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Christmas Market
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland 2011 - 37

London / Christmas 2026

London Christmas market guide

Three different Christmas outings, from the river to Hyde Park.

Main venues vary: Leicester Square 31 October; Southbank 2 November; Hyde Park 19 November; all run to 3 January 2027 · Southbank is free. Hyde Park needs an entry ticket for every visitor. Leicester Square skating is ticketed.

By The Off to the… team · Updated 24 October 2026

See the 2026 dates

Archive 2011. Photo: Garry Knight / CC BY-SA 2.0

At a glance

2026 dates
Main venues vary: Leicester Square 31 October; Southbank 2 November; Hyde Park 19 November; all run to 3 January 2027
Opening hours
Different at each venue; see individual venue details
Entry
Southbank is free. Hyde Park needs an entry ticket for every visitor. Leicester Square skating is ticketed.
Rail / nearest useful station
Waterloo for Southbank; Leicester Square for its rink; choose Hyde Park travel for your booked gate.
Best time to go
Weekday daylight visit (our planning suggestion)
Setting
Southbank, Hyde Park and Leicester Square, London

Parking: See parking and park-and-ride

Dogs: Compare the published pet policies

Our verdict

Go if…

You want to choose between riverside stalls, skating and a larger fairground visit.

Skip if…

You want one ticket and one set of hours for every London venue.

Best day to go

Pick the venue first, then build the day around its own opening and booking slot.

Our top tip

Keep Southbank, Leicester Square and Hyde Park as separate bookings and journeys.

How we choose and check our guides

The market

London works best as a choice of festive neighbourhoods, not one enormous market to complete in a day. Start with the setting you most want: the Thames beside Southbank Centre, the West End around Leicester Square, or the fairground energy of Hyde Park Winter Wonderland. Each is a separate outing with its own opening pattern and organiser. Pick one main stop, leave time for a second nearby, and enjoy the journey between them rather than spending the whole evening crossing the city.

At Southbank Centre, alpine-style chalets line Queen’s Walk under Hungerford Bridge. The river gives you room to pause between the food stalls and independent craft traders, and an evening wander brings the lights into the picture. Leicester Square offers a different setting in the theatre district, with its Christmas market and rink; it makes sense to build a visit around your booked skating session or a West End evening. The venue sections below keep these arrangements separate.

Hyde Park’s event began in 2007 as an open-air Christmas market and has grown into a much larger mix of rides, shows, bars, food and shopping. Its 2026 Christmas Market advertises more than 60 traders, including artisan makers in the Scandinavian-themed Market Square. It is an easy place to make the market only part of a longer visit. Covent Garden and Greenwich add further festive shopping possibilities, with their own programmes. Choose the scale of day that suits you: a riverside stroll and supper can be just as satisfying as a full afternoon of attractions.

Southbank Centre — current Winter Market ↗ · Leicester Square — current event ↗ · Winter Wonderland — history ↗ · Winter Wonderland — 2026 Christmas Market ↗ · Southbank operator — official 2025 traders ↗

Southbank Centre Winter Market

2 November 2026–3 January 2027. Queen’s Walk beneath Hungerford Bridge; stalls 11am–10pm, bars to 11pm. Free to browse.

Visit Southbank Centre Winter Market ↗

Skate Leicester Square

31 October 2026–3 January 2027. Circular rink, bar and market stalls. Skating is ticketed; hours and holiday closures vary.

Visit Skate Leicester Square ↗

Hyde Park Winter Wonderland

19 November 2026–3 January 2027, closed Christmas Day. Every visitor needs an entry ticket; attractions extra. Opens at different times by date, closes 10pm.

Visit Hyde Park Winter Wonderland ↗

Covent Garden

12 November 2026 lights switch-on begins the festive season. Apple Market crafts and East Colonnade stalls sit beneath the decorated Market Building; check individual trading hours.

Visit Covent Garden ↗

Greenwich Market

2026 lantern parade and lights switch-on: 18 November, 4–6pm. The year-round market normally opens daily10am–5.30pm, closed Christmas Day; this is not a separate confirmed seasonal market date range.

Visit Greenwich Market ↗
Nearby: The Queen’s Walk nameplate, riverside railings and the Thames on London’s South Bank
Nearby: The Queen’s Walk nameplate, riverside railings and the Thames on London’s South Bank. Photo: Christine Matthews / CC BY-SA 2.0

Skate in the West End

Leicester Square pairs a circular rink with a seasonal bar and market stalls. Book skating before adding a theatre visit.

Skate in the West End — skateleicestersquare.co.uk

Eat and drink

Winter Wonderland — Mr Bratwurst

Bratwurst

Make Mr Bratwurst in the Bavarian Village your savoury stop; its pre-booked meal deal includes a sausage, topping and drink.

2026 line-up2026 market listing ↗
Winter Wonderland

Oktoberfest chicken

Planning a sit-down Almhütte meal? Half-Hendl Oktoberfest chicken is one of the package choices.

2026 line-up2026 market listing ↗
Winter Wonderland

Wiener schnitzel

A hearty Almhütte package choice, served with chips: a proper pause before more of the park.

2026 line-up2026 market listing ↗
Food type: Pizza — illustrative food photograph, not a named venue product
Food photograph. Photo: Shisma / CC BY 4.0
Winter Wonderland

Pizza

Cheese and tomato, veggie, pepperoni and ham are the published Almhütte pizza choices.

2026 line-up2026 market listing ↗
Winter Wonderland

Mushrooms and onions

A warming side option in the Almhütte menu; ask about the ingredients when choosing your meal.

2026 line-up2026 market listing ↗
Food type: Three cups of mulled wine with citrus fruit
Food photograph. Photo: Loyna / CC BY-SA 2.5
Winter Wonderland

Mulled wine

A winter warmer included among the Almhütte package’s standard drinks.

2026 line-up2026 market listing ↗
Winter Wonderland

Hot apple cider

Another warm-drink choice in the Almhütte package, to enjoy during a seated break.

2026 line-up2026 market listing ↗

Last year’s favourites

2025 favourites — check the 2026 line-up; 2025 makers are from Southbank Centre’s Winter Market.

Where we’d stay

See all places to stay in London

Waterloo and South Bank

Choose this area for a Southbank market evening and a riverside morning afterwards.

West End

A natural base for Leicester Square and a theatre visit; check room location if street noise matters.

Lancaster Gate and Bayswater

Useful for Hyde Park, but choose the route to the entrance on your ticket rather than the middle of the park.

See all stays in London ↗

We may earn a commission if you book through our links, at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.

Book early for weekends. The walking times are measured routes to Southbank Centre Winter Market; give yourself a little longer for a relaxed stroll through the market.

Map

Find the market streets, arrival points, parking and places to stay. The map loads as you approach this section; mouse-wheel scrolling stays with the page.

Map waiting to load. The places list below works without it.

Market streetsRail & coachParking & park and ridePlaces to stayAccessible toilets
ASouthbank Centre Winter MarketBSkate Leicester SquareCHyde Park Winter WonderlandDCovent GardenEGreenwich Market

Choose Explore the map to pan and pinch to zoom; choose Finish exploring or press Escape to return to page scrolling. Pins show places, not the precise position of individual stalls.

Open in Google Maps ↗

All map places, as a list
  • Southbank Centre Winter Market area — 2 November 2026–3 January 2027. Queen’s Walk beneath Hungerford Bridge; stalls 11am–10pm, bars to 11pm. Free to browse.
  • Skate Leicester Square market area — 31 October 2026–3 January 2027. Circular rink, bar and market stalls. Skating is ticketed; hours and holiday closures vary.
  • Hyde Park — Marble Arch approach — Hyde Park approach near Marble Arch. Follow the gate on your Winter Wonderland ticket; this is not a promised event entrance.
  • Waterloo station — Map navigation point; check the operator or organiser for entrances and current arrangements.
  • Marble Arch station — Map navigation point; check the operator or organiser for entrances and current arrangements.
  • Victoria Coach Station — Map navigation point; check the operator or organiser for entrances and current arrangements.
  • Q-Park Chinatown — Map navigation point; check the operator or organiser for entrances and current arrangements.
  • Royal Festival Hall — accessible and Changing Places toilets — Map navigation point; check the operator or organiser for entrances and current arrangements.
  • Leicester Square station — Underground station navigation point; check TfL for step-free journeys.
  • Park Plaza County Hall London — A South Bank base near Waterloo, useful for a riverside market evening and a comfortable walk back after dinner.
  • The Z Hotel Piccadilly — Compact West End rooms put Leicester Square and theatres on your doorstep; choose your preferred room and window arrangement when booking.
  • citizenM London Bankside — A contemporary Bankside base for combining the Southbank market with a riverside walk and the Tate Modern neighbourhood.
  • Royal Lancaster London — A hotel on Lancaster Terrace beside Hyde Park, a natural choice for a longer Winter Wonderland outing with dinner afterwards.
  • Covent Garden market area — 12 November 2026 lights switch-on begins the festive season. Apple Market crafts and East Colonnade stalls sit beneath the decorated Market Building; check individual trading hours.
  • Greenwich Market market area — 2026 lantern parade and lights switch-on: 18 November, 4–6pm. The year-round market normally opens daily10am–5.30pm, closed Christmas Day; this is not a separate confirmed seasonal market date range.
  • The Savoy — A Strand address near Covent Garden, with a walk across the river to the Southbank market.

Coordinates: OpenStreetMap contributors. Organiser toilet and access information. Temporary toilet locations use the named street/site as a navigation point; ask staff for the exact unit.

A perfect day

  1. Morning

    Choose one main London outing

    Make Southbank, the West End or Hyde Park the focus. The other venues are separate journeys, not neighbouring rows of stalls.

  2. Early afternoon

    A little browsing, a proper lunch

    At Southbank follow Queen’s Walk; in the West End leave space for Covent Garden’s Market Building. Check hours for your date.

  3. After dusk

    Let your booked highlight lead

    Choose Leicester Square skating or a Hyde Park attraction and work backwards from its real arrival time. Leave room for travel and queues.

  4. Evening

    Stay in your neighbourhood

    Make time for dinner or a show near your chosen venue. Check both the Underground route and your final mainline train before calling it a night.

  5. Last-train example

    London Waterloo → Guildford

    After a Friday 27 November 2026 outing, SWR’s published timetable lists the last direct Waterloo–Guildford train via Woking at 12.37am on Saturday 28 November, arriving 1.41am. This is a Saturday-morning-only service in the Friday-night table; it is a route-specific example, not a London-wide last train. Published timetable example, checked 23 October 2026. Recheck the exact date with the operator before travel: engineering works, short-notice alterations and holiday timetables can override it. This does not establish onward connections.

    Check the details ↗

On Instagram

Public posts embedded by Instagram. Availability, sign-in prompts and consent behaviour are controlled by Instagram.

A little festive inspiration from organisers, makers and visitors. Tap any tile to load all 4 Instagram posts on this page. Instagram may receive your IP address and set cookies; read the privacy note. Until then, nothing loads from Instagram.

@hydeparkwinterwonderland

A first glimpse of the wheel and chalet lights as Winter Wonderland counts down to its 2026 return.

Open this post on Instagram ↗

@hydeparkwinterwonderland

Behind the scenes: the finishing touches that bring Winter Wonderland to life.

Open this post on Instagram ↗

@hydeparkwinterwonderland

The organiser introduces its new 2026 VIP Tour Experience.

Open this post on Instagram ↗

@hydeparkwinterwonderland

Winter Wishes: the organiser explains its quieter, more accessible festive day.

Open this post on Instagram ↗

Instagram is off until you choose to load it.

Practical information

Getting there and back

Use TfL’s journey planner for the actual date and time, then check the step-free filter separately if you need it. For Southbank, the organiser’s access maps matter more than simply choosing the nearest station; bridge approaches and venue lifts can change the route. Leicester Square’s organiser gives its namesake station as a one-minute walk, but proximity does not establish step-free access. Hyde Park has several approaches and gates, so follow the directions attached to your ticket. Check your final mainline connection as well as the last Underground service: reaching a London terminus after the last train home is not a successful return plan.

Check the last service for your exact route and date before leaving home. Holiday timetables, engineering works and connections can change the journey; a market closing time is not a last-train time.

Compare Christmas market trips by train from five UK cities

Parking and park-and-ride

For Hyde Park, use Q-Park Park Lane/Marble Arch; for a Southbank visit, compare the National Theatre car park with APCOA South Bank on Cornwall Road.

Park-and-ride

  • Winter Wonderland recommends public transport; its access guidance says no specific event parking is offered. Official park-and-ride source · checked 24 October 2026.

City-centre car parks

Pre-booking

Blue Badge parking

  • The Triangle car park has designated accessible spaces; Royal Parks public parking is free for Blue Badge holders for up to four hours. Official blue badge parking source · checked 24 October 2026.
  • Southbank Centre directs Blue Badge visitors to National Theatre parking, but the National Theatre’s own free-parking statement is for performance attendees. Confirm eligibility for a market-only visit. Official blue badge parking source · checked 24 October 2026.
  • Westminster’s on-street Blue Badge rules differ from the national concessions: paid-for bays require an initial payment, with one extra hour free subject to the bay limit; signed Blue Badge bays permit up to four hours free during controlled hours unless signs state otherwise. Official blue badge parking source · checked 24 October 2026.

Christmas services and changes

On the day

Choose one main attraction and book its actual session first. Leave space around it for a meal, browsing and a warm indoor break.

Before and after

Southbank’s own winter programme is a natural way to add a performance to the market, while Leicester Square is set in the West End. Book a specific show using its own published time rather than assuming every festive event runs nightly. Make room for a proper meal and an indoor break, particularly if your main activity is outdoors. A sensible next day can be one neighbourhood and one attraction, with time to collect luggage and reach your departure station. Keep Christmas Day plans separate: London’s usual transport pattern should never be assumed for a bank holiday.

Accessibility

Plan each venue separately. Use Southbank Centre’s access information for the riverside visit, Winter Wonderland’s access team for Hyde Park and Skate Leicester Square’s visitor information for the rink. Include the station exit and booked entrance in your route.

Frequently asked questions

Questions before you go

When is London Christmas market in 2026?

Main venues vary: Leicester Square 31 October; Southbank 2 November; Hyde Park 19 November; all run to 3 January 2027

Official market information →

What are the opening hours?

Different at each venue; see individual venue details

Check the organiser’s hours →

Do I need an entry ticket?

Southbank is free. Hyde Park needs an entry ticket for every visitor. Leicester Square skating is ticketed.

Official entry information →

How can I arrive by train?

Waterloo for Southbank; Leicester Square for its rink; choose Hyde Park travel for your booked gate.

Check the full guide and sources

Can I bring my dog?

Check the organiser’s current pet-dog rules before travelling. Assistance-dog arrangements are separate; use the accessibility guide for the published information.

Check the full guide and sources →

What access information should I check?

Plan each venue separately. Use Southbank Centre’s access information for the riverside visit, Winter Wonderland’s access team for Hyde Park and Skate Leicester Square’s visitor information for the rink. Include the station exit and booked entrance in your route.

Check the full guide and sources

Official links

Keep exploring

More market trips

Back to the full market calendar

How it compares: see our top 15 UK Christmas markets.

More market trips in this region

Christmas markets in london east and south east

Good to know

Time Out highlights Southbank Winter Market’s riverside chalets, varied hot food and independent craft traders.

Southbank is an outdoor food-and-shopping market; plan clothing and a pause indoors around the weather.

Free Winter Market with street food, bars and crafts on Queens Walk under Hungerford Bridge.
organiser visitor information · checked 24 October 2026

Describes Alpine cabins, hot food/drinks and independent crafts; admission free.
press guide · checked 24 October 2026