Christmas Markets in London: Festive Weekend Itinerary from Your Bloomsbury Base

Christmas in London tends to sneak up on you. One minute it’s autumn, the next the lights are on, mulled wine is back on the menu and you’re trying to work out how many Christmas markets you can reasonably fit into one weekend. Quite a few, as it turns out.

Staying in Bloomsbury puts some of the best Christmas markets in London within easy reach, so you can spend more time exploring and less time getting from one side of the city to the other. We’ve put together a Friday-to-Sunday itinerary to help you plan it, with plenty of room for Christmas lights, good food and a few stops along the way.

Make Bloomsbury your cosy festive retreat.

Quick picks: Choose your hotel | Explore special offers | See what’s on 

London Christmas Markets at a Glance

Before you pull on your warmest coat, here’s a quick look at some of London’s Christmas markets and what they’re best for.

Friday Evening: Covent Garden and Leicester Square

You’ve checked in, dropped your bags and there’s still plenty of Friday evening left. Start with Covent Garden, the festive market here is as much about the surroundings as the market itself. The Piazza gets its sparkly makeover, the tree goes up, the Market Building and surrounding streets are filled with decorations. For 2026, the festive season begins on 12 November, with the lights switch-on taking place that evening. 

Have a wander around the Apple Market, browse for a few presents and then head towards Seven Dials. You don’t really need a strict route here. Part of the fun is taking whichever street looks most Christmassy. From there, carry on towards Leicester Square, where the Christmas market puts you right in the middle of the West End. If you’ve booked a show, you’re already in the right place. If not, stay back and take in the full experience with hot dogs, and festive drinks. 

Friday at a glance

• Best for: Lights, Christmas shopping and a West End evening
• Covent Garden: From 12 November 2026
• Leicester Square: 31 October 2026–3 January 2027*
• Nearest stations: Covent Garden and Leicester Square
• Entry: Free to explore*

Back to Bloomsbury

Once you’ve had your fill of Christmas lights, Morton Hotel makes a particularly cosy base to come back to. Its character draws on Bloomsbury’s literary and cultural heritage, while the Library Bar downstairs gives you somewhere to settle in for one last drink before bed. 

Saturday: Southbank, Festive Food and Christmas by the Thames

Saturday calls for the river. The Southbank Centre Winter Market returns from 2 November 2026, lining Queen’s Walk with alpine-style chalets serving street food, desserts, seasonal drinks and a selection of crafts and Christmas gifts. Entry is free. Grab something warm, have a look around the stalls and enjoy the views across the Thames.

Once you’re ready to move on, stay by the river and continue towards London Bridge. That brings Borough Market and the London Bridge area into the same day without sending you back across London. You’ll find Christmas by the River around Queen’s Walk at London Bridge City, between Hay’s Galleria and Tower Bridge. And if food is high on the agenda, Borough Market is worth it. This market usually starts late November. 

Saturday at a glance

• Best for: Food, drinks and Thames views
• Southbank Centre Winter Market: From 2 November 2026
• Entry: Free
• Nearest station: Waterloo
• Allow: At least a couple of hours if you’re continuing towards London Bridge

Somewhere quieter to come back to

After a day spent along the river, Bedford Hotel offers a calmer side of central London. The hotel’s character is built around being a peaceful, nature-inspired city escape, and there’s a landscaped garden tucked away behind it too.

Sunday: Make a Day of Winter Wonderland

On Sunday, we’re giving you one main job: Hyde Park Winter Wonderland.

It isn’t really the sort of Christmas market you squeeze in between other plans. Winter Wonderland combines festive stalls with rides, ice skating, shows, food, bars and entertainment, so leave enough time to enjoy it rather than rushing around with one eye on your next stop.

For 2026, it runs from 19 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. Entry is timed, and popular sessions can sell out, particularly during evenings and weekends. Families can make a proper day of it, while couples might prefer to choose a few things they actually want to do and leave some time for simply wandering around.

Whichever camp you’re in, booking ahead is sensible.

Sunday at a glance

• Best for: Families, rides, skating and the full Christmas experience
• Dates: 19 November 2026–3 January 2027
• Entry: Timed entry ticket required
• Nearest stations: Hyde Park Corner or Marble Arch
• Good to know: Rides, skating and shows may need separate bookings 

Staying with the whole crew?

For families, groups and travellers expecting a busy weekend in London, Royal National Hotel offers an energetic base in Bloomsbury. The London Pub and Blooms Coffee & Pizza are also at the hotel, handy when everyone is ready for something to eat at the end of the day.

More London Christmas Markets Worth Adding to Your Trip

Our itinerary is deliberately manageable. You shouldn’t come home from a Christmas weekend feeling like you’ve completed an endurance challenge. But if you’ve already ticked off one of the markets above, or something here sounds more like you, there are a few more worth knowing about.

Greenwich Christmas Market

Choose Greenwich Market if independent shopping is high on your list and you fancy seeing another part of London while you’re at it. Unlike London’s temporary festive markets, Greenwich is a year-round covered market that takes on a Christmas feel during the season. Current 2026 guides particularly recommend it for handmade and independent gifts. Make a day of Greenwich rather than trying to squeeze it between central London plans.

London Bridge and Borough Market

Foodies, this one’s for you. Borough Market is a natural addition to the Southbank route, with its focus on food making it particularly well suited to Christmas shopping of the edible kind. Current 2026 guidance lists it as one of London’s main destinations for Christmas food. And with Christmas by the River nearby, you can keep the whole afternoon around London Bridge and the Thames.

King’s Cross Christmas Markets

For anyone staying in Bloomsbury, this one is particularly easy to add. King’s Cross typically hosts several festive markets rather than one enormous Christmas market. Current 2026 listings have the main Christmas market period beginning in late November. It’s an especially easy addition if you’re travelling through King’s Cross or St Pancras anyway. Pop in when you arrive, save it for the journey home, or head over when you have a spare afternoon.

Add More Christmas Magic to Your Weekend

A good London Christmas weekend doesn’t have to revolve entirely around markets.

See London’s Christmas Lights

Friday’s route already puts you in a good position. Start around Covent Garden, wander through Seven Dials and Leicester Square, then carry on into the West End if you’re not quite ready to call it a night. There’s no need to treat London’s Christmas lights like a checklist. Pick an area and have a wander.

Book a Festive West End Show

If there’s a show you’ve been meaning to see, Friday evening is the obvious place for it. Covent Garden and Leicester Square are already surrounded by West End theatres, so you can spend the afternoon and early evening exploring before taking your seat. Just remember to book popular productions ahead during the Christmas period.

Warm Up With Festive Food and Drinks

There comes a point on every winter weekend when another hour outside sounds considerably less appealing than somewhere warm.

Back in Bloomsbury, stop for a pint at The London Pub, or make an evening of it over dinner. The London Pub is one of the food and drink outlets based at Royal National Hotel. And sometimes the best plan after a day of Christmas markets is simply heading back upstairs.

Why Bloomsbury Makes a Great Base for Christmas in London

Bloomsbury gives you the best of both worlds at Christmas. You’re close to the West End and Covent Garden, with Russell Square giving you an easy starting point for exploring further across the city. King’s Cross, St Pancras and Euston are nearby too, which is particularly useful if you’re arriving in London by train.

But Bloomsbury itself is worth leaving some room for. Its garden squares, museums, cafés and bookshops offer a slightly slower side of central London, which can be very welcome after an afternoon spent among the Christmas crowds. And your hotel can match the sort of weekend you’ve planned.

For a lively London weekend
Royal National Hotel is positioned around young adventurers, families and larger groups looking for an energetic, convenient central London base. 

For somewhere a little calmer
Bedford Hotel brings a quieter, nature-led feel to Bloomsbury and has its own landscaped garden. 

For something smaller and characterful
Morton Hotel is an intimate stay inspired by Bloomsbury’s literary and cultural heritage, with bespoke furnishings and its own Library Bar.

For modern comfort
City Sleeper, within Royal National Hotel, offers enhanced comfort, privacy and modern amenities while keeping you right in the middle of central London. The important bit is choosing somewhere you’ll be happy to come back to once the gloves are off and the shopping bags have started accumulating.

Tips for Visiting London’s Christmas Markets

Check dates and tickets before you go

Dates, opening hours and entry arrangements can change, so check the official market website before you travel. This matters particularly for ticketed events such as Winter Wonderland.

Don’t save everything for Saturday night

Unsurprisingly, London’s Christmas markets get busy. If you’re in London for more than the weekend, weekday visits can be noticeably easier. Current seasonal guidance identifies weekday afternoons in November as a particularly good window for visiting before December weekend crowds build.

Dress for London, not the Christmas card

Layers are your friend. You’ll probably spend much more time outside than you expect, and a little London drizzle shouldn’t be allowed to ruin a perfectly good mulled wine.

Keep your plans geographical

This is probably the easiest way to make the weekend work. Covent Garden and Leicester Square belong together. Southbank and London Bridge make sense on the same day. Winter Wonderland deserves some proper time of its own. Less travelling, more Christmas.

Wear comfortable shoes and use public transport

Central London is very walkable, but those steps add up quickly when you’re moving between markets.

Wear shoes you can comfortably spend the day in and use the Tube or bus when the next stop is further away.

Make a Weekend of Christmas in London

You really don’t need to visit every Christmas market in London. Choose a few you genuinely want to see, leave room for the lights and a good meal, and don’t worry if an unplanned pub stop takes precedence over market number five.

With Bloomsbury as your base, much of central London’s Christmas fun is within easy reach, while there’s always somewhere a little calmer to come back to at the end of the day.

Find your Bloomsbury base with Imperial London Hotels and start planning your Christmas weekend in London.

FAQs

Are London Christmas markets free to enter?

Many of them are. Southbank Centre Winter Market is free to enter, as is Covent Garden’s festive area. Hyde Park Winter Wonderland is different and operates timed entry. Some individual attractions and activities within free-to-enter destinations may still be ticketed. 

Do I need to book London Christmas markets in advance?

Not generally for free-to-enter markets such as Southbank and Covent Garden. You should plan ahead for ticketed destinations and individual activities. Winter Wonderland uses timed entry and popular sessions can sell out. 

When do Christmas markets open in London?

Most begin opening in early to mid-November. In 2026, Southbank starts from 2 November, Covent Garden’s festive season begins on 12 November and Hyde Park Winter Wonderland opens on 19 November. 

Can you visit several London Christmas markets in one day?

Absolutely, but don’t spend the whole day zig-zagging across London. Covent Garden and Leicester Square work well together, while Southbank can form part of a longer riverside day towards London Bridge.

What is the best way to get around London’s Christmas markets?

A combination of walking and public transport works best for central London. Grouping markets by area will also save unnecessary journeys.

Are London Christmas markets open on Christmas Day?

It varies, but almost all London Christmas Markets are closed on Christmas Day. For example, the published 2026 information for the Covent Garden market as well as the Winter Wonderland lists them as closed on Christmas Day. Always check the market’s official information before travelling over the Christmas period.

Author: Aishwarya P.