Surprise, surprise, the capital of eccentrics is also going crazy at Christmas. While in Germany people are drinking mulled wine, baking cookies and admiring the Christmas tree, the British have given their pre-Christmas season a good shot of craziness. In this article, we have picked out three events that you should definitely not miss on your city trip to London.
Clapham Common – Winterville
In 2017, the Winterville Christmas Festival will take place for the first time not in Victoria Park, but in Clapham Common in West London. But don’t think of Winterville as a cozy Christmas market – it’s much more than that. For example, there’s the Mirror Tent, which hosts cabaret and drag queen shows as well as club nights. You can take hot (or cold) turns at the roller skating disco and on the ice skating rink. There are also “Yoga on Ice” sessions on the ice rink. If you do, please send us photos to @tatonkacom on Instagram.
Aside from these eccentric Christmas activities, which stand in stark contrast to the mulled wine, gingerbread and wooden nativity scenes, Winterville also offers other great attractions such as food stalls, rides and a backyard cinema.
Our duffle bag is a foldable travel bag with stowable shoulder straps and can therefore also be used as a backpack. It also features a large main compartment with straps for luggage, a mesh pocket and lockable zipper sliders. And when you don’t need the bag, you can simply fold it up and stow it away to save space.
The Duffle Bag is available with a volume of 45 and 65 liters.
Christmas Lights Bike Tour
Is it cold outside? Perfect, get on your bike! The Christmas Lights Bike Tour takes you to the city’s most beautiful Christmas lights in three hours – and also passes a few of the main attractions such as Big Ben or Oxford Street. You probably won’t do a more festive bike tour this year.
The tour is organized by the London Bicycle Tour Company, at whose headquarters on the South Bank you will meet up with the other participants. Bicycles, helmets and lights are provided.
Hampstead Heath Christmas Swim/ Peter Pan Cup
Many Londoners come here to leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind for a while and immerse themselves in the wild beauty of Hampstead Heath. Parliament Hill, located in the middle of the park, offers visitors a fantastic view of the city at any time of year. For the very hardy, there is also the traditional Christmas swim at Men’s Pond on Christmas Day. Every year since 1895, regardless of the weather, a few brazen men and women have gathered here to plunge into the icy waters.
The same spectacle can even be found in Hyde Park, where it is known as the Peter Pan Cup. The Serpentine Swimming Club organizes an annual race on Christmas Day in which only active members of the club are allowed to take part. The risk of having to pull over-ambitious amateurs out of the water with hypothermia is too great. However, it is always great fun to watch. The race takes place at the southern end of the lake, near the Lido Café.
We hope you have a great time in London – if you still need the right luggage for your Christmas shopping and winter clothes, you’re sure to find a spacious travel bag or suitable backpack here.
