Christmas in Greenwich

You can enjoy a half-day in Greenwich, but as there’s so much to see, lots of people spend at least one full day exploring. 

Greenwich makes a perfect day trip from central London. Particularly at Christmas time, the open spaces and quieter pace of Maritime Greenwich can feel like a welcome relief from the central London crowds.

The most fun way to get to Greenwich at Christmas is by boat: Uber Boat by Thames Clippers depart from all major London piers every 20 minutes. But you can also get to Greenwich on the DLR or by train or by bus. Read full our guide to getting to Greenwich here. 

You can visit Greenwich without a car. It’s very well served by London’s public transport network; you can get to Greenwich on the DLR, by train or by bus. Read our full guide to getting to Greenwich here. 

If you want to see Santa, go ice skating, visit Astronomers Take Over, or have afternoon tea at Cutty Sark, you should definitely book in advance. It's also worth reserving places for lunch or dinner if you have a particular place in mind.

There are plenty of indoor options in Greenwich if it rains. The National Maritime Museum and the Queen’s House are both free indoor options, with family-friendly spaces where kids can do trails, explore and play. If the weather’s really bad, you can stay in the museum all day, with a hot lunch and festive hot chocolates as an afternoon treat. There’s also a covered market in Greenwich, where you can enjoy some Christmas shopping if it rains. 

Look out for off-peak skating sessions at the Queen’s House ice rink for a budget-friendly Christmas option. 

There’s no charge for exploring Greenwich’s gorgeous Christmas lights, or going for a festive walk in Greenwich Park. Warm up afterwards with a luxury festive hot chocolate from the Parkside Shake Bar upstairs in the National Maritime Museum.  

For a fiver, you can buy the Treasures Tour audio guide of the National Maritime Museum and get our expert’s take on the Museum’s most prized – and lesser-known – objects in your own time. 

You can also enjoy an in-person, expert-led guided tour of either the National Maritime Museum or the Queen's House for just £7.50.  
 

There are plenty of things to do in Greenwich that won’t cost you a penny. 

Check out the Christmas lights; enjoy a stroll in Greenwich Park; check out the art trail in the free-to-enter Queen’s House; explore hundreds of amazing items in the free National Maritime Museum. You can also take the free Gallery favourites tour in the Museum; or the free Highlights tour of the Queen’s House. 

Yes. There are accessible public transport options for those visiting Greenwich without a car. Alternatively, there are car parks with larger spaces for those with accessibility needs and even free options for Blue Badge holders near Cutty Sark and the Queen’s House and National Maritime Museum. 

There’s step-free access to almost all areas of Cutty Sark, and you can access the whole of Queen’s House and the National Maritime Museum with the many lifts provided. There are also plenty of places to stop, sit and rest and simply enjoy the Christmassy cheer around Greenwich in the festive season. 

There’s a lot to recommend in Greenwich for families with autism, ADHD or other neurodiversity types. 

As well as special SEND sessions for visiting Santa and special SEND ice-skating sessions, you can visit Cutty Sark, the Queen’s House and the National Maritime Museum confident that your family’s needs will be catered for. 

All three sites have Autism accreditation and friendly staff who are trained in autism awareness. You can bring your own food to enjoy in the picnic area upstairs on the Ocean Map. 

For those who don’t like large crowds, Greenwich can be quieter than other central London areas at Christmas; and there’s always Greenwich Park where you can take a calming stroll or enjoy an energetic run around to reset any overwhelmed nervous systems.

There are so many options in Greenwich for places to eat and drink at Christmas time. You can enjoy afternoon tea below the famous hull at Cutty Sark; refuel after ice skating at the Queen’s House ice rink; choose from three different cafés within the National Maritime Museum; or check out lots of varied cafés, restaurants and traditional pubs around Greenwich town centre. 

Yes! The Queen’s House ice rink remains open between Christmas and New Year. In addition, the Queen’s House, Cutty Sark and the National Maritime Museum are open between Christmas and New Year. 

If you need a break from over-indulging and socialising, Greenwich Park is the perfect place to get active outdoors with a winter walk.