Best Self-Guided Christmas Lights Tour of London

Watching the signs of the Christmas season start to show up in London is one of the best parts of the year. Christmas is a fantastic time to visit London, and seeing the lights and over the top displays should be top of your itinerary. You can find seasonal displays and glittering lights all over the city, but there’s no better way to explore than on foot. With that in mind, here’s my self-guided Christmas lights tour of London to help you find the very best spots. 

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London Christmas Lights Walking Route Overview

Ready to get going? First, save a link to this post and refer to this map along the way:

Starting Point: Green Park Tube Station

This station is served by the Victoria, Piccadilly, and Jubilee Tube lines, so shouldn’t be hard to reach from anywhere in Central London. Exit toward Piccadilly and turn left. Lights are usually plentiful in this area, and you’ll soon pass The Ritz London on your right. 

Old Bond Street through New Bond Street

Once you reach Old Bond Street, make your first turn left. This road changes names partway from Old Bond Street to New Bond Street, but you will just continue straight. 

This stretch takes you past some iconic designer shop fronts, including several jewellers that bring their bling to the outside. Decorations here are always large and lush. 

S. Molton St.

When you reach Brook Street, cross over the road and turn left. A short way down, turn right on S. Molton Street. This road is closed to cars, and is always decked out with lights for the season.

Oxford Street

When you reach the end of S. Molton Street, you’ll find yourself on a corner of Oxford Street by Bond Street Tube station. Turn right around the corner to head past the Tube station on Oxford Street.

If you haven’t been dazzled yet, the star lights dripping across Oxford will probably get you. The John Lewis department store often lights up parts of their building facing Oxford Street as well. 

Oxford Circus

When you reach Oxford Circus, you may want to pause to take in the stunning cross of Oxford Street and Regent Street decorations. It’s a beautiful, but usually very crowded, crossing of London’s biggest street decorations. 

We won’t turn onto Regent Street here, but I promise you will get to experience more of those lights in a bit. For now, continue across Regent Street before turning right onto Argyll Street.

Argyll Street will take you past the gorgeous London Palladium theatre, and run you directly up to Liberty London. Liberty’s Tudor-inspired architecture is one of the prettiest places in London. The inside of Liberty is just as picturesque as the outside, so consider a cheeky stop here to browse.  

Otherwise, turn left on Great Marlborough Street outside Liberty, and then take your first right onto Carnaby Street.

Carnaby Street

Carnaby Street brings vibrant and artistic displays every year. If you prefer your holiday lights to be as colourful as possible, then this will likely be your favourite part of the walk. 

From here, continue straight until Carnaby Street ends at Beak Street. Turn right and head back out to Regent Street.

Regent Street

Turn left from Beak Street onto Regent Street. Now it’s time to take in the angels flying over the road. You’ll have plenty of time to look as you follow Regent Street until you run into London’s other iconic circus – Piccadilly Circus. 

Piccadilly Circus

This square is popular any time of year, but the giant curving billboard really lights up the night along with the holiday decorations scattered around. We will continue straight through as Regent Street changes names to Coventry Street.

Leicester Square

Continue straight on Coventry Street and it will lead you directly into Leicester Square. This is another big tourist draw. The square is surrounded by statues of various British icons, such as Mary Poppins and Harry Potter. At this time of year, there are often seasonal treats on offer from vendors in the square. 

On my first visit here I had a very memorable turn on the carousel that had been set up. By American standards, those things turn fast! I can safely say the blurry Christmas lights swinging by were still beautiful. The mulled wine might have also been a factor.

Covent Garden

Head out of Leicester Square on Cranbourn Street. As we make our way to Covent Garden, there are several diverting lanes. I’m giving you main road directions, but don’t be afraid to wander a bit away.

Follow Cranbourn Street until you reach St. Martin’s Lane. Cross over the road and continue onto Garrick Street. When you reach the pedestrian row of King Street, hang a left. You’ll now find yourself in the main Covent Garden shopping district. Markets have been held here since the 1600s, and the Apple Market building is a treat. Check out the beautiful Christmas tree while you’re here and have a meander through the shops. 

When you’re ready to move on, head out the south side of the market on Southampton Street. If you pass The Ivy Market Grill, you’re headed the right way. Continue on Southampton Street until you reach the Strand, where you’ll turn left. 

Keep walking down the Strand until you reach a curve in the road near One Aldwych hotel. From here, cross over the road and you’ll see Somerset House on your right.

Somerset House

There are several entrances to this sprawling former palace. For maximum impact, I like to go in near the entrance for the Courtauld Gallery, which should be nearby after you’ve crossed the Strand. 

There is no fee to enter Somerset House’s courtyard, so walk in beneath the carved portico to one of my favourite winter spots in the city. Each year, Somerset House transforms the courtyard into an ice skating rink surrounded by a Christmas market and stands selling treats like hot chocolate, minced pies, and sparkling wine. Don’t miss stepping through to the huge terrace overlooking the Thames for city lights to end your night.

Worthwhile detours

I know we’ve seen a lot on this route, but I can’t resist giving you a few more ideas that are a bit further from the path but still worth your time.

Fortnum & Mason

This classic London department store always has impressive holiday displays inside and in their street-facing windows. It’s a good spot for a wander, though I’d opt for Liberty if you’re only going to venture into one department store during this outing.

Reach Fortnum & Mason near the beginning of the walking route by continuing past Old Bond Street on Piccadilly. It will be on your right. You can then continue the route by tracking back to Old Bond after your visit.

Princes Arcade and Piccadilly Arcade

If your brain goes to video games when you think of arcades, that’s not what this is. London is home to several shopping arcades, which are covered alleys lined with boutique shops. These two are near Fortnum & Mason and both go all out to deck their halls. 

Take a peek at Princes Arcade by continuing just past Fortnum & Mason on Piccadilly. Piccadilly Arcade is located on the road behind Fortnum & Mason, Jermyn Street. 

Trafalgar Square

Every year, Trafalgar Square is home to a truly giant Christmas tree. Every year since 1947, the people of Norway gift the UK with a Norwegian tree in continuing thanks for British support during World War II. The tree is straight from Norwegian forests, and is berated every year for not resembling the lush trees some expect at Christmas. I say enjoy the scale and generosity of the tree, and don’t waste your breath wishing for more boughs. 

If you want to detour from the walking route to reach Trafalgar Square, break off from the route at Leicester Square. Then plan to rejoin the route at the Covent Garden Christmas tree.  

Southbank Christmas Market

Still have energy at the end of the walking route? Head across Waterloo Bridge from Somerset House and you can find the lovely Southbank Christmas Market. This market is made up of food and craft vendors set up in stands fashioned after Alpine market huts. Stretching along the Thames, it’s a beautiful setting for extending your evening a little further.

Tips for the tour

Keep these tips in mind to make the most of your Christmas lights tour:

• When to go. Christmas lights typically begin lighting up the night in early November, and generally continue into the first few weeks of January. This time of year the sun sets early, and you can confidently set out to see lights after 4pm. 
• What to wear. You’re going to be outside on your feet for a while, so wear comfortable shoes and dress warmly to enjoy the stroll. Some areas are tough to navigate with an umbrella due to crowds, so a hooded raincoat is your best bet to keep off any surprise showers. 
• Safety tips. The areas you’ll cross through on this route are all safe for walking at night without worry. However, pickpocketing is very possible in crowded spaces, especially around tourist-heavy areas like Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square. Keep your bags close and don’t place anything valuable in your back pockets.  

FAQs / more suggestions for enjoying Christmas lights in London

How long does it take to walk the self-guided Christmas lights route? 

If you walk non-stop, you can complete the full route in about 1.5 hours. A better estimate is 2.5 – 3 hours to allow you to enjoy your stroll and make a few stops.

How crowded does it get along the route?

Much of this route brings out crowds to see the light displays, so I’d be a liar if I told you there’d be wide open space. Oxford Street is also a well-known shopping destination, and can be maddeningly crowded this time of year. Bring your patience and stick close to your travel companions to avoid getting split up. 

Your best chance to avoid crowds is to go later in the evening when others have retreated to warm indoor spots. Somerset House has skating sessions running until 9:30pm, so head out by 7pm if you want to finish the full route before things start closing down.

Suggestions for a shorter Christmas lights walking route

If you only have a small time window, or need to limit the walking distance, then I recommend following the route from Oxford Circus to Piccadilly Circus via Carnaby Street. This section is just over a half mile and gives the biggest value for your time.

If you want to try the whole walk, but aren’t sure you can make it, rest assured that there are many Tube stations along the way where you can bail out if needed.

Suggestions for viewing London Christmas lights from public buses

If you want to scout out seats on one of London’s trademark double decker buses, the 139 route is your best bet to maximise Christmas light viewing. The route starts at Waterloo station, and I’d recommend jumping on from there if you want a chance to snag a seat near the front upstairs. You’ll head across the Thames and roll through the lights on Regent Street and Oxford Street. 

While this idea saves you steps, I wouldn’t call it a secret these days. So don’t try this expecting to avoid crowded buses. Getting a good seat can be down to luck as many others may join you with the same idea. You also may be stuck in crawling traffic on these popular streets.  

Suggestions for guided tours of London Christmas lights

Not confident heading out on a self-guided tour? These are the tours I’d try from GetYourGuide:

• Take a small group walking tour. This one will show you the hidden alleys you might miss on your own and shares tales of Charles Dickens that really set the scene. Plus, you’ll get a cup of mulled wine to chase away the winter chill.
• Take your own private taxi tour in a London black cab. Taking up to six people, you’ll have your own private guide to London’s Christmas best – no walking required! I have friends who take their family to see the lights this way every year. 
• Less recommended, but consider a tourist bus tour. I almost didn’t include this because they can be hit or miss. On the one hand, you have a guaranteed seat on a bus dedicated to seeing all the lights. On the other hand, they don’t have a taxi’s flexibility and could be stuck in traffic for ages. Read reviews carefully before you commit to this route.

I hope this guide helps you enjoy the festive cheer of London’s Christmas lights. No place does Christmas like London, so get out there to enjoy some holiday glow!

And if you’re wondering where to stay during your Christmas visit to London, my guide to the best hotels and areas for first-time visitors will keep you close to all the action.