Top 25 Places That ONLY Look This Beautiful in December (Lights, Fog, Frost, Decorations)
December gives London a particular face glitter on classic facades, fog pooling in narrow lanes, frosted trees in royal parks and markets lit like little alpine villages. If you want the photogenic, quietly dramatic side of the city, these are the 25 places that feel utterly different in winter. I’ve included how to reach each one, so you can stitch them into a single day or a gentle two-day loop.
1. Oxford Street a sky full of stars above the shoppers
Why it’s special: the famous “Sky Full of Stars” canopy and department-store windows shine all month.
How to reach: Oxford Circus Tube (Central/Victoria/Bakerloo).
2. Regent Street angels, crowds and old-world glamour
Why: historic illuminated angels and sweeping arcs of light make the architecture glow.
How to reach: Piccadilly Circus or Oxford Circus.
3. Carnaby Street indie lights & themed installations
Why: creative, changing installations and small boutiques mean unusual, colourful displays.
How to reach: Carnaby / Oxford Circus (short walk from Oxford Circus).
4. Covent Garden Piazza the market bells, lights and performers
Why: strings of lights, a large decorative tree and endless street performers; it feels like a theatre set.
How to reach: Covent Garden Tube (Piccadilly).
5. Trafalgar Square the Oslo spruce & carol singalongs
Why: the gifted Trafalgar Tree and evening carols create a civic, old-fashioned moment.
How to reach: Charing Cross or Embankment. (Look for choir schedules in early December.)
6. Southbank Winter Market & Riverside lights beside the Thames
Why: fairy-lit chalets and the river’s reflections make for classic London winter photos.
How to reach: Waterloo Tube; walk the Queen’s Walk from Westminster.
7. London Eye at dusk glass capsules and a city panorama
Why: golden-hour rotations turn the skyline into a slow-moving light show.
How to reach: Waterloo station or walking from Westminster.
8. Somerset House ice rink courtyard frost & candlelit warmth
Why: the grand courtyard looks cinematic with skaters and lights. Book skate slots early.
How to reach: Temple / Covent Garden Tube.
9. Leicester Square market + new seasonal rink (2025)
Why: the compact market and small rink make December here feel festival-like.
How to reach: Leicester Square Tube.
10. Hyde Park Winter Wonderland Carnival lights and evening glow
Why: huge, immersive festive décor a full-on winter playground. Book timed-entry.
How to reach: Marble Arch Tube; follow signs into Hyde Park.
11. Kew Gardens the ticketed light trail that feels enchanted
Why: massive light installations between glasshouses and trees that reflect on water make Kew uniquely atmospheric.
How to reach: Kew Gardens (District / Overground); timed-entry tickets required.
12. Tower Bridge at night arches lit, fog on the Thames
Why: the bridge’s gothic profile and nighttime lighting feel cinematic in cold weather.
How to reach: Tower Hill Tube; stroll from London Bridge station.
13. Tower of London battlements in soft floodlight, frost on the moat
Why: the fortified walls and Crown Jewels interior contrast with crisp winter air outside.
How to reach: Tower Hill Tube.
14. Borough Market at dusk warm lights and steam from food stalls
Why: food steam, fairy lights and riverside walks make evening market visits cozy.
How to reach: London Bridge Tube (walk across the river afterwards for skyline shots).
15. London Bridge City / Christmas by the River riverside chalets under the bridge
Why: the clustered lights beneath the bridge create great reflections and a quieter market alternative.
How to reach: London Bridge station.
16. Coal Drops Yard (King’s Cross) industrial arches, warm market stalls
Why: string lights and industrial brick form a lovely contrast when frost appears on the rails.
How to reach: King’s Cross St Pancras (short walk).
17. King’s Cross Granary Square & Canal heaters, fairy lights and frost-lined steps
Why: the canal edge and fountains feel unexpectedly tranquil and photogenic in winter dawn.
How to reach: King’s Cross.
18. Notting Hill & Westbourne Grove decorated terraces & creative shopfronts
Why: pastel houses and lit-up terraces look storybook in crisp December light.
How to reach: Notting Hill Gate Tube.
19. Burlington Arcade & Bond Street jewel-box windows and tiny trees
Why: intimate luxury decorations and shopfront windows with delicate sparkle.
How to reach: Bond Street Tube.
20. St Paul’s Cathedral & Paternoster Square dome silhouettes in low light
Why: the dome and nearby cobbles catch the last light; morning frost here looks painterly.
How to reach: St Paul’s Tube.
21. Postman’s Park the Memorial to Heroic Self-Sacrifice in a quiet frost
Why: a small, atmospheric square with delicate ceramic plaques that feel unbearably poignant in December hush.
How to reach: St Paul’s / walking from Barbican.
22. Primrose Hill at dawn snow/frost and skyline silhouettes
Why: low winter sun over the city makes this view especially crisp and cold perfect for fog or frost mornings.
How to reach: Chalk Farm / walk from Camden Town.
23. Hampstead Heath (Parliament Hill) frost, bare trees, and big skies
Why: open views with frosted grass and big skies make for striking December mornings.
How to reach: Hampstead Heath / Hampstead stations.
24. Greenwich Market & Cutty Sark by twilight maritime chill and lantern glow
Why: seafaring air, market lights and the historic ship make for a distinctive winter scene.
How to reach: Cutty Sark DLR or Greenwich mainline.
25. The Shard viewing platforms / Sky Garden at dusk city lights from above
Why: London’s lights look best when you see them from high up in December the cold clear air sharpens the skyline.
How to reach: London Bridge for The Shard; Monument / Tower Hill or Bank for Sky Garden (book ahead).
Quick local tips so you actually enjoy the light-hunting
Start late afternoon and time your visits so you catch dusk → golden hour → night.
Weekday evenings are quieter than weekends.
Layer up gloves, hat, and a warm drink will make all the difference.
Book ticketed experiences (Kew, Winter Wonderland, Somerset House) in advance.
If you’d like a central base to pop back to between stops, consider staying in the West End it keeps the river walk, markets and lights within easy reach and lets you warm up in the middle of a long December evening. Try booking a cosy room at any HOTEL.
Final thought December is a mood, not a checklist
The city’s architecture, light fittings and markets wear December differently: sometimes it’s fog and quiet streets, sometimes brass bands and crowds. The best plan is to pick a few places from this list that sit near each other, wander slowly, and leave time for a hot chocolate and a pub stop. The small moments mist on the Thames, a choir on a square, frost on a church rail are what make London feel like a seasonal movie set.
For daily crowd tips, last-minute pop-up discoveries, and the best time to photograph each spot, follow @london.yaar think of it as the friendly local who texts you when the fog’s perfect and the lights are at their best.