If you’re looking forward to attending a carol concert in London this year, you will have plenty of choice. The incredibly popular services of lessons and carols at Westminster Abbey and St Paul’s Cathedral are already sold out, but you can visit one of the hundreds of other churches across the capital to hear wonderful music (often sung by professional or excellent amateur choirs) and familiar Bible readings. Or for carol concerts in London with a more secular feel, there are excellent programmes at the city’s many concert halls and smaller venues. To help make the decision a little easier, we have found some of the best carol concerts in London for an extra sprinkling of Christmas magic – be that the beauty of the building, the style of the music or the people (and four-legged friends) who will be joining you there.
Fear you might have left it too late to book, or fancy being a bit more spontaneous? Scroll to the end of this piece for a list of some great free, unticketed carol services and carol concerts for any last-minute Christmas plans.
Christmas Concert, Westminster Abbey
Where: Westminster Abbey, Dean's Yard, London SW1P 3PA
When: December 19, 7pm
Website: westminster-abbey.org/abbey-events/choral-and-music/2025/december/christmas-concert
Tickets for the Abbey’s popular services of lessons and carols are sold out, but there are still some unreserved spots left for their Christmas Concert on December 19. Wherever you are sitting, you will be able to soak up the magical atmosphere and hear the choir perform festive choral works, interspersed with much-loved carols and seasonal readings. The highlight of the programme will be Benjamin Britten’s famous Ceremony of Carols, sung by the Abbey Choristers and accompanied by harpist Elizabeth Green, which has to be one of the greatest Christmas choral works ever written – if you’ve not heard it live before, you’re in for a real treat.
Carol Services, Southwark Cathedral
Where: Southwark Cathedral, London Bridge, London SE1 9DA
When: December 21 and 22, 6pm
Website: cathedral.southwark.anglican.org/christmas/cathedral-carol-services
Free tickets for Southwark Cathedral’s carol services have just been released this week, so you should still be able to secure a couple if you act quickly. Held on two evenings in the final days before Christmas, these traditional services of lessons and carols will be filled with familiar carols and Bible readings, along with beautiful choral pieces sung by the Cathedral Great Choir. There is always something particularly special about making your way through the hustle and bustle of Borough Market to emerge into the stillness of this church. If you’ve never visited, or haven’t been in a while, Christmas is the perfect time to admire this lesser-known London cathedral.
Carols at the Royal Albert Hall
Where: Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AP
When: December 14-24, 11am, 3pm and 7.30pm (various according to the day)
Website: royalalberthall.com/tickets/events/2025/carols-at-the-royal-albert-hall
This event at the Royal Albert Hall has become something of an institution, and one every Londoner (and non-Londoner, for that matter) should have on their must-visit list. This year, there are no fewer than 15 performances on six days – one day has already completely sold out, so get those tickets bought ASAP – with three different time slots to choose from. The series will feature the Royal Choral Society, The National Youth Choir, the British Imperial Military Band and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, performing a mix of traditional and modern carols, so it is sure to be a musical triumph as well as a great deal of fun. And, yes, you will get to join in too.
A Christmas Celebration by Candlelight, St Martin-in-the-Fields
Where: St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 4JJ
When: December 20-23, 7.30pm
Website: stmartin-in-the-fields.org/calendar/a-christmas-celebration-by-candlelight-3
St Martin-in-the-Fields always has a stellar programme of musical events at this time of year, ranging from family-friendly concerts to calm, contemplative evenings. The Christmas Celebration by Candlelight, taking place on four consecutive nights, sees resident choir St Martin’s Voices join forces with St Martin’s Brass for rousing renditions of familiar carols. You can bask in the candlelit magic of the church while the choir sings, before joining in with the much-loved audience carols. If the sound of the brass band, the organ and a church full of happy singers doesn’t warm your heart, we don’t know what will. You can even pre-order your mulled wine and mince pie for the full festive experience. If you’re looking for a night of top-notch classical music, there might still be a few unreserved tickets available for Christmas with Tenebrae and the Monteverdi Choir’s performance of Handel’s Messiah at St Martin-in-the-Fields – both of which will be excellent.
Christmas Carol Concert, Old Royal Naval College
Where: Chapel of St Peter & St Paul, Old Royal Naval College, London SE10 9NN
When: December 1, 6 and 15, 2pm
Website: ornc.org/whats-on/christmas-carol-concert-in-the-chapel
The Old Royal Naval College in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Maritime Greenwich welcomes over 700,000 visitors every year – and with good reason. Its history is fascinating, its Baroque buildings are magnificent (another of Wren’s masterpieces) and it hosts many inspiring contemporary exhibitions. At the heart of the College is the Chapel of St Peter & St Paul, where the talented singers of Trinity Laban Choir will be performing three Christmas carol concerts in the first half of December. Once you have enjoyed their glorious music, you can explore the current art installation in the Painted Hall – Peter Walker’s Connection and Identity – as entry is included with the concert tickets. A day of varied cultural delights.
Sankta Lucia, Westminster Cathedral
Where: Westminster Cathedral, 42 Francis Street, London SW1P 1QW
When: December 5, 7pm
Website: svenskakyrkan.se/london/sankt-lucia
In Sweden, Christmas celebrations start on December 13 with Sankta Lucia day. A Christian feast day dating back to the 4th century, it commemorates Lucia of Syracuse, who is believed to have brought food to Christians hiding in Roman catacombs, lighting her way with a candlelit wreath on her head. Today, it has evolved into a magical festival of light, marked by candlelit processions led by a girl or young woman chosen to portray Sankta Lucia. The Ulrika Eleonora Swedish Church in London and its wonderful choir are bringing their traditional service of prayers and music to three cathedrals in the capital, including Westminster Cathedral in Victoria. As one of the most atmospheric church buildings in London – its ceiling like a vast dark sky – this is the perfect setting for a celebration of light emerging from the darkness.
A Winter Union, Kings Place
Where: Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9AG
When: December 12, 8pm
Website: kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/folk/a-winter-union-3
Originally formed a decade ago, A Winter Union is a British folk and roots supergroup of five musicians who come together during the festive period. They will be playing across the UK (see details of their full tour here) and their London gig is taking place at Kings Place in King’s Cross, in the same building as The Guardian offices. Jade Rhiannon, Katriona Gilmore, Jamie Roberts, Hannah Sanders and Ben Savage will be singing and playing the mandolin, fiddle, guitar, dulcimer, shruti box and dobro as they perform carols, wassails and winter songs both old and new. ‘We’ve long looked upon our December tour as a kind of month-long Christmas party,’ says Ben Savage, ‘There’s always such a brilliant feeling in the room at gigs around that time of year and we just feed on it.’ You’re sure to leave with the warmest of glows – and ready to book your tickets for the following year.
The Gesualdo Six, Sinfonia Smith Square
Where: Sinfonia Smith Square, London SW1P 3HA
When: December 17, 7pm
Website: sinfoniasmithsq.org.uk/event/veni-emanuel
For an inspiring and imaginative take on traditional sacred music, head to Smith Square Hall in Westminster to hear The Gesauldo Six’s Christmas concert titled Veni Emmanuel. This all-male group formed in 2014 for a performance of Gesualdo’s Tenebrae Responsories in Cambridge and has gone on to delight audiences around the world. Under the direction of talented composer and conductor Owain Park, they will sing a varied programme of choral works through the centuries, some in their original form and some cleverly reimagined, alongside recent compositions including Owain’s own setting of I wonder as I wander and Kerensa Briggs’ A Tender Shoot. There will be some familiar favourites, too, from Veni, Veni Emmanuel (which gives the concert its name) to John Rutter’s Wexford Carol.
The Kingdom Choir, Cadogan Hall
Where: Cadogan Hall, 5 Sloane Terrace, London SW1X 9DQ
When: December 8, 7.30pm
Website: cadoganhall.com/whats-on/the-kingdom-choir-a-kingdom-christmas-2025
If you heard the moving rendition of Stand By Me at the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in 2018, you will know just how brilliantly joyous The Kingdom Choir is. The British gospel ensemble have performed at famous venues worldwide, including the Royal Albert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl, and this December they are coming to London’s Chelsea for a special, one-off Christmas concert. ‘This will be a Christmas event like no other, as we infuse our unique style into well-known classics, along with a few surprises,’ says director Karen Gibson. Tickets are selling fast, so don’t waste any time booking yours.
Christmas Carol Singalong, Barbican
Where: Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS
When: December 20, 2pm and 5.15pm
Website: barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2025/event/christmas-carol-singalong
If you sit through every carol concert desperate to join in with your favourites, this one is for you. Led by West End star Louise Dearman – who made history as the first actor to have played both Glinda and Elphaba in Wicked – the London Concert Choir and the London Concert Orchestra, you will be able to sing your way through the classics. As you belt out everything from Winter Wonderland and Frosty the Snowman to Hark! The Herald Angels Sing and The Twelve Days of Christmas, among a packed crowd, you are sure to feel as jolly as can be. Go with a group of friends or take the whole family for an afternoon you’ll all be talking about until next Christmas.
Dickensian Carols, St Bartholomew the Great
Where: St Bartholomew the Great, West Smithfield, London EC1A 9DS
When: December 20, 3.30pm and 7pm
Website: greatstbarts.com/christmas-2025
Nothing says Christmas quite like A Christmas Carol with a generous helping of Christmas carols. This inspired service at London’s oldest parish church will combine readings from Dickens’ novella A Christmas Carol (and some of his other seasonal works) with the singing of carols from his time. The congregation, choir and clergy will even be joined by descendants of Charles Dickens, who will be taking part in some of the readings. What a truly special and memorable way to spend an afternoon or evening in the final run-up to Christmas. It is a free, unticketed event (but do arrive early to get a seat), and there will be mulled wine and mince pies served in the cloister after the service. As it’s such a beautiful church with such an excellent choir, you will doubtless be rushing back for the rest of their Christmas services.
Tails and Tidings, St Andrew’s Chelsea
Where: St Andrew’s Church, 43 Park Walk, London SW10 0AU
When: December 5, 7.30pm
Website: tickettailor.com/events/wildatheartfoundation/1830296
Dogs are certainly not just for Christmas, but at the Tails and Tidings carol concert they will be right in the midst of the festivities. Organised by and raising funds for well-known dog charity Wild at Heart Foundation, it is one of (if not the only) carol concert where canine companions are actively encouraged, and welcomed with delicious treats to keep them happy during the music and readings. Among the special human guests will be the Olympic Choir and actor Dame Maureen Lipman, who will be giving one of the readings. Tickets include refreshments after the service, along with the opportunity to browse gifts from the Wild at Heart Foundation collection.
Other free, unticketed carol services in London for last-minute plans
- All Soul’s, Langham Place, December 13-21
- Holy Trinity, Sloane Square, December 14
- Temple Church, December 14 and 15
- Christ Church, Chelsea, December 14
- St John’s, Notting Hill, December 14
- St Giles’ without Cripplegate, December 15
- The Grosvenor Chapel, December 16
- St Bride’s, Fleet Street, December 18
- The London Oratory, December 18
- All Saints, Margaret Street, December 21
- St Bartholomew the Great, December 21
- St Mary le Strand, December 21
- St James’s Piccadilly, December 21
- St Luke’s Chelsea, December 21
