When it comes to Christmas markets, the first place that pops into Cherry's mind is Germany! We originally wanted to spend Christmas in Germany and the Czech Republic, but because our teammate booked the flights too late, we had to pivot to London instead… Little did we know, London's spectacular Christmas market would completely blow us away! It definitely made up for our missed German Christmas dreams~~~

London Travel Info

★【Guide】: Ultimate Guide to 36 London Attractions
★【SIM Cards】: Europe 5G eSIM｜UK Unlimited 5G eSIM
★【Transport】: Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour｜Heathrow Express
★【Passes】: The London Pass｜London Explorer Pass
★【Tickets】: London Eye｜Tower Bridge｜Westminster Abbey｜Windsor Castle
★【Family】: Warner Bros. Studio Tour (Harry Potter)｜Peppa Pig World
★【Tours】: Stonehenge, Windsor Castle & Bath｜Stonehenge, Windsor Castle & Oxford｜Royal Observatory Greenwich & Cambridge

Located right in the heart of London, Hyde Park hosts its Winter Wonderland from late November to early January every year. It's undoubtedly one of the biggest tourist highlights of a London Christmas! This year, the Hyde Park Winter Wonderland runs from November 17, 2023, to January 1, 2024, open daily from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM (please note it's closed on Christmas Day). For more details, you can check out their official website.

Entry to Hyde Park Winter Wonderland is free! Even though you don't need a ticket, you do have to line up for security checks. We went on Christmas Eve, and it was absolutely packed—we waited in line for at least 20 to 30 minutes before getting in.

As soon as we stepped inside, Cherry immediately went into full shopping mode! There are countless stalls selling everything from scarves and hats to lovely souvenirs~~

There are also tons of colorful Christmas ornaments. Aren't they just so adorable~~~

On top of that, there are so many different food options to choose from~

Of course, you'll find the famous British Fish & Chips!

What surprised and delighted Cherry the most was finding a Bavarian Village right inside! Bavaria is a state located in southeastern Germany (Bavaria in Latin, Bayern in German). It's the largest state in Germany by land area, encompassing many charming towns and the stunning scenery of the Alps. The famous city of Munich (München) is actually located in Bavaria!

Every single corner of the Bavarian Village is so thoughtfully decorated. All the stalls feature pitched roofs just like fairy-tale wooden cabins, beautifully adorned with draped string lights.

Having visited Germany five years ago, Cherry instantly recognized the blue and white checkered flags in the photo below as the official flag of Bavaria.

They also brought out traditional German red-and-white checkered fabrics for decoration and offered plenty of famous German foods. If no one told you, you'd honestly think you were in Germany! This completely overjoyed Cherry, who had wanted to spend Christmas in Germany in the first place～～～

The famous German sausages naturally made an appearance too～

The condiment dispensers are absolutely massive! Pumping out the sauce felt almost like milking a cow—so hilarious and fun!!

The seating area is lit up with an abundance of fairy lights, and the center stage is decorated with that traditional German red-and-white checkered cloth～

Hyde Park Winter Wonderland is essentially a massive pop-up amusement park! Aside from the various stalls and the Bavarian Village we just mentioned, there are countless rides and attractions—like the roller coaster in the photo below～

And of course, the absolute must-have romantic Ferris wheel～

There are rides suitable for all age groups! The attraction that left the deepest impression on us, however, was this specific Christmas tree ride. The market is filled with Christmas trees of all sizes, but this is the only one that moves! As Christmas music plays, the "ornament" spheres fly up and down while spinning around the tree. When it gets going, the whole tree seems to come alive—it's seriously so cool! We really wanted to try it out, but since the thrill level is pretty low, it was mostly moms riding with their toddlers. In the end, we felt a bit too shy to steal seats from the little ones, so we quietly gave up on the idea!

There are just so many activities packed into this Christmas market! Think ice skating rinks, live shows, amusement rides, endless food and drink stalls, souvenirs, and festive decorations. There are even plenty of interactive carnival games like target shooting and ring toss, which feel just like the night markets back in Taiwan. Many of them attract customers by giving away giant plush toys if you score high enough.

We even spotted a ring toss booth that put out popular brand-name electronics as prizes to target the adult market～

You could say it was one of the hottest booths there～～

But out of all these programs and attractions, our absolute favorite had to be this incredibly romantic, fairy-tale carousel!!

And honestly, there are SO. MANY. carousels inside this Christmas market!!!!!!!!

So many that you don't even know which one to ride!

Even though winter temperatures in the UK are technically still above freezing, it's genuinely freezing cold! You absolutely must dress warmly to fully enjoy yourself! Don't be like Cherry, who got too used to living in Canada with its negative double-digit temperatures and mistakenly thought "above zero" wouldn't be that bad. I actually just wore a thin windbreaker… and ended up refusing to leave anytime I found a fire pit to warm up by～ 😆

Later, we also bought some hot drinks to warm up. The cups they served them in were pretty cute, too~

Eventually, it got so cold we couldn't handle it anymore. We suddenly spotted a massive Native American-style teepee and ducked inside to warm up. To our surprise, there was a whole other world hidden in there!

It turned out to be a bustling, lively bar! Groups of people were gathered around the fire pit, drinking, chatting, and warming up—the Christmas vibes were off the charts!

Even though it was just the two of us, we squeezed in with the crowd to soak up the festive atmosphere. It was a truly unforgettable experience!

Honestly, because our time in London was so short, we didn't have time to participate in many of the market's activities like ice skating and the live shows. If you're interested, you can check out their official website; tickets for all activities can be booked online. The 2025 Winter Wonderland is actually opening soon on November 14th～ After watching this year's promotional video, it really makes us want to go back! If you ever get the chance to spend Christmas in London, you absolutely cannot miss this. With its massive, gorgeous venue, Hyde Park Winter Wonderland has endless delicious food, fun rides, and great shopping for both adults and kids!

For more must-visit London Christmas spots, including festive British afternoon tea and detailed itineraries, check out～15 Must-Do Activities for Christmas in London

For more information on London attractions, please check out 👉🏻 【Ultimate London Travel Guide】36 Must-Visit Attractions ★ Includes Maps, Transport, & Itineraries

More London Travel Guides

★【London Guide】Ultimate Lazy Guide to 36 Top Attractions + Transport + Itineraries
★【London Eye】360° Aerial Views of the City｜See Parliament, Big Ben, and Westminster Abbey All at Once
★【Tower Bridge】Complete Guide to 5 Attractions In and Around Tower Bridge
★【Borough Market】London's Trendiest & Oldest Market!｜The Ultimate Guide to Eating and Shopping Your Way Through
★【Westminster Abbey】Must-Read Guide for Visiting Westminster Abbey
★【London Hotel Review】Super Popular! Hilton London Bankside
★【Christmas in London】Christmas Day Itinerary Recommendations & Tips
★【London Christmas Lights】The Most Magical on Earth! How to Best Enjoy London's Christmas Lights
★【London Christmas Guide】15 Must-Do Activities & Attractions to Celebrate Christmas in London

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