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Christmas lights · light trails · festive streets

Christmas lights in the UK 2026: 33 light trails and displays in 26 places

From Regent Street's Spirits of Christmas and the Trafalgar Square tree to Christmas at Kew, Blenheim Palace and Longleat's lanterns — 33 Christmas light trails, street lights and festive displays across the UK, with 2026 dates, prices, getting there and what visitors say.

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until Christmas

Christmas lights near you

We include city Christmas lights, light trails at gardens, stately homes, castles and zoos, and the famous trees, using organisers', councils' and tourist boards' pages. Dates are from the last confirmed season; 2026 dates are added once organisers publish them. Visitor opinions are paraphrased from Google reviews of the event itself.

33 places in 26 regions

The most searched Christmas markets in 2026

    Christmas lights by city

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    ✨ Date night

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    London's Christmas lights

    Oxford Street (about 5,000 stars), Regent Street (30 'Spirits of Christmas'), Carnaby Street and Covent Garden switch on in early-to-mid November; the Norwegian tree in Trafalgar Square — Oslo's gift since 1947 — is lit in early December. One evening walk from Oxford Circus to Trafalgar Square covers them all, free.

    Light trails at gardens and stately homes

    Ticketed after-dark trails run from mid-November to early January: Christmas at Kew, Blenheim Palace, Chatsworth, Stourhead, Glow Wild at Wakehurst, Christmas at the Botanics in Edinburgh, Dunham Massey and Bute Park in Cardiff. Most use timed entry and sell out on December weekends — book early.

    Lanterns and family festivals

    Longleat's Festival of Light (over 1,000 lanterns, 7 Nov 2026 – 17 Jan 2027) and Lanterns & Light at Chester Zoo (from £12) are the big family lantern events; Northern Lights trails run in Heaton Park (Manchester) and Leazes Park (Newcastle).

    Questions

    When are London's Christmas lights switched on in 2026?
    Carnaby Street on Wednesday 4 November, Regent Street on Thursday 5 November and Covent Garden on 12 November 2026; Oxford Street usually switches on in early November. The Trafalgar Square tree is lit in early December.
    How much is Christmas at Kew?
    Tickets for Christmas at Kew 2026 (13 November 2026 – 3 January 2027) start at £25.50, with timed entry from 4.20pm.
    What are the best free Christmas lights in the UK?
    London's West End streets and the Trafalgar Square tree, Belfast City Hall and city-centre lights in Cardiff (from 12 November 2026) and Newcastle (switch-on 12 November 2026) are free; light trails at gardens and stately homes are ticketed.