Solo London

[Soduku1234]

I have a weekend in London by myself in a couple of weeks. I haven't been in a few years. I'd love to spend the time trying to get in the Christmas spirit as I've been pretty low recently.

Any ideas?
Is Winter Wonderland any good for an adult by themselves?

And if not winter wonderland are there other Xmas in markets you'd recommend or other Xmas things to see/do?

Get a bus along Oxford Street/Regent Street to see the lights (ride upstairs)
Selfridge's windows used to be worth seeing, but I haven't seen them for some years
See if there's Carol singing in Traf. Square.
There's a Christmas market along the South Bank to Tower Bridge, but it gets very busy, so if you don't like crowds it might not be for you.

Just walk around, enjoy the atmosphere and being able to please yourself about what you do and when you do it.

It is a few years since I've been but I used to enjoy a stroll through the festive market on the South Bank. I also love the shop windows and have heard good things about Selfridges this year. So much easier to see when not trying to keep track of other people!

I don't know if you are a theatre person (or if you'd be able to get a ticket) but The Play That Goes Wrong is hilarious and lifted my spirits a lot.

Thank you.

Any other recommendations?

There is a festive gingerbread display at Somerset House. I’ve not been this year but it has been great in the past. Bond St great for lights and then Fortnum & Mason for browsing (though it gets v busy at this time of year). I’d head to Borough Market (early; it will be rammed!) and find a central church with carols - try St James on Piccadilly.

https://www.dennissevershouse.co.uk/calendar?start=2025-12-13

Go ice skating. Go to a show.

A drink at sky garden!

Pop into St. Martin in the Fields if there's rehearsing or carols going on. The acoustics are wonderful.

Covent Garden.
Borough Market.

I've gone off Winter Wonderland. Too much beer drinking with no warming atmosphere.

London heaving at the moment around Piccadilly, Regents St and Fortnums. So go early or visit the lights late!

Winter wonderland horrific (in my opinion). Heaving with people, cold, expensive and charmless. I would go and potter around Hampstead’s Village, Camden Passage in Islington or the shops in Marylebone High Street. Streets around 7 Dials near Covent Garden have real charm also (avoid Covent Garden itself unless you like crowds!)

And you have all the museums and art galleries of course - but again go early or go late otherwise you will be shuffling around in big crowds…

(realise I sound obsessed with crowds 😂 but I work in the centre of London and this time of year is a bit “extra” as they say!)

I don't think you can overstate the crowds, its unbelievable.

I went last year to see the Regent Street area lights and it was beyond rammed.

I also went on Saturday to see a matinee at Leicester Square and a general wander around and on the way back they were making people queue to enter the tube station due to overcrowding so I missed my booked train back up north by about a minute or two despite pushing my way through the crowds as much as I dare and belting it up all the escalators and through Kings Cross. So I had to buy another ticket:-(

Theres a market in Leicester Square too. The stalls are a little bit tacky imo, but you can definitely get into the christmas spirit by grabbing a mulled wine or cider and having a wander. Sometimes the buskers around there and in Covent Garden are really good too

Thank you everyone.