It’s that time of year again! It’s nearly Christmas and Winter Wonderland has returned to Hyde Park, London again, and it’s busier and more expensive than ever. Running from late November until the 5th January, winter wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the largest Christmas fair in London.
There are lots of stalls, rides, food stands, arcade games and bars-a-plenty to indulge in at Winter Wonderland. If you battle your way through the crowds you will find little German-style chalet huts selling Christmas gifts and decorations, hot food and mulled wine, but don’t expect it to be cheap. A bratwurst hot dog will set you back £5, and some rides cost £8 a person.
The real treats are Zippo’s Circus which is 45 minutes of entertainment for kids and adults alike, and the ice rink which is sold out days in advance. It’s very atmospheric though, and there’s often a band playing in the middle of the rink which makes it nice to watch if you don’t feel like skating. There’s also the ice kingdom set at a chilly -8 degrees C, so you’re likely to find something to do.
The main issue with Winter Wonderland is how busy it is, both inside and out. When it’s very busy it’s difficult to move freely or quickly, and can actually be quite frustrating. As such avoid going at weekends or evenings as there may be queues of up to 2 hours to get in.
As for travel, Hyde Park Corner underground station is the closest, although this is often closed at extremely busy times. There are buses you can get from many different destinations, such as Victoria, Green Park and Picadilly Circus, or you could walk through Hyde Park from Knightsbridge or Marble Arch stations.
So yes, do go for the atmosphere, but don’t expect it to be cheap or quiet – Winter Wonderland is extremely busy and gets busier every year, but entry is free and you’re unlikely to find a winter fair to match it in size. The gifts available are also overpriced so avoid doing your Christmas shopping here. However the thing that irked me a little is that this year the layout was exactly the same as last year, so I probably won’t make it an annual thing now.
