UK - Christmas in London

Pantomimes,mince pies at Dickens' house, tropical Kew, Turkish Baths

Jul 23, 2007

Christmas in London is a real Yuletide treat. Theatre tickets easily available, no long line-ups for historic sites, special deals in restaurants, hot punch in the pubs.

Winter is a great time to visit London. The summer hordes have left, you don't have to queue at the leading tourist hot-spots, and it's easier to get tickets for the top shows. Plus lots of other treats in store for the winter visitor.

Christmas in London - Pantomimes

Christmas wouldn't be the same without that unique English tradition, the boisterous Christmas pantomime. It usually features a children's story such as Cinderella or Aladdin. A burly, gruff-voiced comedian plays the main female lead, the Dame, while a beautiful actress plays the male leading role, the Principal Boy. Meanwhile, lesser parts like the ugly sisters in Cinderella are played by a couple of heavyweight boxers or wrestlers. All very confusing but enjoyed by everyone from eight to eighty.

Christmas in London - A Glass of Punch with Charles Dickens

Have a Dickens of a time at 48 Doughty Street, WC1. The house where Dickens lived will be decorated as it would have been during his first Chrstmas here in 1837, with mince pies on hand, plus a glass of "Smoking Bishop" ,Dickens' favourite Christmas punch, and other entertainments.

Christmas in London - Traditional Afternoon Tea

Pamper yourself with afternoon tea at Brown's, London's oldest operating hotel at 33 Albemarle Street. A wide choice of fine teas plus sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam, and a variety of delicious sticky pastries and cakes are served in The Drawing Room, where deep arm chairs and an open fire make a fine retreat after a busy day's shopping.

Christmas in London - Warm up with a Turkish Bath

For something less fattening why not relax in the warmth and comfort of a Turkish or Russian Bath at the Porchester Centre on Queensway. The "Baths" opened in 1925 and are complete with original Art Deco tiling - but with all modern facilities.

Christmas in London - A Touch of the Tropics

No matter what time of year, the Palm House at Kew Gardens is always staggeringly beautiful. It contains every known variety of palm including the African Cycad which arrived at Kew in 1775. It's wonderful on a chilly winter's day to walk into the Palm House, be enveloped in the moist tropical heat and see bananas, rubber, cotton and coffee flourishing around you.

Christmas in London - Around Town

Have a pint beside the fire in one of London's finest pubs, The George, in Borough Street, near Southwark Cathedral. Built in 1676, it is the only remaining galleried pub in the capital. Dickens probably warmed his toes here - he describes it in Little Dorrit.

Enjoy the elegant shops and a great 'Xmas Lights' show on Regent Street - best seen from the top of a double-decker bus.

Christmas in London - Do's and Dont's

Do * tear yourself away from the West End and get some fresh air by taking a brisk walk on Hampstead Heath; almost a thousand acres of open woodland and meadows and only four miles from Piccadilly.

Don't * join the crush at Harrods for the January sales. There are bargains to be had but it's not for the faint-hearted. Better to stick to all the big department stores on Oxford Street.

The copyright of the article UK - Christmas in London in Historical Travel is owned by Cathy Smith. Permission to republish UK - Christmas in London in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.