London, in the season of lights
Saturday 21 November to Saturday 28 November · seven nights · the week Fortnum's clock chimes in Christmas
We land at twenty past nine on the Saturday night with the lights already on: Carnaby since the 4th, Regent Street since the 5th, Covent Garden since the 12th, Winter Wonderland open two days before us, and the Old Vic's A Christmas Carol in its tenth season. London is at full glow the whole week, and the shops are dressed.
Into the lights Flight day
Land 9:20 PM. The Elizabeth line or a cab to the hotel, and one warm glass somewhere within a walk of the door before bed.
Doughnuts, Covent Garden, Carnaby Proposed
Breakfast at Donutelier on Charing Cross Road, the bells and baubles in the Market Building, the tree in the West Piazza, then Seven Dials up to Carnaby's lights and Regent Street at dusk. Dinner at Dishoom Carnaby, round the corner on Kingly Street.
Fortnum's, tea at the Wolseley, the Old Vic To book · 3 PM and 7:30 PM
Fortnum's from ten: the clock, the hampers, the tea counter and the Christmas floors; Burlington Arcade and Jermyn Street after. Afternoon tea at the Wolseley, three doors along at 160 Piccadilly, under its black and gold, from three. The evening at the Old Vic, A Christmas Carol at half past seven, the last preview night.
Westminster, the Southbank, Christmas at Kew To book · off-peak night
Big Ben and the Abbey, the Southbank Winter Market along the Queen's Walk, then out to Kew for the light trail, timed from 4:20 PM. Nov 24 is an off-peak date, £29.50 each; Kew is closed on the 23rd and 28th.
Borough, the bridge, Spitalfields, the Electric To book · the evening
Borough Market from ten, a Wednesday, when the whole market trades: lunch from the stalls under the railway arches, a crème brûlée doughnut if Bread Ahead is still at its stall. Tower Bridge, Winter by the River at London Bridge City, Spitalfields' stalls in the afternoon. Then west to Portobello Road for a film at the Electric Cinema, in a leather armchair with a footstool, or a bed in the front row, with supper at the Electric Diner next door. The programme is posted nearer the time.
The high street, Hamleys, then Winter Wonderland To book · timed entry
The shopping day: Selfridges' windows and John Lewis on Oxford Street, Liberty under its timbers, then down Regent Street to Hamleys, the magical toy store, seven floors of it dressed for Christmas, open till nine. Winter Wonderland by a booked arrival hour, last entry 9:30 PM. Dinner at Dishoom Covent Garden, the first of them, on Upper St Martin's Lane.
Harrods, then Equinox and Dishoom Kensington To arrange · the evening
The Harrods windows and Knightsbridge in the morning, the last of the shopping. The evening on Kensington High Street: an hour at Equinox Kensington at No. 99, then Dishoom Kensington next door in the Barkers building on Derry Street, the third Dishoom of the week. Back to pack. The Trafalgar Square tree is lit on Dec 3, after we have gone, so we see it standing dark.
To Vienna Morning flight · to book
A morning departure from Heathrow, to land with the afternoon free for the first Punsch and Meinl before it closes at six.
The Guide to Theatrical Performances
81 shows: every Christmas show on our six London nights, Sunday to Friday, from the Old Vic to the pantos, the Snowman and the carols, and what else is on that week, with dates, prices and the box office's own link.
Fortnum & Mason, 181 Piccadilly
The Christmas shop, the hampers, the tea counter under the eau de nil tins, the clock whose two gentlemen bow to each other on the hour, and tea upstairs. The first of the shopping, and most of it.
Also in the basket
Liberty under its timbers, Burlington Arcade and Jermyn Street, the high street at Oxford Circus and Hamleys at the foot of Regent Street, the windows at Harrods and Selfridges, Covent Garden's Market Building, the Southbank chalets for the small things.
By appointment to His Majesty King Charles III · grocers and tea merchants · Fortnum & Mason plc London
By appointment to Her Majesty Queen Camilla · grocers and provision merchants · Fortnum & Mason plc LondonAfternoon tea at the Wolseley
The grand café three doors from Fortnum's, all black lacquer, gold and arches: the tiered stand, the scones, a glass of Pommery if it is a celebration. Monday at three, between the shop and the show.
The Electric Cinema, Portobello
London's oldest working picture house: leather armchairs with footstools and side tables, sofas at the back, six beds in the front row, cocktails to the seat. Wednesday's film, whichever is playing; the programme comes a few weeks ahead.
Hamleys, and the high street
The magical toy store, seven floors of demonstrators and bears, dressed for Christmas since early November. Selfridges' windows and John Lewis on Oxford Street, Liberty, then Regent Street's curve of lights down to its doors.
Equinox, then Dishoom Kensington
An hour at Equinox Kensington on the Friday evening, then the chai and the bacon naan at the Dishoom next door, the third of the week: the Bombay café in the old Barkers department store.
A Christmas Carol, the Old Vic
Jack Thorne's Dickens, the tenth season, with the mince pies handed round before the lights go down. Our Monday is the last preview, at 7:30; Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are at 7, with a Thursday matinee at 2. Nothing on the Sunday or the Tuesday. Checked in the Old Vic's own booking calendar on Oct 25.
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland
The big wheel, the markets and the Bavarian village. Book the arrival hour; prices are lower before 23:59 the day before.
Donutelier, and Dishoom
Roladin's doughnuts on the edge of Covent Garden, open from 8:30, and three Dishooms for three dinners, Carnaby, Covent Garden and Kensington: the bacon naan at breakfast is the other reason to go back.
Christmas at Kew
A mile of light through the gardens and the Palm House. Timeslots from 4:20 PM; our Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are off-peak at £29.50.
Covent Garden, Regent Street, Carnaby
The Theatre of Christmas under Covent Garden's glass, the Spirits above Regent Street, Carnaby's own show round the corner. Walk them after dark, from Piccadilly up.
Southbank, and the river markets
Chalets along the Queen's Walk under the Eye, mulled wine by the river on the Tuesday; Winter by the River at London Bridge City and Spitalfields on the Wednesday.
Borough Market
London's oldest food market, under the railway arches by Southwark Cathedral: oysters, raclette, the cheese counters, mulled wine by the cup, lunch from whichever stall has the queue. Wednesday is a full trading day.