Can there be a more poetic place to enjoy Christmas than London? Think of falling snow on Dickensian cobbled streets where Ebenezer Scrooge, Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tim are said to tread, and it's not hard to see why the festive season draws in millions of tourists from the around the world before December is out. London does Christmas proud with a cluster of warm, peculiarly British Christmas markets that hark back to this fabled time, when Christmas trees first appeared on this island - set against a 21 century blitz of LED lights, spectacular live entertainment, artisan stalls, mulled wine, real ales and pop-in-the-mouth flavours of street food from around the world. It's impossible to list every single Christmas event in the capital, so many - big and small - do a sterling job of delighting Londoners and tourists alike in the runup to December 25.
But we've whittled down 13 of the best-known Christmas fayres, telling you what you can expect along with the dates they start and finish so you that you can plan your perfect visit. READ MORE: Harry Potter Christmas experience opening at Warner Bros Studios this winter Runs from: November 1 to December 26 A stroll through the Southbank along the Thames is one of London's most magical walks, and it becomes becomes a haven of festive indulgence when pop-up bars, street food stalls and independent craft traders descend just in time for Christmas. Families can meet Santa or gorge on plates of truffle burgers, duck wraps, spicy chicke.
