London at Christmas 2026: Christmas Eve is Thursday 24 December, Christmas Day is Friday 25 December and Boxing Day is Saturday 26 December. The Boxing Day substitute bank holiday is Monday 28 December. Opening hours vary by venue and transport operator, so make any booked activity the anchor for your day and check its official calendar again before travelling.
What the three dates mean
Christmas Eve (24 December) is the day before Christmas; shops and transport still operate, often with an earlier finish. Christmas Day (25 December) is the quietest day of the year, with ordinary London public transport stopped. Boxing Day (26 December) is a bank holiday when some shops reopen for sales and selected attractions, shows and restaurants operate. For 2026, all three dates fall on consecutive Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Thursday 24 December: Christmas Eve
Choose one or two places that have explicitly published Christmas Eve opening hours, then leave time for a walk around central London. Many shops and attractions close earlier than usual. Major museums can be closed for 24–26 December: for example, the National Gallery lists those closure dates. Check Tower of London, London Eye and other venues directly before buying tickets.
A Christmas Eve route we would enjoy
Use the morning for one attraction with a confirmed 24 December ticket, such as the London Eye, Madame Tussauds or a Harry Potter Studio Tour if the journey and opening hours suit you. In the afternoon, enjoy a matinee show or walk from Westminster through Trafalgar Square to Covent Garden. After dark, a visit to Winter Wonderland gives you lights, market stalls, food, the ice rink and rides; its 2026 season runs from 19 November to 3 January, with Christmas Day closed. Reserve an entry time and any headline attraction in advance, especially for the evening.
Services, food and transport
St Paul’s Cathedral and St Martin-in-the-Fields often have Christmas Eve carols and worship, which are different from a paid sightseeing visit. Their event calendars give the service times and any ticket arrangements. For a special dinner, Sarastro, Maggie Jones’s and La Poule au Pot are among our favourite London restaurants to consider, alongside the options in our restaurants with a view guide. Reserve directly for Christmas Eve; normal weekly hours cannot tell you whether a late sitting is available.
Choose your return journey before you set off. Tube and bus services normally wind down earlier on Christmas Eve, and rail and airport services can follow different schedules.
If you prefer an easy day without timed entry, walk through Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square and the South Bank, with a restaurant booking where possible. Our Christmas Eve guide has more route and dining ideas. Check TfL for any reduced evening service and the last connection back to your accommodation.
Friday 25 December: Christmas Day
Expect most major attractions and shops to be closed and no ordinary TfL service. A walk past Westminster, the South Bank or festive streets can still be enjoyable, but plan how you will get there and back. If you want a meal, book a restaurant that confirms it will open and check its Christmas Day menu and transport options. A private tour, taxi or coach is only an option when its operator confirms a Christmas Day service and the full price.
A Christmas Day walk
Start near Westminster Bridge to see Big Ben and the London Eye from outside, then follow the South Bank beside the Thames. Cross back through Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square and Covent Garden for a look at the decorations and quiet streets. This is a free walk, but allow for winter weather and choose a start point you can reach without a normal bus or Tube. Alternatively, stay in your local neighbourhood and enjoy a park or riverside walk before a booked lunch.
A Christmas Day sightseeing coach, private tour or river dining cruise can turn the day into a special outing if it is running that year. These are separate booked experiences, with their own departure points and conditions, and they do not replace ordinary public transport. Restaurants serving a traditional Christmas lunch often require a deposit and set menu; book the meal and the journey home together.
Our Christmas Day in London guide covers practical choices. Check TfL’s festive travel advice closer to December rather than assuming your usual bus or train will run.
Saturday 26 December: Boxing Day
Some shops reopen for sales and some attractions or performances may operate, but an ordinary Saturday timetable is not a reliable guide. Check individual venue calendars for 26 December, especially if you need a timed ticket. The National Gallery lists a closure on this date; other museums and attractions have their own arrangements.
A Boxing Day plan
For a festive day, combine a walk through the West End shops with an ice-skating session at Somerset House or an afternoon at Winter Wonderland. A theatre performance or Disney On Ice may fit the evening. If you would rather visit a major attraction, the London Eye and Madame Tussauds have operated on Boxing Day in previous years; book the exact 2026 date before counting on an entry. The Tower of London and several museums close over Christmas, so use the venues that actually have tickets for Saturday 26.
Winter Wonderland’s 2026 travel advice says the Elizabeth line will not run on 26 December; other Tube lines can still serve Bond Street and Paddington. This makes the trip home particularly important to plan if you are visiting Hyde Park.
Our Boxing Day guide sets out flexible sightseeing, shopping, show and food ideas. Use TfL Journey Planner and your train operator’s holiday schedule to confirm the return trip.
What about 27 and 28 December?
Sunday 27 December is the following day; Monday 28 December is the Boxing Day substitute bank holiday in England and Wales. Check the hours and transport for each date individually. For New Year’s plans, see our New Year’s Day guide for Friday 1 January 2027.
The three days feel very different: make Christmas Eve your booked attraction and show day, Christmas Day your walking and dining day, and Boxing Day your shopping, skating or performance day. For the rest of the holiday, keep an eye on each attraction’s festive calendar and TfL’s journey planner for the exact date of your trip.
Hi, we are Alberto and Amy, the London locals behind PlanTrip London. We’ve lived in London since 2010 and have spent every year since exploring the city, from its famous landmarks to the markets, pubs, parks and hidden corners most visitors never find. Over the years we became the go-to trip planners for friends and family visiting London, so we created this site to share the same first-hand, tried-and-tested advice with you. Every itinerary, tip and recommendation here comes from our own experience with our two children, so you can plan a London trip that’s easier, better value and far more memorable.