Every year, London attracts people from all around the globe to witness the Christmas magic the city has to offer. The stunning decorations during this time of year are renowned worldwide and make for perfect Instagram photos. For the past two years, I visited London in December and created this ultimate list of the best Instagrammable Christmas spots in the city. So let’s walk by the gorgeous London streets, filled with the joy of Christmas!
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Shops, Department Stores & Shopping Arcades
1 • Covent Garden
Covent Garden always transforms into a Christmas paradise over the festive period. The area is full of twinkling Christmas lights and decorations including mistletoe chandeliers, a giant reindeer, a present-filled vintage car and a huge Christmas tree. Definitely a quaint part of London! The lovely and colorful Neal’s Yard is also located in the area.
Covent Garden & Neal’s Yard (upper left)
2 • Maddox Gallery
This art gallery in Mayfair gets a Christmas makeover every year. The displays are always incredible and over the top. Maddox Gallery specializes in contemporary and modern art so if this is something you are into, you should definitely check it out!
3 • Ede & Ravenscroft
Ede & Ravenscroft are the oldest tailors in London, established in 1689. They have 3 locations in London and the one in Burlington Gardens is decorated in a very Christmassy way. There are also three iconic red phone booths next to it making it a go-to Instagram spot!
Maddox Gallery (on the left), Ede & Ravenscroft (on the right)
4 • Harrods
Harrods is definitely London’s most famous department store and the largest department store in Europe! The store occupies a 20,000 m² site and has over 90,000 m² of selling space! Located in Knightsbridge, you should visit during the night to see the store sparkle and light up! Also renowned for its spectacular window displays, do not forget to snap their Instagrammable Christmas luxury decorations inside and outside.
Harrods’ Christmas decorations
5 • Leadenhall Market
This covered market in London, located on Gracechurch Street was the inspiration for Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley. You can definitely tell why once you enter Leadenhall you feel transported into another magical dimension! This place gets really busy during lunchtime with all of the workers around having their break so try to go in the morning to experience it with no people.
Leadenhall Market
6 • Fortnum & Mason
This upmarket department store in Piccadilly is a lovely place to find sparkling and fancy Christmas gifts. Fortnum’s offers high-quality British products and you can ever have an unforgettable afternoon tea experience there. Do not miss the main staircase inside the store. It is one of the most Instagrammable London spot ever! Fortnum & Mason also opened in London at The Royal Exchange with a pretty Christmas tree located in front of it.
Fortnum & Mason’s Christmas tree at the Royal Exchange
7 • Royal Arcade
Located in the upscale shopping district of Mayfair, this covered shopping arcade is a true hidden gem. Packed with luxury stores, the Christmas decorations are always on point and are super Instagrammable. As it is a historic Victorian arcade, it is touristy and it does get pretty busy. You should go there right when it opens if you can.
8 • Burlington Arcade
Burlington Arcade is also a covered shopping arcade. Here again, it is home to luxury retail ranging from accessories, clothing, footwear, art, and antique. This beautiful place extends 179 meters from Piccadilly through to Burlington Gardens. During Christmas, the decors are lovely but just like the Royal Arcade, it gets busy. Try going at the opening or right before it closes.
Burlington Arcade
Festive Streets
9 • Elizabeth Street
Elizabeth Street in Belgravia is one of the most gorgeous streets to go to during Christmas time. You can find several gorgeous displays at several stores and cafés. I advise you to check out Les Senteurs, Jo Loves, and Peggy Porschen. The latest is a well-known blogger and Instagrammer’s spot. It changes its decor depending on the season and its Christmassy snow-covered floral display is perfect for photos!
Elizabeth Street
10 • Oxford & Regent Streets
Regent Street and Oxford Street’s Christmas lights are probably the most famous in London. Regent Street features London’s largest Christmas lights display which are traditional angels. The stores located on both streets also have lovely Instagrammable displays.
11 • New & Old Bond Streets
(New) Bond Street and Old Bond Street are home to designer shops, luxury fashion and art stores. On both streets, the facades are draped in grand decorations and in New Bond Street, gigantic Christmas lights are glowing once the sun sets. A must for Instagram photos!
Regent Street (on the left), Bond Street (on the right)
12 • Carnaby Street
Carnaby is a trendy shopping destination that becomes the place to be at night during the holidays. Carnaby Street’s Christmas lights are famous and have a different theme each year. In 2018, if you “look up to the skies and see” you could find Queen’s iconic Bohemian Rhapsody lyrics written in glowing neon colors. In 2019, it was a little more sustainable with an entirely recycled Christmas lights display created in collaboration with Project 0. Each section of the street depicted a different underwater area in need of conservation.
Carnaby Street’s Christmas decorations
Restaurants & Clubs
13 • Coppa Club Igloos
The Coppa Club igloos return every Christmas near Tower Bridge and are a huge Instagram spot. Since they are so popular, you can only book them online with a few available each day for walk-ins. If you don’t get a spot, don’t worry, it is also possible to take photos of them from outside.
14 • Sketch
Sketch is a restaurant/bar famous due to its pretty interior and fun toilets. Victim of its success, it is usually always full and you have to book online if you want to go for food or tea time. I heard that it is not worth eating there and only having a drink and checking out their cool toilets is enough! Therefore, I cannot give you my opinion on their food but their decor is great!
The entrance to Sketch
15 • Ivy Chelsea Garden
The Chelsea Garden branch of The Ivy Collection restaurants was made into a gingerbread house for Christmas in 2018. Walls were made-up of sweets, gingerbread men, candy canes, and colorful baubles. In 2019, it became a white Christmas wonderland. Definitely, the perfect Instagram backdrop!
16 • Annabel’s at Mayfair
Annabel is a members-only club that became Insta-famous due to its over the top holiday decor. Every December, the entrance to Annabel becomes a huge Christmas tree! Even if it is a private club, you don’t have to get in to see its decor. In 2018, the display was a huge red and gold tree arched by two candy canes. In 2019, it was a white and gold tree.
Annabel’s entrance (on the left), Sketch’s entrance (on the right)
Ice Rinks
17 • Natural History Museum Ice Rink
This is London’s most popular ice rink due to its gorgeous setting in front of the iconic Natural History Museum in South Kensington. Adults tickets cost £12.65, children £8.8 and families £39.6.
18 • Tower of London Ice Rink
Located in the heart of London, this ice rink has the city’s most iconic historical landmark as a backdrop: the Tower of London! Adults pay £14.5, students £12.5 and children £10.5.
19 • Somerset House Ice Rink
The Edmond J. Safra Fountain courtyard at Somerset House is home to another amazing ice rink. You can skate day and night but there is a limited number of tickets and skating sessions so make sure to book yours! Adults pay £11 and children £8.5.
Annabel’s entrance (on the left), Sketch’s entrance (on the right)
Parks & Gardens
20 • Kew Gardens
Kew Gardens is already a pretty Instagrammable place on its own but it becomes incredible during Christmas time. Thousands of lights illuminate the place and will leave you in awe especially if you visit after sunset (which is super early in London in December, like late afternoon!)
21 • Richmond Park
Have you always dreamt of seeing a deer? In Richmond Park, which is a National Nature Reserve, you can! All deer there are roaming freely so be careful not to scare them and also watch out because deer have learned to approach people in search of food and tend to charge if they think you carry some food!
Kew Gardens (on the left), Richmond Park (on the right)
Christmas Markets & Pop-Ups
22 • Winter Wonderland
Every year, Hyde Park becomes Winter Wonderland which is the biggest Christmas market in London. The area offers many restaurants, festive food stalls and more than 200 wooden cabins selling handmade crafts and Christmas gifts. There is also a giant observation wheel where you can get stunning views of London, a gigantic outdoor ice rink, roller coasters, carousels, bumper cars, and many more holiday attractions and Christmas shows.
The best time to go to Winter Wonderland is in the evening when everything is light up and magical. On the other hand, there is a lot of people at this time so if you want to avoid crowds, you should go in the morning during weekdays. Victim of its own success, Winter Wonderland is very pricey. The entrance is free but the attractions and food/drinks prices are way more expensive than they should be.
23 • The Winter Forest at Broadgate Circle
This Nordic-inspired Christmas pop-up is located right behind Liverpool Street Station. The 300 snow-covered pine trees and wood cabins create an enchanted winter haven that is perfect for Instagram photos!
24 • Southbank Centre Winter Market
South Bank’s riverside becomes a winter wonderland, with its Christmas market. You can warm up and drink some mulled wine before catching a Christmas show! There are free performances and family activities throughout December.
25 • Christmas by the River at London Bridge City
This traditional Christmas market along the Thames is set against the iconic backdrop of Tower Bridge. You can buy Christmas gifts and get a hot drink while enjoying the London skyline.
I hope you enjoyed reading about those spots and that you discovered some great places to go to in London during wintertime! Do you have any favorite Christmas places in London? Let me know in the comments below.
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