Unmissable things to do and events in London in November 2025

Even if you’re the biggest Scrooge, you can’t deny that London looks pretty magical once the Christmas lights have been turned on and tinsel-covered trees greet you at every turn. 

London starts to fill up with Christmas light displays in early November each year, with Oxford Street’s decorations leading the charge, followed by countless local displays across the city as December hits full swing. Many of the biggest shopping streets mark the occasion with big switch-on events featuring musical entertainment, celebrity guests and special offers across local restaurants, bars and shops. Click through for more details. 

Have we finally reached Peak Paddington? The Young Peruvian bear’s spectacular film-begat renaissance hasn’t just yielded a trilogy of hit film: there’s a tie-in TV series for younger kids, there was that skit he did with the late Queen, and 2024 saw the opening of official immesive attraction the Paddington Bear Experience. A really banging computer game aside, it’s hard to see what else there is to do with the character beyond ‘more films’. Apart from, of course, a big splashy West End musical. Which we’re now getting: West End super-producer Sonia Friedman has done the honours, assembling a crack team headed by playwright Jessica Swale doing the book and kids’ author and McFly member Tom Fletcher on songs, all directed by Luke Shepherd, who did such a good job with the smash revival of Starlight Express.

Beyond that we don’t know a huge amount, other than the plot will roughly trace Paddington’s classic origin story of turning up at the titular station and being taken in by the kind-hearted Brown family.

As with all noveaux Paddington stuff, the musical is co-produced by the film company STUDIOCANAL, who have hitherto been quite painstaking about tying everything back to their films – the Paddington Bear Experience was based around an exact replica of the Browns’ house from the movies, and the redoubtable Ben Whishaw has provided the voice for films, TV show and Experience. A musical would however seem like an understandable and probably advisable opportunity to do something a bit different.

All will be revealed this autumn, with casting announcements when they come presumably giving a few clues as to what we can expect – most notably the question of what the deal is with Paddington himself. Will he be some bloke in a beat suit? A puppet voiced by a pre-recorded Whishaw? A puppet with a live voice actor who probably won’t be Ben Whishaw? All will hopefully become clearer in relatively short order. 

It’s aimed at ages six plus.

Some people start prepping for Christmas before the first autumn leaf has fluttered to the ground. But if you hang on a little, you’ll be rewarded with a shopping experience to savour, as you shop for one-of-a-kind gifts in a festive market.

In the winter months running up to Crimbo, the capital becomes home to tons of wintry fairs, stacked with stalls selling unique pressies from small businesses and independent designers that you’d never find in the big shops online or off. They’re perfect for browsing as the big day looms and a good excuse to treat yourself to Christmas snacks and mulled wine as you tick gifts off your list.

You’ll find everything you need to make someone’s Christmas Day memorable at London’s pop-up markets, from ceramics and plants to pressies from around the world. Be sure to bookmark this page, because we’ll be adding more markets around the city as they’re announced.

Things tend to look different in the glow of candlelight, whether that’s the curious faces of people or stony sculptures sitting spectre-like in the shadows. It’s a phenomenon that Joseph Wright of Derby interrogates in the pieces displayed here – the first major exhibition dedicated to his candlelight paintings – questioning what we see and the act of looking itself. Submerging his work in darkness, he explores themes like death, morality and scepticism in a way that challenges more typical views of his output as a painter.

For some reason, this November is a bumper month for new openings. If you’re a pizza-head then there are new branches of Ria’s and Napoli On The Road set for Foubert’s Place and Wardour Street in Soho, while old school Knightsbridge Italian Sale e Pepe is opening a second seafood-forward site, Sale e Pepe Mare, at The Langham hotel by Oxford Circus.

Ivan Orkin from Netflix’s Chef’s Table also opens Ivan Ramen, his first London restaurant, this month in Farringdon, while Maset, a classy coastal French restaurant, launches in Marylebone. Want something even more glam? Then Belmond’s festive lunch kicks off this month, offering a five-course meal served on a vintage train that pootles around the most scenic parts of Kent. Click through to find out more. 

There are few things that we’d willingly brace the cold for during winter in London. But ice skating is one of them. From around October each year, pop-up ice rinks fill the city, decked out in fairy lights, hosting DJ takeovers and inviting folk to skate late into the night. So, dig out your warmest hats and scarves – soon, you’ll get to romantically glide (or awkwardly stumble) with your loved ones under the backdrop of landmarks like Somerset House, Battersea Power Station and Hampton Court Palace. Keen to flaunt your best ice moves? Determined to skate at least one lap without clinging onto the wall for dear life? We recommend you book a spot at your chosen rink as early as you can. Click through for more information on the best rinks to soar across this winter.

Looking for gift inspiration? Look no further than London’s Christmas markets and fairs, which start to pop up all over town from mid-November. Among a raft of special festive events, you’ll find foodie gifts, hand-crafted items, sustainable pressies, Christmas cards and festive decorations. And there’ll usually be some mince pies and mulled wine to reward yourself with. Click through for our roundup of the best Christmas markets across the capital.