Our Guide to London Christmas Markets

By Seren Morris
Published: July 17, 2024

There's much festive frolicking to be had at the best London Christmas Markets and we're on hand to help you plan your visits!

It's beginning to look a lot like we need a mug of mulled wine. There's no place better to grab one than London's Christmas markets and there are options galore this season. Whether you're keen on the traditional with the family or on the lookout for a quirky adventure with a special someone, you'll find them all here in the capital!

Hyde Park Winter Wonderland Market

This Christmas stalwart is in its eleventh year and has long been a favourite of families everywhere; transforming Hyde Park’s pristine landscape into something not even Santa could have cooked up. The market is undoubtedly one of the biggest with over 200 dreamily lit traditional Bavarian stalls, offering everything from decadent hot chocolate to stocking-stuffers to remember. Address: Hyde Park, London Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm Dates: 23 November – 6 January 2019 Prices: Free

Southbank Winter Market

As part of Southbank’s annual Winter Festival, the Winter Market takes Londoners away from the bustling high rises and into a village of wooden chalets. Nestled by the River Thames and right around the corner from The National Theatre, the charming stalls are packed with handmade gifts and merry culinary delights perfect for a mellow adventure. Pick up a little something for the tree and a mince pie to get into the Christmas feeling. Address: Southbank Centre, Hungerford Car park Opening Hours: Sunday – Thursday, 11am – 10pm; Friday – Saturday, 11am – 11pm Dates: 9 November – 27 December 2018 Prices: Free

Christmas in Leicester Square Market

Just up the street from The National Gallery and The National Portrait Gallery, Leicester Square is bringing a taste of Bavaria to the London Christmas market scene with bratwurst and gluhwein to spare. Fall in love with delicately crafted Christmas decorations and make ordering a grilled sausage covered in molten raclette cheese a priority. This market is ready to give the real stuff in Germany a run for its money. Address: Leicester Square Opening Hours: Monday – Friday, 12pm – 8pm; Saturday – Sunday, 10am – 8pm Dates: 9 November – 6 January 2019 Prices: Free

Camden Christmas Market

Surprise, surprise – Camden’s taken an alternative approach to the festive market. Running every weekend from now till Christmas week, each Saturday and Sunday bring choirs, fairground games and even snow. Camden Market is also hosting a Santa’s Grotto and Gingerbread workshop, which is ticketed. Once you’re in Camden, you’re not far from London Zoo - why not go see their light show to round off the evening? Address: The Stables Market, Chalk Farm Road, London NW1 8AH Opening Hours: 1pm-6pm Dates: Saturday and Sundays, 1 – 23 December 2018 Prices: Free

Christmas by the River at London Bridge City

For a market that won’t let you forget you’re in London, head to London Bridge City. Browse Christmas by the River’s 68 stalls selling festive gifts, food and drinks against the backdrop of London’s most iconic landmarks, such as Tower of London, Tower Bridge and The Shard. If the stalls are not enough to get you in the Christmas spirit, you can take part in various workshops such as food tastings or arts and crafts - all with a picture-perfect view. Address: London Bridge, SE1 2DB Opening Hours: Sunday - Wednesday: 11am - 7pm, Thursday – Saturday: 11am - 9pm Dates: 29 November to 2 January 2019 Prices: Free

Greenwich Christmas Market

Greenwich Market is worth visiting all year round - but even more so in the lead up to Christmas. Every Wednesday until Christmas, Greenwich Market is staying open late to celebrate the festive season - allowing you more time to find that perfect gift! Expect to find handmade jewellery, scarves, cushions and artwork - and Christmas music and mulled wine, of course. Visit the market after spending a day in Greenwich, visiting the Cutty Sark, National Maritime Museum, Fan Museum or Royal Observatory - just make sure you leave yourselves enough time to get that gift! Address: Greenwich Market, SE10 9HZ Opening Hours: 11am-9pm Dates: Wednesdays, (5, 12 and 19 December 2018) Prices: Free

Winterville, Clapham

Head south to Clapham and visit the Solo Craft Fair at Winterville. Shop for the perfect gift and choose from a range of affordable and unique art, jewellery, ceramics, and clothes. After the craft fair, enjoy the rest Winterville as to offer, with food stalls, DJs, comedy shows, magicians, a Christmas show, a fairground, roller disco, mini-golf, an adult puppet show, an ice rink and even a maze. One thing’s for certain - you won’t run out of things to do at Winterville. Address: Windmill Dr, SW4 9DE. Dates: 15 November - 23 December 2018 Prices: Tuesday – free, Wednesday – free, Thursday – £2, Friday – £2 after 3pm & £5 after 6pm, Saturday – £2 after 12pm & £5 after 6pm, Sunday – £2 after 12pm

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Who's Buried in St Paul's Cathedral
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Who's Buried in St Paul's Cathedral

St Paul's Cathedral is one of the most iconic landmarks in London. It's also one of the most visited, with countless people wandering its halls throughout the year. But St. Paul's also doubles as a crypt, where some of the bravest and brightest minds are laid to rest. But who's buried in St Paul's Cathedral? Find out below! Including: Aethelred the Unready Sir Christopher Wren Horatio Nelson Joseph Turner and more! Aethelred the Unready We'll start at the beginning because chronological order rules. So, hop in your time machine as we take a journey back to 1016 and attend the funeral of the late King Aethelred the Unready. As you can guess by his title, he wasn't the most beloved king. So, was it preparedness? Was he too young to take the throne? Well, no. See, Aethelred's title is actually a mistranslation. The original name more closely translates to "ill-advised". Historical documents from his reign detail questionable decisions that bordered on comedic. When Vikings came knocking at his door with blooded axes, Aethelred the Unready chose to try and pay them off rather than meet them with steel. But, when all your opponent really wants is a payday, giving them what they want is hardly a deterrent. In fact, they just want more - like a modern email scam. As such, many more Viking clans came a-knocking, quickly drying up the country's coffers. Regardless of his choices - and unwise advisors - Aethelred the Unready lies buried at St. Paul's Cathedral. And, while he might not top any lists of the who's who of those buried in St. Paul's Cathedral, he tops ours. Again, because of chronology. Image courtesy of Natata/Shutterstock Sir Christopher Wren You may have never heard of ol' Aethelred, but you've almost certainly heard of Sir Christopher Wren. An architectural tour de force, Wren is responsible for many of London's most iconic landmarks. The Royal Observatory in Greenwich, Kensington Palace, and yes, even St. Paul's Cathedral are just some of the many structures he designed in the wake of the Great Fire of London, which destroyed much of old London on a hot summer's day in 1666. So yes, the big man even designed the very building where he was laid to rest. But did you know that nearly wasn't the case? In fact, after his death, there were no plans to entomb him in St Paul's. However, thanks to a public outcry, plans changed. And, rather amusingly, Wren even joked that, when designing the building, he had the perfect place to put his tomb. And, when you go to see his final resting place, you'll find it in the exact same place he first pointed out. Now that's a story! Horatio Nelson Next, we take to the seas and toast this legend of an admiral without comparison. Horatio Nelson was a hero of the Napoleonic Wars, ensuring decisive victories against the French. Having fought in constant wars from his younger years through to his Admiralcy, Nelson's luck ran out during the famous Battle of Trafalgar, when a musket round pierced his shoulder, lung, and spine. While it may be a struggle to survive such wounds in the modern day, back in the 19th Century, it was a death sentence. But a man of such renown could not be buried at sea. There was only ever one place Nelson would be buried; St. Paul's Cathedral. But the journey from Trafalgar to London is long, and there weren't exactly freezers back then. So what did his crew do? They buried his body in a casket full of brandy, which just so happened to be Nelson's tipple of choice. The brandy helped preserve the admiral's body as it was safely transported to St Paul's. A boozy return for a deserving fellow. Joseph Turner Yep, St. Paul's Cathedral doesn't just welcome war heroes, kings, and giants of the architectural world. It welcomes painters too. Ladies and gentlemen, Joseph Turner. Turner was known for his breathtaking paintings capturing the essence of nature's beauty. Famous for this oceanic artwork, you'll likely recognise many of his paintings like The Shipwreck, Fisherman at Sea, and The Fighting Temeraire. Turner's work is almost immediately identifiable - no one paints quite like that. But legends suggest this isn't due solely to his skill. Supposedly, he made his own paints using unique elements such as herbs and spices, giving his paintings their unique look. Duke of Wellington Just when you thought we'd turned a corner, boom, another war hero appears! And yes, it's yet another military leader whose biggest triumphs occurred during the Napoleonic Wars. However, the difference between Horatio Nelson and the Duke of Wellington, aka Arthur Wellesley, is that while Nelson's victories took place on sea, the Duke of Wellington's victories happened on land. But, while his military prowess has been celebrated for centuries, the ol' Duke has a sense of humour too. At dinner one night, long before his death in 1852, Wellesley said that he didn't care where he was buried as long as they buried him in his boots. Maybe you had to be there? Either way, his wish came true, and he now rests beneath St. Paul's Cathedral, buried in his boots. Alexander Fleming And finally, last but certainly not least on our list is perhaps the most deserving. He may not be a king, an artist, or a "war hero" - though he did serve in a war - but his work has arguably saved more lives than anyone else. Not just on this list, but on the planet. You may not know his name, but you know his work. Ever taken an antibiotic? Well, you might not have if it wasn't for Alexander Fleming. The brilliant Scottish microbiologist was the first to discover that bacteria avoided certain fungi. Following testing, he realised why; said certain fungi kill them. This discovery snowballed into penicillin, the first antibiotic. And, to put it mildly, penicillin changed the world. No longer were infections a roll of the dice. Now, people would survive. If anyone deserves their resting place beneath the hallowed halls of St. Paul's Cathedral, it's Alexander Fleming. So, if you were wondering who's buried in St Paul's Cathedral, wonder no more. Of course, this is just a handful of the many luminaries who now call it "home", so go visit and see them all for yourself! Westminster Abbey is another popular burial place for famous faces of history so you could have your fill of historic graves in Westminster Abbey or St Pauls' Cathedral but with the London Pass, you can visit both and even skip the queue at St Paul's, as well as all of London's biggest attractions, for one low price!
Dom Bewley
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Tower of London
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Top 7 Photography Spots in London (& Giveaway!)

Go City x MPB Giveaway! Go City is teaming up with MPB, the world’s largest platform for used photo and video kit, to giveaway a chance to make your photography trip dreams come true. One lucky winner will win an attraction pass to any Go City destination, plus £500 worth of used camera gear from MPB! Two runners-up will also receive a Go City attraction pass and £250 credit to spend at MPB. The giveaway opens for entries from December 1st, 2022 to December 31st, 2022, so don't miss your chance to enter! Simply fill out your details and keep your eyes peeled on your inbox on the 10th January 2023, when the winners will be picked at random. We've put together a list of the top 7 photography locations in London to get you started on your photography adventure: 1. The Shard This one's a no-brainer. Standing at a whopping 309.6 meters, the Shard is the tallest building in the United Kingdom so it's no surprise that the pictures you'll capture from the observation deck will be top-notch. We recommend heading up to the top at golden hour for some pretty spectacular sunset shots of the city, or if you're willing to play around with long exposure shots, visiting at night will provide you with amazing images capturing the buzz from above. You can also get creative from the street level. Wander through the narrow lanes of Southwark to capture the giant structure from below and lit up in all its glory. 2. Tower Bridge Tower Bridge, the most iconic bridge in the city, is another of our fave photo ops. Not only are you able to get some pretty impressive snaps from the riverbanks on either side, but taking a visit inside will provide you with some even more spectacular content. Capture stunning panoramic views of the city from the walkways between the towers and take a daring walk over the glass floor to snap a fleeting moment of London life. The best time to photograph the bridge is early in the morning, as you'll capture the sun casting its silhouette as it rises. It doesn't get much better than that. 3. Tower of London Just over from Tower Bridge on the north bank, you'll stumble across the Tower of London. Officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and home to the Crown Jewels and Yeoman Warders, a visit to this attraction is a history lovers' dream. Besides this, there's also some great content for photographers. The striking historical architecture appears great on camera, so take your time on your visit to snap some interesting shots of the grounds as you're sure to get something wonderfully unique! 4. London Eye A shot of the London Eye can't be missed as it's Europe's tallest observation wheel. Get the perfect snap of the most popular London attraction from across the river on Victoria Embankment. You'll be away from the chaos of tourists which will allow you to get creative with angles and lighting. 5. Chinatown Contemporary art statues, ornate gold lions, bright and bold dragons, glistening lanterns, and glowing neon lights, you won't be short of things to capture as you stroll through the streets of this East Asian enclave in central London. Don't miss the famous gate at Wardour Street. This location provides you with the perfect opportunity to gain an insight into Chinese culture and religion, right in the heart of the city. Why not stop for a bite to eat whilst you're here? It would be rude not to. 6. Southbank The riverbanks of the Thames are a brilliant photography location as you can see so much in one go! Take a stroll along Southbank on a sunny Sunday afternoon and you'll capture the hustle and bustle of the city at the weekend. Whether it's the stunning historical building of St Paul's Cathedral, the modern engineering of Millenium Bridge, skaters in action at the famous undercroft of Southbank Centre, or people simply enjoying their London vacation, you're guaranteed to find multiple interesting shots along Southbank. 7. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Fancy capturing something a little bit different on your vacation to London? Kew Gardens is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to over 50,000 different species of flora. A trip to the gardens gives you the opportunity to take photos of the best nature has to offer. Among the variety of plants and trees, you'll find all sorts of wildlife and some spectacular structures such as the Great Pagoda in the Japanese Gardens or the Temperate House, a beautiful Victorian glasshouse housing over 10,000 endangered species. Anyway, enough from us. We've given you the locations, the pass and all the gear so now it's your turn to get out there and see what you can do. All images in this blog were taken by MPB using the London Pass to gain entry to London's top attractions! Happy snapping!
Cara Merren
The London Eye
Tower of London

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