What better place to enjoy the festive spirit than the enchanting city of London at Christmas? As December arrives, the streets of the British capital begin to fill with twinkling Christmas lights and ornately decorated trees, doing their best to melt the heart of even the most cynical Londoner. Christmas in London is truly so magical that after experiencing it once you will never be able to do without it again.
Let’s start by making things clear straight away: Christmas is the period in which London shines at its best. The fairy lights that illuminate the city vary from the elegant, twinkling stars of Oxford Street to the extravagant neon of Carnaby Street. But the most beautiful location to immortalize the Christmas lights in London is undoubtedly Regent Street. This street, just behind Piccadilly Circus, was the first street in London to host Christmas lights in 1954, and still boasts one of the most impressive displays each winter. A sculptural masterpiece, the “Spirits of Christmas” light display, inspired by that first illuminated Christmas, features angels positioned as if blowing trumpets.
Everywhere you look, there are festive lights illuminating the winter skies, Christmas markets offering mulled wine and glittering ice rinks. But for true connoisseurs, the real attraction of the holidays are the Christmas trees set up to perfection in every corner of the city. For example, it’s impossible not to pop into Covent Garden, where the lights of the neighborhood illuminate all the super fashionable shops and antique boutiques. Here, the iconic Christmas tree of almost 20 meters is decorated with over 30 thousand lights and the inevitable red bow. Also noteworthy is the beautiful tree decorated with endless vertical strands of light in Trafalgar Square. But did you know that every year since 1947, Norway has given Londoners a classic Norway spruce to thank Britain for its support of Norway during World War II? It is therefore no wonder that the dazzling Christmas tree in this square is affectionately described by Norwegians as “the queen of the forest”.
From the traditional to the imaginative: literature lovers will be delighted by the St Pancras tree, which this year is a majestic tower of over 3,800 books. In collaboration with Hatchards, the UK’s oldest bookshop, St Pancras Station created the 12 meter tall tree which features a spiral staircase, enveloping 270 shelves of books.
And if you really want to fully experience the magic of Christmas in London, then you only have one solution: staying in the most decorated hotels in the city. From fairy lights to Christmas trees to garlands to sparkling crystal ornaments, there are some London hotels that really stand out this holiday season. Among these certainly The Lanesborough, which is part of the Oetker Collection group. Located in the central (and beautiful) area of Hyde Park Corner, it reaches its maximum splendor during the Christmas holidays, with sparkling decorations that will take your breath away.
Another fantastic location where you can experience the magic of Christmas is undoubtedly the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park. In the beautiful Knightsbridge area, a stone’s throw from the world-famous Harrods (a great destination for festive shopping), the hotel offers an extraordinary experience. In December, Mandarin Oriental invites guests to fully immerse themselves in the Christmas spirit and celebrate the festive season with an enchanting winter wonderland setting. But the magic doesn’t end there: during the festive period the hotel presents three enchanting stays to choose from: Wintery Wonderland, Christmas on the Park and Little Festive Ranger; each personalized with a special treatment, obviously with a Christmas theme.
Dear reader, you may like also this:
Listen to the lessons of the seasons
