Christmas at Kew

NOTE: Christmas at Kew has now sold out for 2022. But there are plenty of winter light trails in London which still have tickets…

There are plenty of queues in the run-up to Christmas… but there’s only one Kew.

Christmas at Kew was the OG light trail that started it all; the one that inspired a dozen other winter lights displays across London. This year marks its 10th birthday, and as you’d imagine, they’ve become pretty good at the whole thing by now.

Rikard Osterlund

As of 16th November, they’ll be transforming an entire 2.7km stretch of the botanic parkland that is Kew Gardens into an almost unfeasibly magical, after-hours, mulled-wine toting festive woodland light trail that’s taken over a year to plan. This year’s route involves no fewer than a million individual lights, from strings of fairy-lights to giant illuminated flowers; all adorning ancient trees, especially commissioned installations, and Kew’s iconic buildings.

New for this year includes a whirlwind of floating UV feathers suspended between the trees; a mysterious twinkling installation made up of over 1,000 lights that’s justifiably called Starry Night; and some kind of magical optical illusion that makes the illuminated water in Kew’s lake look like it’s draining into an invisible hole…

Richard Haughton

Then there’s all the returning favourites, including the flickering fire sculpture garden; the famous cathedral-inspired tunnel of light; and a windswept cascade of floating poppies. It’ll all lead you to the grand finale at Kew’s own stunning Palm House, a sweeping, 19th century wrought-iron and glass palace that houses the more tropical plants of the collection. They’ll be swathing the entire building in kaleidoscopic projections, while a musical fountain and laser beam show plays out on the lake in front.

Magical doesn’t even begin to cover it.

NOTE: Christmas at Kew 2022 runs from 16th November – 8th January 2023, and tickets start at £21.50. You can find out more and book on their website HERE.

Christmas at Kew | Royal Botanic Gardens, TW9 3AE

Looking for a bite to eat? Hop on the District Line to discover Richmond’s best restaurants