KayF

Hi, thought I'd share this website

http://www.londontown.com/London/Chr...n_London_2006/

with you all. Have just been checking out what is on at that time of year and there are heaps of good ideas for the Christmas and New Year period. We have used this site a few times to book hotels and found them very good to deal with.

Hope this helps someone with their planning.
Kay

Carrybean

Thanks, Kay!

alanRow

http://www.visitlondon.com/whats_on/...mas/index.html

KayF

Great website Alan.

Does anyone know of a listing of free events on in London over Christmas. Some of the events on the Visit London site like concerts look great but are a bit expensive.

Thanks
Kay

sandykins

Kay, I've been looking for free events on Christmas Day in London. So far I've come up with only the Peter Pan Cup swim race in the Serpentine in Hyde Park at 9:00 am:

http://www.serpentineswimmingclub.co...s_day_race.htm.

This actually sounds like fun. The problem with this and other free events on Christmas day is that unless you can walk to it, the cost of a taxi or hired car to take you there means the activity won't exactly be free!

SusieR

Sandykins, is that because the tube is not running on Christmas Day? (I tried a search on the tfl site but couldn't find the info.)

Thanks

flanneruk

Offhand, I'd say the only free events ibn London on Christmas Day are church services (and after all, ecclesiastical choral music is what we do best, and shows London at its most diverse) and the extraordinary exhibition that London's empty streets make up on Christmas Day. It's simply the best day in hte year for walking.

Practically all public transport stops on Christmas Day (the only exception is usually some airport links)

A good source for free London is usually (though little will apply on Christmas Day) www.londonfreelist.com.

Remember that all these other "what's on in London over Christmas" sites - limited as they are usually to specifically seasonal things - miss out 99% of what's going on in the real world.

audere_est_facere

There's no public transport of any kind on Christmas day - and a limited service on Boxing Day.

W9London

Basically no tubes, buses, trains on Christmas day. This includes airport coaches and Stansted Express. I recall Heathrow Express and Gatwick Express were running--though this could be replacement buses. Eurostar should be running. There are limited-service special buses in central London. There are surcharges for taxis (and most likely you won't flag one on the street). Reduced services on Boxing Day.

Note the services may change from year to year. Transport for London usually post something toward the end of the year. Also I recall Red Ken waived congestion charges during Christmas and New Year last year.

SusieR

Thanks. In that case, does anyone know where I can park for a couple of hours (preferably for free!) near Trafalgar Square / Regent St / Piccadilly Circus on Christmas Day early evening ? We'll be driving from North Greenwich.

My parents and sister want to see the Christmas lights on Oxford Street and Regent Street and the tree in Trafalgar Square and I thought Christmas Day would be good as it will be quiet.

flanneruk

Waterloo Place, SW1 (continuation of Lower Regent St on the south side of Pall Mall) or St James' Square