What to do in London this Sunday

[BeerGarden]

Hi! We are visiting London Sunday-Tuesday this week. We arrive in London at 2.30. We have the panto at The Palladium booked and have tickets for Kew Gardens so that’s Monday and Tuesday but I don’t want Sunday night to be us all just sitting in the hotel because it’s a Sunday and thing are closed. It will be me, DM and DS. Any ideas would be great thanks

Book a nice meal and then have a walk to look at the lights.

I've recommended Battersea Power Station elsewhere on MN so many times, but there really is so much to do, even on a Sunday!

Ice skating, loads of eateries, cinemas, lift up to the top of one of the iconic chimneys, Christmas lights, etc.

Events | Battersea Power Station

I would just have a walk along the Southbank and find some dinner.

Aquarium and London Eye. Xmas Market on the South Bank. Museums - British Museum, Foundling Museum, Natural History.
Covent Garden. Personally I wouldn’t recommend Battersea.

London is not closed on a Sunday night! (apart from the shops and maybe the museums).

Depending on where you're staying I would walk along the Southbank and head to Cov Garden for dinner.

Or hop on a London bus and find a route that takes in Knightsbridge, Oxford Street and Regents St and see the lights - then walk to Cov gdn.

Battersea Power Station is a nice shopping centre - not worth going on a Sunday night IME.

My go-to recommendation is this, if the weather isn't foul and you like walking.

Start at St Paul's, walk across the millennium bridge, see the Globe and Tate Modern (floor 10 has a fabulous viewing platform - free to enter), walk along the south bank, cross the river again via Waterloo bridge (which imo is the best bridge for the view) and go straight up to Covent Garden.
You'll see lots of sights and lights and on a crisp pre-Christmas day should be really lovely

Where are you staying? How old is your DS? Do you need to drop off first or is 2.30 after you're settled in?

This sounds a great plan. It's very pretty up there at the moment. Plenty of festive atmosphere to soak up - makes little difference if it's a Sunday.

Walk down the Southbank, pop in the Tate, browse Borough market, find somewhere nice for dinner. Everywhere is open

If it’s bad weather, see a re run Christmas film at the Prince Charles cinema on Leicester Square (or in fact any film on one of the giant Leicester Square screens)

How old is the DS, how mobile is the DM?

Obviously depends where your stay, but London is beautiful right now!

Get the tube to Bond Street, see the lights on Oxford st, walk down South Molton street, to New Bond Street (more lovely lights and shop fronts), at Grosvenor square, they have the Ever After Garden, which is amazing. Walk towards Regents street, then to Carnaby street then through to Leicester Square Christmas market. If you still have energy, walk down to Covent Garden, the tree there is huge and it snows!

Alternatively, there are Christmas markets all along the southbank, then another near Tower Bridge.

Winter Wonderland is open, but you'll need to book.

Sorry missed out key details in the op!

DS is 10, DM is only in her fifties so walking is no problem. We are staying at Victoria. We will go and drop out bags off at the hotel/check in then head out so should be out of the hotel for 3.30

Thanks for all of your ideas so far!

Ps I did look at Winter Wonderland and it looked absolutely heaving. I don’t mind going down if DS would like it but he doesn’t deal well with places that are really, really busy so not sure we’d really enjoy it

I personally wouldn't bother with winter wonderland. I'd do one of the walks above to look at the lights. Maybe stop and have a look in Hamleys window if your DS can bear not getting something.
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There are ice rinks around too if you fancied one https://www.timeout.com/london/things-to-do/ice-skating-in-london.

World's your oyster really. Things won't be closed.

4:30 pm Christmas show at the Royal Albert Hall then dinner at one of the restaurants beside South Kensington station.

https://www.royalalberthall.com/tickets/events/2023/my-christmas-orchestral-adventure/

thanks again for all of your amazing ideas!

My loose plan so far is-

Sunday- Leicester Square for obligatory trip to m&m store (we very rarely eat m&m’s yet have spent hours/a fortune in this shop and the ones in New York and Las Vegas 😅😅) and the Lego shop. Then into the Leicester Square Christmas market then finish off with Muppets Christmas Carol at the Prince Charles Cinema

Monday- up and out for breakfast. Head towards the south bank and mooch there, cross the bridge to St Pauls then back over. Go up the Tate Modern for the view. We have Kew Gardens booked for 16.40 so will need to leave for that about 15.30 to get the underground

Tuesday- Breakfast then head over to Covent Garden, go to liberties, carnaby street etc. watch the panto then grab some tea, head back to the hotel to get our stuff then to the train station

how does that sound?

Can anyone recommend a decent pub lunch? My mum really wanted to go for afternoon Tea but all the ones I’ve seen are £60/£70!

Sunday you can walk through Green Park up to Picadilly then onto Leicester Square, you will pass Buckingham Palace. Wowcher have afternoon tea offers, Patisserie Valerie are everywhere. I would see if there are any marches or protests planned too,

Book a Christmas Lights tour on an open topped bus