Christmas in the Capital: Top 7 London Lights

Carnaby Christmas Carnival
Carnaby Christmas Carnival | © Ameena Rojee / Culture Trip
Lizzie Thomson

London Writer

For many Londoners, turning on the Christmas lights in the capital marks the beginning of the festive season. Across the city, creative light displays add a touch of magic to winter evenings. Here’s our guide to the top London lights.

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Covent Garden

Being one of London’s most popular shopping destinations, there’s no surprise the sheer amount of detail that goes into decorating the famous market during the winter months. The sparkling festive lights reflecting on Covent Garden’s cobbled streets give the area a truly magical feel. Decorations and lights also run through the shopping arcades, making it the perfect setting to indulge in some Christmas shopping.

Covent Garden
Covent Garden

Regent Street

Allegedly the largest light installation in London, every year festive lights illuminate the long shopping stretch. In recent years, dazzling angel lights have been chosen to line the streets and, much like Oxford Street, celebrities and performers switch on the annual lights to mark the beginning of the festive season on Regent Street.

Regent Street
Regent Street

Oxford Street

Probably the most famous in the capital, the Oxford Street lights never fail to impress eager shoppers. Every year they are usually in collaboration with a movie or a charity and are turned on by A-listers to kick off the holiday season. The legendary lights stretch across the whole of Oxford Street and add a touch of sparkle to a late-night Christmas shopping session.

Oxford Street
Oxford Street

Bond Street

It’s no surprise that the lavish shopping district has opulent festive lights to match. In 2017, it was reported that over £1 million were spent on the area’s festive lights, with over a quarter of a million individual lights making up the extravagant peacock feathers.

Bond Street
Bond Street

Carnaby Street

The stylish shopping area, located just seconds away from Oxford Street, is absolutely buzzing during the festive season. The lights on Carnaby Street always have an original and quirky feel to them and every year people flock by the thousands to watch them being switched on.

Carnaby Street
Carnaby Street

South Molton Street

This pedestrian-only road just off Bond Street tube station is well-known for its luxury boutiques and shops. In 2017, the sparkling blue arches made the perfect setting for busy Christmas shoppers to walk through.

South Molton Street
South Molton Street

Burlington Arcade

The extravagant shopping arcade in Mayfair is one of longest in Britain, boasting a whole selection of luxurious shops. It’s no surprise, then, that the Christmas lights in this shopping district are always sophisticated and tasteful.

Burlington Arcade
Burlington Arcade
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