Planning to visit London in winter? Make the most of the winter festivities, snuggle up by roaring fires, find cool things to do and make the most of your trip with this insider’s guide.
Think that London only comes to life in the summertime? You’re wrong.
London in the summer has its obvious charms – festivals, picnics in the park, pub gardens… but dig a little deeper and you will find that there’s plenty to keep your calendar packed when the temperatures drop and the days shorten.
Over the years, we’ve pretty much made exploring the best things to do in London during winter a fine art. From huddling around a toasty pub fire and exploring festive markets to drinks in a riverside igloo, don’t miss these fabulous activities during your trip.
What’s more? We’ve included tonnes of insider tips for exploring the city during the chillier months.
First Up, What’s the Weather Like in London in the Winter Months?
Winter in London lasts from December to February, with January and February normally being the coldest months.
Contrary to popular belief, London’s winters aren’t actually that cold. Average winter temperatures vary between 5℃ and 10℃ (January is the coldest month with an average temperature of 6.7℃ ).
That said, the wind chill can make it feel like it’s about -50℃ (OK, maybe we’re exaggerating slightly), so you should wrap up warm. A thick jumper and a coat will see you right.
| Month | Average High (℃) | Average Low (℃) | Average Days of Rain |
| December | 9 | 5 | 10.2 |
| January | 9 | 4 | 11.1 |
| February | 9 | 5 | 8.5 |
Top Tips for Visiting London in Winter
Visit at Christmas to See the City at its Merriest
London really gets into the festive spirit at Christmas, with all kinds of Christmas markets, theatre and, of course, the world-famous Christmas lights on display.
Check out our Christmas in London guide if you’re planning to visit in the run-up to Christmas time.
Visit in January and February to Keep Costs Down
As you would expect, December is the most expensive month to visit London in the winter.
Hotel prices and flights cost A LOT more, particularly close to Christmas. On the other hand, January and February are much quieter and cheaper options – a total win in the capital.
Compare hotel rates on Tripadvisor.
As January and February are generally quieter times to visit London, they’re a good time to go if you want to visit some of the city’s big attractions without being overrun by the crowds – with the added benefit of some wicked January sales. Discounts for days.
Check out our guide to The Best Time to Visit London if you’re not sure when to plan your trip.
Where to Stay in London in Winter
Ideally you’ll want to stay as centrally as you can afford – or somewhere with really good transport connections to the city centre. There’s nothing magical about staying on the outskirts of the city and spending half your day getting into the centre.
Covent Garden and Soho are cool but expensive, Westminster, Mayfair and Piccadilly are great if you have cash to spend, or Shoreditch is a more affordable, trendy option.
Check what’s on your trip’s itinerary and try to stay as close as you can – checking nearby tube lines is another good idea.
These are our favourite hotels…
- The Landmark London – Yes, it’s expensive, but The Landmark is a beautiful haven in the centre of London with one of the most ‘Grammable interiors in the city. Totally worth the spurge if you can afford it.
- K West Hotel & Spa – K West is in Shepherd’s Bush outside of Central London, but well-connected transport links take less than 15 minutes to get into the heart of town. Plus it has an amazing spa that’s the perfect winter retreat.
- The PILGRM – A budget hotel offering stylish rooms for you to bed down for the night.
Or read more in our guide to the Best Areas and Hotels to Stay in London.
Wear Layers for Comfort
Deciding what to wear in London on a cold day is tough. Our advice is to wrap up but wear layers you can easily remove.
The tube on a wintery day in London feels like stepping into the pit of hell, not to mention the fact that restaurants and bars can often crank up the central heating to the point where you pretty much melt into a wet mess.
On the other hand, if you don’t wrap up warm enough, you’ll be freezing when you go outside.
Check the Calendar for Special Events
We’ve mentioned a couple of cool winter attractions and events in London in the things to do section below, but there’s always something on. Check the listings to find something that takes your fancy.
What to Pack for London in Winter
This isn’t an exhaustive London packing list, but if you’re wondering what to pack for London in winter, these are the items you should have in your suitcase.
- An Umbrella – It doesn’t rain as much as people think it does… but it does rain frequently and you’ll regret it if you don’t have an umbrella.
- Hat, Scarf and Gloves – The daily temperatures fluctuate a lot, but for the most part you should wrap up warm for walking around. A totally-appropriate festive alternative for gloves is a steaming mug of mulled wine.
- A Comfortable Pair of Boots – We prefer a chic pair of ankle boots for smarter nights out and mega-comfortable Timberlands for walking around in the day.
- A Winter Jacket – See our advice about layering above. You want a nice cosy winter jacket that can go from day to night.
- Thick Socks – You’ll be surprised how much wearing a nice thick pair of cosy socks will make a difference. Your toes will thank you for it.
Cool Things to do in London in Winter
Go to a Christmas Market
Christmas in London is a magical time of the year. The Christmas lights, the Christmas carols, the Christmas trees festooned with all kinds of gorgeous baubles and perhaps our favourite of all, the Christmas markets.
In the past few years, London’s Christmas markets and fairs have mushroomed.
From the all-out (slightly manic) Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park to the more relaxed Kingston, there are plenty of spots to do a spot of pre-Christmas shopping, slurp up mulled wine and eat all the Christmassy sweet treats that you could ask for.
Our top picks? We adore Southbank Centre’s Winter Festival and Peckham’s cool Pexmas offering.
Drink a Ridiculously OTT Cup of Hot Chocolate
Hot cocoa has thrown off its fuddy duddy vibe and has totally tarted itself up into the kind of irresistible drink that a) warms your cockles b) looks great on Instagram.
Want to know what we mean? Take a look at that cuppa above.
You can see why settling in for one of these bad boys is such a cosy thing to do in London on a cold day. Forget measly concoctions of cocoa and water (maybe with a splash of milk if your mum was feeling generous), these hot chocolates are seriously flossed.
Chin Chin’s comes with a huge dollop of melted marshmallow that is blow torched and looks (and tastes) like something straight out of Willy Wonka’s factory.
Alternatively, why not opt for one of the indulgent offerings at Dark Sugars (there’s even a vegan drink don’t you know) – then round it off with a mound of chocolate shavings. Because it’s winter and you can.
Visit London’s Cool Museums
There are so many pop-ups and events in London during the winter that it can be easy to overlook some of the classic landmarks.
London has some of the best museums in the world. What’s more? Most of them are free.
You should head to one of the city’s impressive museums, even if you’re only in London for a short break.
Start with favourites such as the Natural History Museum, V&A and Science Museum in South Kensington’s Museum Mile – that will keep you out of the cold and entertained for a few days.
London Transport Museum Lates, which sees the museum open up for some festive evening fun, is another great option if you’re looking for something to do one evening.
Read More: Free London Museums You Need to Visit
Settle in for a Decadent Afternoon Tea
London’s afternoon tea roster is poppin’ at any time of the year but it makes so much sense during the winter when the idea of cramming yourself with warm and crumbly scones and drinking vats of tea sounds like heaven.
You can never go wrong with high tea at a London institution like The Ritz, The Dorchester or Claridges (the latter is our fave). However, it gets better with themed afternoon teas like the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory one at One Aldwych or the Festive Afternoon Tea at Biscuiteers.
Take A Wintery Walk
There are plenty of places to take a stunning walk in the capital – from the grassy Hampstead Heath to the charming South Bank. Our favourite, however, has to be a National Trust walk.
Wrap up warm and set off on one of the National Trust’s gorgeous winter walks through the gardens of Richmond’s 17th-century Ham House.
Set on the banks of the Thames 10 miles out of the centre of London, Ham House is the perfect spot for a wintery walk along the river and in the house’s extensive formal gardens.
Unlike most other gardens, Ham House’s garden is at its best during the winter months, when the geometric lines and topiary look their best.
Read Next: Visiting Richmond Park – Everything You Need to Know
Check Out London’s Cool Street Art Scene
Free things to do in London in winter are few and far between, but this is one of our favourites. Bundle yourself in layers and set out to see some of London’s cool street art.
The only question is where to start?
The street art in Shoreditch is diverse and has the added benefit of being in a relatively small area, perfect for an afternoon’s stroll. Though the pieces change, there are hundreds of street art spots boasting pieces by familiar names such as Mr Cenz and Dale Grimshaw.
Camden has a thriving street art scene, as does Brixton, but our favourite street art spot is in Croydon – home to some of the coolest murals to pop up in the city this year, which is why we featured it in our piece on quirky and unusual things to do in London.
Penge is another new hot spot for street art, with plenty of big international names such as Zabou and Mr Cenz flexing their skills.
Read more: The Ultimate London Bucket List
Marvel at London’s Christmas Lights
London never looks better than when it’s festooned with Christmas lights casting their glow on its streets. We admit that we missed the lights the last few years, but this year is a total cracker.
Start with the biggies at Oxford Street, which are in close competition with the super-pretty ones on Regents Street – but we’ll let you in on a secret. Neither were our favourites… that title goes to the cool neon Christmas lights on Carnaby Street. See why?
Also well worth a visit: Seven Dials and Bond Street. Read our complete guide to London’s lights here.
Hang out at one of London’s Winter Pop Up Ice Rinks
It’s no secret that the ice rinks that pop up all over the city are some of the best winter attractions in London. Set in a number of cool locations, the ice rinks are the perfect opportunity to show your ice-skating skills.
We really don’t get ice skating – you put on shoes with blunt knives on them, get onto a cold and slippery surface and somehow manage to glide gracefully like a swan. Every time we step on the ice, it’s like Bambi taking her first steps.
Don’t let us ruin it for you though – there are so many pop-up ice skating rinks in the city that you’re not going to struggle for choice. The biggest and the best known are the ones at the Natural History Museum and in Somerset House.
Wrap up warm!
Read More: Everything You Need to Know about Visiting Somerset House
Visit Hogwarts at Christmas
OK, so technically the Harry Potter Warner Bros Studios are in Watford, a short train ride outside of London. But you simply HAVE to visit the show-stopping Hogwarts at Christmas… that is if you can get the tickets.
We’ll be honest, the Harry Potter Studios are totally magical at any time of year, but in the runup to Christmas it goes into winter-wonderland overdrive. You’ll love it.
Read More: Planning Your Visit to London’s Harry Potter Studios
Snuggle in a Pub (Preferably in Front of a Fire)
There’s nothing like a British pub for all the cosy winter feels.
It’s almost like someone set out to find the perfect antidote for cold nights and short days and came up with the idea of somewhere you can hang out with your mates, pint in hand, by a roaring fire with some hearty food on your plate… in other words, a pub.
Not all pubs are created equal – you need to be very particular about the kind of pub you want to head to in London during the winter months.
First of all there must be a fire, second, it must pull a decent pint (and have nice wine too – blasphemous but true), and finally it must serve great food. There are some gorgeously quaint little old pubs in London: The Jerusalem Tavern in Clerkenwell fits the bill nicely, as does the Holly Bush in Hampstead (with the added bonus that it’s perfectly located for post Hampstead Heath walk drinks too).
See the Christmas Tree at Trafalgar Square
The Christmas tree at Trafalgar Square is a London icon. Each year since 1947, Norway has gifted the tree to London in remembrance of our alliance during World War II.
Swing by while you’re visiting central London and enjoy a bit of Christmas cheer.
Psst… Covent Garden’s Christmas Tree is rather impressive too, boasting around 30,000 lights. And you can pick up some last minute Christmas shopping while you’re in the area. Win-Win.
Fuel Up on Some Warming Food at Borough Market
Borough Market is London’s best-known food market, thanks to a wide selection of traders serving all sorts of delicious foodie treats. Where better to go and enjoy a nice warming dish to help ward off the winter chills?
We highly recommend the insanely good cheese raclette at Kappacasein… maybe with a glass of mulled wine to wash it down.
Go Shopping During London’s Winter Sales
Tempting as it may be to do all your winter sale shopping online, there’s nothing quite like the fun frenzy of shopping in London’s winter sales.
The sales, which traditionally started on Boxing Day or the 27th December, now seem to start earlier and earlier every year. Great news if you’re in the market for picking up a bargain or two.
Indulge in a Blissful Spa Day
Spending a day in a spa is always an appealing prospect, but particularly so when it’s cold and rainy outside.
London has no shortage of fabulous spas, but our absolute favourite is the K Spa at K West Hotel – a chic, award-winning spa with a sauna, sanarium, hot tubs and ice room.
Book a day-ticket (and a treatment if you want) and escape the outside chill.
Winter Warmer Films in a London Cinema
Cinemas pop up all over London in the run up to Christmas with one mission – to fuel our ever voracious appetite for festive films. Let’s face it, you can never, ever watch Elf or Home Alone too many times.
You’ll be glad to know that there are still plenty of wintery film options in that bleak period after Christmas when we all start counting down the days to summer and how few pennies we have in our wallets.
Chain cinemas in London are ten-a-penny but the Prince Charles Cinema’s singalong film showings and movie marathons are something completely different.
How about a singalong screening of the Rocky Horror Picture Show? That sounds like something worth dragging your carcass out into the cold for.
Get Cosy at an Alpine Ski Lodge
We may not have the mountains and the snow in London in winter is pretty much non-existent(unless the fake slope at Hemel Hempstead counts) but who says we don’t have the apres-ski?
Everyone knows that most of the fun happens off the slopes anyway, so you can skip the pesky having to hurtle down the mountain in the snow part and just go straight to the good stuff – namely the wine and the cheese.
You can find pop up ski lodges in the most unlikely of places during winter in London. We are huge fans of Heritage’s cosy interior and gooey cheese fondue, while Sky Garden’s Moet & Chandon Bar gives all the festive feels with Champagne and twinkling lights and Skylight’s gorgeous igloos are the place to snuggle up with your mates.
Read more: Romantic Things to do in London
Indulge Your Inner Child with a Trip to the Pantomime
Indulge your inner child with a trip to one of London’s pantos. Did you know that most pantos run well into January? So if you haven’t caught one of the fabulously OTT affairs this winter in London, there’s still time.
What’s more, theatres tend to quieten down after Christmas so it’s easier to get tickets.
Snuggle Up in a Riverside Igloo
Nothing says things to do in London in winter than snuggling into a see-through plastic igloo on the bank of the Thames with views of Tower Bridge and the Tower of London right?
The Coppa Club’s winter igloos first came to the capital a few years ago and have been a key part of London’s winter warmer calendar ever since.
Like pretty much all good things in London, the igloos have been booked up well in advance but you can get lucky if you swing by on a whim and a hope.
Things to do in London in Winter: Map
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