Before You Read
This was Thye's and my first time celebrating Christmas and NYE overseas, and I was very excited that it was to… London!
We had about 12 days, so I added a short 2D1N Manchester side trip for the live Man Utd match, plus day trips to Oxford, Cotswolds, Windsor, Stonehenge and Bath. Looking back, 12 days is actually quite a lot for London alone. If I could redo it, I would consider adding Paris, Edinburgh or another nearby country/city instead.
As usual, if you are lazy to read, watch the video first. The post below keeps my actual experience, what I liked, what I regretted, and all the festive-season warnings. If you want the clean route, accommodation notes, exact links and editable planner, those details are in the ready-made itinerary.
Trip At A Glance
| Detail | Notes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 12 days |
| Original trip period | Christmas + New Year, ending January 2020 |
| Route | Singapore > London > Manchester > London |
| Travel style | Festive season, food, markets, shopping, football match, day trips |
| Best for | First-timers planning London during Christmas / NYE |
| Not ideal for | People who hate closures, crowds, cold weather and festive-season price hikes |
| Main warning | Christmas Day / Boxing Day transport and closures can affect your whole itinerary |
What This Post Covers
- What to take note of if you visit London during Christmas and NYE.
- Which London food places I felt were worth it or overrated.
- Why Manchester during Boxing Day became more expensive than expected.
- What I would change if I planned this route again.
- Where the ready-made itinerary helps: exact accommodation links, day-by-day route, activity links, restaurant reservation shortcuts, countdown planning, transport notes and booking reminders.
Quick Tips Before Planning London During Christmas / NYE
- There may be no public transport on Christmas Day itself. Trains between cities may also stop on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, so plan your Manchester / day-trip dates properly.
- Book accommodation in a convenient area if you are there during Christmas. If transport is limited, location matters even more.
- Download offline maps because data can be weak or unavailable underground.
- Get an Oyster card because trains and buses are easier and cheaper with it.
- Buses are actually quite easy to use in London. The bus stops are labelled by alphabets, so just follow Google Maps and board at the correct stop.
- If you are travelling in a group of four, compare Uber versus train/bus. Sometimes Uber can be cheaper or less painful after a long walking day.
- If you want the official NYE fireworks view near London Eye, you need to pre-book and buy countdown tickets. The police will block nearby routes for safety.
- Many cafes and restaurants either close or charge more during Christmas. Some famous places do not take walk-ins, so reserve early.
- Christmas Day food can be annoying. Consider cooking at your accommodation or booking a proper Christmas lunch/tour.
Day 01 – Arrival, Shepherd's Bush, Gold Mine and Winter Wonderland
We landed in London after almost 16 hours of flying with one transit in Dubai. I got a pretty good Emirates deal, but the downside is of course the stopover.
We stayed around Shepherd's Bush. I would say the area is not the most convenient, but it was not too bad either. There were two different train options near the Airbnb – one overground and one underground – which made travelling quite manageable.
The bad part was the 10 to 15 minutes walk back. After a full day of walking in London, that walk can feel like punishment when your legs are dying haha.
I liked that the place had concierge/security, and deliveries could be left there when we were out. The area was manageable for us, though the walk back can feel long after a full day outside.
First restaurant in the UK? Chinese food LOL.
We met Thye's sis and mum for lunch at Gold Mine, and yes, the duck was really good. After that we walked around Knightsbridge before dinner at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal. Overall, I would say the dinner was so-so only. You can try it for the experience and the famous meat fruit, but food-wise it felt quite normal for fine dining.
We ended the night at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland. If you are in London during Christmas, this is worth walking through. The atmosphere, rides and food are very different from Singapore's version.
Day 02 – Classic London Sights and Christmas Markets
Breakfast was at The Muffin Man Shop. I love scones, and their scones were really good. But the rest of the food was honestly quite normal, so just order the scones and save your stomach for other food.
After that we did the first-timer London things: changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace, iconic telephone booth photos, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and the usual tourist route.
Lunch was at Mayfair Chippy. The fish and chips were not bad.
At night, we checked out Leicester Square Christmas Market, but I found it quite boring and we ended up going back to Hyde Park Winter Wonderland. I would say Hyde Park's Winter Wonderland is still the most worth going.
Mulled wine is a must-try in winter!
Day 03 – Christmas Day: Almost Nothing Is Open
Christmas Day in London is really not like Singapore public holiday.
No public transport. Most cafes and restaurants are closed. The places still open are usually hotel restaurants, Chinatown cafes or tourist restaurants like Haidilao, and some of them charge around 1.5x because Christmas.
Thankfully, I booked a Christmas Day tour with a 3-course Christmas lunch, so the day was not wasted.
We had breakfast in the apartment with ingredients bought the night before, then went for a day tour covering Oxford, Cotswolds and Stratford-upon-Avon. The tour itself was so-so, but the Christmas lunch was heartwarming because the pub was super cosy and it really gave that festive feel.
The buildings outside London were gorgeous too, so I was still happy we spent the day out instead of just lounging around the apartment.
But one thing that annoyed me: the dinner restaurant I booked in advance did not open on Christmas Day. So we had to find food last minute and ended up buying food from a petrol kiosk mart. Even supermarkets were closed.
In the end, we made our own dinner with pizza and roasted chicken. Not fancy, but actually quite nice to rest early because we had a flight the next day.
Day 04 – Manchester for Man Utd vs Arsenal
We flew to Manchester to catch the Man Utd vs Arsenal football match.
Why fly? Because train services were closed on 25 and 26 December, so we had to take a domestic flight. More expensive, but no choice. Also, this means we missed Boxing Day sales. WHY do they plan matches on Boxing Day huh?!
We booked a one-night Airbnb in Manchester because it would have been too rushed and tiring to travel to and fro without train service. Our Manchester host was very nice and even helped us with transport around the city.
For Manchester, staying near the match-day route helped because Christmas/Boxing Day transport was already troublesome enough.
Manchester is a pretty small city, almost like Singapore size-wise. You can walk between many places, and there are free buses around the city too.
Before the match, we did some Boxing Day shopping, had lunch, then took the Man Utd cruise to the stadium. It sounds fun because it is a fan cruise, and the boarding area was near our Airbnb. But the new docking point was still around 20 minutes walk from the stadium, so we kind of regretted not taking Uber haha. If you love walking and the fan experience, you may enjoy it.
Tip at your own risk: I bought football tickets from an online reseller because actual tickets were sold out and reseller tickets were cheaper. But it was honestly stressful because of all the bad reviews online. Some people said they received tickets only one hour before the match or did not receive them on time.
The seller only contacted us one week before the match, because that was when they got the tickets too. Imagine flying off without knowing whether the tickets would really arrive. Thankfully, our Airbnb host helped us collect the tickets before match day. Whew.
If you can, I would still suggest buying tickets from the official Man Utd website. If you use a reseller, understand the risk.
The match itself was amazing because it ended 4-1. So many goals and excitement throughout. I have been to matches that ended 0-0, so I really think we were lucky this trip.
Do reach the stadium earlier because you may need to queue to deposit bags. They were strict about what you could bring in.
After the match, the crowd was crazy. We stayed behind to shop for merchandise, then took Uber back. Be prepared for premium fares or long waiting time because many people will be trying to leave at the same time.
Day 05 – Manchester City Walk and Back to London
We explored Manchester for a day, but some places we bookmarked were closed because of the festive season.
This is important: some tourist spots, cafes and restaurants in both Manchester and London can close for one week around Christmas. Christmas is really a big occasion for them, like our Chinese New Year.
Breakfast was at The Koffee Pot Cafe, one of the breakfast places in Manchester. After that it was more shopping and exploring the Christmas market before heading to the airport in the evening.
Transport tip: for airport transport in Manchester, just take Uber. I pre-booked transport and the driver did not turn up. Uber was cheaper too. My mistake, your gain.
Day 06 – Maltby, Borough Market, Tower Bridge and Food Poisoning
We planned to visit Maltby and Borough Market, but sadly Maltby was closed for Christmas.
Yes, I checked online beforehand, but because it is a local market, they can still close without much notice. At least the famous donut shop was open, so it was not a totally wasted trip.
Borough Market was for the famous oysters. No regrets because the oysters were huge and fresh, BUT we got food poisoning over the next few days. HAHAHAHA. Yes, all of us who ate the oysters.
I would say you can skip Applebee's fish and chips and the scotch eggs. They were so-so only. The toasted cheese sandwich stall had a super long queue, but I also found it so-so. Monmouth Coffee was good though.
After that, we went to Tower Bridge and managed to catch it opening because a ship was passing through.
Then we tried Where the Pancakes Are, which a friend recommended as the best pancakes in town. For me, don't bother. Damn normal.
Dinner was at Holborn Dining Room. The food was not bad and they are famous for pies. I just did not expect it to be a more proper dining place because I thought it would be more like a pie cafe.
Day 07 – Windsor, Stonehenge and Bath
We went on the famous day trip to Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and Bath. It is one of the common first-timer London day trips.
Windsor Castle was interesting because you get to explore inside the castle, and if you are lucky there may be a chance to see the Queen if she is around. She was away for Christmas when we went, but it was still eye-opening.
Stonehenge was unfortunately a waste of time for us because it was just stones lor. We are not really into historical sites, and it was cordoned off so you can only view it from far.
Bath, though, was beautiful. The city itself looked so pretty and serene. I wish I had more time there, and I think I would not mind staying 2 to 3 days next time. If you have time to spare, spend more time in Bath.
Also, please do not try the fountain water. It sucks. No joke, I almost puked. You can watch the video if you want proof haha.
Back in London, we had dinner at one of Gordon Ramsay's restaurants, but that was when my food poisoning started. I was the first one to get diarrhoea and vomiting, so I did not enjoy the meal at all. We also tried the beef wellington and it was a huge disappointment. None of us liked it.
Day 08 – Food Poisoning Recovery and Duck & Waffle
I woke up feeling slightly better, then it became Thye's turn to experience food poisoning. His mum also started feeling unwell later in the day.
Breakfast was at Dishoom, one of the places I was really looking forward to because of all the good reviews. But because we were still recovering, we could not really enjoy it.
So we cancelled most plans and just shopped around Oxford Circus and Regent Street.
Thankfully, I felt much better at night because we had Duck & Waffle, and it was hands down the best restaurant in London for this trip. Everything on the menu was good.
So far, we found many London restaurants overrated, but Duck & Waffle was really good.
Must try if you are in London. Just remember to reserve in advance because there may not be seats.
If you are planning Duck & Waffle now, I would definitely reserve properly because this is one restaurant I would still tell people to try.
Day 09 – Camden, Shoreditch, Phantom and NYE Countdown
Thye's mum was still sick, so Thye and I went out on our own. We kept the itinerary chill because we were still recovering too.
Camden Market and Shoreditch were nothing spectacular to me, but if you like local trinkets or handmade stuff, you may enjoy them more.
The two things that attracted me there were Cereal Killer Cafe and Beigel Bake. Almost everyone who had been to London DM-ed me on Instagram to try the salted beef bagel.
Singapore did not have Five Guys at that time, so we were also quite excited to try it lol.
At night, we picked up Thye's mum because it was NYE and we were catching Phantom of the Opera plus going for countdown.
I love Phantom of the Opera and had watched it in Singapore years before, so I enjoyed the musical. But if you are going with someone who is not into musicals, please manage expectations. Thye was bored to death because he could not understand what they were singing and almost fell asleep LOL.
Dinner was Haidilao because we were craving Chinese and soupy food. Do not go unless necessary because it was super expensive compared to Singapore. Imagine Singapore's price multiplied by 1.8 because pounds. Yup, you got it.
For countdown, I did not realise they cordon off areas near the fireworks, including London Eye. Unless you have countdown tickets, you cannot enter anywhere near it.
We ended up at a square where many people were sitting around, so we followed. But the fireworks were blocked 3/4 by the buildings in front of us. Sadded.
Still, the atmosphere was very different from Singapore. People were singing, shouting, dancing and some even brought champagne to pop. I am glad I experienced it because it was my first Christmas and NYE overseas.
Heading back was horrible. Even though it said trains and buses operate till 4am on NYE, the station did not open until around 1.30am to 2am. Many bus routes were closed, and Uber drivers could not really enter because of blocked roads.
So if NYE fireworks are important to you, please research properly, buy the correct ticket, and plan your way back.
Day 10 – New Year Shopping and Selfridges Tax Refund Tip
First day of January 2020. Luckily, most shops were still open. I feel Christmas is a bigger deal than New Year in the UK.
Breakfast was at Flat Iron. We managed to skip the queue because we reached before opening. Food-wise, I think the steak was so-so. Singapore's Feather Blade is nicer, not kidding.
For my newer London planning, I managed to reserve Flat Iron properly instead of just trying luck, so I would suggest booking ahead if you really want to fit it in smoothly.
We spent the whole day shopping because we left shopping for New Year Day discounts. But honestly, I think Boxing Day had better discounts. Too bad we missed it because we were in Manchester.
Dinner was London Duck because everyone missed Chinese food. Personally, I prefer Gold Mine because the side dishes are good too. For London Duck, only the duck was good.
Important shopping tip: if you are buying branded items, shop at department stores like Selfridges. You can do tax refund in the mall itself and get it credited back to your credit card. No need to queue at the airport for tax refund.
Day 11 – Last Family Day, Covent Garden and Old Town 97
Thye's mum and sis were heading back to Singapore, so we had breakfast at the nearby mall. It was a huge mall with tons of shops.
We did last-minute shopping before they left for the airport. After that, it was just the two of us for the rest of the trip.
At night, we went to Covent Garden and did more shopping.
Dinner was at Chinatown Old Town 97, recommended by a friend. OMG, this was one of the best Chinese meals we had in London. You must try the LSE fried rice, which is not on the menu.
Thye was super happy with this meal, and we felt it was a pity his mum and sis did not get to try it.
Then we went back to the apartment because my boyfriend was a scaredy cat and did not really dare to roam around at night with just the two of us haha.
Day 12 – Platform 9 3/4 and Final Thoughts
Last day of the trip.
I pulled Thye to Platform 9 3/4 because how can a Harry Potter fan like me miss this right? Poor him queued for two hours just so I could take a photo at the platform haha.
No regrets for me. I really wanted to do the Harry Potter Studio tour too, but we did not have enough time.
Lunch was at Eat Tokyo, recommended by his cousin, and the food was good. Suddenly the last two days of food in London became good. Honestly, I felt London food was so-so overall, even the popular ones.
After that, we went back to pack before heading to the airport. And that's the end of our first UK trip.
My conclusion? London can be a 3 to 4 day stopover if you are travelling to nearby countries, and that may be enough. Also, I still think food in Singapore is nicer than London haha.
What I Would Do Differently
- Add Paris, Edinburgh or another nearby city instead of spending all 12 days around London / Manchester.
- Avoid planning Manchester on Boxing Day if train closures make flights too expensive.
- Book proper Christmas Day meals and check opening dates directly with restaurants.
- Buy official NYE fireworks tickets if countdown view is important.
- Give Bath more time.
- Be more careful with raw seafood. Huge fresh oysters were shiok until the food poisoning came haha.
- Keep the route realistic and check accommodation, activity and ticket details before booking.
Paid Itinerary Download
If you want the cleaner planner version, this route can be turned into a downloadable London + Manchester Christmas / NYE itinerary with exact accommodation notes, day-by-day routing, restaurant reservation shortcuts, booking reminders, festive closure warnings and transport notes.
This post stays free if you prefer to plan from scratch. The ready-made version is for readers who want the shortcut, especially because Christmas / NYE in London has so many closure and booking traps. I have also added a small updated London bonus section based on newer planning I did later, so it is not only the old 2019 route.
Download options:
- SGD 10: PDF Itinerary with route notes, festive-season warnings and exact activity / accommodation links where relevant
- SGD 20: Planner Pack with PDF, editable planner and checklist