Day trip to London at Christmas time
Is there anything more wonderful than a day trip to London and especially at Christmas time?
For the first time in a long time, Martin and I had the opportunity to take a little trip outside the borders without Ezrah. For a about two months we had all three been sick alternately, so a little break and adult time was very much needed. Since we only had one night to spare, London was the obvious choice (also we were lucky to find cheap flights).
We booked at very last minute but we quickly planed a really nice and cozy romantic day in London. Read along if you´re interested in good activities in lovely London.
Getting to the city
We arrived early morning at Stansted Airport. The easiest transport options to the city are Airport Bus Express or Standsted Express Train.
Airport Bus Express: 50 minutes to Stradford Station – 44£ for 2 people return trip (you can use your return ticket whenever you need).
Standsted Express Train: 47 minutes to Liverpool Street – 57£ for 2 people return trip.
We would recommend taking the train as it´s faster and you won´t risk getting stuck in traffic.
How to spend a day in London?
Go sightseeing
It isn´t difficult finding something to do in London. Popular attractions, beautiful buildings, charming streets, scenic parks and much more. As we had been in London a few times before, we didn´t feel the need to rush around and see all the classical sights. Therefore we took our time strolling through the city and past the London Eye and Big Ben with a coffee in our hand.
Tip: If you´re in London for the first time and you´re short on time, I would recommend visiting Sky Garden. Here you´ll have the most beautiful view over the city. Entrance is free but you´ll have to book an appointment beforehand. Find your free ticket here.
Be aware that December quickly gets fully booked.
Afternoon tea
Afternoon tea is an old English tradition starting back in 1840.
When we were in London with little Ezrah last year, we felt like it would be too overwhelming getting afternoon tea, as it tends to take a bit of time eating all that food, haha. Martin and I now had the opportunity to use the time we needed and get some good long conversations.
Afternoon tea tend to get really expensive if you go to the fancy hotels that serves the afternoon tea with champagne. We found a really nice little place in Covent Garden with Christmas decorations all over the ceiling (just a place in my spirit). Violas serves a delicious afternoon tea decorated with gold glitter and tiny flowers. The price is 30£ per person and you can choose between a cup of tea or coffee.
Both Martin and I are coffee people, so of cause we chose a latte and it didn’t disappoint at all. All the other things on the menu looked so good as well. The place is highly recommended and you definitely do NOT leave the table hungry.
Check out their menu here.
Open from 10 a.m. till 8 p.m.
Tip: If you´re on the hunt for a big beautiful Christmas tree, you should go to Covent Garden Market while you´re already in the area. At the square you´ll also often find people entertaining.
Planning a trip to NYC at Christmas time?
Read our post ‘Christmas activities in New York City’
Shopping or ice skating
Is it possible to visit London without doing a bit of shopping? Hmm I don’t think so, but we only went to few stores this time, which I´m actually really proud of. The popular shopping street Oxford street is filled with people and shops for every taste.
You can also do a bit of shopping at some of the Christmas markets in town. At Trafalgar Square you´ll find a great market. Here you can buy mittens, Christmas orniments, hot chocolate, food and all you´ll typically find at a Christmas market. It´s perfectly located just a few minuts walk from Covent Garden.
If you instead prefer a trip out on the ice, there´re several ice rinks around the city. The ice rink at Somerset House has a great location. It´s surrounded by beautiful buildings and of cause there´s a beautiful Christmas tree. In the evening the rink is lit by colorful lights.
Find more information about pricing, opening hours and events at Somerset House on their webpage here.
Location: London WC2R 1LA, UK
Dinner at the Avocado Show
London is filled with great dining and choosing a place can be very hard, but we simply just had to go back to The Avocado Show. The café is located at a little side street but still very central and close to the shopping streets.
We ate here last year with Ezrah, and the food is so delicious and tasteful. We can highly recommend their Nacho Mountain, Avo Fries and Salmango. They also serve good drinks and their lemonade is also so so good. If you love avocado, this is the place for you.
Check out the menu here.
Location: 6 Princes Street, W1B 2LG London
Go to the theater
A trip to the theater is ALWAYS a good idea. It´s so cozy, fun and entertaining. Especially at Christmas time there´s a really good selection of musicals if you want to get in the Christmas spirit.
We chose to see the good old classic ELF at Dominion Theatre. I was a bit skeptical as the movie is so great and hard to compete with, BUT we enjoyed it. It was fun and entertaining and at the end there was a lot of snow, so it guess it doesn’t get any better. The show is 2 hours and 30 minutes included a little break where you can by snacks.
We bought our tickets at London Theater Tickets . Here´s also an overview of all the other plays that´re available.
Location: 268-269 Tottenham Court Rd, London W1T 7AQ, Storbritannien
Enjoy the Christmas lights
If you visit London in November or December you can´t miss the Christmas lights. The city is just extra magical at this time of year. A good starting point is at Piccadilly Circus and then move up Regent Street. Regent Street is particularly known for the giant angles lightening up the street at Christmas time. At Oxford Street you´ll also find a beautiful sky full of stars.
Enjoying the Christmas lights was the most wonderful way to end a romantic day in London. (We actually wanted to go out and grab a drink but we´re parents and the fatique is REAL. Instead we went back to our cute little Airbnb, watched a tv-show and ate a late night snack in bed, haha)
I hope that this little Christmas post ´Day trip to London at Christmas time´ can be useful or inspire to small getaways. Even though you don´t have a lot of time available, a little day trip can still be filled with adventures and wonderful experiences.
Last but not least I want to encourage all parents to prioritize alone time/romance time. If you have the opportunity of childcare, this is really a good way as parents to get a splash of new energy.
Merry Christmas to all of you!
– Anne Mohn
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