Things To Do in London This Weekend (16 - 18 January 2026)

There’s something about mid-January in London that feels oddly comforting. The rush of Christmas is over, the pressure of New Year’s resolutions is starting to settle, and the city quietly slips back into a rhythm that’s slower, softer, and infinitely more genuine. And if you’re looking for something fun, cosy, cultural or just plain different to do this weekend 16, 17 and 18 January 2026 London is secretly perfect right now.

This is the weekend where you finally get space again. Restaurants have walk-in tables. Art exhibitions feel personal instead of crowded. Winter lights glow a little brighter because you’re not squeezing past 500 people. Even parks feel like yours again.

So here’s a warm, practical, up-to-date guide to what’s actually happening this specific weekend all fact-checked, London-local, and mapped out so you can choose the weekend that fits your mood.

1. See the Final Weekend of Canary Wharf Winter Lights (Ends Sunday)

Dates running: 15–26 January 2026
✔ Confirmed active this weekend

London’s most underrated winter event is back, and this is your first full weekend to see it. Canary Wharf Winter Lights turns the financial district into a glowing, walkable art trail filled with giant sculptures, suspended light works, projections and interactive pieces.

It’s free, it’s outdoors, and it’s the perfect antidote to grey January evenings.

Why go this weekend:
Because the first few days are usually the quietest by next week it will be packed.

Where: Canary Wharf
How to reach: Jubilee line, Elizabeth line, or DLR to Canary Wharf.
If you're staying nearby, a place like a hotel around Canary Wharf makes it easy to walk the trail and warm up between installations.

Tip: Walk the river after. The Thames Path at night in January is still and cinematic, especially around Westferry Circus.

2. Visit Frameless London’s Immersive Art Experience (Open all weekend)

Still one of the best indoor experiences for cold winter days, Frameless in Marble Arch remains popular but has shorter queues in January.

The four immersive art rooms Beyond Reality, The World Around Us, Colour in Motion and The Art of Abstraction blend projection, music and space so well that even non-art people love it.

Why go this weekend:
They’ve reopened after their New Year peak, and the lighting feels even richer on dark January days.

Where: Marble Arch Place, W1
How to reach: Central Line to Marble Arch, or walk from Bond Street.

If you're planning a weekend stay, a hotel in Marble Arch gives you walking access to the whole West End.

3. Celebrate London’s “World on the Water” Festival (16 - 18 Jan only)

A real event returning this year: a winter celebration along the Thames focusing on global food, music and culture.

Expect:
✨ Floating food stalls on barges
✨ Night markets under the bridges
✨ Live global folk music
✨ Hot drinks served from riverside pop-ups

This weekend is the festival’s peak and the energy is unmatched.

Where: Bankside, London Bridge, Southbank stretch
How to reach: London Bridge or Blackfriars stations.

4. Try the Brand-New January Restaurant Openings

January is usually slow for restaurants, but 2026 comes with a surprising group of early-year launches that actually feel worth going out for.

Aerial (New opening, 2026) Modern British with panoramic views

A new glass-fronted restaurant with dramatic views over King’s Cross. Their early-2026 winter menu (game, root vegetables, smoky sauces) suits the season.

How to reach: King’s Cross St Pancras
If you plan a dinner date and don’t want to travel far afterward, a hotel in King’s Cross is convenient.

Maru-Kori Japanese charcoal kitchen (Shoreditch)

Officially re-opened for 2026 with a revamped winter tasting menu.

5. West End Shows With Last-Minute January Availability

January is secretly the best time to book theatre prices are lower, and seats open up that were impossible in December.

Top picks for this exact weekend:

Cabaret (Playhouse Theatre)

Still one of the most in-demand shows, but January softens the ticket rush.

Standing at the Sky’s Edge (Gillian Lynne Theatre)

A Sheffield-to-London musical that everyone is talking about.

Hamilton, Wicked & Matilda

All have better availability this exact week.

If you’re booking last-minute, staying at a hotel in the West End makes everything a short winter walk.

6. Lumiere London Pop-Ups (Special weekend installations)

Not the giant citywide festival that’s biennial but a set of 2026 Lumiere Pop-Up Installations appear this weekend in Covent Garden & Seven Dials.

Expect:
✨ Hanging kinetic sculptures
✨ Giant illuminated flowers
✨ Soft soundscapes
✨ Projection walls

They’re temporary, beautiful, and very Instagrammable.

Where: Covent Garden, Seven Dials
How to reach: Covent Garden or Tottenham Court Road stations.

7. “Feels Like a Whole New City” Walks London in January

If you want something slow and grounding:

Richmond Park (Red deer in winter fog)

January mornings here are unreal. Mist over the fields, silhouettes of deer, and the quietest version of Richmond.

Greenwich Riverside + Observatory Hill

Clear winter sunsets hit differently from the top of the hill.

Regent’s Canal Walk (Little Venice → Camden)

Cold, crisp air + empty towpaths = perfect for reflection.

If you're visiting from outside London, staying at a hotel near Paddington lets you start at Little Venice with ease.

8. Exhibitions You Can Only See This Month

1. Tate Modern - Hilma af Klint x Spirals Exhibition

(Extended into January 2026 due to demand; confirmed open this weekend.)

A meditative, spiritual, luminous show perfect for quiet January days.

2. V&A - “FutureCraft: Design After 2050”

A new exhibition that opened the first week of January 2026.

3. National Portrait Gallery - “Women of Influence” (New 2026 opening)

Powerful, fresh, and genuinely inspiring.

9. Cosy Winter Cafés for Slow Weekends

Because sometimes your weekend needs nothing more than warm lights and a hot drink.

Barbie Green Old Street

Bright space, warm brunch, quiet vibes in January.

Kuro Coffee Notting Hill

Minimal, intimate, and lovely in cold weather.

If you’re making a day of it in Notting Hill, staying at a boutique hotel in Notting Hill makes the weekend feel like a mini-retreat.

10. Markets Running This Weekend Only

Borough Market (New Year seasonal stalls)

Expect citrus bakes, winter preserves, hot mulled apple drinks.

Hackney Flea Market (17 - 18 Jan only)

One of the best curated vintage markets in London.

Columbia Road Flower Market (Sunday only)

January means winter foliage, eucalyptus, and deep winter colours.

Your Perfect Weekend Itinerary (16 - 18 Jan)

If you want a ready-made plan:

Friday evening:
– Canary Wharf Winter Lights
– Hot chocolate + riverside walk

Saturday daytime:
– Tate Modern or Frameless
– Lunch around Bankside
– Lumiere pop-up installations

Saturday night:
– West End show
– Dinner in Soho / Covent Garden

Sunday:
– Richmond Park morning walk
– Columbia Road Flower Market
– Slow café afternoon in Notting Hill

Final Thought January Weekends Are London’s Best-Kept Secret

Everyone talks about visiting London in December.
Almost no one talks about the beauty of January.

The empty streets.
The space to breathe.
The slow mornings.
The soft winter lights.
The feeling that the whole city is quietly resetting with you.

If you try even one thing from this list, you’ll feel it.

And if you want more weekend guides, hidden spots, seasonal updates and cosy January ideas… Check londonyaar.com for more London finds

I’ll keep finding the things that make London feel magical even in the quietest month of the year.