Free London at Christmas: a route where you won’t spend a penny
A free London sounds about as believable as “I’ll walk into IKEA and buy nothing”. This city is famous for its unique ability to slim down your bank account without your consent: step outside and immediately – hello coffee, a quick “on-the-go” bun, two coins to a street saxophonist playing “Hallelujah”, and a slice of pizza or a glass of wine you absolutely did not intend to have. Before you know it, your casual stroll has turned into a resilience test for your finances.
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But December, the very month when expenses snowball all on their own (despite there being no actual snow in London), gives us permission to rebel. Margarita Bagrova, publisher of Afisha.London, shares her route that proves you can spend an entire festive day in London, soak up the Christmas atmosphere, see the lights, music, windows, trees and people – and not spend a single penny. Well, almost not a single penny, unless you’re a cold and weak-willed person standing too close to a mulled-wine stall. Buckle up. Let’s go for a walk.
Lights and winter installations
London’s festive lights are a whole art form. From November onwards, the city glows as if trying to compensate for the lack of snow by adding more bulbs. And if you’re ready for a proper walk, follow the route we at Afisha.London recently published – I won’t repeat it here, but it truly covers the most elegant corners of festive London: charming side streets, shop windows that look hand-picked, and that December atmosphere where even the wind feels celebratory.
But even better, in my opinion, is to find a real fire. In winter many London pubs light their fireplaces, and instantly the whole place softens into a tiny fairy-tale nook scented with wood, warmth and that “I wish I lived here” feeling. And you don’t have to sit down, order food or settle in – simply stand by the bar, warm your face by the fire and feel like someone who knows how to enjoy life’s smallest winter pleasures.
The good news? Such pubs exist in every neighbourhood. A bit of attentiveness, a drop of luck – and the fireplace finds you.
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- Photo: Michael Cummins / Unsplash
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- Photo: David Parry/PA Media Assignments
Snoopy sculpture trail
Here’s something that genuinely unites children, teenagers, adults, cynics and romantics: free citywide quests. The Snoopy Trail features dozens of sculptures of everyone’s favourite philosopher-dog, each painted in its own unique way. Some Snoopy figures shimmer with glitter, others resemble English dandies, others look like cartoon characters who quietly slipped away on holiday.
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The best way to enjoy the trail is to invent your own mini-challenges: find the funniest Snoopy, the brightest Snoopy, the one that’s absolutely impossible not to photograph. Bring friends, kids – anyone with a sense of adventure. And if you suddenly feel like giving gifts, make them yourself: a drawing, a silly handmade card, a shiny chestnut picked on the way, a photo titled “us and the Snoopy who also got tired”.
A reminder: smiles, hugs and even kisses are still free.
A Christmas tree walk
Most people rush to Covent Garden. Yes, it’s beautiful, but in December entering that square feels like stepping willingly into a human whirlpool. I suggest a different tactic.
If you crave peace, space and a gentler festive mood, walk along the river.
The tree by City Hall at London Bridge City is stylish and bright, and most importantly – not surrounded by endless crowds. Leadenhall Market offers Victorian charm and festive calm: you can actually walk, not shuffle, while admiring the decorations.
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- Photo: Afisha.London
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- Photo: Afisha.London
For those who prefer classic glamour, visit the Royal Opera House foyer. The Christmas tree by Sir Paul Smith is the diva of the season. Entry is free, the atmosphere is stunning, and from the upper level you get a beautiful view of Covent Garden – friendlier from above than from inside the crowd. And yes, there are toilets, a true premium-class bonus in December London.
Hotel Christmas trees: free luxury
Not everyone feels comfortable entering a hotel they aren’t staying in. I understand the social awkwardness. But the good news: no one else knows you feel that way.
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- Photo: Afisha.London
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- Photo: Afisha.London
And the lobbies of London’s grand hotels host Christmas trees designed precisely for those who enjoy beauty but not hotel bills. Hotels have become slightly more alert after recent activist disruptions, so I count on your peaceful intentions.
Bright, sophisticated and free for your eyes – Brown’s, Claridge’s, the Savoy, the Ned, the Connaught, the Dorchester. You can simply walk in, inhale the scent of pine, luxury and a hint of snobbery – and walk back out into reality.
And of course, the nation’s main Christmas tree – the Norwegian gift in Trafalgar Square. It has arrived here every year since 1947, a long, warm tradition of friendship that nobody has cancelled.
Read also: Fortnum & Mason: how the queen’s footman created London’s legendary emporium
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- Photo: Afisha.London
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- Photo: Afisha.London
Bookshops: free entry, dangerous temptations
In December, bookshops become irresistible sanctuaries – warm, inspiring, atmospheric – and yes, financially risky. But I believe in your willpower.
Waterstones Piccadilly has five floors of books and immaculate tables that scream “take me home”. Foyles on Charing Cross Road gives you six floors, a cosy café, the scent of cinnamon and rotating exhibitions every three months. You can sit, leaf through a book, people-watch and feel like a character in a London film.
If your hand starts creeping towards your wallet – simply walk up the escalator and don’t look back.
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Somerset house: ice skating without the skating
It is a special joy to visit an ice rink without actually skating. Sit off to the side (no bruises tomorrow), watch the skaters glide – or desperately fight to stay upright. It’s a free theatre of human nature: falls, laughter, unexpected pirouettes from those who swear they can’t skate at all. And the courtyard Christmas tree is always magnificent.
Фото: Owen Harvey / Somerset House
Music that finds you
December London has its own soundtrack. Every evening Trafalgar Square hosts carol singing. St Paul’s Cathedral offers several free festive services, queue permitting.
Along Southbank musicians perform like they’re rehearsing a private concert just for you. These are the moments when the city becomes generous – and all you need to do is stop and listen.
Christmas markets: walk, don’t spend
I’ll be honest: London’s Christmas markets are going through a mass-production phase. Chinese-made trinkets dominate, true artisan stalls are rare, prices rise heroically.
But wandering through them still brings that unmistakable festive feeling: the smell of food, warm lights, the gentle hum of a crowd that, if you don’t listen too closely, sounds delightfully cosy.
Festive windows: go early, resist everything
If you want to see London’s finest Christmas windows, go early in the morning.
Fortnum & Mason becomes a giant advent calendar. Marylebone High Street glows with soft, elegant charm. The arcades near Piccadilly shine with golden decorations that could convince anyone to attempt buying a new life.
Read also: Harrods rewrites its own story: the end of the Al-Fayed era
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- Photo: Afisha.London
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- Photo: Afisha.London
Parks: winter London without snow
December parks are the perfect antidote to the city centre. Greenwich Park offers misty Scandinavian views of Canary Wharf. Hyde Park is peaceful and vast – as long as you avoid Winter Wonderland. Hampstead Heath sunsets make you want to become a photographer. Battersea Park gently reminds you that London does indeed have a soul: green, quiet and tender.
My personal hack
Get on the upper deck of bus number 9 right by the Royal Albert Hall (or even better, from Hammersmith) and ride toward Oxford Street. From above, London opens up like a gentle theatre set: Winter Wonderland glowing in Hyde Park, Harrods sparkling, festive lights stretching endlessly.
It’s the perfect way to feel like the protagonist of a Christmas film heading into adventure – without spending a penny. And yes, it is uplifting.
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- Photo: Afisha.London
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- Photo: Afisha.London
What to avoid
Harrods Food Hall in December is a boiling sea of people: tourists, gourmets, wanderers and those who simply wanted to buy olive oil – all moving in the same direction because retreat is impossible. Even if you enjoy crowds, go only at opening time, when you still have a chance to admire the Egyptian escalator.
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Oxford and Regent Streets at peak hours are a living soup of humans. If you value your coat, bag and personal space – pick another route or another universe. Hamleys is wonderful, but definitely not in December. And the pickpockets there are faster than Santa.
And just like that, we end up with a truly free London route – one where you can genuinely save money and still enjoy one of the most magical days of December. The only thing I do recommend bringing is a little cash for street musicians, homeless people, and anyone who might ask for help along the way. Yes, you won’t be buying anything for yourself, but you’ll be giving something far more meaningful to those who need it most – and enriching yourself in the process.
Everything else – the smiles, the laughter, the lights, the joy – remains completely free.
And the people you love walking beside you are priceless.
Happy holidays!
Margarita Bagrova, publisher of Afisha.London
Cover photo: Afisha.London
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