Kew’s winter trail is a familiar highlight of the season, and this year brings a fresh set of installations by international artists. The route leads through the gardens’ main avenues and around the lakes and glasshouses, with colour and light changing as each section unfolds. Hot drinks, sweet treats and warm dishes are available from stalls along the way, and the Pavilion Bar & Grill is open for walk-ins with a simple festive menu. The event has an easy, welcoming atmosphere and remains one of the most enjoyable ways to spend a winter evening outdoors.
14 November 2025 to 4 January 2026, 4.20pm to 10pm (last entry varies). From £27.50 for non-members in off-peak times, kew.org
This new event at the Royal Hospital Chelsea brings together an illuminated 1.5 kilometre trail and a lively winter village set within the historic grounds. The walk features large artworks, interactive elements and soundscapes that shift from one area to the next. The village is free to enter and offers food stalls, bars, small rides and a market for independent makers, along with fire pits and covered spaces to sit. Regular live performances add to the atmosphere, and curling lanes introduce a lighthearted alpine touch. It is a relaxed, spacious addition to London’s festive line up.
26 November to 28 December, from £23.95 for an adult at off-peak times, chelsea-pensioners.co.uk
Perched at the top of Hampstead Heath in north London, Kenwood House is a magical place to visit at any time of year, but the Neverland Christmas trail, themed around JM Barrie’s Peter Pan, makes it a must this winter. The journey starts in London, where you’ll encounter the lights of the city skyline and an imagining of the Darlings’ home in Kensington. Then it’s off to Neverland to enter the fantastical world of the Lost Boys and end up at Captain Hook’s pirate ship. There’s plenty of festive food and drink along the way, so it’s sure to be a magical night out for all the family.
21 Nov 2025 - 3 Jan 2026, 4.30pm - 9.30pm, £28 for adults, £18 for children, book at english-heritage.org.uk
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London has a huge variety of public Christmas light trails that you can experience simply by walking through them, and while the classic Regent Street lights are always worth a look, the South Bank has a much more interesting offering. Set up by the Southbank Centre, a brilliant hub for culture in the capital, this ‘trail’ comes in the form of a series of outdoor artworks along the embankment – objects of beauty that also have things to say about issues such as identity, technology, and the environment.
14 Nov 2025 – 18 Jan 2026, open 24 hours, free – no ticket required, southbankcentre.co.uk
If you’re an animal lover, or if you have small children who love a visit to the local farm, you won’t want to miss this most charming and unusual of Christmas light trails. Following its successful debut last Christmas, Vauxhall City Farm will be switching on its display on Saturday November 29 at 4pm (with rumours of a special guest appearance) ahead of a month of special Farm Lates. The animals, among whom are alpacas, goats, pigs, sheep and even resident farm cat Jess, will be up past their bedtime to welcome visitors as they wander through the magical trail and enjoy warming drinks and hot food. Other special festive events at Vauxhall City Farm include Santa’s Grotto, a wreath-making workshop and a children’s craft session.
November 30 – December 21, from 3pm onwards (closing times will vary), £5 for adults, free entry for children (the switch-on event is free but must be booked in advance), vauxhallcityfarm.org
Light trails are not just for Christmas! When you’re in need of a little pick-me-up during the dreary January nights, head over to Canary Wharf for the 10th edition of their Winter Lights event. Eye-catching installations by acclaimed artists and studios around the world will be showcased at various locations around Canary Wharf, which visitors can find using a free app. The theme for 2026 is Dreamscape, so you can expect a seriously ethereal – and often surreal – journey around this riverside district. With many restaurants, bars and activities close by, you can be sure of a fun-filled evening out to banish the winter blues.
January 20-31, 5-10pm, free event, canarywharf.com
RHS Garden Wisley, just outside the M25 in Woking, Surrey, offers GLOW, a colourful Christmas light trail shaped by the beauty of the garden itself. Visitors will be able to wander through a shimmering forest of fairybell trees and glowing poppy fields, and also witness a magical light show on the lake. Wisley is well known for its Glasshouse and to celebrate the season it will be transformed with enchanting lanterns. New for this year is the chance for all the family to roast marshmallows over the fire pit, adding a cosy touch to this horticultural winter spectacle.
Friday 21 November – Sunday 4 January (except 25-26 December), 4pm – 9pm, prices vary depending on membership and date of visit, rhs.org.uk
The Ever After Garden was launched in 2019 by Dame Anya Hindmarch and fashion writer Camilla Morton in memory of their friend, the late production designer Michael Howells. Now in a new location (it was formerly in Grosvenor Square), the garden will see Duke of York Square, in the heart of Chelsea illuminated with over 30,000 white roses, each donated in memory of a loved one. Proceeds from the purchase of flowers (which can be bought for a donation) with proceeds going to The Royal Marsden hospital in Kensington. The effect of so many illuminated flowers is as beautiful as it is moving, and reminds us all to think of those who are no longer with us at Christmas time.
13 November – 16 December 2025, 3pm-9pm, Duke of York Square, Chelsea, London, SW3 4LY. £15 recommended donation to dedicate a rose in the garden.
royalmarsden.org/ever-after-garden
This year Southwark Cathedral will play host to a new installation from Luxmuralis, creative studio founded by sculptor Peter Walker and composer David Harper that specialises in sound and light installations. This festive one, which is taking place over just two days, is called The Angels are Coming!, and it promises to be an impressive, sensory experience, involving a 45 minute journey through the cathedral accompanied by soundscapes, projections and illuminated displays, all set against the cathedral’s gothic bones.
November 24 to November 26, 2025, 4:30 PM – 8:15 PM, Southwark Cathedral, London Bridge, London SE1 9DA. Adult tickets cost £15.
