Best Of The London Christmas Lights 2022 | Anywhere We Roam
Create some sparkle over the 2023 festive season with the best of the London Christmas lights. Explore iconic boulevards, hidden neighbourhoods and famous stores dappled in illuminated cheer.
The London Christmas lights are a big celebration in a town that loves to entertain. It’s a yuletide tradition that illuminates the soul into embracing the festive season.
While Christmas window displays compete for attention, the scent of roasted chestnuts wafts in the air. Grand architecture twinkles under synchronised fairy lights. Christmas in London is a magical time, even the biggest Scrooge.
Several of the best Christmas lights are centrally located within easy walking distance of each other. To help with your festive evening, we have put together a walking tour of the London Christmas lights covered in this guide.
Slide on some warm mittens and join us on a journey. We’ll show you famous window displays, charming markets, sweeping boulevards, and hidden corners of our home town.
Experience the best of the London Christmas lights in 2023.
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LONDON CHRISTMAS LIGHTS SWITCHED ON DATES
The switch gets flicked on most Christmas Lights in London by mid-November.
They continue to light up the streets until around 6 January. Most of the main streets have a switch-on ceremony where they mark the occasion with music, mulled wine and a local celebrity doing the honours.
Christmas window displays start popping up in early November.
BEST TIME TO SEE THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
The best time to explore the lights are just after sunset (around 4pm in December) when it’s late enough for a mulled wine and early enough so that you have plenty of time to stroll through the magical streets.
Most importantly, try and pick a day when it’s not expected to rain.
1 – OXFORD STREET CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
WHEN – TBC
In 1909, Harry Selfridge designed his store in London. One requirement was that it had to have the biggest windows in the world.
He also brought the idea of decorating windows for Christmas from his home in America.
Harrods, Liberty, and Fortnum & Mason all followed.
Today, it still takes over 500 staff to dress the Selfridges Christmas windows in an often quirky take on Christmas.
Outside the store, the Oxford Street Christmas Lights provide a dazzling display of festivity. Witness the magic of Christmas in one of the most iconic destinations in London.
2 – SOUTH MOLTON STREET CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
WHEN – TBC
Just off Oxford Street, South Molton Street is a small shopping hub packed with exclusive brands and designer outlets.
For a small lane, it packs a punch when it comes to Christmas lights. After all the years we’ve lived in London, we still think it’s the most eye-catching display in the city.
Two tall blue arches span the pedestrian street, connecting the large trees at each end.
The framed promenade, decked out with gold stars and blue lights, creates one of the best places to photograph the Christmas lights in London.
3 – NEW BOND STREET CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
WHEN – TBC
Just around the corner from South Molton Street, New Bond Street is home to the flagships of some of the poshest brands in the world.
Cartier, Fenwick, Fendi, and Bvlgari attract people passing by with their elaborate Christmas decorations.
In 2022 this elegant London street changed to a royal theme in honor of the late queen’s Diamond Jubilee. The design features over 90,000 LED’s and includes huge crowns at the main junctions.
Some of the best Christmas window displays are also in New Bond Street.
Each year, Cartier covers their front in a giant red ribbon and Tiffany & Co feature a whimsical theme.
4 – FORTNUM & MASON CHRISTMAS WINDOW DISPLAY
WHEN – TBC
Fortnum & Mason has been a favourite of the Royal Family since Queen Victoria times.
In the 1730s they started providing picnic baskets to the elite. Today, Fortnum & Mason ship around 120,000 picnic baskets a year.
Each Christmas they decorate the façade to look like a giant advent calendar, glowing a passionate red.
Designers each create a captivating installation. The theme last year was personal interpretations of joy.
After Fortnum & Mason, wander across the road to inspect the Christmas decorations at Burlington Arcade.
5 – REGENT STREET CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
WHEN – 9 NOV 2023
The tradition of Christmas lights in London began in Regent Street in 1954.
The 19th-century architecture was adorned with angels playing trumpets. Now officially called The Spirit of Christmas, 16 “spirits” with a 17-metre wingspan cover the street with a canopy of 300,000 twinkling lights.
A steady stream of red double-decker buses glowing under the lights creates an unmissable London Christmas feel.
The decorations stretch from Langham Place down to Waterloo Place. There are smaller displays connecting some of the side streets.
The best section is between Oxford Circus and Piccadilly Circus.
Since 2011, the lights are only switched on between 3 pm and 11 pm.
6 – CARNABY STREET CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
WHEN – TBC
Carnaby Street was a popular hangout for famous musicians like Jimi Hendrix, The Kinks, and the Rolling Stones. It’s where the Mods, Punk, and New Romantics were born.
Each year Carnaby celebrates iconic moments in British history through their Christmas lights.
Sparkling features have paid tribute to Bohemian Rhapsody and the Rolling Stones.
The Carnaby installation is a collaboration with Choose Love, who aims to raise awareness for the plight of refugees around the world.
Don’t miss // There are more lights along Ganton Street, Foubert’s Place, and Newburgh Street. The stylish windows at Liberty are always worth a look.
7 – PICCADILLY CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
WHEN – 9 NOV 2023
Officially part of Regent Street, Piccadilly has recently started its own Christmas installation.
The lights feature dramatic large-scale figures of Anteros, the Greek god of god of requited love. A statue of Anteros has stood in Piccadilly Circus since 1893.
The winged canopy of lights is one of the most impressive in the city.
With old-school London glamour and some of the most prestigious addresses in the city, Piccadilly is great to stroll down any time of year.
At Christmas, it’s a little more magical.
8 – SEVEN DIALS CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
WHEN – TBC
Seven Dials is an escape from busy central London, with the feel of a local neighbourhood.
The central focal point is a column bearing 6 sundials. It was an unfortunate early commission before the present 7 road junction was completed.
At Christmas, this error of civic planning is adorned with giant wispy star of lights.
It’s a whimsical Christmas display in one of our favourite parts of London.
Wander off in every direction from Seven Dials to get a taste of some of the best of secret London. You’ll find concept stores, independent restaurants, and hidden squares.
9 – COVENT GARDEN CHRISTMAS
WHEN – TBC
London’s most glorious Christmas tree is in Covent Garden.
At the western end of the market, the huge tree with 30,000 red and white twinkling lights reaches into the sky from the iconic marketplace.
Behind the tree, oversized baubles and mistletoe chandeliers continue the festive spirit in the North and South Halls.
Look for gift ideas in Central Avenue – one of the best Christmas markets in London.
Around the plaza, the outdoor dining spots provide a cool spot to hang out. There’s plenty of mulled wine, hot chocolate, and wine bars with cosy interiors.
For more details, read our guide to Christmas at Covent Garden.
10 – MARYLEBONE VILLAGE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
WHEN – TBC
Compared to other Christmas light destinations, Marylebone Village is a quiet residential street.
Take a more relaxing stroll, pop into some excellent local bars, and enjoy the subdued light display.
For some gift ideas, Daunt Books is one of the best independent bookstores in London in a beautiful old building.
Just around the corner on Paddington Street, Opso (W1U 5QL) has some of the Greek food you’ll find in the city.
Pick up a selection of mouth-watering hamper goodies at La Fromagerie on Moxon Street (W1U 4EU)
11 – CHRISTMAS AT KEW GARDENS
WHEN – 15 NOV 2023 – 7 JAN 2024
Over Christmas, Kew Gardens are illuminated in a state-of-the-art light and sound spectacular.
The light trail transports you from one magic display to the next. Music changes to match the presentation as you walk along.
The sky is illuminated by a hologram display in geometric shapes. Ingenious technology decorates the footpath with fun Christmas designs.
The highlight is the spectacular sound, light, and water show in front of the grand greenhouse.
There are food trucks along the route with gourmet hotdogs, churros, and a great selection of festive drinks.
Tickets must be booked in advance.
12 – HYDE PARK WINTER WONDERLAND
WHEN – 17 NOV 2023 – 21 JAN 2023
Winter Wonderland has entertained London with energetic Christmas festivities since 2007.
Half theme park, half Christmas market, it’s the gaudiest and most dramatic set of Christmas Lights in London.
Inside Ferris wheels, helter-skelters and roller coasters keep the adrenaline running. There’s an ice rink, shops and stalls, and more Christmas trinkets than you could possibly imagine.
Winter Wonderland is a buzzing Christmas atmosphere that the kids will love. To keep this popular attraction under control, tickets need to be pre-booked.
Standard entry is £5, at peak times it’s £7.50.
13 – COAL DROPS YARD CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
WHEN – TBC
King’s Cross is transformed into an alpine-inspired wonderland over Christmas.
There are ski chalets, glowing sculptures, festive Christmas markets, and a huge curling rink.
But it’s the whopping 47-foot Nordmann fir tree in Coal Drops Yard that really steals the show.
The tree is adorned with ski-related accessories and illuminated with neon lights. After the season, the tree will be ground down and used to make pine essence for candles.
It’s an impressive Christmas display in an area which has recently undergone urban renewal.
14 – CHURCHILL ARMS CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
WHEN – TBC
This institution in Kensington spends a cool £25,000 decorating its façade in plants every year.
At Christmas, it adds 80 Christmas trees and 22,000 lights to create an over-the-top display that can’t be missed.
It’s a fantastic addition to the London Christmas Lights. It’s a great pub for a festive pint, although it’s a popular place so seats can be difficult to obtain.
They also do excellent Thai-inspired pub food.
15 – HARRODS CHRISTMAS WINDOW DISPLAY
WHEN – TBC
Harrods, a famous London department store, covers 5 acres and has 330 departments.
It also puts on quite a show when it comes to Christmas window displays.
Windows are lavishly decorated (often with the help of global brands) in the Christmas colours of red, white, and green.
Inside, there is a whole floor for fancy Christmas decorations. Don’t miss the iconic Harrods Food Hall – great for unique hamper items.
LONDON CHRISTMAS LIGHTS WALK – 2023
You can visit many of these central London Christmas lights on our walking tour.
The entire walk is just over 4 kilometres.
If you marched around quickly it would only take 1 hour. But it’s much better to amble slowly and savour the atmosphere.
You can find the walking route on the map below.
We recommend seeing the Christmas Lights in the following order:
- Start at Selfridges.
- Walk down Oxford Street towards South Molton Street.
- Continue through Mayfair to New Bond Street.
- Pick up the Cartier store on the way to Piccadilly.
- Go past Fortnum & Mason before heading up to Regent Street.
- Head all the way up to Regent Street to Liberty.
- Collect Carnaby Street and head back down to Piccadilly Circus.
- Continue on to Leicester Square, then up to Seven Dials.
- Finish at Covent Garden and have a post-Christmas walk cocktail at El Ta’Koy.
How to use this map / Click on the top left of the map to display the list of locations, then click on the locations to display further information. Click on the top right corner of the map to open a larger version in a new tab or the star to save to your Google Maps.
WALK NOTES
If you want to add an extra 10 minutes you could visit the Christmas market at Trafalgar Square, although the spirit is much merrier at Covent Garden.
Alternatively, If you start at Covent Garden and end at Selfridges, you can extend the walk by 20 minutes and end at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland.
This is a great option if you want to finish the walk by upping the adrenaline on theme park rides, rather than in a quiet spot with a glass of wine.
MORE LONDON GUIDES
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