Christmastime in England
Go Learn


Decoration street in London at Christmas time.

Christmastime in England



December 09-18, 2026
Double Occupancy: $6350 per person
Single Occupancy: $6850 per person
Airfare is not included.

Reserve your spot!

This trip only has 3 spots left!


Stay Informed

Sign up for Go Learn announcements here

Join our List!


Have a question?

We'll get back to you as soon as possible!

I have a Question

Travel Dates: December 9-18, 2026

An exuberant traveler said it best:

Some cities sparkle, but London shines brightest at Christmas.”

We heartily concur! The city bubbles over with music, art, theatre, cuisine, and Christmas adornments everywhere at this special season. We had such a joyful time last year that, thanks to Go Learn, we’re returning to our favorite city at our favorite time of year in 2026. Come with us!

Let’s share ten days of jollity, inspiration, and friendship together amidst the twinkling lights (300,000 of them) of Regent Street, the happily bustling Christmas markets, the sweet harmonies of a lessons & carols service, great and grand art exhibitions, and the delicious yuletide fare of London’s eateries. OF COURSE we’ve lined up a scintillating sextet of plays—with great seats, naturally—as some of the shiniest ornaments on our 2026 Christmas tree. As this trip’s pièce de résistance, we have a very special seasonal trip—as you’ll read below.


A sparkling, lit Christmas tree in the center of London

Know Before You Go:

On this trip, we average 4-6 miles of walking and 100 stairs per day. Travel is by public transportation, and participants must be able to board Tube trains and buses independently, though we will always lead the way in group activities. Participants who wish to travel by taxi must make their own arrangements and expect to pay about $600 extra.

Christmastime in England is considered a Level Two out of three physical ability levels on the Go Learn scale.

Activity Levels

Tour Highlights Include:

  • A breathtaking line-up of plays, including The Jungle Book, A Christmas Carol, A Cherry Orchard, and Paddington.
  • Incredible music events, including A Festival of Lessons & Carols at St. Michael Cornhill in the heart of London.
  • The stunning Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum and Henry Moore sculptures at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • A visit by private coach to Stratford-upon-Avon to see the Royal Shakespeare Company’s new production of Middlemarch, as well as the Shakespeare Properties decorated for Christmas. We’ll stay at a charming bed & breakfast accommodation.
  • Preparation before experiences and chatting about them afterwards—which is half the fun!

Daily Itinerary

Important Note: This itinerary is provisional. Times and dates of events are subject to change. More importantly, it’s only partially filled in at this point. So please watch this space as we add exciting seasonal events! (And don’t worry; we’ll make sure there’s enough free time for you to pursue your own individual yuletide adventures.)

Meals are indicated as follows: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner

We'll arrange your transportation from Heathrow Airport to The Rockwell, our charming boutique hotel in South Kensington—where complimentary breakfast is served every morning. After settling in, we'll bundle up and visit Trafalgar Square to gaze at the decorated Christmas tree donated each year from Norway in thankful commemoration of Britain’s aid during World War II and browse the Christmas Market. Then we’ll head to a great restaurant, and while there each will draw the name of a fellow-traveler and be issued a £20 note for purchasing a small Christmas gift to be bestowed at our Christmas Dinner in Stratford-upon-Avon. In bed by 9 pm beats jetlag with a good night’s sleep.

Hotel: The Rockwell  opens a new window

Meals: D

Activity Level: Moderate to Strenuous

Big Ben against the sunset sky
Beautiful winter sunset view of the Big Ben Clocktower in London

Thou art of the Jungle and not of the Jungle. And I am only a black panther. But I love thee, Little Brother.”

  — Bagheera, The Jungle Book

Our first play is Anupama Chandrasekhar’s brand-new adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book at the Royal National Theatre. Word is the breathtaking combination of live acting and puppetry in this production will not have been seen on the Olivier stage since the premiere of War Horse in 2007—and that show has now been seen all over the world. So, we’re getting in at the beginning of an Event. Pre-play dinner that evening will be at Lasdun, the National Theatre’s wonderful resident restaurant.

Hotel: The Rockwell  opens a new window

Meals: B, D

Activity Level: Moderate to Strenuous

A concrete building against the blue sky
National Theatre in London

Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum? Art exhibition at the Tate or National Gallery? Evening Christmas concert? Watch this space! 

Hotel: The Rockwell  opens a new window

Meals: B, D

Activity Level: Moderate to Strenuous

A tall building with columns and red banners that read Tate Britain and Free For All
The Tate Britain art museum in Pimlico, London

Today we’ll visit spectacular Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew with its glorious glasshouses (that’s “greenhouses” to us Americans), one of which, Temperate House, is the largest in the world—also Kew’s two beautiful art galleries, its fowl-filled lake, tree-top walkway, Orangery restaurant, and 14,000 trees—some older than the American Revolutionary War. And for a short while—luckily, while we’re there—Kew is featuring a landmark art exhibition: thirty monumentally-sized sculptures by the great Henry Moore strewn among its greenery. Dinner will be at London’s finest steak & seafood restaurant, Hawksmoor, and then it’s off to the West End to see trees from a new perspective when we attend Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard.

Hotel: The Rockwell  opens a new window

Meals: B, D

Activity Level: Moderate to Strenuous

A light display on the iconic Palm House at Kew
The annual festive light display at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

On the grounds of the 14th Century Tower of London is a beautiful 16th Century church whose name is a reminder of the Tower’s prison past: St. Peter ad vincula— “St. Peter in chains.” That is where we’ll attend, chains-free, a morning Advent service featuring the sweet, precision harmonies of the Choir of the Chapels Royal. Afterwards we’ll stroll next door to examine the Crown Jewels and then lunch at the New Armouries Café. In the evening we’ll head to the Savoy Theatre to see London’s most decorated new musical (it broke the record for most wins at the WhatsOnStage Awards), Paddington, an adaptation of Michael Bond’s book series about a bear from “darkest Peru” sent to Paddington Station in London with a tag on his duffel coat that says, “Please Look After This Bear.”

Hotel: The Rockwell  opens a new window

Meals: B, L

Activity Level: Moderate to Strenuous

A large brick building with four corner towers across the water front.
Tower of London over the Thames River

We’ll visit the splendidly decorated Leadenhall Christmas Market with its iconic 18ft-high live Christmas tree on our way to a beautiful, Old London City church, St. Michael Cornhill, for its annual Festival of Lessons & Carols. This church’s “gruff old bell” overlooks Scrooge’s counting-house in Newman’s Court off Cornhill Street in A Christmas Carol. That’s appropriate because this evening, we’ll make our way to our splendid seats in the “Snow Circle” (you’ll see!) of the Old Vic Theatre for this year’s edition of A Christmas Carol. Before the show we’ll dine at the Old Vic Backstage Café.

Hotel: The Rockwell  opens a new window

Meals: B, D

Activity Level: Moderate to Strenuous

A richly decorated interior building with windows and skylights and a Christmas tree in the center.
The iconic Leadenhall Market decorated for Christmas

When we think of Christmas, do we think of Shakespeare? We should:

Some say that ever ‘gainst that season comes/ Wherein our Savior’s birth is celebrated,/ This bird of dawning singeth all night long;/ And then, they say, no spirit dare stir abroad,/ The nights are wholesome, then no planets strike,/ No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm,/ So hallow’d and so gracious is the time.”

  — Marcellus, William Shakespeare's Hamlet

See? Today we’ll travel by private coach to Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare’s hometown, bedecked in all its Christmastime finery. We’ll settle in at our charming bed & breakfast and then visit Holy Trinity Church where Will was christened and he and Anne are buried. Dinner that evening will be at Lambs of Sheep Street, our favorite Stratford restaurant. In our private space upstairs, we’ll have our own festive Christmas dinner and gift exchange.

Hotel: Virginia Lodge opens a new window

Meals: B, D

Activity Level: Moderate

A storefront filled with Christmas decorations and goods.
Christmas storefront in Stratford-upon-Avon

And yet, we’re in Stratford not just for Shakespeare, but also for Mary Ann Evans, aka George Eliot, whose novel Middlemarch is justly praised as “a masterpiece of 19th Century literature” (The Guardian), and about which literary scholar Rebecca Mead wrote,

it’s a common turn of phrase to speak of getting lost in a book. But a book can also be where one finds oneself, when it feels like an urgent, crucial dimension of life itself.”

Nina Raine has adapted Eliot’s “home epic” (Eliot’s description) as a two-part drama for the Royal Shakespeare Company. We’ll see Part 1 in an afternoon matinee and return in the evening for Part 2.

Hotel: Virginia Lodge opens a new window

Meals: B

Activity Level: Moderate

A building framed by trees across the river.
Royal Shakespeare Theater over the Avon River

After our second hearty English breakfast at our Stratford B&B, we’ll board our coach and head back to The Rockwell to rest and reflect. Perhaps an art exhibition in the late afternoon and/or a Christmas concert in the evening to end our festive time together? Again, watch this space!

Hotel: The Rockwell  opens a new window

Meals: B

Activity Level: Moderate to Strenuous

Two red telephone boxes in snow with a Christmas tree in teh background.
Red telephone booths in Covent Garden, London

We’ll get you back to the airport, or wherever you’re going next, with good yuletide London memories and best wishes for a very Merry Christmas!

Meals: B

Tour Leader

a man in a tan jacket.
a woman with curly hair and brown jacket.

Tim Slover and Jane England

Tim and Jane bring their expertise and enthusiasm to Go Learn from also directing the University of Utah's Beacons of Excellence Award-winning Theatre, Fine Arts and Humanities in London Learning Abroad student program—for fifteen years and still going strong.

Tim is a Professor in the Department of Theatre, where he teaches Playwriting, Dramatic Literature, Shakespeare, and Contemporary Drama. Tim is also a produced screenwriter, a published novelist, and an award-winning playwright with plays produced off-Broadway and in the US, Britain, and Canada.

Jane teaches Introduction to Theatre and Dramatic Literature in the Department of Theatre and administers London Learning Abroad programs for both the Theatre and English Departments. She attended the London School of Economics for post-graduate studies and, in addition to her many London and UK tours, has led travel programs in Bali and Japan.

If the logistics of a trip are right, travelers don't even notice them. That's my job.”

  — Jane England


She does her job really, really well. Can we talk about the play now?”

  — Tim Slover

Details and What to Expect

December 9-18, 2026

Group size is limited to 20 participants

Double occupancy: $6,850 per person.

Single occupancy: $6,350 per person.

Payment options are available upon request. Contact golearn@utah.edu for information.

Read the Terms and Conditions for payment and cancellation details.

Terms & Conditions

Included

  • 2-days in Stratford-upon-Avon, where festive lights, cozy streets, and seasonal cheer bring Shakespeare’s hometown to life.
  • 10 nights' accommodation at comfortable and centrally located hotels.
  • Entrance to all exhibits listed on itinerary.
  • Festive holiday activities at some of London’s most iconic locations as well as personalized play analysis by our Trip Leaders.
  • Six world class theatrical experiences.
  • Local guides and experts, including their fees and tips.
  • Daily breakfast, as well as 7 hand-picked culinary highlights for lunch or dinner.
  • Transportation to and from daily destinations and activities.
  • Comprehensive trip insurance, including sick and/or emergency evacuation insurance.

Not included

  • Airfare to and from London.
  • Meals that are not specifically noted in itinerary
  • Cancellation and lost luggage insurance
  • Any costs outside of the itinerary

Like all Go Learn journeys, the adventure begins at home. We'll make sure you have all the information you need before you arrive in London—we'll answer questions about what to pack, how to get around, and our daily itinerary. We want you to arrive in London ready to learn!

A trip reunion about a month after returning will be the perfect conclusion to our journey. We will exchange pictures and stories while remembering the highlights of our tour. Go Learn expeditions are designed to be small, boutique experiences where one returns with a group of friends. Good food, drink, and company await us at this reunion.

A trip reunion about a month or so after returning will be the perfect conclusion to our journey. We’ll exchange pictures and stories while remembering the highlights of our tour. Go Learn expeditions are designed to be small, boutique experiences where one returns with a group of friends for life. Good food, drink, and company await us at this reunion.

It’s hard to fit what London is into one sentence, but let's give it a shot: London is the capital of the United Kingdom (and hence has all the Washington D.C.-type buildings), and it also has hundreds of historical sites from a Roman temple to Jimi Hendrix's apartment, and it's also the biggest city in the European Union (8.5 million) with the most diverse population (270 nationalities and 300 languages—imagine what that means for restaurants, yum), and it’s also one of the world’s premiere financial and commercial hubs (um, shopping), and it has the most museums in the world (173, with 11 of them national museums, and unlike other European cities, they're mostly FREE); it also has the most restaurants in the world (37,450), 5,000 acres of parks (8 of them Royal) and 214 theatres to which 14.2 million people flock each year (including us); plus it has fourteen football clubs, including 6 Premier League teams, is home to the tallest building in the Britain (the Shard) and has hosted the Olympic Summer Games 3 times. Whew! But it isn't all about bigness and most-ness. London is also home to quiet nooks and curious crannies—truly adventure around every corner.

The temperature range in December is 38ºF-46º,F and there is always a good chance of rain. Bring a warm coat, winter scarf, hat, boots, warm clothing, and an umbrella to be ready for British weather. Snow is unlikely but always possible. The days will be short but all the better to see the thousands of Christmas lights adorning the city.

This is an Activity Level 2 trip. Learn More about our activity levels.

Activity Levels

Filled with one-of-a-kind visits and experiences, this trip will leave you happily tired. It includes days exploring London as a group and some late nights of theatre performances, and the pace is brisk. We average 4-6 miles (approximately 10,000 steps) of walking and 100 stairs per day. Travel is by public transportation (included in the price of the trip), and participants should be able to board Tube trains and buses independently, though we will always lead the way in group activities. The group comes first, so participants who wish to travel by taxi must make their own independent arrangements and expect to pay about $600 extra.

Starting in 2025, U.S. travelers will need a UK ETA 'visa' for travel to or through the UK, including transfers and layovers. In the last quarter of 2026, U.S. travelers will need a ETIAS 'visa' for many European countries.

Santa's sleigh parked in front of decorated Christmas Trees.
Covent Garden Christmas scene