What to do in London this Christmas
BE A KID AGAIN IN WINTER WONDERLAND
**If you are visiting London with children , this festival that this year is its tenth anniversary will drive you crazy. Installed in the royal park of Hyde Park, admission is free -what is not cheap are the attractions inside- and more than a festival it is a world of Christmas fantasy. ** Winter Wonderland started out as a Christmas market and that spirit remains , there are dozens of stalls where you can buy everything from handcrafted decorations for the tree to chocolate with churros or the traditional mulled wine. Attractions range from Ferris wheels and roller coasters to a magical world of ice sculptures, circus performances or a cocktail bar where chairs, tables and even glasses are made from ice.
Lose yourself in Christmas at Winter Wonderland
ICE SKATING BETWEEN HISTORIC BUILDINGS
Few things are more Christmassy than ice skating rinks. In London there are dozens and in them you can see adults and children staggering on the skates. Are you one of those who cling to the fence or do you throw yourself fearlessly through the middle of the track? Among the most emblematic is the one installed in the courtyard of the neoclassical palace of Somerset House , the one in the garden of the Natural History Museum, the one in the moat of the Tower of London or if you want more modern buildings and skate in a corridor under trees with Christmas lights, the one in full canary wharf between skyscrapers
Somerset House in London
GO SEE THE NUTCRACKER BALLET
Tchaikovsky is one of the great protagonists of Christmas in London , or rather his ballet, The Nutcracker. Performed for the first time in 1892 at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, this ballet is so popular in the British capital that it is performed simultaneously in different theaters and stages in the city. Nevertheless, the real dilemma is usually between going to the Royal Opera House or The Coliseum theater . In the first The Nutcracker is performed by the Royal Ballet, which this year celebrates Sir Peter Wright's ninetieth birthday with a production of him, while the second is performed by the National Ballet of England. Likewise, in Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park you can see an ice skating version.
SEE THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS ON CARNABY STREET
This year the Christmas lights on Carnaby Street are inspired by the Victoria & Albert Museum exhibition, You Say You Want a Revolution? Records and Rebels 1966-1970. The exhibition places Carnaby at the epicenter of that Swinging London and during this Christmas its thirteen streets are decorated with posters that recall the ideals of that time, such as love, hope or joy. Besides those of Carnaby Street, the lights of nearby Regent Street -where the most famous toy store in the city, Hamleys, has been located since 1881- and oxford street they are among the most visited in the city, as well as those in Covent Garden.
Carnaby Street, epicenter of the Christmas store
STROLL THROUGH THE SOUTHBANK CENTER WINTER FESTIVAL
On the Southbank, the south bank of the River Thames, there is always something interesting going on. At Christmas time the pedestrian promenade is transformed into a kind of Christmas avenue thanks to the Southbank Center winter festival. Dozens of wooden huts with colored lights house stalls with all kinds of Christmas gifts , as well as typical Christmas food. In addition, there are free events, such as theater or concerts. If you visit at the weekend explore the Southbank street food market - Frenchie's duck burgers are exquisite -. Another good option is to delve into Swedish culture by visiting the cabin rekorderlig , where you can taste Scandinavian specialties in the warmth of the fireplace.
Flea market at the Southbank Center
DISCOVER CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS OF THE PAST AT THE GEFFRYE MUSEUM
This museum offers a glimpse into the past and allows us to sneak into the Christmas traditions of the last 400 years of English homes. In this free exposure , that closes on jan 8 Or, the museum's period rooms are decorated with Christmas motifs, music, and lights, each representing a different era. In addition, also you will be able to discover the meaning of some Christmas traditions , like hanging Christmas stockings or kissing under the mistletoe. If you feel like a coffee and a delicious pastry, the Swedish bakery-cafe Fabrique is next to the museum, under one of the arches of the tracks, and at this time they have the saffron rolls that are traditionally eaten on Saint Lucia's day ( December 13) in Sweden.
Geffrye Museum at Christmas
LISTEN TO CAROLS AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL
Opened by Queen Victoria in 1871, the Royal Albert Hall is a truly spectacular auditorium, so don't miss out on the Christmas concerts there. One of the best is Carols by Candlelight, which literally means Carols by Candlelight. The artists are dressed in eighteenth-century costumes and the setting of the stage is inspired by candlelight. The program includes, among others, the Christmas sequence of The Messiah of Handel, Silent Night of Gruber or the Laud Dominum from Mozart.
The eternal Royal Albert Hall
ADMIRATE THE BIG CHRISTMAS TREE IN TRAFALGAR SQUARE
The most famous Christmas tree in London is European, specifically from Norway. The giant spruce -a tree similar to the common fir- is a gift from the Norwegians to London and is decorated in the style of the Scandinavian country, with more than 900 bulbs placed vertically along the 25 meters What is the size of the tree this year? This tradition began in 1947 in recognition of British support during World War II. If you go, take the opportunity to stop by the exhibition Beyond Caravaggio, which explores the influence of the Italian painter on the work of his contemporaries, until January 17 at the National Gallery.
Admire the tree in Trafalgar Square
DON'T MISS THE LUXURY STORAGE OF THE DEPARTMENT STORES
At Christmas, department stores put all the meat on the grill and display creative ideas in their windows that have been brewing for months. This year one of the most beautiful shop windows is the Liberty , which has teamed up with the Royal Ballet to exclusively show scenes from The Nutcracker. A) Yes, this is the first time in history that there is no product in their windows . Another one that is worth not missing, not only because the sets are delightful, but also because of the campaign slogan, which is Better Together, is that of Fortnum & Mason. Perhaps inspired by the climate of division that has been installed in the country since the Brexit campaign began, from Fortnum & Mason propose unusual couples , like the bull and the porcelain e They invite you to leave differences behind and simply celebrate being able to meet and be together . Other interesting windows include Selfridges, Harrods, Harvey Nichols and John Lewis.
'The Nutcracker' at Liberty
eat panettone
According to the British edition, in its printed version, of Time Out magazine, Italian gastronomy is the favorite of 49% of Londoners. Perhaps that is why it is not surprising that panettone is already one more in the Christmas section of supermarkets in the capital. In the Italian delicatessen Lina Stores , one of the few surviving independent shops in Soho, you can find delicious artisan panettone . If you're more into British Christmas food, then go for the mince pies, a kind of sweet tartlet filled with fruit.
Lina Stores, Italian pleasure
HANG OUT IN A PUB WITH A FIREPLACE
If you do even half of all of the above, the thing you'll want most when you're done is to find a pub where you can hang out by the fire. The Southampton Arms is, according to them, the only pub in London that is dedicated exclusively to the British ciders and craft beers . It's situated in North London and has a certain old school feel to it, from the days when pubs weren't chained. They only accept cash payments and seeing tourists is not very common . Also up north in Hampstead is The Spaniards Inn, one of London's oldest pubs and immortalized by Dickens in his first novel . It is worth trying their mulled wine, for which they have a special house recipe. In The Clapton Hart , located in East London, as well as a food menu that includes vegetarian and vegan dishes they have drinks from Hackney craft breweries as well as international ones, and best of all, board games, perfect for spending hours by the fireplace. Finally, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese , on Fleet Street, a pub that has been on the same site since 1538 and is said to have been regulars by Twain and Dickens. The pub was rebuilt after the fire of 1666 and although it is no secret, it is well worth a visit.
The Southampton Arms Pub