London is a great place to visit anytime of the year, but the holidays provide a special type of storybook magic that has people from all over the world flocking to. Whether you want to witness the beautiful city adorned in lights or take part in the elaborate festivities, there is something worthwhile for everyone.
Festive Afternoon Tea at Claridge’s:
For those who haven’t been to London, one of the things the Brits are best known for is their assortment of high tea experiences. After surveying best of best across the city, Claridge’s has earned the reputation of the best classic afternoon tea experience for those who have a penchant for traditional English aesthetics—the hotel opened in 1856. It is best to book a reservation early because spots will fill up quickly. Taking place from November 7, 2023 through January 2, 2024 the festive afternoon tea includes your tea of choice, along with an assortment of sandwiches, baked goods and desserts—the scones are my favorite!
Tea Recommendation: Claridge’s Blend
Price: £ 105-110
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland:
This experience is perfect for a girls night out, date night or family outing—and is absolutely magical! Over the past few years, it has doubled in size with more attractions, rides, shopping, and food stations. My favorite highlights from this year are the Magical Ice Kingdom’s ice sculpture slide and the Cadbury hot cocoa!
Price: Free admission when spending £25 per person on rides, games, and food.
Novikov Italian Restaurant:
Novikov is situated on the lively Berkeley street in Mayfair, and is a city hot spot. Once you enter it splits into three parts: Italian, Asian and the Lounge. For the holidays, I would definitely recommend the Italian side because the entire restaurant is decked out in festive décor and is absolutely beautiful.
Dish Recommendation: Dover Sole Meuniere —The sauce is fantastic! This restaurant is on the pricey side, but well worth it.
After dinner, be sure to pop downstairs to their lounge to experience artistry libations from their top tier mixologists.
Take a Stroll:
One of my absolute favorite things to do in London is take long walks around the city, and there is no better time of year to do that than over the holidays. Be sure to bundle up and grab a cup of hot cocoa to-go and take in all the beauty of the lights draped across the city.
Great places to walk with amazing architecture: Regent Street, Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Circus, Covent Garden, and the Strand.
If you are in the mood for something quaint and full of nature, Hampstead and Richmond are also picturesque options great for walking.
Dinning on Christmas Day:
A city of true diversity—London has some of the best international cuisine in the world from posh Michelin star restaurants to your quaint mom n’ pop eateries using generation old recipes. Since London has large Indian, Asian and Arab communities, Christmas day creates a great opportunity to step out of our comfort zones and try something new.
Across from Harrod’s department store is a Kuwaiti restaurant called Freej Swalieh that has the most magnificent Swalieh Kapsa. It is a lamb and rice dish where all the ingredients are made in one pot, which makes an immersion of flavors and the meat is unbelievably tender. This dish is the perfect comfort food, on any cold and rainy evening, and especially so over the holidays.
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