England · CHRISTMAS

Christmas Experiences in London: Book These 15 Before You Fly

28 tours  ·  from $21

The good christmas experiences go weeks ahead and the best go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes, and how they differ once you look past the photograph.

London by Night Bus Tour with Christmas Lights and Live Guide - The Strand and the West End’s flying lights
Christmas, Evening Experiences, Evening Experiences in London, Guided, London Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

London by Night Bus Tour with Christmas Lights and Live Guide

1.London by Night Bus Tour with Christmas Lights and Live Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,040 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $41Our pick

Ride from the London Eye through The Strand, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, Regent Street, Oxford Street, Fortnum & Mason, and Big Ben. A live English-speaking guide, with hosts such as Emma, Samuel, and James, supplies history, jokes, and Christmas facts during the 60 to 90 minute trip. Arrive early for the best upper-deck seats.

“PIN is not exactly where the bus is parked and we didn’t know if that was our buses for sure because there was another parked close to the PIN.”

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London Christmas Lights Tour by Vintage Double-Decker Bus - Trafalgar Square and the city’s Christmas center
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London Christmas Lights Tour by Vintage Double-Decker Bus

2.London Christmas Lights Tour by Vintage Double-Decker Bus

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 135 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours 10 minutes (approx.) · from $43

Ride through central London on a restored 50-year-old double-decker bus, passing Trafalgar Square, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Harrods, Oxford Street, Regent Street, and more. A live guide such as Steve, John, or Magnus adds London stories and Christmas lore. The open upper deck offers the best views, but it can be very cold.

“Great information by the narrator. Architecture of the buildings was fantastic and great to see at night. Would have preferred seeing more Christmas lights though.”

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London Christmas Lights Guided Tour With Christmas Music - Oxford Street’s starry opening
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London Christmas Lights Guided Tour With Christmas Music

3.London Christmas Lights Guided Tour With Christmas Music

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 118 reviews · 1 hour 45 minutes (approx.) · from $40Top rated

Join a 1-hour-45-minute Christmas walk from Rathbone Street, using silent disco headsets for festive music and guide commentary. You’ll see Oxford Street, Neal’s Yard, Seven Dials, Leicester Square, Regent Street, and Soho. Guide Kris has earned special praise for bringing energy and humor to the evening.

“Bring your singing voice and dancing shoes. This tour has amazing energy. Reminded me of being at Mardi Gras🥰”

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Christmas at Warwick Castle - Light Trail & Ice Skating Packages - The light trail, from Nutcracker entrance to castle walls
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Christmas at Warwick Castle – Light Trail & Ice Skating Packages

4.Christmas at Warwick Castle – Light Trail & Ice Skating Packages

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 95 reviews · from $32

Spend about six hours at Warwick Castle after dark, following a fully accessible Christmas light trail through the grounds. Expect twinkling trees, lake displays, projections on the castle walls, a Christmas market, Santa’s library story, and an open-air ice rink beneath the towers. Mobile tickets make entry simple, but weather can affect outdoor activities.

“We visited Warwick Castle at the beginning of January, 2025. We explored the castle and grounds during the day but we also got the ticket for the Christmastime light show at night, so we came back in the evening for that. The castle is large aRead more”

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Christmas Lights and Markets Guided Walking Tour with Mulled Wine - Covent Garden: lights, stalls, and street life
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Christmas Lights and Markets Guided Walking Tour with Mulled Wine

5.Christmas Lights and Markets Guided Walking Tour with Mulled Wine

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 72 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $62

Start at Covent Garden at 3:30 pm for a 90-minute guided walk through Christmas lights, markets, craft stalls, and festive streets, ending at Trafalgar Square. Your English-speaking guide, possibly Tom, Henry, Carlos, or Jack, adds London history, folklore, and holiday traditions. A hot glass of mulled wine is included.

“The Christmas lights and markets excursion was no rush, full of dynamic and great stories! Tom was expressive, artistic and fun guide we simply fell in love with! He took thorough care of us as individuals and a group in that way we became friends by the end of the tour. Highly recommended!”

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London Christmas Lights Bike Tour with Local Guide - Harrods and Hyde Park: polished London after dark
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London Christmas Lights Bike Tour with Local Guide

6.London Christmas Lights Bike Tour with Local Guide

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 67 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $62

Ride through central London from Sloane Square to Southbank on a three-hour Christmas lights tour. A local guide leads a group of up to 12 past Harrods, Oxford Street, Carnaby Street, Covent Garden, and the Christmas market. Bikes, helmets, and Santa hats are included. You need to be comfortable riding in busy city traffic.

“Excellent tour very interesting really enjoyed it, we were only three so it was very personal, ok I lived in london and still found it great fun the guide was very careful with us on the roads I would really recommend this to anyone”

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London Christmas Lights Guided Tour by Cab - Regent Street and Bond Street: the polished center of Christmas London
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London Christmas Lights Guided Tour by Cab

7.London Christmas Lights Guided Tour by Cab

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 64 reviews · 3 hours (approx.)

Join Dave for a private three-hour London Christmas lights tour by black cab. You’ll see Oxford Street, Regent Street, Bond Street, Trafalgar Square, Westminster, South Bank, and Mayfair, with time for local stories and route changes. Pickup is offered, and your group of up to six has the cab and guide to itself.

“We had a wonderful time our driver was very patient as he picked up, we had to change plans to pick up as trains were cancelled . He was knowledgeable and thorough. We all love it.”

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London Christmas Carol & Charles Dickens Small Group Walking Tour - Royal Exchange and the city behind Scrooge’s business
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London Christmas Carol & Charles Dickens Small Group Walking Tour

8.London Christmas Carol & Charles Dickens Small Group Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 54 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.) · from $122

Walk through Dickensian London with guide Richard Chambers on a small-group tour capped at 10 people. Follow Scrooge’s route from Temple to Leadenhall Market, visit Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, George and Vulture, Simpson’s Tavern, and connect the streets to A Christmas Carol and Dickens’s life. Food, drinks, and transport are extra.

“Richard is knowledgeable and passionate about Dickens. He made this tour fun informative and if the opportunity arises we will take the tour again”

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London Magical Christmas Walking Tour with Guide - Regent Street begins with the grandest display
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London Magical Christmas Walking Tour with Guide

9.London Magical Christmas Walking Tour with Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 38 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $35

Walk through London’s brightest Christmas districts with guides such as Ollie, Nelson, Baha, and Mariana. Expect festive lights, markets, caroling, London stories, photo stops, and about 2.5 hours on foot. The route ends in Hyde Park, but Winter Wonderland entry, food, and drinks cost extra.

“Started an hour later than scheduled….Would have been better to do on own, guide didn’t allow for time to take photos and spent too much time stopping/telling us about restaurants which none of cared about. Was also supposed to end at Hyde Park which it didn’t.”

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Christmas Lights Open-Top Bus Tour - The shopping streets and Regent Street
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Christmas Lights Open-Top Bus Tour

10.Christmas Lights Open-Top Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 31 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $39

Ride through central London for about an hour as Christmas lights brighten Marble Arch, Regent Street, Piccadilly, Trafalgar Square, and Westminster. A live English-speaking guide adds history and local details. The open upper deck gives the best photos, but bring warm layers, and expect traffic, route changes, and limited covered seating.

“Wrap up warm and be prepared for the weather. Best view is from the upper deck. The guide was excellent and well informed.”

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Christmas Mulled Wine Walk of Winchester - Starting at the 12th-century gate
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Christmas Mulled Wine Walk of Winchester

11.Christmas Mulled Wine Walk of Winchester

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 29 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $20Best value

Walk through Winchester for 90 minutes with a comedian guide such as Bryan, stopping at a medieval gate, King Arthur linked castle ruins, the Christmas-lit High Street, a Victorian landmark, and Winchester Cathedral. Mulled wine adds seasonal cheer. The tour begins on Castle Avenue and ends at the cathedral.

“Rushed - only 4 of us in the group - guide talked more about himself and connections with Ireland. Would have enjoyed more of an overview of Winchester. Mentioned leaving tips - unprofessional I’m afraid.”

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London Private Christmas Lights Taxi Tour with Pick Up - Regent Street begins with London’s biggest display
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London Private Christmas Lights Taxi Tour with Pick Up

12.London Private Christmas Lights Taxi Tour with Pick Up

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 29 reviews · 3 to 4 hours (approx.)

Ride through London’s Christmas displays in a private licensed taxi for up to six people. Your driver-guide takes you to Regent Street, Oxford Street, Carnaby Street, Covent Garden, Bond Street, and Victoria Embankment, with time to stop for photos and festive treats.

“This is the 3rd time I've taken the Private Taxi Tour and it's the best way to see all the lights of Christmas in London! It's worth the price and you see everything & you learn so much from your very knowledgeable driver.”

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London Christmas Lights Guided Walking Tour - Starting beneath Covent Garden’s festive decorations
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London Christmas Lights Guided Walking Tour

13.London Christmas Lights Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 29 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $61

Meet official London Tour Guides Caroline or Phil at Covent Garden Underground Station for a two-hour evening walk through London’s festive center. See Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square, St. James’s, Bond Street, Regent Street, Oxford Street, and Carnaby Street, with time for photos and local facts. The group is limited to 15 people.

“At Christmas its a sea of humanity. But very worth it. Wear comfortable shoes. You'll love it. Peace”

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London Christmas Eve Illuminations Guided Tour by Night - Buckingham Palace and the royal route
Christmas, Evening Experiences, Evening Experiences in London, Guided, London Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

London Christmas Eve Illuminations Guided Tour by Night

14.London Christmas Eve Illuminations Guided Tour by Night

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 28 reviews · 1 hour 45 minutes (approx.) · from $80

Spend Christmas Eve touring London’s illuminated landmarks by luxury coach. Depart Victoria at 6:30pm, hear stories about the city and its festive displays, and pass Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, the London Eye, St Paul’s Cathedral, Trafalgar Square, and more. The tour returns to Bulleid Way.

“The tour guide and entire experience was amazing!!! We got information on the history of Christmas lights in some of London’s most iconic areas and were treated to a bottle of mulled wine!”

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London Christmas Lights Private Guided Taxi Tour - Regent Street and Leicester Square: the West End at its brightest
Christmas, Guided, London Tours, Private, Private Transfers, Private Transfers in London, Tour Reviews, Tours

London Christmas Lights Private Guided Taxi Tour

15.London Christmas Lights Private Guided Taxi Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 25 reviews · 3 hours (approx.)

Join Simon in a private electric black cab for a three-hour evening tour of London’s Christmas lights. You’ll visit Oxford Street, Bond Street, Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square, Regent Street, Leicester Square, Waterloo Bridge, Park Lane, and the London Eye area. Central London pickup, bottled water, and a flexible finish are included.

“Simon, our driver and tour guide was outstanding! Great personality and very knowledgeable about the tourist attractions. Simon was willing to accommodate us in any manner and he knows the best locations for pictures. He took a lot of photos of us to ensure great memories.”

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New in Christmas

★ 5.0London Christmas Lights Private Walking Tour13 reviews
★ 5.0London Christmas Sparkle Private Walking TourFrom $10212 reviews
★ 4.5Christmas in Canterbury, Dover and Greenwich with Christmas LunchFrom $1086 reviews
★ 5.0A Fairytale Christmas Day with Food and Christmas ConcertFrom $3855 reviews
★ 4.5London Christmas Eve With 3 Course Dinner and Midnight MassFrom $1713 reviews
★ 5.0London Boogie Shoes Silent Disco Christmas TourFrom $616 reviews
★ 5.0A Christmas Carol and Charles Dickens Old London Walking TourFrom $22713 reviews

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