Christmas Holidays – The English Capital
London is a fantastic place if you want to spend your Christmas Holidays abroad. You can do all your Christmas shopping in London and get fantastic gifts, the city is full with great stores and shops especially in Oxford Street, Camden Town, Regent Street and South Kensington.
Harrods is a classic and a must if you go to the English capital. It is illuminated and decorated for the perfect Christmassy feel. The Harrods Christmas parade takes place on the first Saturday of November. Santa and his friends roam the streets in this dazzling parade, visited every year by people from all over the world.
Large retail chain stores stand out with beautiful Christmas lighting in both Oxford Street and Regent Street. Selfridges is famous for the amazing displays on their massive windows, and Harvey Nichols (near Harrods) is becoming more and more popular every year when it comes to the Christmas decorations. Santa will be waiting for the kids at most shopping stores with his famous grotto and helping elves.
In St. Martin in the Fields (near Trafalgar Square) you can watch professional choirs singing Christmas carols, and at St. Paul’s cathedral Christmas concerts delight locals and tourists alike. Best of all, they are both free, but be ready for long queues. Two excellent choices for you to visit would be the Royal Albert Hall and Cadogan Hall for special festive events like “The Nutcracker” or “Swan Lake”.
If you are more of an “active” person, visit the ice rinks which are so traditional with the Christmas season. This option requires that you spend extra money to hire the skates, though. Somerset House is beautiful and the ice rink is usually opened between the 17th December until the 24th January.
Museums are always a must and the good news is that now they are free in London. The Natural History Museum is impressive but be prepared to spend there the whole day. Other places to check out would be the Tower of London and Canary Wharf, where you can also find an ice rink. It is advisable that you book tickets in advance if you want to avoid disappointment.
Whatever your choice of entertainment, London is undoubtedly a fantastic place for you to enjoy a great Christmas.