The snow’s coming, the scent of roasting chestnuts fills the air and every street is adorned with glistening Christmas lights – it must be winter! And what better time of year to experience some winter fun in London; frost crunching beneath your feet, ice skating to get your cheeks all rosy and specially themed cultural events to get you in the spirit!
Madam Tussauds, Marylebone Rd, London NW1
Where else can you catch a glimpse of Kate and William, Marilyn Monroe, Rihanna and Charles Dickens all under one roof – Madame Tussauds of course! With 17 branches across the planet, the highlight is undoubtedly the London branch, which has waxworks sections dedicated to Bollywood, Sports, Royals and Music Megastars. And hop onboard the Spirit of London Taxi Ride which tells the tale of London’s history through its cultural festivals and events. Explore the Tudor period, the Great Fire of London, Queen Victoria’s reign and the extravagant 1980s, before concluding your journey with the present day. See how Lady Gaga is immortalised in wax in the YouTube video below.
Legoland, Windsor
This themed park is a must for all fans of the ubiquitous Lego building bricks. Legoland offers some fun rides alongside scaled-down cultural attractions constructed from Lego and seemingly defying gravity. Don’t miss Miniland which contains Big Ben, the White House, Eiffel Tower and many more cultural icons from both Europe and the USA, all in miniature. In fact around 40 million Lego bricks were used in the construction! Don’t miss the various themed areas including Kingdom of the Pharaohs, Pirates’ Landing and Duplo Valley which is perfect for younger visitors. And this Christmas the Legoland Winter Wonderland comes to life, with elves officiating over proceedings, special rides such as Laser Raiders, X Box Gaming Zone and Scarab Bouncers and of course a visit from Santa himself!
Thames River Cruise, London
Get a totally new perspective of London as it sits beneath a dusting of season snow as you cruise along the Thames. Pick a sunny day to take in the sights including the Tower of London, Houses of Parliament and Shakespeare’s Globe. And all this winter there are special themed tours along the city’s lifeblood: experience the journey in style with a seasonal glass of port and mince pie! You can also get to grips with the city’s historic waterways onboard a historic canal boat tour which explores Camden Lock and Little Venice.
Sea Life London, Westminster Bridge Rd, London SE1
Located within the historic County Hall building on the Thames’ South Bank is the amazing Seas Life Center where you can get up close to sharks, rays and whales. Kids can spot the colourful fish, spot penguins doing their thing and gawp as the sharks are fed their lunch. In total there are more than 500 difference marine species here, including more than 40 sharks spaced across fourteen different themed zones. Perfect for a spot of winter fun in London!
London City Tour onboard a MINI
The iconic Mini Cooper is the perfect way to explore the key cultural sights of London. And in your own private restored Cooper you can see it all: Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, St Paul’s Cathedral, the London Eye, Houses of Parliament… the list goes on. There are themed Mini tours on offer too; opt for the classic Royal London tour which traces the royal palaces, residences and gardens of the British royal family; the A-list tour takes you to the trendy haunts of the capital and the Winter tours whisks you around the fabulous Christmas lights that adorn the big smoke at this time of year.
HMS Belfast Tooley St, London SE1
The mighty HMS Belfast was a stalwart of World War II, playing an integral part of the D-Day landings. Go onboard the massive warship and explore its history across the nine decks; see where seamen slept in traditional hammocks, discover the mess rooms where up to 950 sailors lived for months at a time and uncover the intricate workings of the engine rooms in the very bowels of the warship. Part of the Imperial war Museums group, this winter sees the special History in Your Hands and Cracking Codes events taking place.
