenge in one day.
What to do on Christmas Day 2022 in and around London
Christmas Day Lunch Cruise and Guided City Tour
This tour combines the best of Christmas London by coach and boat. First you can take in sparkling London's lights with a panoramic coach tour, followed by a Christmas Day lunch with wine on the River Thames. This is a very popular and relaxing way to spend Christmas Day.
Christmas Day Traditional Lunch Cruise
Enjoy a 4-course lunch aboard the Thames Cruiser with a glass of sparkling wine and tea & coffee and mince pies to finish. Relax on this beautifully decorated festive boat, with roomy, open-air deck and large glass windows for city sightseeing at its most spectacular.
Christmas Lunch in Stratford with Oxford
Visit the stunning University town of Oxford, with its ancient alleys and market squares before heading enjoying a relaxing drive through the stunning Cotswolds, as you head for Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon where you finish your day with a marvelous 3-course Christmas lunch.
Canterbury, Dover & Greenwich & Christmas lunch
Enjoy the splendour of the ‘Sung Eucharist’ at Canterbury Cathedral. Following this enjoy a memorable 3-course Christmas lunch. Returning to London you can marvel at the great White Cliffs of Dover and the maritime borough of Greenwich.
What to do on Boxing Day 2022 - tours leaving from London
Simply Stonehenge on Boxing Day
What could be better than visiting a World Heritage Site on Boxing day? Spend a magical morning marveling at the stones and learning more about the history through the Visitor Centre. This tour includes entry to Stonehenge as well as transportation by luxurious air-conditioned coach.
Oxford, Stratford-upon-Avon & Warwick Castle
Begin your day with a walking tour of the magnificent university city of Oxford, with entry to the famous Christ Church. Drive through the Cotswolds on your way to Stratford-upon-Avon where you can visit Shakespeare's Birthplace. Finish your day out at the historic Warwick Castle.
Windsor, Bath, Stonehenge and Salisbury
Enjoy a fabulous adventure this Boxing Day to some of Britain's most spectacular destinations. Wander through the lovely town of Windsor, follow in early mankind’s footsteps at Stonehenge, get a glimpse of Salisbury Cathedral and see the beautiful city of Bath!
Leeds Castle, Canterbury Cathedral, Dover & lunch
Have a magical Boxing Day surrounded by beautiful locations and impressive buildings! Enjoy a visit to Leeds Castle, once described as ‘The Loveliest Castle in the World’, Canterbury, the White Cliffs of Dover, Greenwich and a delicious two-course lunch!
What to do on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day 2022 in and around London
New Year’s Eve Cruise on board the Silver Sockeye
Enjoy a fabulous welcome into the New Year with a stunning cruise along the River Thames. With a glass of Prosecco on arrival, you'll be sure to have a fabulous time with musical entertainment as well as fabulous views of the city’s skyline lit up against the night.
Lunch in The Most Beautiful Village in England
William Morris described Bibury as "The Most Beautiful Village in England" and you can enjoy a fabulous two course NYD lunch, in an old fashioned pub overlooking the River Coln. Enjoy the scenery of the stunning Cotswolds as you get away from it all this New Year.
Simply Stonehenge Tour
Spend the first or last day of the year at an incredible World Heritage Site and enjoy an extended visit on this tour. You'll have plenty of time to experience the mystical beauty of Stonehenge.
This tour includes entry to Stonehenge as well as transportation by luxurious air-conditioned coach.
City Cruises ThamesJet NYE package
A range of NYE cruises for you to choose from. All put you in the grandstand position to witness London's spectacular NYE fireworks - right on the River Thames. Choose from dinner cruises, or simple canape's with a welcome glass of champagne and live music.
Free events and attractions in London at Christmas
Christmas on a budget
There are so many free things to do in London at Christmas. Most of the London museums are free and will have Christmas themed exhibitions as part of their offering. You can shop until you drop in London at Christmas and enjoy the Christmas lights and store displays at the same time. Selfridges is world famous for its window displays, especially at Christmas and Harrods Christmas lights are well worth seeing.
There are lots of famous Christmas trees you can visit, the ones at Trafalgar Square and St Pancras station are particularly well known and always beautifully decorated. London also comes into its own with its huge range of Christmas Markets.
Visit any church and you’ll be made very welcome and you can explore and enjoy the carol services at your leisure. If you need a walk before your Christmas dinner, then make your way in the morning down to Hyde Park, where you can watch brave or crazy souls take a dip in the Serpentine in the annual Peter Pan Cup.
