Christmas in London 2018 – Things To Do

September 29, 2018 London Magical Tours

Christmas in London is magical. Truly magical.

The capital’s streets are filled with holiday lights and christmas markets open up throughout the city’s different neighbourhoods. Of course though, it wouldn’t quite be Christmas without the return of London Magical Tours’ annual holiday special tours: the 2018 London Christmas Tours dates have now been announced!

To mark the occasion and get your festive appetite going, here are a few of our favourite things to do for Christmas in London during November and December 2018:

Popular London Christmas Markets:

Most of the London Christmas markets open from mid-November and stay open into the new-year (early January). Some of the largest this year will be held at:

Leicester Square Christmas Market: In the centre of London’s West End and close to all the shops and theatres
Winter Wonderland: The Christmas Market at Winter Wonderland is one of the biggest in London. Set in Hyde Park, there are over 200 kiosks on site to spark your imagination and help you find that perfect christmas gift. Once you’ve found it, you can give into temptation and hop on to one of the many fair ground rides – you won’t regret it!
South-Bank Christmas Market: The South Bank’s Winter Market sees the area just south of the river Thames beautifuly transformed into a festive wonderland. With plenty on offer from stocking fillers to mince pies, there is truly something for everyone.

Ice Skating Rinks in London:

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The Natural History Museum Ice Rink: Grab your skates and visit this iconic museum in Albertropolis. The rink (pictured above) is a great place to unwind after a day out visiting the museums in South Kensington.
Somerset House Ice Rink: Still the most classic of locations to enjoy a winter’s night skating, the Somerset House ice rink has been featured in many a Christmas movie and is the perfect spot for skating under the stars. Look out for the special themed nights – not to be missed!

The London Christmas Lights:

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Oxford Street Christmas Lights: World-reknowned, Oxford Street has some of the most spectacular Christmas lights and festive store displays you will find – not just in London – but in the world.
Carnaby Street Christmas Lights: Fancy a cracking Christmas neighbourhood? Head down to fashionable Carnaby Street, where central London meets hip Soho for an eclectic festive mix: from great local food to unique holiday gift ideas.

Best places to shop in London during Christmas:

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Oxford Street, Regents Street, Piccadilly: Make your way from Oxford Street, down Regents Street though Piccadilly to cover all of the best Christmas themed shops in town.
Knightsbridge: From Harrods to Harvey Nicholls and the Sloane Street, there is much to discover in Knightsbridge for the holidays. Make sure to pay a special visit to Christmas World, a whole floor filled with toys, decorations and much, much more.

Christmas Carol’s in London:

St. Martins In the Fields: A traditional event where you will find some of the best choral recitals. For an added bonus, opt to go on the day of the annual Christmas Tree installation, courtesy of our Norwegian friends from Oslo.
The Royal Albert Hall: The annual Christmas festival is sure to get you in the festive mood. From classical christmas choirs to pop numbers, it’s a sure way to make your Christmas an unforgettable one.

Santa’s Grotto in London:

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Harrods Department Store: A christmas tradition like no other going back to 1955 , Harrods hosts Father Christmas in their very own Christmas Grotto. Journey through the gingerbread house where children will make memories that will last them a life time.
Hamley’s Toy Store: There’s nothing more exciting than visiting Hamley’s during the Christmas season. Hamley’s is the world’s oldest toy shop, 5 stories and a basement of fun, fun, fun. A must for any child visiting London.

London Magical Tours’ annual Christmas tours will run from 10th of November 2018 to 6th of January 2019.

Discover all of the above locations, plus many many more on the capital’s oldest and only fully themed Christmas tours by visiting: http://www.londonmagicaltours.com/london_tours_christmas_london_tour.html

Client of the Month – Part V – London Christmas Tours

November 21, 2017November 21, 2017 London Magical Tours

Our client of the month featurette is back and this one is particularly well timed – to coincide with the start of London Magical Tours’ annual Christmas tours!

The Client of the Month places the spotlight on one of our guests to reveal all about their sightseeing experience: no scripts, no gimmicks, no special effects. Its simply an honest review in one of our visitor’s own words.

This month sees the start of our seasonal special and one of the most popular tours of the whole year – the Magical London Christmas Tours.

The capital’s only fully Christmas themed tours has guests provided with their very own professional tour guide and in addition, a chauffeur to avoid all parking problems and discover the best of London during the holiday season.

Unlike other tours with the word “Christmas” in their title, this is not a regular tour of the London landmarks which happens to take place during the holiday season – this is an actual tour dedicated to what it means to spend Christmas in the greatest city on earth.

So here it is, the latest addition to the Client of the Month series. Simply click on the video link below to watch in glorious Full HD:

See the spectacular holiday lights and decorations, the capital’s main (as well as hidden) Christmas trees, while also learning the important stories behind how the London’s traditions have gone on to shape the way Christmas is celebrated across the world – including the influence of the Victorians and a certain Mr. Charles Dickens!

London is looking extra special this Christmas season. If you’re still needing to be convinced, see more details by visiting the dedicated section for our London Christmas Tours

Don’t forget to view previous clients of the month by clicking these links:

Client of the Month Part IV
Client of the Month Part III
Client of the Month Part II
Client of the month Part I

London’s Best Christmas Lights

November 23, 2015November 23, 2015 London Magical Tours

The Victorians practically invented Christmas !

Love Christmas? If you don’t already know it – London is spectacular at Christmas. Cards, carols, crackers – even Dickens. Yes, Dickens’ Christmas Carol of Scrooge and Tiny Tim fame. The Victorians practically invented Christmas as we know it.

If you are lucky enough to be visiting London during the festive season you’ll certainly be in for a treat: from the bright lights of Regents and Oxford Street, to the ice rinks and Christmas trees spread all across town, here’s a quick rundown of some of our favourite London festive lights to help get you in the spirit.

Covent Garden Plaza:

Steal a kiss under the mistletoe by the famous christmas tree of Covent Garden for that perfect Hollywood moment. Don’t forget to take a visit to the market for some great gift ideas and enjoy a fun stroll down the Candy Cane walk, amongst the fragrances of roasting chestnuts and mulled wine.

Regent Street& Oxford Street

Look out for the traffic free weekends taking place throughout December at what is one of the world’s best locations for Christmas lights. Thanks to ACT Lighting Design (the team who have previously worked on the Champs Elysees, Paris), Regent Street will look absolutely spectacular once again this year. Expect music and special guest appearances throughout the season – and would Christmas in London really be Christmas without a visit to Hamley’s toy store?

Carnaby Street

Carnaby Street are putting on a Christmas party for shoppers this year. Shops, bars and restaurants are also offering savings, so make sure to grab a bargain while enjoying the light shows. And if that was not enough, live music and DJs are sure to keep everyone on high festive spirits throughout the season in this quirky London neighbourhood.

The Royal Exchange

For a more traditional christmas tree, the huge tree at the Royal Exchange found in the City of London is hard to beat. What’s more, the East London Chorus choir will be supplying Christmas Carols for all at its official switch on this year.

If you’re looking to learn about Christmas in London and take in the beautiful holiday lights (along with many off the beaten path secrets), London Magical Tours is offering the chance to discover the best of the holiday season during their London Christmas Lights Tours through November and December until the 6th of January 2016. Make sure to book your visit and make this a christmas for all the family to remember!

London Christmas Tour Reviews: December 2013

December 9, 2013December 9, 2013 London Magical Tours

We are happy to see so many smiling faces on our Magical Christmas Tours!

With plenty of sold out dates, this year’s tours are proving to be another great success. Thank you to all our clients who have been nice enough to share their feedback, we are delighted with the comments received so far. A lot of effort goes into each year’s tours to make them better than ever before and it is wonderful to hear that they are going down a treat.

So what makes a Christmas Tour truly magical? Here’s a sample of what you’ve been saying so far this holiday season while touring with London Magical Tours, including video commentary:

Mrs. Wilcox from Somerset, UK

“Absolutely marvellous! Fantastic and knowledgeable tour guide”

Mr. Vos from Amsterdam, Holland

“Fantastic tour. A true professional experience, a great job done by our guide and also by our chauffeur. Merry Christmas!”

Our London Christmas Lights Tours run through until January 6th 2014. We look forward to seeing you!

London Christmas 2013 – Tour Updates

November 5, 2013November 7, 2013 London Magical Tours

London Christmas 2013

As we approach the official start of 2013’s Christmas tours, we can now reveal some of the little optional extras we have added for this year’s itineraries:

Mince Pie and Wine
What better way to enjoy the best of the London decorations and lights than with the most famous of English Christmas traditions – a delicious mince pie with a glass of red wine – perfect to keep warm on a frosty Christmas night!

This special treat is available to order with your tour at 10 GBP per person.

Personal Visit from Father Christmas
For many years we have received special requests asking whether there was any way to be able to guarantee a visit from Santa during the Magical Christmas tours. Well, for the first time ever and after much deliberation with the man himself … we now can!

Father Christmas will be taking a well deserved break from his workshop at the North Pole on select dates during November and December to pay a totally private and personal visit to guests who request this service. Magically appearing during the course of your Christmas tour, Santa Claus will be on hand with a special gift to make your tour a truly memorable experience, with plenty of photograph opportunities. Offered exclusively as an option on our private tours.

Luxury Car Upgrade- 50% off Promotion
Wish to sightsee in true style? For that extra special touch, upgrade to our luxury fleet of Mercedes and Jaguar vehicles to enjoy the best of London at Christmas in the utmost comfort. Offered on select dates during November and December at a promotional rate, saving 50% off the standard upgrade price.

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Watch the latest Christmas tours teaser video, new for 2013 with tour comments and sample tour footage:

Still needing a little extra holiday cheer? Get into the spirit by viewing our official London Christmas Tours video trailer, which is also the featured video of the month at VisitBritain.tv, the TV channel for the official tourist board for Great Britain.

Let us be the first to wish you a magical Christmas season – we look forward to seeing you!