Nowhere does Christmas quite like London. No sooner does the festive season roll around then the city turns on its fairy lights and puts on the most spectacular show for the holiday season.
Few cities can compete with London when it comes to Christmas trees, Christmas decorations and Christmas lights, and one of the best way to enjoy the city’s Christmas displays is on a walking tour of the city.
To soak up the Christmassy window displays and festive lights, you can choose to join an organised walking tour or a festive bus tour but I would argue that the best way to see London’s Christmas lights is on your own two feet and at your own pace.
This London Christmas lights walking route is one that we repeat annually as a family. It doesn’t take in all the lights in town (that would be impossible!) but it does include the biggest light displays including highlights along Regent Street, Carnaby Street, Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Street.
This walking tour of central London’s lights really is one of the best things to at Christmas in London with kids. It’s one of the best ways soak up the festive spirit, plus it’s completely free!
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When are London Christmas Lights turned on?
London’s Christmas lights are switched on in early November; the confirmed 2025 dates are as follows:
- Mayfair: TBC
- Oxford Street: Date TBC (it was 5 November last year)
- Trafalgar Square: The Christmas tree lights are usually switched on the first Thursday in December, that’s 4 December 2025.
- Regent Street: Date TBC (it was 7 November last year)
- Carnaby Street: Thursday 6 November
- St James’s: Thursday 6 November
- Covent Garden: Wednesday 12 November
- Marylebone Village: Wednesday 12 November
- Kew Gardens: Friday 14 November
- Old Spitalfields Market: Date TBC (it was 13 November last year)
- Leadenhall Market: Date TBC (it was 14 November last year)
- Chelsea: Date TBC (it was 16 November last year)
- Belgravia: Date TBC (it was 17 November last year)
London’s Christmas lights tend to keep sparkling across the city into the New Year, and are typically turned off on January 6th, otherwise known as the twelfth night.
Map of London Christmas Lights Walking Route
Use the map below to navigate your way around the festive fun on this self-guided walking tour of London’s best Christmas lights.
The entire walk is 3.7 miles (6 kilometres) and takes around 1 hour 30 minutes if you walk quickly. I would recommend, however, taking your time and maybe stopping for a mince pie and glass of mulled wine or hot chocolate along the way.
The best time to enjoy this walk is when it is dark; this is typically around 4pm in November and December.
Our tried-and-tested London Christmas lights walking route
I recommend starting at Bond Street or Oxford Circus tube station (depending on which one is easiest for you to get to) and finishing in Trafalgar Square but you can also enjoy this walk in reverse.
You may always choose to split the walking tour over two days (or longer), or choose one section of the tour for a shorter walk. Just remember to wrap up warm and wear comfortable shoes! Be aware that London is very busy over the Christmas period and the streets will be crowded.
Don’t miss our tips on where to go ice skating in London at Christmas either (my favourite is Somerset House); you could easily book a midday session on the ice rink and then enjoy this walking tour after it gets dark.
Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park also takes place at this time of year, and is a fun day or evening out – with lots of Christmas lights!
Oxford Street
Start your self-guided Christmas lights tour of London at either Oxford Street tube station or the underground station at Bond Street and make Selfridge’s your first port of call. Oxford Street is busy at all times of the year (it’s one of the most famous streets in London as well as being the busiest shopping street in Europe) but it’s particularly busy around the festive season.
It’s worth braving the crowds, however, as Oxford Street always puts on an excellent lights display.
This year over 5,000 white stars will once again hang above the famous shopping street consisting of over 300,000 LED lights. In 2024, the Oxford Street Christmas Lights were in partnership with Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity (GOSH Charity) and raised money over the Christmas period with various events.
Selfridges
One of my favourite shops in London, this famous department store goes to town every Christmas with its window displays with every one of the 15 windows decorated to the max. In 2023, the theme was ‘Showtime’ and a team of 50 people were involved in the set up that required 2,000 baubles, 500m of fabric and 150 fabric bows.
It’s also worth stopping by their over-the-top Christmas shop, located on the lower ground floor.
Grovesnor Square
From Selfridges, continue walking along Oxford Street in the direction of Marble Arch and turn left down North Audley Street which runs into Grosvenor Square.
The square was the original location for the Ever After Garden, a display of illuminated white roses “planted” in memory of loved ones to raise money for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.
This year, the Ever After Garden will be hosted in Duke of York Square and will feature 30,000 illuminated roses. Its new location means that it’s not on this walking route but if you get the chance, it’s well worth making a separate trip to the Kings Road. The Ever After Garden is open every day from 13 November to 16 December.
Annabels
Walk a short distance along Grosvenor Square road and turn down Carlos Place, following the road around until you reach Berkeley Square and the private member’s club, Annabels. Famous for its celebrity clientele, it’s over-the-top interior decor and it’s fantastic Christmas displays, this is one place you should not miss on the walking tour.
Previous years have seen the exterior this fancy townhouse transformed into magical Christmas scenes from the Nutcracker, an ornate gingerbread house and a fanciful carousel.
New Bond Street
Walk through Berkeley Square if it is open and along Bruton Street to New Bond Street, home to some of the city’s most high-end stores. It’s also one of the best places to enjoy London’s Christmas lights displays.
The designer stores lining the road always put on wonderful displays, in particular the Cartier Store. Tiffany & Co and Stella McCartney on Old Bond Street are two other stores that always get into the spirit of Christmas..
For years, New Bond street was decorated with peacock-feather-themed lights but in the last couple of years, Bond Street at Christmas has been decorated with four enormous crowns inspired by The Imperial State Crown. They were originally installed to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee year and were repeated again in memory of her passing.
Fortnum & Mason
New Bond Street turns into Old Bond Street so keep walking down until you reach Piccadilly where you will see the Fortnum & Mason department store.
First founded in London’s Piccadilly in 1707, this London Grand Dame is today most famous for its tea and biscuits (it’s a great place to go for afternoon tea) and is a must-visit on any trip to London. Over the Christmas season, the famous department store transforms its exterior into a giant advent calendar. Make sure to take a look at its shop windows too that are always beautifully decorated for the festive season.
If you are feeling brave, then head inside where you can pick up some fantastic Christmas gifts. Be warned, however, the shop is insanely busy over the Christmas holidays!
It’s worth stopping by nearby Burlington Arcade while you are here. This luxury walkway lined with designer stores opened in 1819 and is one of the earliest shopping arcades in Britain. Today the high-end and independent stores are always elegantly decorated for Christmas.
Regent Street
From Piccadilly turn left up Swallow Street and walk straight ahead until you hit Regent Street.
The Regent Street Christmas lights are among the most famous in London with enormous angels flying over the street. More than 300,000 white fairy lights are used to create these whimsical displays and they always provide a great photo opportunity.
Liberty & Carnaby Street
Before reaching Oxford Circus, turn right onto Great Marlborough Street where you will find the department store, Liberty.
Another one of London’s most famous department stores, Liberty first opened its doors in 1875. The grand Tudor revival building was constructed from the timbers of two ships: HMS Impregnable (formerly HMS Howe) and HMS Hindustan and is a delight all year round.
For Christmas, Liberty creates wonderful window displays – pop inside and do some Christmas shopping at their 4th floor Christmas shop if you have time.
Carnaby Street is one of my favourite places to see Christmas lights in London. This road, famous for being the birthplace of Swinging London and its impeccable shopping credentials, always puts on a fantastic Christmas display.
The lights will be a reprise of last year’s “Into the Light” display, a series of six-metre-long sculptural light forms created from 60,000 energy-efficient LEDs.
Leicester Square
Turn left at the end of Carnaby Street onto Beak Street and then right onto Upper James St. Follow the road as it curves into Denman Street and turn left onto Coventry Street. Keep walking until you reach Leicester Square.
This buzzy central square is typically the setting for big blockbuster movie premieres but come Christmas, it enjoys a festive makeover with a traditional Christmas market, one of many festive markets that take place around the city.
Traditionally it is also home to a huge spiegeltent where La Clique perform over the holiday period but they have yet to announce whether or not they will be performing in 2025.
Trafalgar Square
From Leicester Square you can walk to Trafalgar Square where a towering Christmas tree stands in front of the National Gallery. The tree is an annual gift from Norway, a long-standing thank you from the people of Norway to the people of Britain for their support during WWII. The first tree was gifted in 1947.
A Christmas market typically takes place in the square over the festive period with dozens of Alpine-inspired wooden chalets selling gifts alongside mulled wine and hot chocolate. Truthfully, it’s not my favourite of London’s many festive markets but it’s a good place to grab a hot drink to warm up if you are feeling chilled.
Covent Garden
It’s just a short walk from Trafalgar Square to Covent Garden, once home to the city’s fruit and vegetable market. It’s popular year-round with visitors who come for the shopping, the covered market and the street performers, who entertain crowds throughout the day.
The colourful neighbourhood is always beautifully decorated at Christmas with festive displays and an enormous 55ft-tall Christmas tree bedazzled in 30,000 LED lights. You’ll also spy Santa’s sleigh here (perfect for a photo opportunity) and in pervious years it has ‘snowed’ in the piazza but there’s been no word yet on whether or not the snow machine will be making an appearance in 2025.
With plenty of places to eat, drink and make merry, there’s no better way to end your Christmas lights walking tour of London.
