Every year, Christmas leaves an emotional footprint, ending the year with a bunch of multiple emotions, nostalgic occasions, and family gatherings on Christmas Eve that honour the traditions from around the globe. The unified celebrations where candles flicker on the tree, a symbol echoing the best Christmas lights in London held under cultural recipes, and where each cookie offers a tribute to distant lands. These 15 places are the perfect spots to kick off the festive season in London that offers a token of warmth and the best Christmas lights in London!
1. Harrods
Types of Events: Festive Food Delights, Nutcrackers, Christmas Decorations & Wreaths
Theme: Egyptian Setting
Location: West London, Brompton Rd, London, United Kingdom
Visiting Dates/Time: All Days
The biggest department store in the city, Harrods, is one of the best places to see Christmas lights in London. One of the largest shopping complexes that spreads a Chic-like vibe with beautiful decoration. Its Edwardian Baroque-inspired architectural facade, but thrown in a twinkling lights display and snow-filled streets, and every new year, a long line-up of Harrods Christmas bears within a range of 300£ that represents its image.
From knit knackers to luxurious crackers, the tradition of Christmas lighting in the store began with 1100 bulbs in 1989 and now to 12,000 sparkling bulbs in 2023, making Harrods the best Christmas lights in London.
2. Chelsea
Types of Events: Festive Offers at Stores
Theme: Snowy
Location: Sloane Street
Venue: Duke of York Square
Visiting Dates/Time: 18th December 2023 - 24th December 2023
Getting over to Chelsea, one can experience the festive mood of winter that is adorned with superior decorations. It switches on the fireworks event on King's Road along with the Christmas tree in Duke of York Square. It includes its Ivy Chelsea Garden Christmas polar bears and swan displays, Pavilion Road and Sloane Street shop displays.
The entrance sets a glittering walk-through forest of Silver birch and pure white magnolia twinkling with the best Christmas lights in London, leading into showcasing multiple stores. Every store like Zara Home or Comptoir in Chelsea's neighbourhood is adorned with a Christmas touch, akin to icing on a cake.
3. Christmas at Kenwood
Types of Events: Retro Rubix, Son et Lumière, Interactive Light Launchers
Theme: Carnival Setting
Location: Hampstead Heath, London, United Kingdom
Venue: Grounds of Kenwood
Visiting Dates/Time: 1st December 2023 - 30th December 2023
What’s better than to discover and capture picture-perfect moments that await you in a carnival with holiday spirit and Christmas? The Winter Wonderland of Kenwood features interactive light launchers, the colourful Retro Rubix, and a Christmas light tour in London. It resembles one of the best Christmas lights in London, showering lights with their new installation reflections. Their Son et Lumière flaunts with a colourful Christmas lights show concert, making Christmas at Kenwood more lively. Most of the attractions featuring Christmas celebration shows how these tourist attractions in London bring some sort of liveliness into the event.
4. Regent Street
Types of Events: Tootbus Christmas Lights Tour
Theme: Christmas-centric
Location: Regent Street, London, United Kingdom
Venue: Kingsland House
Visiting Dates/Time: 9th November 2023 - 2nd January 2024
Right back in 1954, the first to feature the Christmas lights tour in London was the very first road of Regent Street. Now, in 2023, it boasts a net of Christmas lights connecting every building with it. Their lights even have their name - “the Spirit of Christmas,” named after the angel-shaped structures that they make to hang up and decorate with lights. Glance all over the Christmas net lights through the Tootbus (London Bus Tour), and visit the London Eye at Christmas, making Regent Street one of the best Christmas lights in London.
5. Leadenhall Market
Types of Events: Christmas workshops
Theme: Christmas-themed
Location: Gracechurch Street, London, UK
Venue: Leadenhall Market
Visiting Dates/Time: All Days
This twinkling light tunnel is not only the filming location of ‘Diagon Alley’ from the fictional franchise of Harry Potter, but Leadenhall Market bolsters a shopping arcade that spreads charms with its mini Christmas trees, glistening as one of the best Christmas lights in London. It is decorated with fir garlands and Christmas lights on its iron and glass architecture for us to explore its Christmas light tour in London that admires the 8’ft tall Christmas tree with colour-changing LED light display.
6. Carnaby Street
Types of Events: Christmas Light Show,
Theme: Carnaby Universe (Solar System of neon lights)
Location: Soho, Westminster, Central London
Venue: Carnaby Street
Visiting Dates/Time: Until 7th January 2024
Recent updates tell us that this year at Christmas, visitors will immerse themselves in a vibrant display of neon colour lights, making this place as the best Christmas lights in London that’ll emit light waves crafting a vortex on Carnaby Street. Each year’s multiple themes set Christmas with something afresh, making Carnaby Street unique from the rest. A Christmas light tour in London is set to take place, with fireworks across the alleyway with stores, bars, and restaurants at Carnaby Street.
7. Oxford Street
Types of Events: Ice Skating, Christmas Lights Display, Festive Meals
Theme: The sky full of stars
Location: Westminster, West End London, UK
Venue: Oxford Street
Visiting Dates/Time: All Days
Travelling north on Bond Street, Oxford Street lines up as the busiest shopping street in the world. The theme of the year 2023 is strung with a thousand stars that are decorated with 1700 snowflakes and 750,000 LED lights strung up in the streets making it the best Christmas lights in London. It is lined with 300 shops and greets half a million visitors every day. If you are wondering to try a great Christmas lunch then visiting All Bar One is a festive choice. In order to add a family treat in the Christmas season, there are a few best restaurants in London that will enhance your taste buds, too.
8. South Molton Street
Types of Events: Festive Stalls, Live Choir
Theme: Christmas-themed
Location: Mayfair, West End London, UK
Venue: South Molton Street
Visiting Dates/Time: All Days
Right up from New Bond Street, South Molton Street portrays blue Christmas light arches ingested with star-patterned LED lights that shimmer across the street. Every Christmas, the Lanes of Mayfair have a fireworks display in the South Molten central car park, one of the best Christmas lights events, a thriving market town that features luxury outlets such as Aubade and popular jewellery brands like Pinko, Ted Baker and Maje. But, the whole spotlight is taken away by the blue archway of Christmas lights through which a Christmas light tour in London can be experienced.
9. Kew Gardens
Types of Events: Kew the Music, trees Walking Tour, Palm House Light Show
Theme: Christmas-themed
Location: South West London, Thames, England
Venue: London Borough of Richmond
Visiting Dates/Time: 15th November - 7th January 2024 (4:20 pm to 10:00 pm)
The famous botanical Kew Gardens will be featuring The Hive in the light trail way that connects to a real bee colony at Kew. This Christmas, about 1000 LEDs will glow so the individuals can walk around discovering the Christmas light tour in London. Explore sparkling tunnels of Christmas lights lakeside reflections, considering it to be one of the best Christmas lights in London. This 2.7km long trail is filled with Christmas musical-themed attractions as well. The festive light trail returns back with the iconic Palm House light show with fountains.
10. Covent Garden
Types of Events: Mulled Wine Infusion, Christmas Tea Event
Theme: Christmas-themed
Location: West End London, Westminster, UK
Venue: Covent Garden
Visiting Dates: 5th December 2023 - 31st December 2023
Located in London’s West end, Covent Garden is a popular part of the city filled with luxury shops and restaurants. During the holidays, the area is decorated with multiple displays, including a Christmas tree, Santa’s sleigh and, of course, a stunning lights display. If you’re in the area during December, you can spot Santa at the mall, taking down people’s wish lists.
11. Connaught Village
Types of Events: Christmas Village Shopping
Theme: Christmas-themed
Location: St. George Fields, West of Marble Arch, London, UK
Venue: Connaught Village
Visiting Dates: 8th December 2023 - 19th December 2023
Another place to see the best Christmas lights in London, that's located in the West end of the city, is in Connaught Village. One of the best Christmas lights in London at Connaught Village features multiple neon lights of different shapes and sizes, surrounded by a village market featuring London's Chocolate's bean-to-bar factory, Christmas Village shopping that features live music choir, and craft workshops.
12. Trafalgar Square
Types of Events: Blessing of the Crib
Theme: Christmas-themed
Location: Westminster, Central London, UK
Venue: Trafalgar Square
Visiting Dates: 8th December 2023 - 31st December 2023
The festive season of Christmas began when just recently the Trafalgar Square Christmas tree arrived at Port of Immingham, and now it lit up a few hours ago! The tradition, which dates back to 1947, is decorated in Norwegian fashion with vertical strands of lights that use energy-efficient light bulbs. This 25-metre-high tree is a gift from the people of Norway to London and has some of the best Christmas lights in London. Special events tend to happen, such as the crib ceremony for a torch-lit event led by the Lakeside Brass Quintet, along with the Choir to celebrate Christmas.
13. Bond Street
Types of Events: Live At The Ritz
Theme: Peacock-themed Christmas setting
Location: New Bond Street, West End London, UK
Venue: Bond Street
Visiting Dates/Time: All Days - 10:00 am to 7:00 pm
Located between Piccadilly and Oxford Street, the decorations wander the streets with its graceful glow of peacock lights with sparkling plumes, and sprays of light imitate the peacock's tail. Featuring an ornamental Christmas tree. Families and friends can explore luxurious flagship stores, visit Ralph's Cafe for one to sip a cappuccino, or stay at Brown's Hotel. Bond Street makes a wholesome place to enjoy the best Christmas lights in London.
14. Belgravia
Types of Events: Biscuiteers Icing event, Carols, Christmas Market
Theme: Christmas-themed
Location: South West London
Venue: Motcomb Street, Elizabeth Street, Pimlico Road, Eccleston Yards, and Halkin Arcade
Visiting Dates/Time: 2nd November 2023 - 21st December 2023\
Unlike the neighbourhood of Chelsea, Belgravia, located at multiple corners of the South West illuminates from restaurants to local shops for people to experience the Belgravia Christmas light tour that features Christmas displays and sparkling best Christmas lights in London. Make your Christmas merrier when it comes to things to do in London, and one of them is Belgravia’s Christmas mulled wine in Ganymede, Thomas Cubiff, The Hart, or The Berkeley Bar and Terrace.
15. Enchanted Eltham Palace
Types of Events: Magic Light Trail, Carnival
Theme: Natural Surroundings
Location: Court Yard, Greenwich, South East London, United Kingdom
Venue: Eltham Palace and Gardens
Visiting Dates/Time: 1st December 2023 - 1st January 2024
If you want to experience a host of Christmas light installations in a natural setting, then Eltham Palace will take you on a tour of the best Christmas lights in London, with the enchanting light trail that they host every year. The decorated castle on a wintery night surrounded with carnival Christmas lights sparkles a festive cheer. Discover festive food and mocktails at Carnival and immerse yourself in this seasonal classic palace right at Christmas!
That was our list of the best places to see Christmas lights in London! The city has no shortage of things to do during the holiday, and seeing the twinkling lights is an absolute must. Even if you don’t get the time to visit all these locations, pick your favourites and cross them off your bucket list as you experience your student life in London. If you are on the lookout for some of the most affordable student accommodations in London, then amber has got you covered!