Top 50 things to do in London in winter

This central London church, just off Trafalgar Square, is rightly famous for its comprehensive Christmas musical programme. Particularly popular are their annual celebration The Spirit of Christmas and their Carols by Candlelight services.

Covent Garden is the location for the well-established charity run Great Christmas Pudding Race, which sees entrants don fancy dress and raise money for Cancer Research.

Fortnum and Mason might be famous for their iconic Christmas hamper; but Father Christmas's festive tales are also proving a hit. Santa will take time out of his hectic schedule to visit the fifth floor of the Piccadilly store, each weekend in the run up to Christmas, and regale children with his stories. Makes a change from a grotto.

Bookings are already being taken for the main fireworks display of the year in London. After the bombshell announcement that they would no longer be free, it's now been revealed that the tickets will cost £10 per person and you can book up to four per person.

Hampton Court Palace is a beautiful destination to visit all year round, and Christmas is no exception. The Palace often hosts special festive events, such as an Elizabethan Christmas. In the past there's been fire eating fools and traditional dancing, and you can also see the magnificent fireplace in action as the cooks toil to create a feast fit for a Queen. Plus don't miss ice-skating and carol singing, with the palace as a wonderful backdrop.

Each year this east London venue plays host to a variety of festive events. From a festive Taste of London festival, to Craft Beer to Christmas igloos, find out what's on and go check it out.

Royal Greenwich has beautiful buildings, romantic riverside pubs and a fantastic market selling unique arts and crafts. Visit the Greenwich market at the weekend in December and you can even find Father Christmas putting in a shift.

Christmas shopping always feels a little bit more authentic in the dark and under lovely lights. Here's our guide to the best Christmas shopping areas in London.

Covent Garden is possibly the ultimate spot to visit in London during the festive season, with a 22-foot silver reindeer and giant Christmas tree illuminated by 30,000 lights taking pride of place in the famous square. The market is good for crafts and gifts, plus you've got all the top stores in the vicinity. 

The Christmas lights in the iconic John Nash curve are themed every year, celebrating the glitz and glamour of Christmas. Known as the "Mile of Style", Regent Street is the place to go for those expensive lifestyle gifts.

The luxury shop Liberty is famous for the sheer number of Christmas decorations and incredible in-store displays. It might be at the expensive end of the market, but browsing doesn't get much better than this.

Some shops go to town on Boxing Day, other stores wait until New Year's Day to throw open their doors. If battling for a bargain isn't your thing, it might be best to check the dates for January sales before you hit the shops.

It doesn't matter what the weather's like at the Barbican and Leadenhall Christmas Markets; they're undercover, so you can browse for bargains without getting wet. Vintage and designer clothing and other quality gifts can be bought at the Barbican, and festive food at Leadenhall.

This tree-rific tourist attraction has been wowing the crowds since 1947, when the first fir came over from Oslo as a gift from Norway. It's so tall (20 metres high) that a hydraulic crane is used to decorate it.

London's festive season only really gets going when Somerset House's iconic ice rink opens for another year. Put on in partnership with Fortnum and Mason, the rink offers skating in beautiful surroundings, and weekend clubnights, with big names taking to the decks as you try and stay upright.  

The ice rink with the wonderful Victorian museum backdrop is open from the end of October to the start of January. There are more than 80,000 twinkling fairy lights illuminating the rink, the Christmas tree stands at a whopping 40 ft and you have 1,000 square meters of rink to impress (or fall over) on.

If you fancy a more futuristic skating experience, head East and enjoy the rink at Canary Wharf in the middle of all the skyscrapers. They also have a Christmas Market alongside the rink to browse for handmade gifts.

Rooftop bars are a great spot to take in London's dramatic winterscape. Head to Mercer Roof Terrace and stay cosy in one of the bar's rooftop igloos, where you can enjoy food and drink whilst staying cosy too.

If you're brave enough to leave buying the meat for your Christmas dinner until the last minute, then grab your cash, head to Smithfield Market and bid for a turkey under the supervision of Harts the Butchers.

The Queen of Hoxton's rooftop is given a new festive look every year. Previous themes included a Moroccan pop-up inspired by the famous Jardin Majorelle, aka the Yves Saint Laurent garden, and a Wizard of Oz inspired Emerald City. Head down to discover what weird and wonderful theme has been adopted this year.

As London's number one food market Borough Market really comes into its own at Christmas, where generally you can try before you buy. Get gifts like homemade chutneys and jams from Rubies in the Rubble, or upgrade your pate and starters at Bianca e Mora. And you have to try the gingerbread at the Cinnamon Tree Bakery, before finishing with a mulled wine at Bedales of Borough.

Visit rooftop favourite Pergola Paddington during the winter to witness its seasonal transformation. Aesthetically pleasing as ever, during winter the bar transforms into a magical winter wonderland, complete with twinkling lights and snow-dusted pine trees. Make sure you try out their festive food and drink menu too.

If you haven't decided on your menus for entertaining this winter, than head down to Laithwaites flagship The Arch store (formerly known as Vinopolis) for tastings and all the trimmings for a bit of inspiration.

Lots of walking tours will take you around London, but winter's a good time for one that involves three haunted pub stops along the way. If you want some further guidance on the best walks around the city, look at our list of the best walking tours in London. Wrap up, and walk on.

Nothing beats a pub with an open fire on a cold, winter night. We can recommend a couple of pubs steeped in history: The Jerusalem Tavern in Clerkenwell and the Spaniards Inn in Hampstead should get you started. 

Here are some more cosy pubs >

The Royal Parks have a host of public art in their grounds that make good backdrops for some arty shots (particularly good if you've got a new camera at Christmas). Capture some moody black and white shots of Henry Moore's The Arch or get instagramming at The Joy of Life fountain in Hyde Park.

Like museums, art galleries thrive in the colder months. Check out galleries such as the National Gallery, the Tate Modern and the Victoria & Albert Museum to see what festive exhibitions are on offer this winter.

The V&A Museum of Childhood is a great place to visit at Christmas to remember the gifts you were given back when you were a child (and also make you wish you'd kept some of the original boxes). They also have themed decorations each year.

Christmas is all about dreams and stories, and nothing showcases the spirit of imagination better than a trip to this part home / part time capsule. Book online in advance.