London and Paris over Thanksgiving Break
 

My husband and I along with our two daughters (17 and 12) are going to London and Paris over Thanksgiving. I've done research and have planned out the main sites we'd like to see. My question is about the seasonal events happening in these cities. A friend recommended the Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park, so we are planning on attending. I'd appreciate any thoughts on Christmas markets/special events/light and window displays, etc. you would recommend attending/avoiding in London/Paris.

I would also appreciate recommendations on Indian and Italian restaurants in the two cities. Price range is not important, just looking for restaurants that may stick out in your memory. Thank you!

For restaurants, see my trip reports: https://www.fodors.com/community/sho....php?t=1659256 and https://www.fodors.com/community/sho....php?t=1672104

Isn't that actually Musee Foraine?
And Tayyabs has been collecting a lot of less than stellar reviews lately.

In London one of my favorite upscale Indian restaurants is Cafe Namaste near the Tower of London. It has been awhile since I have eaten there but it was yummy and I still have his cookbook which is really nice as well

https://www.cafespice.co.uk/

Oddly enough in Paris one of my favorite restaurants is Indian as well called Desi Road-very light inventive takes on modern Indian cuisine-it is near the Pont Neuf on Rue Dauphine in the 6th

Desi Road

In Paris my favorite "pizza street" is Rue des Canettes with both Positano and Chez Bartolo there. I find them easier to get into than the much more "hip" mamma group restaurants-but they are good too!

https://www.bigmammagroup.com/

Give Winter Wonderland a miss. If you want a skating in a beautiful decor, try Somerset House.
For Indian restaurants in Paris go to Rue du Faubourg St Denis, near Gare du Nord. The entire area is little India, and restaurants congregate there. They're all pretty good (the cuisine is that of Chennai)

Indian food in London: for me, Shoreditch is still good for this, and the area around Brick Lane is the focus, although it's fading a bit in this respect. There are also restaurants like Dishoom, with a "modern" take on Indian cuisine. In London, expect more Punjabi style cooking.

Not sure how long you are in London for i.e. if you have time for a short trip outside of central London, Hampton Court Palace ice rink opens today. Christmas at Kew Gardens is also open from today but the tickets are mostly sold out.

Ice skating in Paris at the rink outside the Hôtel de Ville.

<<For Indian restaurants in Paris go to Rue du Faubourg St Denis, near Gare du Nord. The entire area is little India, and restaurants congregate there. They're all pretty good (the cuisine is that of Chennai)>>

Absolutely - the whole area is packed with great Indian food!

I love Winter Wonderland. So cheesy and fun! Free music, lots of garish neon, grab a table in the "Bavarian Christmas market" to watch a band play hits from 80s while the teens run around the games and rides. I would just suggest to go some way that does not involve Green Park station as that station is complete and utter hell when Winter Wonderland is going on.

Free Tours by Foot runs a Christmas lights tour. The guide that does it (unless there is more than one guide) is Canis, and he is a very good guide. It would be a good way to see a lot of the lights in a short time period.
https://freetoursbyfoot.com/london-c...s-lights-tour/

It looks as though the skating rink at the Hotel de Ville may not be available this year, and most of the others will be later in December. But there will be one on the Galeries Lafayette roof terrace:

https://www.sortiraparis.com/actuali...ries-lafayette

London lights:
Regent and Jermyn Street angels are always impressive
Bond Street and shops nicely decorated...especially Ralph Lauren, Cartier and Vuitton. Just off Bond, Saville Row has a light display for the first year ever
Elizabeth Street in Belgravia...plus pretty shops
Oxford Street - brand new lights this year...looks interesting, will check out in December when I’m in town
Covent Garden...great tree and fun place to be around Christmas
Slingsby Place - just off Long Acre near Covent Garden towards Leicester Square...very nice lights, and your daughters will probably enjoy the stores around there, like “& other stories”
Sloane Square and up Sloane Street
These are the big ones, but there are lights all over and beautiful trees all over the place too...I always like the one outside the Connaught Hotel on Mount Street
Annabel's nightclub in Berkeley Square is always an impressively lite facade too

Christmas Trees and decor:
Check out the tree inside Liberty department store
Covent Garden and Connaught Hotel Mount Street
V&A usually does an interesting tree inside the lobby
Lower Regent Street tree outside the Sofitel Hotel by the Crimean War Memorial
Hotel lobbies like Claridges and the Berkeley. Very seasonal!
Fortnum and Mason for great windows and the circular staircase is usually impressive too
The Arcades: Burlington, Piccadilly and Royal...my favourite is the Royal Arcade

Skating Rinks:
Natural History Museum...great for insta pics too!
Somerset House...needs booking for time slot...but great to just walk around

Italian restaurants:
Camillo Benso in Mayfair...relatively well priced
Oliveto and other “olivo” restaurants in and around Belgravia
Caldesi on Marylebone Lane...just off a nice shopping street...with Christmas lights too!

Indian restaurants:
Jamavar on Mount Street...at the pricey end, but I had a fantastic tasting menu, with wine pairing...not easy to do with Indian food

Have a great time in London...I leave Dec 3rd for a week and will probably do much of what is listed above

The lights on the Champs Elysees are always spectacular. I'm sorry to hear they're not doing the skating rink at the Hotel de Ville- there was usually a snow slide set up there, too. I'm not sure why you'd want to eat Italian food in France. The girls should have moules frites at Chez Leon, and fondue in the Marais.

Thank you very much for all the great feedback. One follow-up question, if not the Winter Wonderland Christmas market in Hyde Park, is there another market you would recommend?

Just curious, what kind of London items can you buy at the London Christmas markets. I will have one evening to visit some nearby market, thus just thinking what can I buy for small gifts for grand kids.
Thanks for your help. Really enjoying reading about all the fun seasonal activities and the joy of the season.
Have a great weekend.

For the best London related gifts, I suggest that you stop in the Transport Museum shop in Covent Garden. The shop is right at the front and you don't need admission to the museum to shop there. All kinds of unique and high quality London gifts for all ages and budgets.

Preview: https://www.ltmuseumshop.co.uk/v

The markets mostly masquerade as German/Bavarian Christmas markets which explains what sorts of stuff they sell. You'll see fake snow, glühwein, pretzels, etc. As Marvelousemouse says, to get London-esque souvenirs you'll want to go to the gift shops at all the the various museums, the Tower, Covent Garden, the Royal Opera House, Westminster Abbey, Hampton Court, Windsor, etc etc.

Walkingaround, Marvelousmouse and Janisj, thanks for your input and advice. Glad I asked this question, as I am not interested in German or other European or maybe Made in China stuff. I am particularly interested in London items, thus makes sense to shop at the Museum stores or the other places all of you have mentioned.
Your help is so appreciated. I feel better when I ask the experts and become somewhat knowledgeable!
Well, have a great weekend, rest, relax and get ready for Thanksgiving in the US and also Christmas everywhere.

>>Well, have a great weekend, rest, relax and get ready for Thanksgiving in the US and also Christmas everywhere.<<

You too :)

(My Thanksgiving dinner will be served on a BA 747 en route from LAX to LHR)

Well, Janisj, good to know you will enjoy Thanksgiving dinner on your London bound flight.

Well, me too, I will be reaching Amsterdam on Thursday and then on to Estonia. Returning via London, thus stopping there for about 2 days.

Hope the weather cooperates as it seems it will be cold and rainy most of the days. Maybe snowy in Estonia.
But Christmas time is always fun with a bit of white stuff. I just hope I will find some fun-filled, unique little things for the grand kids.
I am truly Thankful for my Fodor friends.
Have a safe and pleasant trip and enjoy the holiday season in beautiful London.

I've only ever consumed food and drink from the big, busy markets (mainly South Bank each year) but, yes, the stalls at these kinds of things appear to be run by companies that do this sort of thing - i.e. set up all the stalls, hire a lot of temporary cheap labour, provide the food, drinks, trinkets, etc. Probably no surprise but they are not crafts-people or real 'food people'.

The ones like South Bank are big booze oriented money machines that attract huge crowds (still nice to visit for a drink). But there are many different fairs all over the place and the ones with handmade things will tend to be smaller and more out of the way. Here's a great list of London Christmas markets - just scroll past the big ones listed first and you'll see some interesting ones with all kinds of different themes. OP may not have time but others may find useful.

https://www.timeout.com/london/shopp...airs-in-london

Mouse--THANKS again for your help. Keeping notes, so I will be prepared wherever I end up going.
It should be fun just to see the festive mood, the people and what the world is offering and others are buying in the spirit of giving for the holidays.
Have a great weekend and stay warm.

Thank you all! I've been exploring some of the links and now I am even more excited for this trip! What a great time to be visiting these two amazing cities. This may be the start of a new tradition for our family...Thanksgiving break in Europe!

Happy travels! I would hope that those who have benefitted from this thread will report back upon return.

I always love London...but I have a particular fondness for it at this time of year...it always puts a smile on my face and in the spirit of Christmas...helps that I also get to see my brothers and family

Other Christmas markets in London:-

Scandinavian Christmas markets, too late for this year (unless you go today) but good to remember for next. There is usually a market in the Swedish Church in Harcourt Street, London, Norwegian Christmas market in St Olav's Street London, the Danish Christmas Market in NW3 and a Finnish Christmas market at the Finnish Church SE16. There are also Santa Lucia concerts held in various churches incl St Pauls on 13th December (again too late for this year as they are sold out). All that seems to be left is the Julbord (Christmas buffet) at the Swedish Church on 18 December.

I'm going to visit Maltby Street market as a change from Borough Market

Maltby St Market

Kingston Market is mentioned in the timeout link given above but it is the faux German type, it is still fun and Christmassy if not very authentic. Location is nice though, with several pubs and chain restaurants along the River Thames. It is a bit similar but smaller in scale to the one on South Bank. Better off going to Hampton Court Palace for ice skating and then to the gift shop outside a few doors down from the Mute Swan pub or a gift shop in Bridge Road, Hampton Court Village.

If you're going to Maltby Street Market between Christmas and New Years; check if it is open. I was there 2 years ago, and it was mostly closed.

For souvenirs, in addition to the museum stores that have been mentioned, check out this on Carnaby Street;
https://www.webuilt-thiscity.com/

If you happen to be in Notting Hill, Ceramica Blue on Blenheim Crescent have some nice London-themed stuff. And if you're there anyway, pop into books-for-cooks next door. Lovely store.

I'm always happy to learn but I don't believe Christmas markets as a Christmas leisure pastime have any real or significant history in England or English culture and many either have a faux 'traditional' Germanic or Scandinavian theme. Or have no theme (e.g. stalls in a church basement or school) or a modern day theme (sustainability, etc).

Therefore, I don't think anyone should bother to seek out 'authentic' English Christmas markets as they are a relatively recent feature on our landscape. I think that most of the larger markets in the UK have some level of nordic or germanic theme and in the cities, we see more and more pop up tents or temporary buildings that sell booze in a faux ski chalet type environment.

Since this thread is largely about different types of Christmas markets, I thought it was worth making that point.

I'll maybe be the first to say that Christmas markets of any kind, whether in Germany or Alsace or Italy or anywhere else strike me as the beginning of a Pinterest-like obsession with glittery baubles, Glühwein, cheap Asian trinkets, and those insipid apple crisps. Completely faux but oh so appealing to the furriners. Kind of like a cruise ship buffet on land.

I think in any city in europe there are more authentic Christmas celebrations than these garish markets (I do agree some in Germany are authentic and worth visiting - elsewhere, not so much)

I was responding to a post about the 'authenticity' of different markets in England. So completely relevant point to make in response to that post.

kmowatt: you have mail . . .