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London Christmas Markets 2026: Best Markets & Winter Wonderland
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The London Christmas markets season starts early in 2026. Skate Leicester Square opens on 31 October, the Southbank Centre Winter Market on 2 November and Hyde Park Winter Wonderland on 19 November, according to the published 2026 calendar. Closing dates for several markets had not been confirmed at the time of writing, but most run into early January.
This guide covers the 8 best London Christmas markets, from the funfair scale of Winter Wonderland to food-first Borough Market and the crafts of Greenwich. Each entry has the address, the nearest Tube or rail station and a Pro Tip. Most London Christmas markets are free to enter; Winter Wonderland requires a timed ticket booked in advance.
The order follows the geography of the city. Hyde Park is in the west. Leicester Square, Covent Garden and Trafalgar Square sit together in the West End. The Southbank, Winter by the River and Borough Market line the Thames, and Greenwich makes a good half-day trip by river boat.
1Hyde Park Winter Wonderland - London's Biggest Christmas Event
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland is the largest of the London Christmas markets and much more than a market. Started in 2007 as an open-air Christmas market, it has grown into a huge winter fairground with rides, Bavarian-style beer halls, food stalls, shows and an ice rink, which the organisers have confirmed for 2026. It opens on 19 November 2026.
Entry requires a timed ticket booked online in advance, even though some time slots are free; rides, shows and the ice rink cost extra. The market huts sell gifts and decorations, but most visitors come for the rides, the giant observation wheel and the food.
Expect large crowds, especially on weekend evenings and in the week before Christmas. Hyde Park is one of the Royal Parks, so the site sits in open parkland near Speakers' Corner and the Serpentine.
Pro Tip: Book the earliest weekday time slot for the cheapest entry and shortest queues. Budget carefully: ride tickets and food add up quickly, so set a spending limit before you go.
2Southbank Centre Winter Market - Food and Riverside Views
The Southbank Centre Winter Market lines the Thames between the Southbank Centre and the London Eye, with wooden cabins facing the river and views across to Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. It opens on 2 November 2026, one of the first London Christmas markets of the season.
The market is food-first, with raclette, hot sandwiches, sweet treats and mulled wine, plus bars and a programme of performances from the Southbank Centre's winter festival. It is free to enter and open to anyone walking along the river.
The riverside walk from Westminster Bridge to Waterloo Bridge is one of the best winter strolls in the city, and the market sits right in the middle of it. Weekend evenings are very busy.
Pro Tip: Walk the market from the London Eye end towards Waterloo Bridge at dusk, when the lights of Parliament reflect in the river. Visit on a weekday lunchtime for shorter food queues.
3Christmas in Leicester Square - Skating in the West End
Leicester Square turns into a compact Christmas village in the heart of the West End, with market stalls, festive decorations and Skate Leicester Square, a small ice rink around the square's Shakespeare statue. The rink is the first in London to open each season, on 31 October 2026.
The stalls sell gifts, decorations and food, and the square is surrounded by cinemas, theatres and restaurants, so it fits easily into an evening out. It is smaller than other London Christmas markets but very central.
Skating is ticketed separately, while browsing the market is free. The square gets crowded in the evenings, when theatre and cinema audiences pass through.
Pro Tip: Book an early-evening skate before a West End show; the theatres of Shaftesbury Avenue are a few minutes' walk away. Weekday afternoons have the quietest rink sessions.
4Covent Garden at Christmas - Giant Tree and Market Halls
Covent Garden is one of the most festive corners of London, with a giant Christmas tree in the piazza, oversized decorations hanging in the Market Building and lights along the surrounding streets. It is less a single Christmas market than a festive shopping and dining district, but it is an essential stop on any London Christmas markets route.
The historic Apple Market and Jubilee Market inside the piazza sell crafts, jewellery, antiques and gifts year-round, and they are especially good for Christmas presents. Street performers entertain crowds in front of St Paul's Church on the west side of the piazza.
The decorations usually go up in early November and stay until early January. Exact 2026 dates had not been confirmed at the time of writing.
Pro Tip: Visit after 6pm on a weekday, when the tree and the hanging decorations in the Market Building are fully lit and the daytime crowds have thinned.
5Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree - The Gift from Norway
Every year since 1947, the city of Oslo has given London a Norwegian spruce for Trafalgar Square as thanks for British support during the Second World War. The tree is lit in early December and stands until early January, with carol singing beneath it on most evenings during Advent.
In recent years a small Christmas market has also set up on the square. The tree itself is decorated simply, in Norwegian style, with vertical strings of white lights.
Trafalgar Square sits between Westminster, the West End and the river, so it is easy to fit into any route between the other London Christmas markets. The National Gallery, free to enter, faces the square from the north side.
Pro Tip: Come in the early evening during Advent to hear carols under the tree, then step into the National Gallery, which is free and a welcome warm-up on a cold night.
6Winter by the River at London Bridge City - Thames-side Festive Market
Winter by the River brings a festive market to the riverside at London Bridge City, between London Bridge and Tower Bridge. The stalls sell food, drinks and gifts, and the setting looks straight across the Thames to the Tower of London and the City skyline.
Visit London lists the market for the 2026 season, but its exact dates were still marked as expected at the time of writing. In previous years it has run from mid-November into early January.
The location makes it easy to combine with a walk across Tower Bridge or a visit to Borough Market, which is a five-minute walk west. Hay's Galleria, with its covered atrium, is next door.
Pro Tip: Walk from Borough Market along the river to Winter by the River and on to Tower Bridge at dusk. The lit bridge and the Tower of London across the water make one of the best night views in London.
7Borough Market at Christmas - Food Gifts and Festive Treats
Borough Market, London's best-known food market, is where to come for Christmas food rather than decorations. The covered market under the railway arches sells cheese, charcuterie, bread, game, mulled wine and festive baking from British and European producers.
In December the market is especially busy with people buying for Christmas dinner, and many traders take advance orders for turkeys, hams and cheese boards. Hot food stalls serve everything from raclette to grilled sausages.
Borough Market is open most days of the week, with the fullest range of traders from Wednesday to Saturday. It is free to enter, like all the London Christmas markets on this list apart from Winter Wonderland.
Pro Tip: Arrive before 11am on a weekday to avoid the lunchtime crush. Taste before you buy; many cheese and charcuterie traders offer samples, which makes choosing Christmas gifts easier.
8Greenwich Market at Christmas - Crafts in a Covered Market
Greenwich Market, a covered market in the heart of maritime Greenwich, is one of the best London Christmas markets for handmade crafts. Independent makers sell jewellery, prints, ceramics, clothing and gifts, alongside food stalls serving dishes from around the world.
The market trades most days of the week, and in December it adds festive stalls and decorations. The surrounding area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, including the Old Royal Naval College, the Cutty Sark and the Royal Observatory on the hill in Greenwich Park.
Getting there by river boat from central London is part of the fun and gives views of Tower Bridge and Canary Wharf on the way.
Pro Tip: Take a Thames Clippers boat to Greenwich Pier, browse the market, then climb to the Royal Observatory in Greenwich Park at sunset for a view across London's skyline.
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London Christmas Markets 2026: Best Markets & Winter Wonderland - FAQ
The London Christmas markets season starts with Skate Leicester Square on 31 October and the Southbank Centre Winter Market on 2 November 2026. Hyde Park Winter Wonderland opens on 19 November, Chelsea Winter Village on 25 November and the Winter Palace at Hampton Court on 28 November.
It depends on what you want. Hyde Park Winter Wonderland is the biggest and best for rides and atmosphere. The Southbank Centre Winter Market is best for food and river views, Covent Garden for decorations, Greenwich Market for crafts and Borough Market for festive food gifts.
Most are free to enter, including the Southbank Centre Winter Market, Leicester Square, Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square, Winter by the River, Borough Market and Greenwich Market. Hyde Park Winter Wonderland needs a timed ticket, Hampton Court is ticketed, and ice rinks and rides charge separately everywhere.
Yes. Hyde Park Winter Wonderland requires a timed entry ticket booked online in advance, even for the cheapest off-peak slots. Rides, shows, the ice rink and food cost extra. Weekday morning slots are usually the cheapest and least crowded, while weekend evenings sell out first.
Entry to Hyde Park Winter Wonderland 2026 costs about £1 off-peak, £5.50 at standard times and £8.25 at peak times, with booking fees included. Rides, the ice rink, the circus and food are paid separately. Monday to Thursday visits in November are the cheapest, while December weekend evenings cost the most.
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland runs from 19 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, every day except Christmas Day. It is generally open from 10am to 10pm, with later closing on some dates. You must enter during the time slot printed on your ticket. The nearest Tube stations are Hyde Park Corner and Marble Arch.
Most London Christmas markets stay open into early January. Hyde Park Winter Wonderland closes on 3 January 2027, and the Southbank Centre Winter Market and Winter by the River usually run until the first weekend of January. Borough Market and Greenwich Market return to their normal hours after Christmas.
Most London Christmas markets close on 25 December, and Hyde Park Winter Wonderland is closed on Christmas Day. Public transport, including the Tube, does not run on 25 December, so plan your market visits for the days before and after. Some markets, such as the Southbank Centre Winter Market, also close on New Year's Eve.
The Trafalgar Square Christmas tree lighting ceremony is expected on Thursday 3 December 2026, from 5pm to around 6.30pm. It is free to attend, with carols and speeches. Oslo has given London the tree every year since 1947 as thanks for Britain's support during the Second World War, and it stays up until early January.
Weekdays from mid-November to early December are the quietest time to visit. The markets look their best after dark, from about 4pm when the lights come on, but Friday and Saturday evenings and the last two weekends before Christmas are the busiest. Arrive in the late afternoon on a weekday for lights without the crowds.
