While most people are cozied up inside their house on Christmas morning, surrounded by presents under the tree, some prefer to spend Christmas travelling. Whether this is because you don’t celebrate Christmas or are just looking to take advantage of the extra vacation day, London is a popular destination for Christmas travellers. London truly puts on a show, wrapping itself in strings of twinkling lights, millions of yards of ribbons and some of the best Christmas food in the world! But the big question is, what’s open on Christmas Day in London? Even in a bustling metropolis like London, most of the city shuts down. But don’t worry, there are still a few extraordinary ways to entertain yourself on Christmas in London.
In this festive guide, we’re unwrapping the secrets of London’s Christmas Day offerings, from what restaurants are open to activities to entertain yourself on a day when the city seems to shut down! Whether you’re a visitor far from home or a Londoner seeking a bit of holiday magic, join us as we explore what’s open in this magnificent city on the merriest day of the year. It’s time to make your London Christmas Day truly unforgettable!
Before you start planning your Christmas morning adventures, a word of caution: there is no public transportation in London on Christmas Day. This includes buses, trams, London Underground and London Overground trains. Ubers are available but are priced at a premium due to the reduced number of cars and high demand. You might be able to hire a taxi, but they are very few and far between to find on the street. This means you’ll need to walk to your destination unless you have a car. London is a very walkable city, but just be sure to keep this in mind when thinking about your day. If you must be at St. Paul’s Cathedral at 9 a.m. and stay in Kensington, be prepared to leave the house at 7 a.m.
Another option for transport on Christmas Day is to rent a bike. Santander Cycles is London’s official hire bike service, with over 800 docking stations and 12,000 bikes around London. Each ride costs £1.65 to undock your bike, and you can ride for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, you’ll be charged an extra £1.65 for each additional half hour. There are also e-bikes available in select stations. They cost £3.30 for 30 minutes. After you ride, you must return the bike to a docking station. Maps of the docking stations can be found on the app and online.
You can take out a bike using your bank card at the docking stations or download the Santander Cycles app. I prefer the app only because it’s often easier to use with foreign credit cards than the machine.
Because the roads are often less busy on Christmas Day, it makes it a little less intimidating to use as a first-time user. London has many dedicated bike lanes for you to use; check out this map to find the best route for your Christmas Day adventures!
One of the best ways to experience Christmas Day in London is by taking a Walking Tour. If you prefer a Guided experience, London Walks has two specialty tours that only run on Christmas. The first is the Christmas Day Charles Dickens Walk. This tour leads guests on a tour of London inspired by the life and works of Charles Dickens. Being the “man who invented Christmas,” it seems very fitting to spend the afternoon walking in his footsteps. You will be able to discover Victorian hideaways unchanged since Dicken’s day.
The other tour by London Walks takes visitors back to Christmas 1660 in the footsteps of London’s greatest diarist, Samuel Pepys. Between 1652 and 1660, Christmas, but after the death of Cromwell, Christmas was back in full swing! What a time to look back at one of the greatest Christmases in London’s history.
If you prefer to take a self-guided tour, you can explore any neighbourhood around London with many available guides online. This is a wonderful way to spend a quiet morning or afternoon with friends. Discovering hidden parts of the city on one of the quietest days in the calendar year. A British tradition for many Londoners is to take a Christmas walk, so it feels very in the spirit of the holidays to participate!
While the stores all might be shut, the Christmas Lights around London stay on! And the light displays in this city are some of the very best productions you’ll find anywhere in the world. So head out armed with a cozy Christmas sweater, an oversized scarf and hot thermos of tea to explore different neighbourhoods around the city to soak up all that glittering festive Christmas atmosphere.
Check out our guide to all London’s Best Christmas Lights, or take one of our Self-guided Christmas Lights Walking Tour to find all the most impressive displays!
Whether you are religious or not, attending a Chrismas Morning Church Service is a very special and unique experience. And one that I always recommend. If attending church triggers you or makes you uncomfortable, skip it. But I found that tourists (so long as they were respectful and didn’t just stand there taking pictures) were more than welcome in church on Christmas Morning.
Christmas Morning services are three of London’s most famous churches: St. Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and St Martin’s-in-the-Fields. I recommend attending the Parish Carol Service or Festal Evensong as the choirs at all these churches are some of the best in Britain. Hearing them sing in these historic buildings is truly an ethereal experience.
Be sure to check their website for the exact times of each service on Christmas Day. And be prepared to arrive at least an hour in advance to line up (or queue up as they say in London) to ensure you get a spot inside as this is, after all, one of the most popular days for families to all attend church together.
Select hotels and tea rooms around London offer up Christmas Day Afternoon Tea. These reservations get booked up months in advance! Make your booking as early as possible to avoid disappointment. If you find reservations are booked up, consider going in person and asking if they can add you to their waitlist. Christmas (or winter in general) is when lots of people get sick and need to cancel at the last minute, so you never know when you might get called in at the last minute!
My favourite place to go for Christmas Day Afternoon Tea is the Ruben’s at the Palace. Their Christmas Day Afternoon Tea is specially curated by their executive pastry chef, Sarah Houghting, who was a finalist in the 2021 Bake Off: The Professionals. The three-course menu features a scrumptious feast of cakes, pastries, and seasonal flavours that pay tribute to the long-standing English tradition of Afternoon Tea. You’ll be greeted with a glass of mulled wine or a glass of Champagne. Set against the tranquil backdrop of live piano music, playing all your Christmas favourites feels like the perfect way to spend Christmas Day in London!
Christmas Day Prices: £105 per adult, including a glass of champagne; £55 for children under 12.
Alternative options for Christmas Afternoon Tea can also be found at the Hotel Cafe Royal.
Because it usually doesn’t get below zero on Christmas Day, a brisk walk in one of London’s many historic parks is a great way to get outside and explore London’s green space. While the trees may be bare, I was surprised to find many gardens still beautifully manicured and a lovely place to stroll. My favourite park is Kensington Gardens, and their Italian Gardens are a picturesque and serene oasis. You can admire the stunning ornamental water garden with classical sculptures, urns, and a reflecting pond. Even in the winter, you can spot waterfowl, making it a peaceful place for birdwatching.
Every year, at 9 a.m. on Christmas Day, members of the Serpentine Swimming Club leave their home’s cozy comfort to participate in one of London’s strangest (and chilliest) traditions. They meet at the Serpentine Lido (open-air swimming pool) in Hyde Park to jump into the waters for a 100-yard swim. The traditions have been going on since 1864, and the race winner gets to take home the coveted Peter Pan Cup. Swimming usually gets into the Christmas spirit by donning silly Christmas hats and sant beards to pair with their swimming trunks. Watching this event is so much fun, as long as you do not have to get into that cold water!
Sights along the Thames River are a constant, and even when the city is closed, their iconic imagery along the water doesn’t change. City Experiences London runs a 1-hour River Cruise along the Thames on Christmas Day. Visitors can enjoy informative and entertaining commentary all about the historic riverside as they glide along. While it might be chilly on deck, the interior of the boars is heated for your comfort. But I recommend grabbing a hot mulled wine and mince pie to eat on deck to soak in the views.
Many of London’s premier hotels have specialty Christmas Day menus on offer. These reservations are booked far in advance but cost a pretty penny. Be prepared to spend a hefty sum, but the food quality and overall experience are unmatched. These hotels often cater to guests staying for the Christmas holidays, so they want them to feel like this is a meal made with love, just like they would get at home. But with a refined level of excellence and service.
Savoy Grill | If you’re looking for a bucket list dining experience, consider booking yourself in for an unforgettable dining experience at Savoy Grill. The Savoy Grill, one of the most renowned eateries on The Strand and in the world, has undergone a historic renaissance, making it an even more famous dining destination than before. Their Christmas Day specially curated menu features traditional yet refined dishes that will delight the palette. | Price: £290 per adult and £100 per child
NoMad London Christmas Lunch | Celebrate Christmas at NoMad London with their three-course pre-fixe, which showcases iconic Christmas staples and NoMad favourites. | £155 per person, and children (up to 12 years old) pay £75 per person.
Orrey Restaurant | Located in the heart of Marylebone Village, the Orrey Restaurant celebrates Christmas Day inside their lavish converted stable block overlooking Marylebone Church Gardens. You’ll enjoy elegant French food for your Christmas meal, including salmon gravadlax, fromage blanc, orange Potato raviolo, wild mushrooms, Beef Wellington, pomme purée, Farmhouse cheeses, the classic Orrery tart, and, to finish, mulled wine sorbet and Petit fours. | Price: £159 Wine Pairing £105
Rubers Hotels | The menu features duck terrine, lobster thermidor omelette, black leg turkey, Scottish beef fillet, pork & apricot stuffing, pigs in blankets, honey glazed carrots & parsnips, brussels sprouts and homemade cranberry sauce, followed by a dessert of traditional Christmas pudding or British cheese board. | £250 per person
If you don’t want to spend a mint, there are various other options for more casual dining. Cinnamon Club is a fantastic Indian restaurant in Westminster that is always popular with Christmas day crowds. Duck and Waffle in Spitalfields is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, even on Christmas Day! Perched in the clouds on the 40th floor of 110 Bishopsgate, this is also one of the best restaurants with stunning views across the city. Tayyabs is my favourite place in Whitechapel for incredible Indian food, open on Christmas day.
Wetherspoon is a chain of pubs across the UK, and many of their locations in London are open on Christmas Day. Call or check online for your local Wetherspoon’s to see if they will be available. They are an excellent choice for families as their extensive menu means everyone can find something to enjoy.
Fuller’s Pubs has beautiful pubs all across southern England, and at Christmas, four of their London locations remain open for a gorgeous Christmas Roast Meal. The Lamb & Flag in Covent Garden, The Sanctuary House Hotel in Westminster, The Star Tavern in Belgravia and The Swan in Hyde Park. A three-course meal on Christmas day is still £95, but you can always opt for the a-la-carte menu for something less expensive. Be sure to book in advance, if possible, to ensure yourself a spot!
As is the case in many cities around the world, Chinatown is a popular destination on Christmas Day for those looking for something delicious to eat. London’s Chinatown has over 100 restaurants in only five square blocks, many of which remain open on Christmas Day. Rather than turkey, mince pies and mulled wine, you can get roast pork buns, sweet bean pastries and bubble tea here in Chinatown!
I hope this festive guide has filled you with the excitement and wonder of the season. Remember, whether you’re spending the day with loved ones or embarking on a solo adventure, the spirit of Christmas is all around. It’s in the laughter of strangers, the twinkling lights, and the warmth of the cherry Christmas Lights. Cheers to London’s Christmas charm, and may your holidays be merry and bright! 🎄
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