5 Day London Itinerary for Christmas Lights and Windsor
A 5 day London itinerary for mid-November to early January: Windsor on a Thursday, the Tower on a Friday, Winter Wonderland and the West End lights, timed around closures.
By the Fortrip editors. Opening days below were last checked on 4 November 2026 against the operators' pages linked beside each one. Hours and dates change, so those pages are the final word.
This 5 day London itinerary fits first-time visitors who want the royal sights and the Christmas lights in one week, and who are happy to walk and ride the Tube most days. The pace is steady: one fixed-hours sight a day on Days 1 to 3, then two lighter days on foot in the West End and Mayfair.
For 5 days in London, sleep in Covent Garden. The Piccadilly line runs from there to Green Park and Hyde Park Corner for Day 1, and the Day 2 Windsor trains leave from Paddington or Waterloo, both reachable by Tube from Covent Garden.
The trade-off is rigidity. Windsor Castle's opening days and the Buckingham Palace guard change both depend on the weekday, so the plan is built for a Wednesday arrival and needs reshuffling for any other day.
Frequently asked questions
Can you tour Buckingham Palace in winter?+
Only on selected dates for Exclusive Guided Tours, per Royal Collection Trust. Dates and price are on the Royal Collection Trust page.
Is Windsor Castle open Tuesday or Wednesday?+
No, except Tuesday 22 and 29 December 2026. It is also closed 25-26 December.
Which Windsor station?+
Paddington via Slough, with one change, or Waterloo direct. Compare journey times in the operators' planners.
Do you need Winter Wonderland tickets?+
Yes, timed entry. Check the booking page for prices and any off-peak slots.
How long at Windsor and the Tower?+
Windsor is 1½-2 hours per Royal Collection Trust or 2.5-3 hours per Visit Windsor. The Tower has no official figure, and a rough estimate is three hours.
Does the guard change run in rain or at Christmas?+
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Plan your 5 day London itinerary around closures, not landmarks
This London Christmas itinerary is built for a trip between mid-November 2026 and early January 2027, when Winter Wonderland is open and the West End lights are on. Start with the days that cannot move, then fit everything else around them.
The fixed points that set the order
Windsor Castle is open Thursday to Monday, 10:00-16:15, with last admission at 15:00. It is closed Tuesday and Wednesday, except Tuesday 22 and 29 December 2026, and closed 25-26 December (Royal Collection Trust, Windsor Castle visit page; last checked 4 Nov 2026).
The Buckingham Palace guard changes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 11:00. The Windsor guard changes on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday (Army, Changing the Guard; last checked 4 Nov 2026).
Day 1 is a Wednesday, which puts Windsor on Thursday and the Tower on Friday. If you land on another weekday, place Windsor first, then the Buckingham guard, then everything else, and use the how to choose section to reshuffle.
Winter Wonderland opens on Thursday 19 November 2026, so the first Wednesday start with it open is 25 November. A Wednesday start on 23 December puts Day 3 on Christmas Day, so check the Tower's holiday opening before you book.
The West End lights
Regent Street, Oxford Street, Carnaby, Covent Garden and Bond Street all switch on in early to mid November, so a trip after mid-November sees them lit. This guide gives no exact 2026 switch-on dates, because they are set by each organiser. Find Regent, Oxford and Bond Street dates on the New West End Company Christmas page, and Carnaby's on Carnaby's own site.
Buckingham Palace in winter
The State Rooms are a summer opening, which is why they are not part of this plan. In winter, Royal Collection Trust says the palace opens only on selected dates for Exclusive Guided Tours (Royal Collection Trust, Buckingham Palace). Price and dates for those tours are not confirmed here, so no figure is given. Look on the Royal Collection Trust page instead.
Check before you go
These details were not confirmed, so there are no numbers for them here. Check each on its own page.
Windsor guard-change start time, and any wet-weather or Christmas Day arrangement: Army, Changing the Guard.
Sunday hours for the Day 5 shops, on each store's own page.
Prices: deliberately left out of this guide. Each day names what needs a ticket so you can price it on the operator's page.
Day 1 — Westminster and St James's: the guard, the parade ground, then Hyde Park after dark
Buckingham Palace, where Day 1 starts at the railings.
The day runs from about 10:00 to 21:00, with a rest block in the middle before the evening. Budget: the guard change, Horse Guards and Whitehall cost nothing to watch; only the Winter Wonderland evening needs a timed ticket.
10:00 Piccadilly line from Covent Garden to Green Park (direct), then walk through Green Park to the palace railings.
11:00 Guard change at Buckingham Palace.
12:15 Walk the Mall to Horse Guards Parade, then lunch around St James's.
14:00 Cross St James's Park and walk up Whitehall to Parliament Square for the Elizabeth Tower and the outside of Westminster Abbey.
15:30 Jubilee line from Westminster to Green Park (one stop), then rest, or take the Piccadilly line straight back to Covent Garden.
17:30 Piccadilly line from Green Park to Hyde Park Corner, one stop.
18:00 Winter Wonderland on your timed ticket.
21:00 Piccadilly line from Hyde Park Corner back to Covent Garden.
10:00-11:00: Green Park to the railings
The guard changes at 11:00 on Wednesday (Army, Changing the Guard). Arrive well before then if you want a place at the railings. The November to January schedule and any wet-weather or Christmas Day arrangements are on the same page.
12:15: Horse Guards Parade
Walk through St James's Park and along the Mall to the parade ground, about 15-20 minutes at an easy pace. Lunch is easiest back around St James's.
14:00-15:30: Whitehall, then rest
The walk up Whitehall to Parliament Square is free and takes in the Elizabeth Tower. The King's Gallery and Royal Mews are options only; check winter days on Royal Collection Trust before adding one.
The rest block matters. The evening runs to 21:00 and the next day starts early for Windsor.
18:00: Hyde Park Winter Wonderland
Winter Wonderland runs 19 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 and is closed on 25 December. Entry needs a timed ticket, sold through the Hyde Park Winter Wonderland tickets page (last checked 4 Nov 2026). Hyde Park Corner is the nearest Piccadilly line stop.
Prices and any cheaper off-peak slots are set at the point of booking, so go by that page rather than a guide.
Day 2 — Windsor: a castle day built around the 16:15 close
Windsor Castle's outer walls. Day 2 is built around its 16:15 close.
The day runs from about 08:15 to 17:30 and finishes with the train home. Evensong does not fit it. Budget: castle entry is the one ticket, plus a return rail fare; price both on the operators' pages.
08:15 Leave Covent Garden for Paddington or Waterloo.
10:00 Castle opens. Aim to be inside at opening.
10:00-12:30 The castle.
12:30-13:30 Lunch in Windsor town.
13:30-15:00 St George's Chapel.
15:00 Last admission to the castle.
16:15 Castle closes.
16:30-17:30 Train back to London.
08:15: why Thursday, and which station
The castle is open on Thursday, and the Windsor guard changes on Thursdays (Army, Changing the Guard). That ceremony happens in Windsor, so Day 1's London guard and Day 2's Windsor guard are two different events. The Windsor start time is on the Army page, so it is not in the schedule; fit it around your castle entry.
There are two routes. Paddington via Slough with Great Western Railway needs one change and arrives at Windsor & Eton Central. Waterloo with South Western Railway runs direct to Windsor & Eton Riverside. The practical difference is one change versus none; run both through the planners for your own train times.
From Covent Garden, Paddington means the Piccadilly line to Piccadilly Circus and then the Bakerloo line. Waterloo is the same Bakerloo ride from Piccadilly Circus, or a walk across Waterloo Bridge. Compare times in the TfL Journey Planner, and check there whether your Tube fare extends to Windsor.
Both Windsor stations are close to the castle, under ten minutes on foot at a rough estimate, and uphill from Riverside. Follow the signs and the castle walls.
10:00-12:30: how long to allow
Royal Collection Trust gives 1½-2 hours for the castle (Royal Collection Trust, Windsor Castle). Visit Windsor gives 2.5-3 hours (Visit Windsor). Plan for the longer figure on a winter day, which is why the castle block runs to 12:30.
Last admission is 15:00, but that is not a finish time, because the castle closes at 16:15. Arrive at opening and keep the afternoon free.
12:30-15:00: lunch, then St George's Chapel
Take lunch in town, then go to the chapel. It is closed Sundays, so Thursday works (St George's Chapel, visiting). Check the same page for Thursday visiting hours before you fix the 13:30 slot.
17:15: why evensong does not fit
Evensong is at 17:15, an hour after the castle closes, per the chapel's worship pages. Whether a day visitor can attend is a question for the chapel. If you want evensong, ask before booking a later train, and expect to be back in London after the schedule above.
Day 3 — Tower Hill and the river: the Tower of London, St Katharine Docks and Borough Market
Tower Bridge, crossed on Day 3 for the view back to the Tower.
The day runs from about 08:15 to 17:00 and leaves the evening open. Budget: Tower of London entry is the main cost; the bridge crossing, St Katharine Docks and the river path are free, while the Tower Bridge exhibition and Borough Market food are optional.
08:15 From Covent Garden, take the Piccadilly line one stop to Leicester Square, the Northern line to Embankment, then the District or Circle line eastbound, direct to Tower Hill. Walking down to Embankment instead takes about 15 minutes.
09:00 Tower of London opens on a Friday.
09:00-12:30 The Tower, about three hours at a rough estimate.
12:30 Lunch at St Katharine Docks, a few minutes' walk east of the Tower along the river.
13:30 Walk across Tower Bridge for the view back to the Tower.
14:30 Walk the south bank west to Borough Market, about 20-25 minutes at a rough estimate, past Southwark Cathedral.
16:30 Tube from London Bridge back to the centre.
09:00: Tower of London winter hours
Winter hours are 09:00-16:30 Tuesday to Saturday and 10:00-16:30 Sunday and Monday, with last entry at 15:00 (Historic Royal Palaces, Tower of London; last checked 4 Nov 2026). There is no fast-track, so arrive at opening.
Yeoman Warder tours are worth joining for the stories of the buildings. Tour times are on the same page, so plan the morning around them.
09:00-12:30: how long to allow
No official visit length is published, so treat three hours as a rough estimate. An early start leaves room for lunch and the river afterwards.
12:30-14:30: St Katharine Docks and Tower Bridge
St Katharine Docks is a small marina with a handful of places to eat, quieter than the streets by the Tower. Tower Bridge is a walk across, with the view back to the fortress. Hours for the bridge exhibition are on the Tower Bridge site.
14:30-16:30: Borough Market
Borough Market is on the south bank, a short walk from the bridge. Check Friday and winter hours on Borough Market's visit page and drop it if it is closed.
Evening and holiday dates
The evening has no fixed ticket, so leave it open. Christmas Day and New Year's Day opening is on the Historic Royal Palaces Tower page.
Day 4 — Covent Garden to Carnaby: the West End lights on foot
An angel figure among Christmas lights, the kind of display this walk ends under.
This is a Saturday on foot from about 10:00 to 20:00. Budget: the walk is free; the London Transport Museum is the only optional ticket, and Covent Garden and Seven Dials lunches are the main spend.
10:00 Leicester Square.
10:30 Walk to Covent Garden Piazza, about 5-10 minutes.
11:00 London Transport Museum on the piazza, if you want an indoor hour.
12:30 Lunch around Seven Dials, a short walk north.
14:00 Carnaby Street, about 20 minutes on foot.
16:00 Break, or shops on Regent Street.
17:00-20:00 Regent Street after dusk, with Oxford Circus as the nearest Tube.
Start at Leicester Square, walk to Covent Garden, then north to Seven Dials for lunch. The London Transport Museum fronts the piazza; check its hours and prices on the museum's visit page before building lunch around it. All walking times here are rough estimates for short legs through central London.
14:00-17:00: Carnaby Street and a break
Carnaby Street is about 20 minutes on foot from Seven Dials. Use the break before dusk for Regent Street's shops or a coffee.
17:00-20:00: Regent Street at dusk
Regent Street is the end of the walk because it is best after dark. Events and installations are on regentstreetonline.com.
Day 5 — Mayfair and Oxford Street: a short last day and departure
A London street dressed for Christmas after dark, the mood of the Oxford Street finish.
Day 5 is a Sunday. The times below are this plan's pacing, not shop opening times, so check each store's Sunday hours first: Burlington Arcade, Fortnum & Mason, Liberty, Selfridges. Budget: walking and window-shopping are free; spending is up to you, and an airport transfer fare is the one fixed cost.
10:30 Berkeley Square, from Green Park or Bond Street station, then a walk through Mayfair's streets.
11:30 Burlington Arcade and Fortnum & Mason on Piccadilly, whichever opens first goes first.
13:00 Lunch near Regent Street.
14:30 Liberty, then Oxford Street west on foot to Selfridges. Cut Liberty first if time is short, since it is the furthest detour.
16:30 Collect your bags if you are leaving tonight.
After dark: Oxford Street lights, with Bond Street station for the Elizabeth line.
10:30-13:00: Mayfair
Start in Berkeley Square, a public square that needs no opening hours. Then walk to Burlington Arcade and Fortnum & Mason, within a short walk of each other. If a shop opens later than 11:30 on Sundays, swap lunch forward.
14:30-16:30: Liberty and Selfridges
Walk north to Liberty, then along Oxford Street to Selfridges. Stay until the lights come on, and check Sunday closing times on the store pages above so you are not caught out.
Departure
The Elizabeth line runs from Bond Street to Heathrow. Check the journey time for your day on TfL, and arrive at the airport as your airline advises. If you leave from a mainline station, use the operator's planner. Collect your bags before the evening so the lights are a stop rather than a deadline.
How to choose: who should cut, swap or extend a day
Cut a day if you are short on time
Drop Day 5 first, then fold Oxford Street into the evening of Day 4. Keep Windsor and the Tower, since both run on fixed hours. To build a four-day version around your own dates, try the AI trip planner, and compare other ready-made routes in the itinerary selection.
Swap if your arrival day differs
Windsor needs a Thursday-to-Monday slot and is best kept away from Sunday for the chapel. The Buckingham guard needs a Monday, Wednesday or Friday. Fix Windsor first, then the guard, then everything else.
If your last day is a Monday, it suits a second guard change or a Windsor visit, since the castle is open Monday.
Swap if you land before mid-November
Winter Wonderland opens on 19 November, and the West End lights come on in stages from early November. Move the lights evenings later in the trip. Once you have a draft, run your dates through the itinerary validator to catch closures before you book.
Extend if you want a second day trip
The simplest extension is a longer Windsor day, using the 2.5-3 hour figure from Visit Windsor. Other day trips such as Kew or Hampton Court need their own winter hours checked first.
Who should skip Winter Wonderland
It needs a timed ticket, so skip it if a fixed evening slot does not suit you. Treat it as a choice, not a rule.
Who should skip Windsor
Anyone with only Tuesday and Wednesday free should skip it, since the castle is closed then outside the two December exceptions.
Quick answers
Can you tour Buckingham Palace in winter?
Only on selected dates for Exclusive Guided Tours, per Royal Collection Trust. Dates and price are on Royal Collection Trust.
Is Windsor Castle open Tuesday or Wednesday?
No, except Tuesday 22 and 29 December 2026. It is also closed 25-26 December.
Which Windsor station?
Paddington via Slough, with one change, or Waterloo direct. Compare journey times in the operators' planners.
Do you need Winter Wonderland tickets?
Yes, timed entry. Check the booking page for prices and any off-peak slots.
How long at Windsor and the Tower?
Windsor is 1½-2 hours per Royal Collection Trust or 2.5-3 hours per Visit Windsor. The Tower has no official figure, and a rough estimate is three hours.
Does the guard change run in rain or at Christmas?
Check the Army's Changing the Guard page for the Household Division schedule and any weather or holiday arrangements.
Photos: Unsplash contributors, via the image links on this page.
Check the Army's Changing the Guard page for the Household Division schedule and any weather or holiday arrangements.
