A walk on the bright side: London's most festive streets are steeped in history

Do you like lights? Do you like Christmas? Do you like walking? Are you not easily put off by crowds of Londoners doing their Christmas shopping? Then have we got a walking route for you.

There is always plenty to see and do in central London, but at this time of year the city's Christmas lights elevate themselves above all.

Take an afternoon or an evening, grab a friend, and indulge in a stroll to see all the magnificent displays.

Start at Oxford Circus

Now there is no traffic, in theory it should be less busy than usual, however this is doubtful given Oxford Street’s reputation for high footfall, especially during the Christmas period.

It is worth venturing there, though, to gaze upon the street's famous Christmas lights (pictured above), which, this year, are Harry Potter-themed, courtesy of the HBO Max series about the boy wizard that will begin on Christmas Day.

They feature 5,000 twinkling stars and floating candles, as well as the four crests of the Hogwarts houses. Once you’ve had your fill of wizarding fun, dodge the masses of reluctant husbands being dragged to the big Ikea by their wives for cheap baubles and even cheaper Swedish meatballs and…

Head Down Regent Street

You should have the overstimulating duo of H&M behind you on your right and Ikea to the left. Practically impossible to miss — there is a gold glittering heart with ‘Regent Street’ scrawled across the centre — here you will find the iconic ‘Spirit of Christmas’ angel lights, complete with nets full of falling stars and giant pairs of angel wings.

Curiously, Regent Street was the very first London road to be lit up by Christmas lights in 1954. It is one of the most impressive displays in the capital and features 45 angels. After marvelling at said angels as you walk down the street, turn right after the Molton Brown shop and…

Continue down Maddox Street

Mayfair offers plenty of luxury shopping, contemporary-art galleries and fine-dining restaurants. If you’re getting peckish then Japanese hand-roll bar Temaki is definitely worth a stop in for lunch or dinner or, alternatively, their neighbour the Greek deli Ergon would be the perfect place for a coffee and a pastry to fuel up for the rest of your walk.

When you are sufficiently full, continue down the road. You’ll pass St George’s Hanover Square on your left. A fun fact: Hanover Square was built between 1716 and 1720 and was the first square laid out in the newly developing district of Mayfair. Named in honour of George I, its early residents were military generals and aristocrats.

When you eventually reach the Versace store, take a left and…

Head along New Bond Street

On which, 93,000 LED lights have once again been arranged into a dazzling display inspired by the Crown Jewels. Loewe also has a particularly fun Nightmare Before Christmas-themed display, featuring mountains of snow and candy cane street lamps decked in colourful Christmas lights.

Pass Sotheby's as well as Burberry, Gucci, Jimmy Choo, CHANEL and Ralph Lauren — who this year have put up a large Christmas tree covered in teddy bear baubles.

This is their ‘Giving Tree’, and they also one on Sloane Square. Visitors have the opportunity to make a donation to The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity and dedicate a personalised star ornament in honour of someone special.

Assuming you haven't quite had your caffeine fill yet, this is another good stop — Ralph Lauren has their own coffee shop just inside the door stores.

Alternatively, if you're happy to take a detour for something more substantial, it is a short walk to Dover Street Counter, which does an incredible tuna melt, or sister restaurant The Dover for cocktails or their really quite delicious burger...

Staying on New Bond Street

Hermès also has a Christmas window scene worth a look at: think Surrealist animatronic teapots and clocks with cutlery hands, in shades of purple and blue.

There is a subtle festive nod in the form of a sleigh on top of a weather vane.

Dior’s shop front, however, is the real standout: a larger-than-life display comprising a rocking horse, gigantic Nutcracker statues and colourful jesters. It really stands out from the crowd.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg — the best part of their display are the bee-like seamstresses, inside two moving dollhouses, working on last minute orders. It's a nod to the comparison that Christian Dior himself made between a beehive and his couture atelier at 30, Avenue Montaigne, in Paris, where seamstresses worked in a passionate and masterful swarm.

Once you’ve taken it all in, continue on Old Bond Street (weirdly, there is no street in London named just Bond Street) passing Cartier and Prada. When you reach the De Beers store…

Turn left onto Piccadilly

You will pass Burlington Arcade — where Birley Bakery's pop up Christmas shop is selling chocolate, Advent calendars, Christmas crackers and panettone — and the Royal Academy of Arts. The arcade was commissioned by Lord George Cavendish (1st Earl of Burlington) so that his wife and aristocratic families could shop safely — away from dirty streets and neighbours tossing oyster shells into the gardens of adjacent Burlington House.

Just before you turn right onto Duke Street St James's stop to marvel at Fortnum & Masons' window display. This year it features a slew of tiny mice making snowmen, playing chess, baking cookies and writing their Christmas cards while a fairy flits from scene to scene, sprinkling a bit of festive magic as she goes.

Why not pop in for a spot of afternoon tea or to stock up on stocking fillers while you're there?

Continue down Duke Street St James’s

If you haven’t just indulged in afternoon tea, this is the perfect time to stop for a martini at 45 Jermyn St, after which you should turn left down Jermyn St (assuming you can still stand) and pass Hackett — the suitmakers who have recently collaborated with Country Life on a new tweed — Floris, the oldest independent family-run perfumer in the UK and a favourite of Ian Fleming, and Princes Arcade on your left.

The latter has a wonderful display of Christmas lights and deep-red draped decorations. On your right is Paxton and Whitfield. Pick up a wheel for your festive cheeseboard and then continue past St James's Church, designed and built by Sir Christopher Wren, before going left at the Jermyn Street Theatre.

Head up Regent Street Saint James’s

Walk for a brief stint until you see The Criterion Theatre then cross the road straight ahead, leaving the theatre behind you on your right and take the first left, after the Underground entrance, onto the distinctive curve of Regent Street.

You’ll pass the Hotel Café Royal, another good afternoon tea spot, and Barbour. When you reach the (other) Burberry store, which has decorated its shop interior with a forest of illuminated Christmas trees, turn left down Vigo Street (which is named after the 1702 Battle of Vigo Bay).

Take a right onto Savile Row

Globally renowned as the birthplace and heartland of traditional men's bespoke tailoring, it is no surprise here that the Christmas lights appear in the form of tailor's scissors.

These shining shears light up the street which was built between 1731 and 1735 on the Burlington Estate and named after Lady Dorothy Savile, wife of the 3rd Earl of Burlington. The word 'bespoke' originated here. Once upon a time, you would've referred to the cloth for a suit being 'spoken for' by an individual customer.

Home of many great suit makers such as Hackett, Richard Anderson and Huntsman, at the end of this road turn right down New Burlington Street so that you come out on to John Nash's Regent Street again.

Walk right for a short while until it is possible to turn left at Massimo Dutti onto Beak Street. Then walk for a while, eventually taking the second left in order to….

Stroll down Carnaby Street

The home of total Christmas chaos, the lights on this street are themed ‘Press Play on Christmas’ and inspired by the colour, creativity and joy of the 1990s.

Our foodie recommendations include Bar Crispin for a glass of festive fizz and some small plates-style snacks, or Pastaio for a nice big plate of pasta.

Back on the walking route, continue straight until you hit Great Marlborough Street. Then turn left — the London Palladium should be on your right and Liberty London to your left (an excellent place to splurge on some last-minute Christmas decorations).

Continue straight until you hit Regent Street then turn right and before you know it you’ll be back at Oxford Circus.

Just like that, you will have seen all the best Christmas lights central London has to offer — and probably will be begging to sit in a dark room until Christmas 2027.

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