A free Christmas lights walk through London’s West End (2026 route)

You don’t need a bus tour to see London’s Christmas lights. This free walk takes in the best of the West End in about an hour and a half, and it’s at its best from mid-November, once all the main displays are on.

When to go

Covent Garden switches on on 12 November, the last of the big ones on this route, so any evening after that works. It’s dark by about 4.30pm, and weekday evenings are much calmer than Saturdays. All the dates are in our London Christmas lights 2026 guide.

The route

1. Marylebone High Street

Start at Baker Street or Bond Street station and walk down Marylebone High Street, which switches on on 11 November. It’s the quietest stretch, a gentle start.

2. Oxford Circus and Regent Street

Head down to Oxford Circus and turn onto Regent Street, where the Spirit of Christmas angels hang over the road. Walk the curve down towards Piccadilly Circus. This is the classic photo.

3. Carnaby

Cut left into Carnaby Street, the first lights to switch on in London this year, and wander the side streets around it.

4. St James’s

Back across Regent Street and down to St James’s, whose lights switch on with Regent Street on 5 November.

5. Leicester Square

Walk east to Leicester Square for the Christmas market and ice rink, both open from 31 October.

6. Covent Garden

Finish at Covent Garden, with its giant tree on the piazza and more than 300,000 lights on the Market Building. Covent Garden and Leicester Square stations are both close by for the way home.

Tips

• Wear comfortable shoes. It’s about 3km, mostly flat
• Do the route on a weekday evening if you can
• Stop for something warm at the Leicester Square market
• Oxford Street hasn’t confirmed its switch-on date yet, but if it’s on, it’s a short detour from Oxford Circus

Frequently asked questions

What is the best route to see the Christmas lights in London?

Marylebone High Street, Regent Street, Carnaby, St James’s, Leicester Square and Covent Garden, in that order. It takes about an hour and a half on foot.

Are the London Christmas lights free?

Yes. Walking the streets to see them is free.

When are all the London Christmas lights on?

From 12 November, when Covent Garden switches on, the main West End displays are all lit.

Sources

• London Lately: London Christmas lights 2026 (with official sources)
• Londonist: Christmas in London 2026 dates

Last checked: 27 October 2026. Image: Robert Lamb, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Geograph / Wikimedia Commons.