12 Best Christmas Markets in London for 2024

Lonely Planet has rounded up a dozen of London's best Christmas markets for 2024, covering everything from mulled wine by the Thames to craft fairs in historic settings.

Covent Garden in the West End takes the top spot for entertainment, with more than 300,000 sparkling lights, a giant Christmas tree, and a seven-week Theatre of Performance featuring buskers and carol singers. The market runs through the festive period.

For traditional crafts, the Swedish Church in Marylebone hosts a weekend fair in November with traders in national costumes selling glassware, textiles and gingerbread. Entry costs £3. Glögg, the Swedish mulled wine, is available inside.

Hyde Park's Winter Wonderland is London's biggest winter attraction, running six weeks from mid-November to early January, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. It offers more than 150 activities including roller coasters, ice skating, circus shows and sing-alongs. Lonely Planet notes it's among the more expensive markets: entry must be booked in advance, and activities cost extra.

Chelsea Physic Garden, the oldest botanic garden in London (established 1673), hosts a ticketed fair in November with 100 independent stalls selling merino socks, handcrafted cider vinegar and Christmas wreaths. Lonely Planet calls it an antidote to busier central markets.

DIY Art Market in Peckham's Copeland Park runs two events in December: a Christmas Art Market featuring independent publishers and creators, and a popular ceramics market the following day with 150 exhibitors selling affordable mugs, tableware, sculptures and jewelry.

Greenwich Market in UNESCO-listed Maritime Greenwich keeps a community vibe with carol singers, lanterns made by local children, and Santa visits. Nearby Queen's House offers a separate Santa Grotto. A detour to Greenwich Peninsula adds craft stalls, street food and a carousel.

The Southbank Centre's free winter market runs from early November through December, with alpine-style chalets lining the Thames under Hungerford Bridge. Visitors can shop handmade jewelry and homewares, and eat Cajun fries, lobster buns and chocolate-covered churros. Evening events include free festive entertainment and sing-alongs.

Borough Market, a culinary institution, extends its hours in December and opens daily up to Christmas Eve. The historic arches are decorated with garlands, fairy lights and leafy trees. Seasonal fare includes smoked turkey sandwiches, mince pies and warm spiced apple juice.

Kew Gardens offers a light-and-sound trail through the botanical gardens, with food stalls selling mulled wine and toasted marshmallows. A traditional Christmas fair midway has a helter-skelter, swings and a carousel. Adults-only nights are available. Lonely Planet advises paying attention to which gate you enter: Victoria Gate is 500 meters from Kew Gardens train station.

Hampton Court Palace, a 40-minute train ride from Waterloo, hosts the Festive Fayre on two weekends in December. More than 100 artisans sell crafts and gifts with live music. Entry requires a palace ticket, which also grants access to the historic royal palace and its 300-year-old maze. The nearest station is a 10-minute walk away.

Granary Square behind King's Cross St. Pancras Station hosts the Canopy Market, which switches to festive mode with spiced cider and Christmas decorations under a fairy-light-adorned canopy. On the first Sunday of December, the Crafty Fox Makers Market takes over the UAL forecourt with 110 independent artists and designers.

Leadenhall Market, dating to the 14th century, features a Victorian wrought-iron and glass structure said to be the setting where Scrooge sends a boy for a turkey in A Christmas Carol. Weekend markets run through the year, but at Christmas the arcade sparkles under lights and an 18-foot tree stands in the center, with stalls selling handcrafted jewelry, homewares and art.

Lonely Planet also recommends visiting Fortnum & Mason's Christmas windows, Liberty for beauty advent calendars and ornaments, and ice skating at Somerset House for additional festive activities.

• Borough Market
• Christmas markets
• Covent Garden
• Hyde Park Winter Wonderland
• London
• Lonely Planet