Ramadan Lights London 2026 Exact Spots to See the West End Glow
There are moments when London quietly surprises you.
Not with fireworks. Not with big tourist crowds. But with something softer streets glowing a little warmer, evenings feeling a little more thoughtful, and the city showing a different side of itself.
If you’re in London between February and March 2026, this is one of those moments.
Ramadan Lights London has officially returned for 2026, transforming part of the West End into a beautifully illuminated celebration of the holy month of Ramadan. And whether you’re visiting London for the first time or you’ve lived here for years, this is genuinely one of the most meaningful seasonal displays the city now offers.
What makes it special? It’s free, it’s central, and it feels different from the usual London light displays.
Here’s everything you actually need to know where to go, when to visit, how to get there, and how to make the most of it.
What Ramadan Lights London Actually Is (And Why It Matters)
Ramadan Lights London is the UK’s first major public Ramadan light display in the West End and one of the first of its kind in Europe.
For 2026, the installation once again lights up Coventry Street, celebrating Ramadan with thousands of decorative lights suspended above the road. The display is organised in partnership with the Ramadan Lights London initiative and supported by the West End community.
You’ll see:
Elegant Islamic geometric patterns
Warm glowing lantern-style designs
Illuminated Ramadan greetings
A calm, golden evening atmosphere that feels very different from Christmas lights
The display typically features tens of thousands of LED lights stretching across the street, creating a walk-through experience rather than something you just glance at and move on.
It’s not loud. It’s not over-the-top. And honestly that’s exactly why people are loving it.
Where Exactly to See Ramadan Lights in London
The main display is located on:
Coventry Street, London W1D
This is the key stretch connecting:
Piccadilly Circus
Leicester Square
If you’re standing in Piccadilly Circus and walking toward Leicester Square, you’ll naturally walk straight underneath the lights.
The lights are concentrated in the West End, which means you’re right in the heart of central London easy to combine with dinner, dessert, or an evening walk.
How to Get There (Easiest Routes)
One of the best things about Ramadan Lights London is how ridiculously easy it is to reach.
Nearest Tube stations
Piccadilly Circus (Bakerloo & Piccadilly lines)
This is usually the simplest option. From the station exit, it’s about a 2-minute walk.
Leicester Square (Northern & Piccadilly lines)
Also very close roughly a 3-minute walk.
Charing Cross (Northern & Bakerloo lines)
About a 7–10 minute walk if you don’t mind a short stroll.
For first-time visitors to London, this is one of the easiest evening attractions to slot into your plans because you don’t need buses, taxis, or complicated navigation.
Ramadan Lights London 2026 Dates & Timing
For 2026, the lights run approximately:
Mid-February through March 2026 (during Ramadan period)
They switch on automatically each evening and remain illuminated into the night.
Best time to visit
From experience and crowd patterns, here’s what works best:
6:00 pm – 7:30 pm: Softer crowds, good photos
After 8:00 pm: More atmosphere, slightly busier
Late evening (after 9:30 pm): Quietest experience
Weekends naturally get busier, especially Friday and Saturday nights.
If you want that calm, cinematic London feel, aim for a weekday evening.
What the Experience Actually Feels Like
Let’s be honest London has a lot of light displays.
What makes this one different is the mood.
You’re not dealing with Christmas chaos or festival crowds. Instead, the energy along Coventry Street during Ramadan feels noticeably calmer and more reflective. Families stroll through slowly. Groups stop for photos. You’ll hear a mix of languages and accents that remind you just how international London really is.
It’s one of those rare West End moments where people aren’t rushing.
And if you time it right especially on a cool February evening the soft golden lights against the dark London sky genuinely look beautiful in photos.
Best Photo Spots Most People Miss
If you want your photos to look better than the average quick snap, try these angles:
Mid-street looking toward Piccadilly Circus
This gives you the full canopy effect overhead.
Near the Leicester Square end
Slightly less crowded and easier for cleaner shots.
From the pavement edges
Stand slightly back rather than directly underneath it captures more of the pattern.
Pro tip: light rain actually makes the street reflections look incredible in photos. Very London. Very cinematic.
Turn It Into a Proper Evening Plan
The smart move isn’t to visit the lights alone it’s to build a short West End evening around them.
Here’s an easy flow that works especially well for first-time visitors:
Start at Piccadilly Circus
Take in the usual buzz and big screens.
Walk through Coventry Street under the Ramadan lights
Take your time it’s not a rush-through moment.
Head toward Leicester Square
From here you’re perfectly placed for:
halal dining options
dessert spots
late-night cafés
or even the Iftar Trail locations if you’re visiting during Ramadan evenings
Because everything is so central, this is one of the lowest-effort evening plans you can do in London.
Things First-Time Visitors Should Know
A few quick, honest tips so expectations stay realistic:
The lights are beautiful but not huge
This is a street-scale installation, not a city-wide light festival.
It gets busy right after Iftar time
Evenings during Ramadan naturally bring more foot traffic.
Weather matters
Cold, clear nights give the best experience. Heavy rain obviously makes it less comfortable.
Combine it with something else
On its own it’s a 15–25 minute experience best paired with dinner or a West End walk.
Why This Matters in London’s Cultural Calendar
London has always been known for Christmas lights.
What’s quietly changing and worth paying attention to is how the city is expanding its public celebrations to reflect its global community.
Ramadan Lights London is part of that shift.
It’s not just decorative. It’s symbolic of how London continues to evolve culturally while still using its historic West End streets as the backdrop.
For visitors, it offers something genuinely different from the usual tourist checklist. And for locals, it’s becoming one of those small seasonal moments that marks the calendar in a new way.
Final Thoughts One of London’s Quiet Seasonal Wins
Not every London experience needs to be loud to be memorable.
Ramadan Lights London 2026 is simple, walkable, and easy to miss if you don’t know about it — but that’s exactly why it’s worth seeing.
If you’re in the city between mid-February and March, take 20 minutes one evening to walk Coventry Street slowly. Look up. Let the pace drop for a moment.
London doesn’t always slow down.
But here, for a short stretch of road, it kind of does.