Christmas is that time of the year when people gather with their loved ones, enjoy their company and remember old times. As a photographer, Christmas is that time of the year when I set aside my landscape and travel photographer soul, and I shoot some street photography. I have been multiple times in London, but my all-time favourite visit was during Christmas time. Enjoy London Christmas lights with this comprehensive guide!
The location
London is an enormous city, and in this guide, I won’t be able to cover everything that London has to offer during Christmas. In the following lines, I will share my Central London favourite Christmas lights spots. This is a photography oriented guide, but if you are just looking for some inspiration and a list of spots, don’t leave!
I spent 2 nights in London, and I could visit all the spots I had planned. Due to time requirements, I couldn’t capture all of them during night-time, the best moment to enjoy Christmas lights. I was staying in Chelsea, as I found a surprisingly good hotel offer, but if you are looking for something cheap in London, either plan it with a lot of ahead time or stay in the outskirts of the city. The locations listed below are quite close to each other, accessible either walking or with a short Tube commute. To navigate in London, Google Maps is one of the best options, although the central part of the city is very intuitive.
Without further delay, these are the best London Christmas Lights spots!
Regent Street
This is one of the most well-known London Christmas locations. Every year Regent Street receives lots of tourists that admire the complex and always different lights that decorate this Central London Street. Ideally, start walking from Picadilly Circus, and go up towards Oxford Street. This street is full of shops, and you can’t miss Hamley’s flagship store, one of the oldest toy brands in the world. This enormous toy shop has 7 floors, every child (and not so child) dream.
Photo tip: To take some nice photos of the Christmas lights, consider taking them from the area that separates the up-and-down lanes. Moreover, this can be a nice spot to take some portraits, although it will depend on the type of Christmas lights.
Carnaby Street
If you are at Regent Street, no need to walk a lot to see one of my favourite London Christmas lights spots. Parallel to Regent Street there is the beautiful and pedestrian Carnaby Street. In the heart of the Soho, this street is full of shops and boutiques, restaurants and during Christmas some of the most creative and beautiful decorations of London. The lights change every year and are usually themed. Expect lots of people, but also a welcoming and cute street.
Photo tip: At the beginning of the street you can take the typical photo, the one with the title or main distinctive element of the Christmas decorations. However, some of the little alleys that lead to Carnaby Street are also worth photographing. Explore them!
Sky Garden
Even if it’s not Christmas, the Sky Garden is a very interesting place to visit. Try to match your visit with the sunset, but remember that the UK and the Sun don’t get on well with each other. This public garden is located on the 43rd floor at 20 Fenchurch Street. This skyscraper is popularly known as the walkie talkie due to its shape. Visiting the Sky Garden is free, but tickets have to be booked in advance. Visit their website here for more information.
During Christmas, the garden is decorated with two enormous light trees that can be seen from almost every point of the garden. There is also a terrace with awesome views over some of London’s most famous spots… However, on windy days the terrace can be closed for security reasons.
Photo tip: It is quite easy to take good photos at the Sky Garden. No tripods are allowed on the terrace or on the garden itself. You will have to rely either on your pulse or find a surface to hold the camera. Try including the distinctive architecture of this building on your photos!
Leadenhall Market
Just by the Sky Garden, on Gracechurch Street, there is this beautiful covered market. It is one of London’s oldest markets, with its origins dating back to the 14th century. However, what makes me include this spot in this list is the mix of beautiful architecture and Christmas lights. The colours of the street itself reds and greens make it easy to become a London lights Christmas spot just adding some lights and a Christmas tree. A good plan would be to cross it after visiting the Sky Garden.
Photo tip: the mega Christmas tree dominates the scene, and it’s the obvious (and really beautiful) photo. Try also taking photos from the centre of the gallery, not including the tree. Focus on the mix between the Christmas lights and the neons of some shops.
Covent Garden
This spot has a special place in my heart. Covent Garden was the first spot I visited on my first time in London. However, even without being a special place, it is a really nice spot to visit during Christmas. You may have noticed that I did not include Trafalgar Square or Leicester Square in this list. Alhtough those are very famous spots, with their own Christmas markets, they did not seem unique to me. Covent Garden did. Even if visited during daytime, it is worth, as the lights are on all day long.
Photo tip: Coven Garden is perfect for Instagram selfies and photos. However, if you are looking for a more professional image, focus on symmetry. The ceiling, shops on both sides, and the subterranean gallery help achieve this pleasant effect.
Hyde park
I am not a huge fan of Christmas markets. However, I liked Hyde Park’s. Maybe it was because of the placement, in this beautiful park. Maybe it was because of the ice rink, but I really liked the decorations. This can be a good place to grab some food (overpriced as it is a x-mas market), or just to go for a walk.
Photo tip: If I am listing this spot is because of the ice rink. There are many others in London, like the Natural History Museum Ice Rink (also recommended), but Hyde Park’s Ice Rink was especially beautiful. Try to force a shutting time of 1/2 a second or similar to get the skaters blurred.
Harrods
A classical spot, but not one of my favourite ones. The Christmas lights that decorate the exterior of the building are quite beautiful. Yet, unless you are interested in shopping at some of the boutiques that are part of Harrods, there isn’t much to do as it is a bit far away from the other spots listed here.
Photo tip: If you like photography Harrods is an ideal place to get one of the most common UK photos. The blurred double-decked red bus with the Harrods building at the back is worth the trip.
Conclusion
London has many places that during Christmas time get their own special touch. Explore them, and enjoy one of the busiest cities in the world. Although at the beginning it might seem an impersonal and non-welcoming city, London has a lot of things to offer.
Did I miss any London Christmas light spot? What are your favourite ones? Tell me in the comments! If you want to know every time I release a new post and to follow my travels around the world, I’ll see you on my Instagram! Thank you for reading!
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