Christmas in the Capital: Top 7 London Lights

Carnaby Christmas Carnival
Carnaby Christmas Carnival | © Ameena Rojee / Culture Trip
Lizzie Thomson

London Writer

For many Londoners, turning on the Christmas lights in the capital marks the beginning of the festive season. Across the city, creative light displays add a touch of magic to winter evenings. Here’s our guide to the top London lights.

Covent Garden

Being one of London’s most popular shopping destinations, there’s no surprise the sheer amount of detail that goes into decorating the famous market during the winter months. The sparkling festive lights reflecting on Covent Garden’s cobbled streets give the area a truly magical feel. Decorations and lights also run through the shopping arcades, making it the perfect setting to indulge in some Christmas shopping.

Covent Garden
Covent Garden

Allegedly the largest light installation in London, every year festive lights illuminate the long shopping stretch. In recent years, dazzling angel lights have been chosen to line the streets and, much like Oxford Street, celebrities and performers switch on the annual lights to mark the beginning of the festive season on Regent Street.

Regent Street
Regent Street

Oxford Street

Probably the most famous in the capital, the Oxford Street lights never fail to impress eager shoppers. Every year they are usually in collaboration with a movie or a charity and are turned on by A-listers to kick off the holiday season. The legendary lights stretch across the whole of Oxford Street and add a touch of sparkle to a late-night Christmas shopping session.

Oxford Street
Oxford Street

Bond Street

It’s no surprise that the lavish shopping district has opulent festive lights to match. In 2017, it was reported that over £1 million were spent on the area’s festive lights, with over a quarter of a million individual lights making up the extravagant peacock feathers.

Bond Street
Bond Street

Carnaby Street

The stylish shopping area, located just seconds away from Oxford Street, is absolutely buzzing during the festive season. The lights on Carnaby Street always have an original and quirky feel to them and every year people flock by the thousands to watch them being switched on.

Carnaby Street
Carnaby Street

South Molton Street

This pedestrian-only road just off Bond Street tube station is well-known for its luxury boutiques and shops. In 2017, the sparkling blue arches made the perfect setting for busy Christmas shoppers to walk through.

South Molton Street
South Molton Street

Burlington Arcade

The extravagant shopping arcade in Mayfair is one of longest in Britain, boasting a whole selection of luxurious shops. It’s no surprise, then, that the Christmas lights in this shopping district are always sophisticated and tasteful.

Burlington Arcade
Burlington Arcade

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.

Culture Trip Spring Sale

Save up to $1,100 on our unique small-group trips! Limited spots.

X
close-ad
Edit article