What to do in London on Christmas Day 2019

Before we begin, some key information and tips:

Choose the location of your hotel wisely

It’s something you should always do, but during Christmas day there is no public transport at all, and any cab or Uber ride will be expensive. Before booking your hotel, check where it is within the city. London is huge, so it can be a good idea to stay quite central and be within walking distance (in London terms 😜) to a few interesting spots.

How to get around

By the magic of your own two feet of course! It’s a great opportunity for you to get to know London by foot. You will most likely travel by tube (London Underground) most of the time, so here’s your opportunity to see it all connect.
Another option is to rent a bike.

You may have seen around the city lots of different bikes. Some are parked together – those are the Santander bikes by TFL (Transport For London) also known by us Londoners as ‘Boris Bikes’, and some of them are owned by private companies and are scattered throughout the city, most common ones I’ve seen are Lime and Jump, both which can be used via their app to find their nearest location. Make sure you have a working credit or debit card for this. No cash can be used.

London has many roads designed for bicycles, but whatever you decide to go for, please be careful and aware of your surroundings.

How to prepare for this day outdoors

It’s no secret that at this time of the year, it’s pretty damn cold in London. Whether it’ll snow or not is impossible to tell. I do this every morning before going out and I suggest you as well, check the daily forecast. Unlike days where things are mostly open and have heating on. On Christmas day there are slim-to-none, therefore you’ll be outside for most of the day (unless you choose to stay at your accommodation, which is not a bad decision).

Here are my tips:

⛄️  Layer up. You can always take something off if you need to.
⛄️  Wear comfortable shoes for walking, but also good for standing the cold.
⛄️  Bring water and snacks with you. You don’t want to get dehydrated or peckish with no where to purchase food.
⛄️  Bring a camera or a camera phone. You’ll get plenty of opportunities to view the city emptier than usual (besides other tourists like you). You’ll want memories of this day!
⛄️  Bring a portable phone battery. You might need it depending on your phone and how long you’ll be out. 
⛄️  Download Citymapper or use Google Maps. Make sure you know where you are and how to get back to your accommodation. 

Toilets

Usually when you’re out and about and need a toilet break, you go in to a department store or a restaurant. This will prove tricky during Christmas Day, but worry not! Someone was clever enough to make a map of public toilets for you. This will come in handy.