Christmas is just around the corner, and we couldn’t be more excited here at Travelodge. One of the best ways to get into the festive spirit is to celebrate Christmas in the capital. So, we’ve put together a quick guide to a perfect weekend in London for you to get that Christmas feeling.
Friday Eve
Regent Street Christmas Lights
Regent Street is one of London’s most popular shopping streets, but come Christmas it’s transformed into a wintery wonderland. Giant glistening angels hang overhead and carol singers, brass bands, and ballet dancers will be giving pop-up performances throughout December to bring the Spirit of Christmas. There’s no better way to kick off your Christmas weekend than to take in some of the best lights the city has to offer.
Nutcracker at the London Coliseum
For over 200 years the story of The Nutcracker has brought delight to households at Christmas. Turned into a timeless ballet with music by Tchaikovsky, it has become a festive staple for many to see The Nutcracker at Christmas. The English National Ballet’s performance is one of the best around, with over 100 dancers and musicians involved. A testament to the quality of the performance, tickets have sold out for the last 3 years, so book yours soon!
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Saturday
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland
Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland is the biggest Christmas festival in the capital, bringing a little taste of Lapland to London. Here you’ll find everything you could ever need to summon the spirit of St Nick – fairground rides, ice rink, mulled wine, food vendors, and over 200 German-style cabins bringing you one of the best Christmas markets in town. There are also a whole host of performances occurring whilst the Winter Wonderland is in place. Entry is free, but many of the attractions and shows are not, and some tickets can be bought in advance.
Ice Skating at Somerset House
Whether you’ve got the skills of Torvill, Dean, or Bambi on ice, you’ll definitely love a spin on the rink at Somerset House. Take in the views of this spectacular 40ft Christmas tree as you glide across the incredible outdoor ice rink, now with a bigger skate space. You can book your tickets in advance, bring all the family, and once you’re fed up of slipping over you can get a drink or snack in the cafe.
Christmas at the Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall hosts a whole range of yuletide-themed events over the festive period. One of the events we’d most like to go to is Carols at the Royal Albert Hall, taking frequently from the 17th-24th December. This is the perfect pre-Christmas treat, guaranteed to fill you with cheer and joy. Don’t worry if you can’t sing, just grab a song book, don the Santa hat, and belt out in unison with hundreds of tone-deaf carolers ‘On the Feast of Stephen’.
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Sunday
The Gingerbread City
Gingerbread houses date all the way back to 16th century Germany and soon became synonymous with Christmas. The largest one ever made measures 21 feet high and covers an area the size of a tennis court. Continuing the tradition of spectacular feats of construction from sweetly spiced bread, The Museum of Architecture will be hosting its ever-popular exhibition The Gingerbread City, although these will be a little smaller than a tennis court. Designers, engineers, and architects show off their creativity and ingenuity to produce a city of gingerbread structures beyond belief. Marvel as you walk amongst beautiful biscuity buildings, and take inspiration for your own festive efforts.
Shopping in Covent Garden
Editorial credit: serenarossi / Shutterstock.com
Christmas is a time for giving, but it’s also a time to treat yourself and be a little elfish. Covent Garden is one of London’s premier shopping districts so head on down and spoil yourself with an early Christmas present. Come the pre-Christmas period, Covent Garden is transformed both inside and out into a gleaming spectacle of baubles and lights. Walk around the piazza, decorated with 115,000 lights, to snap that perfect winter Insta. And get yourself on the naughty list with a devilishly good hot chocolate from one of the many vendors in the area.
Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree
Every year the magical Kingdom of Norway bestows upon us a single Christmas gift – a giant tree of 80 feet tall to stand proud in the centre of our capital city. Head down to Trafalgar Square to round off your perfect Christmas Weekend, and see the country’s flagship Christmas tree. Carollers usually perform in the afternoons, and you’ll be able to get some mulled wine to warm your hands. Often referred to as a cucumber, the Trafalgar Square Christmas tree hangs its lights vertically, in a traditional Norwegian style.
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