Curator’s statement
London is a special place during the holidays! A beautiful variety of holiday lights all over the city, department stores and shops decorated to the max, Christmas markets, high tea, and mince pies—there is nothing like it to get you into the holiday spirit.
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My BFF and I made a short visit to London in late November with a mission: We wanted to enjoy afternoon tea in a variety of places, while exploring the shops and seeing the holiday lights. While this “mission” might sound a bit silly, it gave us focus for our brief visit, and kept us from being overwhelmed with all the options available to us.
Christmas lights
Afternoon or high tea is much more than simply drinking tea; during our visit, it was our main meal of the day due to the generous amount of food typically served. Along with a wide variety of tea, you can expect scones, clotted cream, jam and lemon curd, small sandwiches, and delicious pastries. The menu often included a glass of champagne.
Tea at the Savoy
Afternoon tea at the opulent Cafe Royal Grill was simply over the top; the grill is filled with gilt and mirrors. Tea at the Savoy was delicious, refined, and relaxed. Visiting Fortnum and Mason gave us the chance to not only take tea in their Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon, but also to enjoy shopping in their remarkable store. The icing on our proverbial tea cake was Maison Assouline, where we were surrounded by beautiful books and antiques as we sipped our tea.
Liberty
Cafe Royal
Before and after tea, we visited shops! Each retailer seemed to be trying to outdo the next; holiday decorations are lavish and breathtaking, often made with fruits and flowers, and are a sight to behold. We visited Harrod’s, Hambleys, Liberty, Selfridges, and many small specialty shops. Each evening, we walked around the city and marveled at the holiday lights floating above the streets of the shopping districts. We also made time to visit Christmas in Leicester Square, one of the many outdoor Christmas markets in the city.
Fortnum and Mason
More Christmas lights
Our four days in London were packed full of memories that will last a lifetime!
Need to know
Our trip was planned very close to the time of our visit, and a few places that we wanted to go for tea were already booked. I recommend that you make reservations for holiday tea at least 60 to 90 days in advance. Holiday light displays are generally switched on in early to mid-November, and remain until January 5 or 6.
For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our London page.
Travel Advisor
Marjorie Dufek
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