Things to Do in London in January

What happens after Christmas in London? The start of a new year brings lots of exciting things to do in London in January. When the festive decorations come, the city still has a lot to offer. But honestly, it’s not as colorful as what you see in December.

Festive activities that still exist are Hogwarts in the Snow and ice skating at several locations around London. Club curling at Coal Drops Yard provides something bright and fun to do in January that makes the short daylight hours more tolerable.

For those into culture, the Royal Opera House hosts a series of inspiring performances. My favorite monthly cultural event is the candlelight concert. Of course, that continues to happen at iconic places in January.

Whether you’re a Londoner or a visitor, you can find the city’s hottest deals of the month. In this list of things to do in London in January, you’ll find activities for New Year’s Day, ways to enjoy the winter chill with outdoor events, pubs that have a cozy experience even during Dry January, and much more!

You’ll find Things to Do in London in January organized below by:

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through them. This comes at no extra cost and helps support the Sunny blog in London.

Discounts for January

Current Ticket Discounts 2025 for London

Next update on January 2, 2026

Discount Code: SUNNYINLONDON10

SUBSCRIBE FOR FUTURE UPDATES!

To make sure you don’t miss out on these ticket sales opportunities, activities and event information – get our weekly email.

Things to Do in London in January: Candlelight Concerts

I have attended several of these concerts and highly recommend them for date nights, special occasions like birthdays or anniversaries, or just a fun night out! You can read more about my first experience in Tribute to Coldplay. I also attended a Tribute to Taylor Swift, a Hans Zimmer Candlelight Concert, and a Christmas Movie Soundtrack.

This month

• Candlelight New Year’s Extravaganza, January 1
• Tribute to the Weeknd, January 3
• Tribute to AR Rahman, 10 Jan
• Tribute to Justin Timberlake, January 17
• Magic Movie Soundtrack, January 17
• Hip-Hop with Strings, January 24
• Tribute to Fleetwood Mac, January 24

Ongoing Concerts

• Rhapsody in Blue by Candlelight, Jan. 16-Mar. 20
• Ed Sheeran Meets Coldplay, 16 Jan-23 May
• The Best of Hans Zimmer, Jan. 16-June 13
• A tribute to The Beatles, January 23-31
• Queen vs ABBA Jan. 23-Feb. 14
• Music from the Film Jan. 29-April 30

SEASONAL ACTIVITIES

January in London can be a bit grey. Sometimes it may snow. So if you’re visiting London during this time, keep an eye on the weather forecast! You’ll find some very popular outdoor activities. However, this is a better month to enjoy events held inside for obvious reasons.

January Event

• New Year’s Day Prom at the Barbican
• New Year’s Day Parade
• Serpentine New Year’s Day Race
• Bankside Twelfth Night Celebration January 4th
• Hogwarts in the Snow until January 18th

• Canary Wharf Winter Festival of Lights January 20-31
• London Art Fair January 21-25
• London Short Film Festival January 17-26
• Club Curling at Coal Drops Yard until March 2

Ice Skating

• Launching at Battersea Power Station until January 4
• Hampton Court Palace until January 4
• Skating at Somerset House until January 11
• Canary Wharf until February 22

Royal Opera House

• Christmas until January 5
• Nutcracker through January 5
• Teas & Tours through March 15
• Architectural Tours through March 15
• Behind the Scenes Tour through March 31

Afternoon Tea: Things to Do in London in January

January is the perfect time to enjoy a themed afternoon tea. It’s one of my favorite British traditions. While those special events you see launched just for the holiday season are fun, sometimes you rush through them because of all the other Christmas events going on.

While it usually takes a month to cut calories, if you have room for a snack, afternoon tea in January can make a rainy day a great time to meet friends.

National Gallery Highlights Tour & Afternoon Tea

• Immerse yourself in masterpieces by famous artists such as Leonardo, Monet and Van Gogh
• Treat yourself to an afternoon tea experience at the National Gallery’s restaurant, Ocher
• Must be booked for a party of 2 people

Themed Tea

• Elf Afternoon Tea at The Waldorf Hilton
• Jurassic Afternoon Tea, Ampersand Hotel
• Mad Hatter Afternoon Tea at Sanderson
• Peter Pan Afternoon Tea at The Shard
• Secrets & Spies Afternoon Tea at Raffles

Things to Do in London in January: Upcoming Shows & Exhibitions

Albert Kingdom Hall

• Cirque de Soleil OVO 9 Jan-1 Mar
• Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring in Concert Apr. 30-May 9
• Harry Potter & the Philosopher’s Stone Concerts September 25-27
• Black Panther in Concert October 9th
• Home Alone 2: Lost in New York in Concert December 12th

Museum

• Marie Antoinette Style at the V&A Museum until March 22
• Hawai’i: An empire across the seas at the British Museum Jan. 15-May 25
• Samurai at the British Museum 3 February-4 May

IMERIF Experience

Read this article for a complete list of ongoings Immersive Experience in London.

Cozy Pub for Dry January

In January, many restaurants, pubs and bars in London offer Dry January mocktails and drink specials. So, they are still very interesting to visit.

Below is a list of pubs in London that are outstanding for their atmosphere. It was a pub we frequented after work or while out and about during the day.

Cozy Pub in London

• Churchill’s Gun
• Pigeons in Hammersmith
• Holly Bush in Hampstead
• Spanish Inn, Hampstead
• Ship & Shovel
• May Flowers
• Trafalgar’s Tavern in Greenwich
• Market Porter on London Bridge
• Thomas Cubitt in Belgravia
• Company in Holborn
• Bull & Last in Highgate

London Travel Planner

Things to Do in London in January- related articles

Follow me on Pinterest!