London Christmas Markets 2026
London · 8 markets
8 London Christmas markets for 2026 on one map, with dates, opening hours and the best one for each kind of trip.
By Amit KerenLooking for the best Christmas markets in London? This map shows 8 London Christmas markets for 2026 with dates, opening hours, exact locations and Google Maps directions to each one.
When do the London Christmas markets open in 2026? Leicester Square opens first, on 31 October, then the Southbank Centre Winter Market on 2 November. Hyde Park Winter Wonderland opens on 19 November and King's Cross on 26 November. Most London markets stay open until 2 or 3 January 2027.
Which is the best Christmas market in London? Winter Wonderland is the big day out, with rides and an ice rink, but needs a ticket. For free markets, Southbank and Winter by the River have the best Thames views, and Covent Garden has the famous decorations. Greenwich is the calmer, local choice.
Unlike Vienna or Strasbourg, most London markets stay open between Christmas and New Year, but many close on Christmas Day.
Event · Festival
19 Nov 2026 to 3 Jan 2027 · Typically 10:00-22:00, closed 25 Dec
London's biggest Christmas event: a Christmas market and Bavarian village with rides, a giant wheel, an ice rink, ice bar, circus and the new Peter Pan Magical Ice Kingdom. Entry needs a timed ticket, so book ahead for weekends.
Event · Riverside market
2 Nov 2026 to 3 Jan 2027 · Stalls 11:00-22:00, bars until 23:00
Alpine-style huts along the Queen's Walk by the Thames, under the Hungerford Bridge, with street food, mulled wine, pop-up bars and gift stalls. Free entry, and the London Eye is next door.
Event · Main market
12 Nov 2026 to 2 Jan 2027 · Mon to Sat 10:00-21:00, Sun 12:00-17:00
The historic piazza with its giant Christmas bells, disco balls and a 55 foot tree, plus stalls with handmade crafts, artisan gifts and mulled wine. The most photographed Christmas spot in London.
Event · Main market
31 Oct 2026 to 3 Jan 2027 · Daily 10:00-22:00
Festive stalls around the Leicester Square Skate ice rink in the heart of the West End, with treats and gifts. Easy to pair with a show or with the Trafalgar Square tree, a 3 minute walk away.
Event · Traditional market
6 Nov 2026 to 3 Jan 2027 · Daily 10:00-22:00
Wooden stalls with crafts, gifts and sweets around the Norwegian Christmas tree, given to London by Norway every year since 1947. Carol singers perform by the tree most evenings in December.
Event · Riverside market
10 Nov 2026 to 3 Jan 2027 · Daily 11:00-22:00
Wooden chalets with crafts, gifts and food on the south bank, facing Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. There is a two-storey pop-up bar with skyline views and a six-lane curling rink.
Event · Makers market
26 Nov 2026 to 3 Jan 2027 · Sun to Thu 11:00-22:00, Fri and Sat 11:00-23:00
Independent makers, seasonal food and drink and a big roller rink on Granary Square, with an Aardman Christmas tree featuring Wallace & Gromit and Shaun the Sheep. A 5 minute walk from King's Cross and St Pancras.
Event · Covered market
2026 dates not announced (2025: 19 Nov to 2 Jan) · Daily 12:00-21:00
The covered historic market in Greenwich, decorated with lights, a 10 metre tree and a restored vintage carousel. Food stalls serve churros, bratwurst, crêpes, mulled wine and hot chocolate. Combine it with the Cutty Sark and Greenwich Park.
Recommended hotels
Strand, by Covent Garden
Best for: Splurge
London's legendary riverside hotel from 1889, a short walk from Covent Garden and Trafalgar Square.
Piccadilly, Mayfair
Best for: Classic luxury
London's most famous hotel, overlooking Green Park, known for its afternoon tea in the Palm Court.
London Bridge
Best for: Views
Hotel on floors 34 to 52 of The Shard, with an indoor pool and some of the highest hotel views in London.
Marylebone, by Regent Street
Best for: Shopping
Grand Victorian hotel at the top of Regent Street, close to Oxford Circus and Regent's Park.
Soho
Best for: Theatre and nightlife
Firmdale hotel around a tree-filled courtyard in Soho, with its own bowling alley and cinema.
Holborn
Best for: Central base
Stylish, good-value hotel near Covent Garden and Holborn Tube, central for every day of the route.
Covent Garden
Best for: Central base
Smart, compact rooms with a small kitchenette, a few minutes on foot from Covent Garden and the West End theatres.
Tower Hill
Best for: Value
Compact, modern rooms a minute's walk from the Tower of London.
South Bank, by the London Eye
Best for: Families
Reliable chain hotel in the County Hall building next to the London Eye, across the river from Westminster.
King's Cross and Bloomsbury
Best for: Budget
Large hostel with private rooms near King's Cross and St Pancras, a short walk from the British Museum.
Recommended activities
2 hours
See Oxford Street, Regent Street and Covent Garden lit up by open-top bus.
Book3 hours
Timed entry to Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, with ride and ice rink options.
Book1.5 hours
See Tower Bridge, the Tower of London and the London Eye lit up from the river.
BookBefore you go
spotz.guide is a collection of travel maps and step-by-step routes, made to be opened on your phone and followed on the ground. Every guide is put together and checked by founder and editor Amit Keren.
Spots come from time on the ground and strong recommendations, and each one is checked before it goes on the map.
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