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There are plenty of fantastic Christmas options in the U.K., from Victorian markets across the country to Frankfurt Christmas Market in Birmingham. However, one of my all-time favorites is the Hyde Park Winter Wonderland.
As the holiday season returns, the usually calm and serene landscape of London’s Hyde Park transforms into a spectacular Winter Wonderland. Take a spin around the ice-skating rink, peruse your way through a stunning display of elaborate, “Alice in Wonderland” themed ice sculptures in the Magical Ice Kingdom, or have a nightcap at Bar Ice, where the bar is made of ice. And if you’re not tired of all the frozen fun, expert artists teach workshops where you can create your own ice sculpture. After being immersed in the beauty and chill of all the ice, you may want to warm up. There is a Swiss-inspired sit-down fondue experience at Le Chalet Fondue where you can enjoy plenty of variations of hot, melty cheese fondue and pre-booking is available.
Thrill rides can be found in all corners of the park, including the crowd-favorite, the Munich Looping roller-coaster. At first glance the five humongous loops reminded me of the Olympic rings, and I imagined that riding this coaster would feel pretty close to that. Word to the wise from personal experience, save your lunch and hot chocolate consumption for after the rides.
The Munich Looping (123RF)
There are plenty of food options where you can eat or sip on something warm while standing by a blazing, open-fire listening to live-bands and DJs or watching all the fun of live performances. The Market Square is Scandinavian-inspired and brings forth the cozy feeling of hygge. They have plenty of Christmas market food staples like bratwurst and glühwein along with Scandinavian-style meatballs and waffles. You will also find a large line-up of street food to try throughout the wonderland. For even more winter magic, you can head to Bar Narnia, which is dreamily inspired by C.S Lewis’s “The Chronicles of Narnia.”
Alpine trading chalets are lined with twinkling Christmas lights and offer plenty of seasonal wares. Of course, what would a Winter Wonderland be without the big man himself? Head over to Santa Land to catch a sighting of jolly ol’ St. Nick. Kids of all ages can get their pictures taken in Santa’s grotto and might even receive a present for good behavior. There are plenty of rides and places for little ones to get their pent-up energy out, or you can visit the all-new Zippos Christmas Circus, packed with acrobatic and comic routines in a heated circus megadome.
Winter wonderland Christmas fair in London Hyde Park (123RF)
Winter Wonderland opens on Nov. 21, 2024, and runs through Jan. 5, 2025 (closed on Dec. 25 for Christmas). To make your trip less stressful, you can pre-book your date and entry time online and purchase any tickets or tokens for rides and activities you may want to try. You can also make reservations at some of the sit-down restaurants. Keep in mind that peak days may cost more. Daily hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., with the last entry at 9:30 p.m. Hyde Park can be accessed via Green Park, Hyde Park Corner, Marble Arch, Victoria and Paddington London Underground stations. For more information, visit hydeparkwinterwonderland.com.
