On Christmas Day, London practically comes to a complete standstill—public transport, major attractions, restaurants, and shops all shut down. So, how should you plan your itinerary for Christmas Day in London? What do you absolutely need to watch out for? Having spent two Christmases in this magical city, we've put together all our best tips and experiences in this guide!

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🎄 Table of Contents

🎅 How to Plan Your Christmas Day Itinerary?
🎅 Important Tips for Christmas Day
🎅 Our Personal Itinerary

🎄 How to Plan Your Christmas Day Itinerary?

For many Western countries, Christmas is just as important as Lunar New Year's Eve is to us. Everyone stays home to celebrate with their families, which means attractions and public transport are completely closed. We spent a lot of time figuring out how to arrange our Christmas Day itinerary, and we've got a few top recommendations for you. Let's dive in!

📌 Recommended Reading: 13 Must-Visit Places for Christmas in London!

1. Join an Outdoor Day Tour

Since the London Underground completely shuts down on Christmas Day, unless you are staying right in the city center, just walking to the sights will leave you completely exhausted! You can still catch an Uber or a taxi, but they are incredibly expensive. After experiencing two Christmases in London, Cherry feels the easiest and most relaxing option is to book a day tour online. Having someone else take care of all the transport, meals, and sightseeing is just a breeze. During our very first London Christmas, we joined a day tour and it saved us so much energy and walking (I know, we really don't love walking that much 😆). Just be sure to double-check that the tour specifically operates on Christmas Day when booking!

2. Visit a Church or Join Christmas Services

Even though all the ticketed tourist attractions are closed, churches remain open for prayer and services on the day (though not for regular tourist sightseeing). If you're interested in the local culture, joining a traditional Christmas service or festive church event is a beautiful experience.

3. Admire the Christmas Lights in Central London

London’s Christmas lights are spectacularly impressive from one street to the next—it’s an absolute must-do pilgrimage for the holidays! The most famous displays are along Regent Street and Oxford Street. The festive lights on Bond Street and Carnaby Street also have their own incredibly unique vibes. Even though most shops are closed on Christmas Day, we highly recommend heading into the city as dusk falls to immerse yourself in the magical, festive atmosphere created by this sea of lights!

📌 Recommended Reading: The Ultimate Guide to London's Christmas Lights!

4. Explore Parks and Outdoor Landmarks

On this day, all paid attractions in London like the London Eye and the museums are closed. So when planning your itinerary, you can opt for outdoor landmarks like the royal parks, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, or Buckingham Palace. Simply admiring the stunning architecture from the outside means you don't have to worry about opening hours! Just a quick heads-up: there is no Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace on Christmas Day. If you really want to see the guards, you'll need to schedule it for another day!

🎄 Important Tips for Christmas Day

If you choose to spend Christmas Day wandering around central London like we did, there are a few crucial things you need to be prepared for. We’re sharing them all below!

1. Eat a Big Meal Before Heading Out

The number of restaurants open on Christmas Day is shockingly low, and the few scattered places that are operating get absolutely packed with tourists who have nowhere else to go. We strongly suggest filling up on a hearty breakfast before you leave your hotel. You'll need all the energy you can get for a day full of walking!

2. Keep Spare Change Handy

Because we are so used to tapping our credit cards for everything, we rarely carry loose change. But in London, many public toilets require coins to enter! Since different toilets might ask for different coin denominations, it's best to keep a good variety of coins in your pocket. Otherwise, just walking around trying to find a place to break a bill will make you lose your mind! 😆

3. Monitor Your Water Intake

Even if your pockets are heavy with coins, you still need to moderate how much you drink. Finding a restroom in London on Christmas Day is a "mission impossible" level challenge. We naively thought, "Well, the Tube isn't running, but surely we can just pop into the stations to use the toilets?" Nope. The metal shutters are pulled all the way down at every single station. "What about the paid public toilets?" Even the paid facilities next to the Christmas markets were locked up tight… (though a few standalone ones on city streets and near parks were still accessible).

On top of that, with so few shops open, finding a place that will let you use their restroom is incredibly rare. We went through absolute agony before finally spotting an open Starbucks. We thought we'd buy a drink and use their facilities, but… maybe too many people had the same idea, because the toilet was BROKEN and OUT OF ORDER! 😱😱😱 Long story short… if you're spending Christmas Day out in London, you really must watch how much water you drink! And ideally, the moment you feel even a tiny urge to go, start looking for a bathroom immediately. We're sharing our super painful experience so you don't have to suffer!

4. Head to Piccadilly Circus or Chinatown for Food

Based on our experience of practically walking a massive loop around central London on Christmas, the area around Piccadilly Circus has the highest concentration of open restaurants and fast-food joints. If you're looking to save a bit of money on food, we definitely recommend hunting for a meal around there—you'll find plenty of options at different price points. Alternatively, you can stroll over to nearby Chinatown, where almost every single restaurant is open for business! If you're craving some familiar Asian flavors, Chinatown is the perfect place to solve your dinner dilemma. Additionally, there are a few scattered food trucks along the River Thames. Because they are food trucks, the prices are much friendlier—perfect for budget travelers!

5. Book Open Restaurants Well in Advance

Some restaurants do stay open on Christmas Day! For example, Coppa Club—famous for its riverside igloos next to Tower Bridge—operates on the 25th and even offers a special festive feast. If you want to avoid fast food or street stalls, we highly recommend booking a nice restaurant for Christmas Day way ahead of time.

If you have a deeper pocket, you might also consider the stunning view from TĪNG, a sky-high restaurant in The Shard. Over the festive period, they serve a wonderful Christmas English Afternoon Tea, and they offer different set menus for both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Of course, a fine-dining restaurant with a view like that doesn't come cheap! For more exclusive London Christmas experiences and attractions, be sure to check out our guide to 15 Must-Do Christmas Activities in London.

🎄 Our Personal Itinerary

During our second Christmas trip to London, we stayed at the Hilton London Bankside, which is within walking distance of many city-center attractions, so we decided to explore central London purely on foot (if you don't feel like walking, you can always rent a bike on the street). Luckily, London's major sights are fairly concentrated. We started from our hotel (Hilton London Bankside), first heading to the Millennium Bridge and St. Paul's Cathedral, then strolled along the Thames down to Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and Buckingham Palace. As night fell, we walked over to the Oxford Street and Regent Street areas to marvel at the Christmas lights. Finally, clinging onto the very edge of our willpower 😅, we dragged ourselves all the way back to the hotel, completing our ultimate "legs-of-steel" walking tour! Here is a map of our walking route that day for your reference~

📌 Recommended Reading: Hilton London Bankside

▶️ Hilton London Bankside
▶️ Millennium Bridge & St. Paul's Cathedral
▶️ Big Ben & Houses of Parliament
▶️ Buckingham Palace
▶️ Christmas Lights (Bond Street - Oxford Street - Carnaby Street - Regent Street)
▶️ Piccadilly Circus & Chinatown
▶️ Trafalgar Square
▶️ Stroll along the River Thames back to the hotel

With the backdrop of iconic landmarks like the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and Buckingham Palace, completely covered in romantic Christmas lights, central London is just bursting with color and absolute magic!! It is genuinely a place where you can just wander and soak up the overflowing festive spirit. We highly recommend it to anyone planning to spend Christmas in London!

For more information on London attractions, including must-visit spots, family-friendly destinations, and transport tips~ if you're interested, be sure to check out our mega-guide 👉🏻 【London Ultimate Travel Guide】 36 Must-Visit Attractions ★ Includes Maps, Transport, & Itineraries

🎄 More London Travel Guides

★【London Guide】 36 Top Attractions + Transport + Itinerary Tips
★【London Eye】 360° Aerial View of London | Spot the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben & Westminster Abbey
★【Tower Bridge】 5 Best Things to Do at Tower Bridge & Surroundings
★【Borough Market】 London's Most Popular & Oldest Market! | Ultimate Foodie Guide
★【Westminster Abbey】 Essential Guide to Visiting Westminster Abbey
★【London Hotel Review】 Highly Popular! Hilton London Bankside
★【London Christmas Lights】 The Most Magical on Earth! How to See the Lights
★【London Christmas Markets】 Bursting with Festivity! Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park
★【London Christmas Guide】 15 Must-Do Activities & Attractions for a London Christmas

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