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Getaways from London · Winter 2026–27

Winter getaways from London

Eighteen ways out of the city between December and March, from an hour on the train to Winchester's cathedral market to a short flight for Tivoli at Christmas or the slopes above Verbier. Each is sorted by how you get there, with the event worth timing it for, where to stay and one thing to know before you go.

  • 18trips
  • 2by car
  • 13by train
  • 3by air
  • Facts checked 21 October 2026

18 winter trips from London, sorted by how you get there: 2 by car, 13 by train and 3 by air. The quickest to reach is Brighton, 52 min away; the longest trip is Edinburgh, 4 hr 35 min. Each one lists the travel time, the dates worth timing it for and where to stay.

At a glance

GetawayFrom LondonBest forTime it for
The Cotswolds 1 hr 30 min Festival, Food & wine, Spa Christmas at Blenheim Palace, 13 Nov 2026 – 3 Jan 2027
The New Forest 1 hr 30 min Spa, Outdoors, Romantic December to March for woodland walks and spa weekends
Brighton 52 min City break, Festival, Culture Burning the Clocks, 21 Dec 2026
Oxford 1 hr Culture, City break, Spa Any winter weekend for the Bodleian's Radcliffe Camera tour (Saturdays and Sundays)
Cambridge 1 hr Culture, Festival, City break A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, 24 Dec 2026
Winchester 1 hr Festival, Culture, Food & wine Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market, 20 Nov – 22 Dec 2026
Bath 1 hr 20 min Spa, Romantic, Festival Bath Christmas Market, 26 Nov – 13 Dec 2026
Brussels Passport 1 hr 53 min City break, Festival, Food & wine Winter Wonders, 27 Nov 2026 – 3 Jan 2027
Norfolk coast 1 hr 57 min Outdoors, Family, Food & wine Mid-November to mid-December, when most seal pups are born
York 2 hr 2 min Festival, Culture, City break JORVIK Viking Festival, 8–14 Feb 2027
Paris Passport 2 hr 16 min City break, Romantic, Food & wine Grand Palais des Glaces (2027 dates TBA)
Lake District 3 hr Outdoors, Spa, Romantic Regency Christmas at Dove Cottage (2027 dates TBA)
Bruges Passport 3 hr 10 min Romantic, Festival, Culture Winter Glow, 20 Nov 2026 – 31 Jan 2027
Amsterdam Passport 3 hr 57 min City break, Festival, Culture Amsterdam Light Festival, edition 15, 26 Nov 2026 – 17 Jan 2027
Edinburgh 4 hr 35 min Festival, City break, Culture Edinburgh's Hogmanay, 29 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027
Copenhagen Passport 2 hr 5 min City break, Festival, Food & wine Christmas in Tivoli, 13 Nov 2026 – 3 Jan 2027
Seville Passport 3 hr City break, Culture, Food & wine January to March, when the Alcázar keeps winter hours (9
Verbier Passport 3 hr 30 min Ski, Spa, Romantic YETI Xtreme Verbier (2027 dates TBA)

By car 2 trips

1 hr 30 min
Photograph · Blenheim Palace
Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire, England

The Cotswolds

About 1 hr 30 min by car to Blenheim Palace at Woodstock (Blenheim's stated time from London)GWR trains run from Paddington to Moreton-in-Marsh via Oxford, Charlbury and Kingham, which Cotswolds Tourism puts at 1 hr 30 to 1 hr 45 min; Thyme warns that local taxis are limited, so book transfers ahead.

The Cotswolds suit a stay-put winter weekend: a country-house hotel, a long farm lunch and an illuminated trail after dark. Blenheim Palace's Christmas season and Sudeley Castle's Spectacle of Light give December evenings a fixed point.

Time it for Christmas at Blenheim Palace 13 Nov 2026 – 3 Jan 2027

Illuminated Trail, Cinderella in the Palace, The Great Skate rink and an observation wheel; separately ticketed with timed entry.

Do
  • Christmas at Blenheim Palace An Illuminated Trail of more than a million lights through the gardens, a Cinderella story told through the State Rooms, a covered ice rink and a chalet Christmas market in the Great Court (market until 20 December).
  • Spectacle of Light at Sudeley Castle The 11th edition of Sudeley's illuminated trail, themed on Alice in Wonderland, at Winchcombe; tickets from £20, sold only through the Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham.
  • Daylesford Farm Organic farmshop near Kingham with a creamery and The Trough, which holds a Green Michelin Star; closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Stay
  • Thyme Thirty-one bedrooms across 17th-century houses, cottages and restored barns on a 150-acre estate at Southrop, with the Meadow Spa, the Ox Barn restaurant and a cookery school.
  • The Wild Rabbit, Kingham A Grade II listed former farmhouse and inn, now a pub with rooms and cottages in the Daylesford Stays group.

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Winter tip Blenheim's Christmas entry is timed and parking must be pre-booked by every visitor; Sudeley's tickets are not sold at the castle, only through the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham.

1 hr 30 min
Photograph · Visit the New Forest
Hampshire, England

The New Forest

About 90 minutes by car from London (Lime Wood's stated time)South Western Railway's Waterloo to Weymouth line calls at Brockenhurst, the National Park's main station, about 5 miles from Lime Wood; the National Park Authority puts the Forest under two hours from London by car or train.

The New Forest is 90 minutes from London by car, with ponies grazing on gorse and holly through the winter. Lime Wood pairs a long walk with the Herb House Spa and Angela Hartnett's Italian kitchen.

Do
  • Tall Trees Trail A flat 2.5 km route from the Blackwater or Brockhill car parks beneath Douglas firs and redwoods planted in Queen Victoria's reign.
  • New Forest ponies Many thousands roam free, each owned by a commoner; in winter they live on gorse, brambles and holly. Look, but don't feed or approach them.
Stay
  • Lime Wood Thirty-three bedrooms in 17 acres, 1.5 miles from Lyndhurst, with the Herb House Spa (16-metre lap pool, hydrotherapy pool, forest-view sauna) and Hartnett Holder & Co, run by Angela Hartnett and Luke Holder.

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Winter tip The ponies aren't tame and can bite and kick, so keep your distance; for the train, Lime Wood lists Station Taxis for the 5-mile run from Brockenhurst.

By train 13 trips

52 min
Photograph · Fenliokao / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
East Sussex, England

Brighton

52 minutes direct from London Victoria, per Visit BrightonDirect trains also run from London Bridge (58 min) and St Pancras (1 hr 16 min), and Gatwick is about 30 minutes away by train, per Visit Brighton. Southern does not take seat reservations.

Brighton is under an hour from Victoria, close enough for a midweek night by the sea out of season. The Royal Pavilion, a Regency pleasure palace, runs a Christmas programme, and Burning the Clocks ends the year with a lantern parade and a fire on the beach.

Time it for Burning the Clocks 21 Dec 2026

A community winter-solstice event: handmade paper lanterns are carried through the city and burned on the beach, billed as an alternative to the commercial Christmas.

Do
  • Royal Pavilion & Garden The former royal pleasure palace, later a First World War hospital for Indian soldiers; book tickets online.
  • Christmas at the Royal Pavilion The 2026 programme is not yet published; in 2025 the season ran 22 November to 4 January with a Jane Austen theme, choirs in the Music Room, carol concerts and Christmas banquets.
Stay
  • The Grand Brighton Seafront hotel opened in 1864, with 205 bedrooms over seven floors redesigned in a £16.2 million refurbishment, the Cyan restaurant and a spa with a Thermal Suite.

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Winter tip Burning the Clocks ends on the lower esplanade at Madeira Drive; Same Sky says the 2026 event returns in full with details closer to the date, so confirm timings before booking dinner.

On Not An Atlas: Day Trips from London, By Rail

1 hr
Photograph · GWR
Oxfordshire, England

Oxford

Around 1 hour by GWR from Paddington (fastest 52 min), per GWRChiltern Railways runs from Marylebone to Oxford and Oxford Parkway; GWR runs up to 168 trains a day on the Paddington route, almost every 15 minutes on weekdays.

With trains almost every 15 minutes, Oxford is the simplest one-night culture break from London, and the Bodleian's tours take you inside the Divinity School and the Radcliffe Camera. Add a night at Estelle Manor for its Roman-inspired baths, or Blenheim's Christmas trail a bus ride away.

Do
  • Bodleian Library tours Guided tours of 30 minutes (from £12.50) or 60 minutes (from £17.50), or a 15-minute self-guided visit to the Divinity School, the University's oldest teaching room, for £3 with a booked timeslot.
  • Radcliffe Camera and City of Oxford Walking Tour The Bodleian's weekend tour that goes inside the Radcliffe Camera; Saturdays and Sundays, from £30.
  • Blenheim Palace by bus The S3 runs from Oxford city centre to Woodstock four times an hour, seven days a week, then it is a 10-minute walk through the park to the Palace.
Stay
  • The Randolph Hotel, Graduate by Hilton A city landmark since 1866 with 151 rooms, the Morse Bar, a wellness spa, 0.02 miles from the Ashmolean Museum, per Hilton.
  • Estelle Manor Country hotel and members' club at Eynsham Park with 108 bedrooms; hotel guests can book Eynsham Baths, a 3,000-square-metre Roman-inspired spa with five thermal pools (18 and over).

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Winter tip From Christmas Day to 3 January 2027 no GWR trains run to or from Paddington; GWR says Chiltern trains between Marylebone and Oxford keep running.

On Not An Atlas: Day Trips from London, By Rail

1 hr
Photograph · Visit Cambridge
Cambridgeshire, England

Cambridge

Around an hour on Great Northern's direct fast train from King's Cross, per Visit CambridgeSlower direct trains from Liverpool Street take about 1 hr 30 min, per Visit Cambridge.

Cambridge is an hour from King's Cross, and winter belongs to King's College Chapel: its Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is broadcast live on Christmas Eve, and Evensong is free to attend in term. The Fitzwilliam's free collections and two winter exhibitions fill the short afternoons.

Time it for A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols 24 Dec 2026

King's College Chapel's Christmas Eve service, broadcast live on BBC Radio 4 and the World Service; about half the free tickets go to the public by online ballot.

Do
  • Evensong at King's College Chapel Services are free and open to visitors; in term, Evensong usually runs six days a week. Check the Chapel's services calendar for dates.
  • The Fitzwilliam Museum Free collections, plus A Call to Art: William Morris and the Pre-Raphaelites (23 October 2026 to 3 May 2027) and An Enamel Revolution: China and the World (20 October 2026 to 21 February 2027); closed 24 to 26, 28 and 31 December and 1 January.
Stay
  • University Arms Behind an 1834 facade, rooms rebuilt in 2018 by architect John Simpson with interiors by Martin Brudnizki: 189 rooms and suites overlooking Parker's Piece, with bookshelves curated by Heywood Hill.

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Winter tip There is no longer a public queue for Nine Lessons and Carols: the ballot closes at 5 pm on Friday 13 November 2026, and successful applicants hear by email on 20 November.

On Not An Atlas: Day Trips from London, By Rail

1 hr
Photograph · Fernweh / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Hampshire, England

Winchester

About an hour by direct train from Waterloo, per Visit WinchesterBy car, Winchester sits just off junctions 9, 10 and 11 of the M3, per Visit Winchester.

Winchester is an hour from Waterloo, and from 20 November its cathedral grounds fill with wooden chalets modelled on German Christmas markets. Add the cathedral's Kings & Scribes exhibition and the Round Table in the Great Hall, and stay out of town at Lainston House.

Time it for Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market 20 Nov – 22 Dec 2026

Wooden chalets inspired by German Christmas markets in the cathedral grounds; the city's Christmas lights switch on the night before, on 19 November.

Do
  • Winchester Cathedral An annual pass (£14.90, or £13.90 online) covers 12 months of entry, including the Kings & Scribes exhibition and guided Cathedral Tours, subject to availability.
  • The Great Hall One of the finest surviving 13th-century aisled halls, home of the Round Table of Arthurian legend; open daily 10 am to 5 pm, adults £9, with the Westgate Museum included.
Stay
  • Lainston House Seventeenth-century country house on 63 acres at Sparsholt, with The Avenue tasting-menu restaurant, the wood-fired Wellhouse and the Season Cookery School.

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Winter tip National Rail says Waterloo runs a reduced, amended timetable on 27 and 28 December 2026 because of engineering work, so travel either side of those dates if you can.

1 hr 20 min
Photograph · Visit Bath
Somerset, England

Bath

About 1 hr 20 min by GWR from Paddington to Bath Spa (fastest 1 hr 19 min), per GWRGWR runs around 72 trains between Paddington and Bath Spa on an average weekday, usually every 30 minutes.

Bath is about 80 minutes from Paddington, and Thermae Bath Spa's open-air Rooftop Pool, filled with naturally warm, mineral-rich water, makes the case for a cold-weather visit on its own. In December the Christmas Market fills the streets around the Abbey, and the Gainsborough says it is the only hotel in the UK with access to the thermal water.

Time it for Bath Christmas Market 26 Nov – 13 Dec 2026

The council-run market of wooden chalets in the city centre, with food and drink stalls; the 2025 edition was its 25th.

Do
  • Thermae Bath Spa Two-hour Thermae Welcome sessions (£44 weekdays, £49 weekends) include the open-air Rooftop Pool, the Minerva Bath and a Wellness Suite with infrared and ice chamber rooms; adults only, 16 and over.
  • Bath Christmas Market Chalets in the historic centre near Bath Abbey, run by Bath and North East Somerset Council; open 10 am to 7 pm Monday to Wednesday, to 8 pm Thursday to Saturday and to 6 pm on Sunday.
  • Bath on Ice A 1,000-square-metre rink in Royal Victoria Park with glow golf and an alpine bar; Visit Bath has not yet listed 2026 dates.
Stay
  • The Gainsborough Bath Spa Two Grade II listed Georgian and Victorian buildings on Beau Street, built around Spa Village Bath; the hotel says it is the only one in the UK with access to the city's natural thermal waters.
  • The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa Forty-five rooms and suites at 16 Royal Crescent, with a spa, gardens and a walled Garden Villa for up to eight; full English breakfast is included.

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Winter tip GWR runs no trains to or from Paddington from Christmas Day to Sunday 3 January 2027 because of engineering work, and Thermae Bath Spa closes on 25 and 26 December and 1 January; book spa sessions ahead, as walk-ins are not guaranteed.

On Not An Atlas: Christmas Markets Beyond London: The 2026 Dates · Half-Term in England: What’s New to Book This Week

1 hr 53 min
Photograph · Steve Knight / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium Passport needed

Brussels

1 hr 53 min by Eurostar from St Pancras to Brussels-Midi/Zuid, per EurostarWith an Any Belgian Station ticket, Eurostar says the fare also covers a local train onward, for example to Bruges.

Brussels is under two hours from St Pancras, the quickest of the Eurostar capitals in this guide. From 27 November, Winter Wonders spreads markets, rinks and a sound and light show across the centre, with Hotel Amigo a step from the Grand-Place.

Time it for Winter Wonders 27 Nov 2026 – 3 Jan 2027

Brussels' Christmas market and winter festival across the city centre.

Do
  • Winter Wonders The city's winter festival across the Grand-Place, Place de la Monnaie, the Bourse, Sainte-Catherine, the Marché aux Poissons and Place de Brouckère, with skating and curling rinks, a Ferris wheel and merry-go-rounds.
  • Grand-Place sound and light show Part of Winter Wonders, beside the city's Christmas tree; this year a Basque-Béarnese village, the guest of honour, takes over Place de la Bourse.
Stay
  • Hotel Amigo Rocco Forte hotel with 143 rooms and 28 suites near the Grand-Place, with Ristorante Bocconi and Bar Magritte.

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Winter tip Buy an Any Belgian Station ticket if you might add Bruges: Eurostar says it covers the local train from Brussels-Midi/Zuid, so a second stop costs nothing extra in rail fares.

On Not An Atlas: London to Prague, Overnight, on One Booking

1 hr 57 min
Photograph · National Trust Images/Rob Coleman
Norfolk, England

Norfolk coast

About 1 hr 57 min by Greater Anglia from Liverpool Street to Norwich (average; fastest 1 hr 39 min), then by car to the coastFor the north coast, Great Northern gets you from King's Cross to King's Lynn in under two hours, and the Coastliner 36 bus between King's Lynn and Fakenham stops about 100 metres from The Victoria at Holkham. Visit Norfolk puts Norwich 115 miles from central London by the A11 or A12.

Grey seals pup on the Norfolk coast between November and January, and Friends of Horsey Seals recorded 3,704 births at Horsey by its final count on 25 December 2025. Pair the dune-top viewing at Horsey with a boat trip to Blakeney Point and a night on the north coast.

Do
  • Seal viewing at Horsey Two roped viewing areas on the dunes from Horsey Gap car park; the beach is closed during the breeding season, and volunteer wardens are on duty at weekends, every day in term time and through the Christmas school holidays.
  • Horsey Windpump and beach walk A National Trust circular of 3 miles (about 2 hours) from the windpump car park past the seal colony; members park free.
  • Seal trips from Morston Quay Local operators sail to Blakeney Point, and Beans runs regular winter trips; departures depend on the tide and must be booked ahead.
Stay
  • The Victoria, Holkham Twenty-bedroom hotel and restaurant on the Holkham estate, between Holkham Park and Holkham Beach on the A149 coast road.
  • Morston Hall AA four-star hotel with a Michelin-starred restaurant, a short stroll from the seal boats at Morston Quay.

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Winter tip Keep at least 100 metres from the seals and stay off the beach at Horsey in the pupping season; at Blakeney Point the colony cannot be reached on foot from late October to early January, so the boat is the way to see it.

2 hr 2 min
Photograph · JORVIK Viking Festival
North Yorkshire, England

York

About 2 hr 2 min by LNER from King's Cross (LNER average)LNER runs about 30 direct trains each weekday on the 173-mile route, between 06:15 and 23:00.

York is two hours from King's Cross, and its winter calendar barely pauses: the Christmas Market from mid-November, York Minster's Christmas Tree Festival into January and the JORVIK Viking Festival in February. The Grand, the former railway headquarters on Station Rise, bills itself as the city's only five-star hotel.

Time it for JORVIK Viking Festival 8–14 Feb 2027

Living-history encampments, combat displays, feasts, family events and the March to Coppergate.

Do
  • York Christmas Market Open 12 November to 21 December 2026, Wednesday to Monday, 10.30 am to 7 pm (to 5 pm on 21 December); closed on Tuesdays.
  • Christmas at York Minster A Christmas Tree Festival from 28 November 2026 to 5 January 2027, included in general admission, plus carol concerts and free, pre-booked services including Nine Lessons and Carols on 23 and 24 December.
Stay
  • The Grand, York Opened in 1906 as the North Eastern Railway's headquarters and reopened as a hotel in 2010; billed as York's first and only five-star hotel, with the SubRosa Spa.

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Winter tip York Minster's free Nine Lessons and Carols tickets are released at 10 am on 8 December (for 23 December) and 10 December (for 24 December) and often go quickly; returned tickets are resold immediately, with no waitlist.

On Not An Atlas: Christmas Markets Beyond London: The 2026 Dates

2 hr 16 min
Photograph · Joe deSousa / Paris je t'aime
Île-de-France, France Passport needed

Paris

2 hr 16 min by Eurostar from St Pancras to Gare du Nord on most trains (some take up to 2 hr 37 min), per Eurostar

Eurostar reaches Gare du Nord in 2 hr 16 min, which keeps Paris a two-night trip even in December. Winter adds the Grand Palais des Glaces, billed as France's largest indoor rink, and the Champs-Élysées illuminations through the holidays.

Time it for Grand Palais des Glaces December 2026 to January 2027; exact dates still to be announced

The seasonal indoor ice rink under the Grand Palais glass roof, with evening sessions running to 2 am.

Do
  • Grand Palais des Glaces A 3,000-square-metre rink inside the Grand Palais with morning, afternoon and late-evening sessions (8 pm to 2 am); it closes at 7 pm on 24 and 31 December.
  • Champs-Élysées illuminations Lit every evening from 5 pm to midnight (to 1 am on Fridays and Saturdays), mid-November 2026 to early January 2027.
  • New Year's Eve on the Champs-Élysées Traffic stops from 3 pm, a sound and light show plays on the Arc de Triomphe from 9 pm and fireworks follow the midnight countdown; there is no large Eiffel Tower display.
Stay
  • Cheval Blanc Paris Seventy-two rooms and suites facing the Seine, the Dior Spa with a 30-metre infinity pool, and five restaurants holding six Michelin stars between them, per the hotel.
  • Le Grand Mazarin Maisons Pariente hotel in the Marais at 17 rue de la Verrerie, with 61 rooms including seven suites, designed by Martin Brudnizki.

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Winter tip Arrive at St Pancras by Eurostar's recommended time to allow for border and security checks; for a New Year's Eve Seine dinner cruise, book several weeks ahead.

On Not An Atlas: For One Week, Europe Is an Hour Closer · Paris Brings In a Curfew Around République and Les Halles

3 hr
Photograph · Lieven Smits / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Cumbria, England

Lake District

About 3 hours from Euston to Windermere with one change, per Avanti West Coast; direct trains run to Oxenholme Lake DistrictBy car, Gilpin's directions start from junction 36 of the M6; the hotel is within a 15-minute drive of Windermere.

Avanti West Coast runs direct to Oxenholme, putting Windermere about three hours from Euston. Winter is for a country-house weekend: Gilpin's Spa Suites have private hot tubs and saunas, and Windermere's boats sail every day except Christmas Day.

Time it for Regency Christmas at Dove Cottage 2026 dates still to be announced; ran 25 November 2025 to 3 January 2026

Wordsworth Grasmere's festive season, with Dove Cottage dressed by The Floralistas.

Do
  • Windermere Lake Cruises Sails all year on a reduced winter timetable, every day except Christmas Day, from Bowness, Ambleside, Lakeside and other piers; no pre-booking needed for cruises.
  • Dove Cottage and Wordsworth Grasmere Wordsworth's home with a museum and woodland garden, open Tuesday to Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm, with entry to the cottage every 40 minutes; tickets work as 12-month passes.
Stay
  • Gilpin Hotel & Lake House Family-owned: 30 rooms in 21 acres at the hotel, with Michelin-starred SOURCE and Spa Suites that have a private hot tub, sauna and steam room; Lake House sits in 100 private acres.

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Winter tip Dove Cottage is closed Sundays and Mondays and sells online tickets up to 90 minutes ahead; book a timeslot by phone (015394 35544) for a busy Saturday.

3 hr 10 min
Photograph · jandarthet / Visit Bruges
West Flanders, Belgium Passport needed

Bruges

From 3 hr 10 min: Eurostar to Brussels-Midi/Zuid (1 hr 53 min), then a local train of a little over an hour, per EurostarEurostar's Any Belgian Station ticket covers both the Eurostar to Brussels and the local train to Bruges.

One ticket gets you from St Pancras to Bruges in a little over three hours, with a change at Brussels. Winter Glow keeps the city lit from 20 November to 31 January, so a January weekend still has the atmosphere, and Dukes' Palace puts you in a 15th-century residence.

Time it for Winter Glow 20 Nov 2026 – 31 Jan 2027

The city's winter programme: Christmas market, ice rink, festive shopping and seasonal events.

Do
  • Christmas Market Part of Winter Glow, in the centre of Bruges.
  • Winter Glow ice rink Skating as part of the Winter Glow programme; Visit Bruges has not yet posted rink dates or location.
Stay
  • Hotel Dukes' Palace Hotel in a 15th-century Burgundian palace, with 135 rooms and suites, a spa and a 3,000-square-metre garden.

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Winter tip At Brussels-Midi/Zuid, follow the platform exit down to the main hall and take the next train to Bruges from the departure boards; no separate booking is needed on an Any Belgian Station ticket.

3 hr 57 min
Photograph · Janus van den Eijnden / Amsterdam Light Festival
North Holland, Netherlands Passport needed

Amsterdam

About 4 hours direct by Eurostar from St Pancras to Amsterdam Centraal (Eurostar gives both 3 hr 52 min and 3 hr 57 min)

A direct Eurostar reaches Amsterdam Centraal in about four hours, and the Light Festival's 15th edition lights the canals from 26 November to 17 January. The Rijksmuseum's Willem de Kooning retrospective runs over the same weeks.

Time it for Amsterdam Light Festival, edition 15 26 Nov 2026 – 17 Jan 2027

Light artworks along the canals, seen by boat or on a walking route; the organiser lists lights on daily from 4.30 pm to 11 pm, closing at 9 pm on 31 December.

Do
  • Amsterdam Light Festival by boat A cruise route of about 75 minutes past the artworks; departure times are in the festival ticket shop.
  • Amsterdam Light Festival on foot A 4.5 km walking route, done whole or in sections with the festival app, available from mid-November.
  • Rijksmuseum Willem de Kooning at work, more than 120 drawings with key paintings and sculpture, runs 9 October 2026 to 17 January 2027; Drawing!, on drawing around 1600, follows from 12 February 2027.
Stay
  • Pulitzer Amsterdam Twenty-five restored 17th- and 18th-century canal houses at Prinsengracht 323, with the restaurant Jansz. and private boat tours.

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Winter tip The festival and I amsterdam publish different nightly hours (I amsterdam lists earlier closing on Sundays to Tuesdays outside the holidays), so check the festival site before booking a late cruise.

4 hr 35 min
Photograph · Andy Catlin / Edinburgh's Hogmanay
Scotland

Edinburgh

From 4 hr 8 min by LNER from King's Cross to Waverley; LNER says the trip usually takes just over four and a half hoursLNER runs 29 direct trains each weekday. The Caledonian Sleeper runs overnight from Euston to Edinburgh, with en-suite double rooms.

LNER reaches Waverley in a little over four hours, and Hogmanay is the reason to make the trip in winter: a torchlight procession through the Old Town on 29 December and a street party on Princes Street on New Year's Eve. The Balmoral sits at 1 Princes Street, and Gleneagles Townhouse is a stone's throw from Waverley, per the hotel.

Time it for Edinburgh's Hogmanay 29 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027

Four days of events: Torchlight Procession, Night Afore Concert, ceilidhs, the Street Party and Concert in the Gardens, and free New Year's Day programming.

Do
  • Torchlight Procession Opens the festival on 29 December, setting off from the Meadows and winding through the Old Town with fire performers, pipe bands and drummers.
  • Street Party and Concert in the Gardens On 31 December the Street Party expects 45,000 people on Princes Street for the Midnight Moment, with the Concert in the Gardens at the Ross Bandstand; a candlelit concert at St Giles' Cathedral is the quieter option.
  • New Year's Day Free events on 1 January, including the First Footin' culture trail, plus a family ceilidh.
Stay
  • The Balmoral Rocco Forte hotel at 1 Princes Street under its landmark clock tower, with the Irene Forte Spa and four-AA-Rosette dining.
  • Gleneagles Townhouse Gleneagles' city hotel at 39 St Andrew Square, a stone's throw from Waverley per the hotel; guests can use the Lamplighters rooftop bar and the gym and wellness spaces.

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Winter tip Forever Edinburgh has not published ticket dates or prices; sign up to the Edinburgh's Hogmanay newsletter to hear when tickets for the Street Party and Concert in the Gardens go on sale.

On Not An Atlas: Christmas Markets Beyond London: The 2026 Dates

A short flight 3 trips

2 hr 5 min
Photograph · Thomas Rousing / Visit Copenhagen
Capital Region, Denmark Passport needed

Copenhagen

About 1 hr 50 min flying from London (British Airways' stated flight time), then about 15 minutes by Metro or train from the airport to the centreSAS also flies Heathrow to Copenhagen. The airport is about 8 km from the centre, and BA says trains run every 10 minutes.

Copenhagen is under two hours away by air and 15 minutes from the airport to the centre, so a two-night trip loses little time to travel. Tivoli's Christmas season turns the gardens into the city's centrepiece, and Hotel d'Angleterre has strung its facade with lights every Christmas since 1995.

Time it for Christmas in Tivoli 13 Nov 2026 – 3 Jan 2027

The Tivoli Gardens Christmas season, ending with New Year's Eve fireworks.

Do
  • Christmas in Tivoli Tivoli's Christmas season, with every ride open, including the children's Elf Train and Forest Carousel; buy entry or the Entrance + Ride Pass online, and pre-book Q-Park parking.
  • New Year's Eve in Tivoli A festive dinner and a sparkling-wine toast, with fireworks over the gardens at midnight.
Stay
  • Hotel d'Angleterre Founded in 1755, on Kongens Nytorv, with 92 rooms including 55 suites, a spa and Marchal, which earned a Michelin star in 2014; the facade has been covered in Christmas lights since 1995.

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Winter tip Tivoli has not printed opening hours or closed days for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day on its season page, so check the opening-hours calendar before planning a 24 or 25 December visit.

On Not An Atlas: Air Canada Keeps Copenhagen and Manchester Flying All Winter · Ilulissat Gets a Direct Line to Copenhagen

3 hr
Photograph · Turismo Andaluz (andalucia.org)
Andalusia, Spain Passport needed

Seville

About 2 hr 45 min flying from London (British Airways' stated flight time), then about 15 minutes by taxi into the cityThe EA airport bus reaches the centre in about 30 to 35 minutes; the airport is about 10 km north-east of the city, per Visita Sevilla.

Seville is the warm-weather pick, under three hours by air, and Andalusia's tourism board counts more than 40,000 orange trees in its streets, the fruit behind British Seville orange marmalade. Winter brings shorter opening hours at the Alcázar and the cathedral, so buy tickets ahead and plan mornings around them.

Do
  • Real Alcázar Open 9.30 am to 5 pm from October to March; general admission €15.50, sold online or at the Patio de Banderas ticket office (cards only). Closed 25 December and 1 and 6 January.
  • Seville Cathedral and the Giralda Billed as the largest Gothic cathedral in the world and home to Christopher Columbus's tomb; winter hours are 11 am to 5 pm Monday to Saturday and 2.30 to 7 pm on Sunday, and rooftop tours should be booked ahead.
Stay
  • Hotel Alfonso XIII, a Luxury Collection Hotel Built to house dignitaries for the 1929 Ibero-American Exhibition, next to the Alcázar and the cathedral, with an outdoor pool, Restaurante San Fernando, Ena Sevilla and Bar Americano.

Map by Stay22. If you book through it we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. It never decides what we write.

Winter tip Plan two to three hours for the cathedral and Giralda, with shoulders and knees covered, and buy Alcázar tickets online: the on-site ticket office takes cards only.

On Not An Atlas: Air Canada Adds Montréal–Seville

3 hr 30 min
Photograph · Verbier 4Vallées
Valais, Switzerland Passport needed

Verbier

About 3 hr 30 min: a 1 hr 40 min flight to Geneva (SWISS), then about 1 hr 50 min by car to Verbier (Verbier Tourism)SWISS lists 36 London to Geneva flights a week. By rail, Le Châble is about 2 hr 40 min from Geneva, then 20 minutes by cable car or bus; the Verbier Express runs direct from Geneva Airport to Le Châble on winter weekends and public holidays.

Verbier is the Alpine ski weekend that works from London: a 1 hr 40 min flight to Geneva and under two hours by road. It anchors the 4 Vallées, 410 km of runs and freeride routes across six resorts up to Mont-Fort at about 3,330 metres.

Time it for YETI Xtreme Verbier End of March; 2027 dates still to be announced (the 2026 edition was held at the end of March)

Grand finale of the Freeride World Tour, deciding the champions in men's and women's ski and snowboard.

Do
  • Ski the 4 Vallées 410 km of runs and freeride routes linking Verbier, Bruson, La Tzoumaz, Nendaz, Veysonnaz and Thyon, with Mont-Fort at about 3,330 metres; the season runs from November to the end of April.
  • Xtreme Verbier on the Bec des Rosses The Freeride World Tour finale, watched from the Alpina Viewing Area on the mountain or on the big screen in the event village.
Stay
  • Chalet d'Adrien Five-star boutique hotel with 29 rooms, a spa, a swimming pool and two restaurants, about 1 hr 30 min from Geneva per the hotel.

Map by Stay22. If you book through it we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. It never decides what we write.

Winter tip Snow chains may be needed between Le Châble and Verbier in heavy snow, and Swiss motorways need a CHF 40 vignette; train riders on the Verbier Express get 30% off a one-day or half-day ski pass.

The season

The winter calendar

The dates that make a winter trip, as the organisers have announced them. Events still waiting on 2027 dates are listed with their trip, not here.

November 2026

  • 12 Nov – 21 Dec 2026York Christmas MarketYork
  • 13 Nov 2026 – 3 Jan 2027Christmas at Blenheim PalaceThe Cotswolds
  • 13 Nov 2026 – 3 Jan 2027Christmas in TivoliCopenhagen
  • 20 Nov – 30 Dec 2026Spectacle of Light, Sudeley CastleThe Cotswolds
  • 20 Nov – 22 Dec 2026Winchester Cathedral Christmas MarketWinchester
  • 20 Nov 2026 – 31 Jan 2027Winter GlowBruges
  • 26 Nov – 13 Dec 2026Bath Christmas MarketBath
  • 26 Nov 2026 – 17 Jan 2027Amsterdam Light Festival, edition 15Amsterdam
  • 27 Nov – 31 Dec 2026Christmas at WestonbirtThe Cotswolds
  • 27 Nov 2026 – 3 Jan 2027Winter WondersBrussels

December 2026

  • 21 Dec 2026Burning the ClocksBrighton
  • 24 Dec 2026A Festival of Nine Lessons and CarolsCambridge
  • 29 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027Edinburgh's HogmanayEdinburgh

February 2027

  • 8–14 Feb 2027JORVIK Viking FestivalYork

Wandsworth Council's schools break up on Friday 18 December 2026 and return on Monday 4 January 2027, and February half term runs 15 to 19 February 2027. GWR runs no trains from Paddington between Christmas Day and 3 January, so plan Bath and Cotswolds trips around it. School holidays in England →

Questions

Quick answers

What are the best winter weekend getaways from London by train?

Oxford, Cambridge and Winchester are each about an hour away, Brighton is 52 minutes from Victoria and Bath about 80 minutes from Paddington. York is about two hours by LNER, and Eurostar reaches Brussels in 1 hr 53 min and Paris in 2 hr 16 min.

What is a romantic winter getaway from London?

Bath pairs Thermae Bath Spa's open-air Rooftop Pool with The Gainsborough's thermal-water spa; in the Cotswolds, Thyme has 31 bedrooms on a 150-acre estate; and Bruges, a little over three hours by Eurostar, stays lit for Winter Glow until 31 January 2027.

When are the Christmas markets in Bath, Winchester and York in 2026?

York's runs 12 November to 21 December 2026 (closed Tuesdays), Winchester Cathedral's 20 November to 22 December, and Bath's 26 November to 13 December. Brussels' Winter Wonders runs 27 November 2026 to 3 January 2027.

What are the best short-flight winter breaks from London?

Copenhagen is about 1 hr 50 min by air for Christmas in Tivoli; Seville is about 2 hr 45 min for winter sun and the Alcázar; and Geneva is 1 hr 40 min away, with Verbier and the 4 Vallées about 1 hr 50 min on by road.

Are trains running from London over Christmas 2026?

National Rail says there are no services on Christmas Day and most operators run none on Boxing Day. GWR runs no trains to or from Paddington from Christmas Day to 3 January 2027, and Waterloo has a reduced timetable on 27 and 28 December.

When is the best time to see seal pups in Norfolk?

Grey seals pup from November to January; Friends of Horsey Seals says most births come between mid-November and mid-December, and the Christmas school holidays are especially busy. Watch from the dune viewing areas, as the beach is closed in the breeding season.

What are the best winter getaways from London by car?

The closest are The Cotswolds (1 hr 30 min), The New Forest (1 hr 30 min). Times are the tourism boards' own figures from downtown in normal conditions; allow more in snow.

Do I need a passport for these trips?

Only for the trips that cross a border: Paris, Brussels, Bruges, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Seville, Verbier. Check passport and entry rules for your nationality before booking; everything else on this list is domestic.

Sources (113)

Checked 21 October 2026. Dates change: confirm with the event or hotel before you book. Spot something out of date? Tell us via our corrections policy.

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