Day 1 | Wednesday 1 December
Arrival
For centuries, London has been the beating heart of Britain’s winter celebrations – from royal Christmas courts in medieval Westminster to bustling markets, Frost Fairs on the Thames, and the glittering traditions of the Victorian era. As we arrive and settle into our hotel, we step into this long history of Christmas in the capital, gathering in the evening for a festive welcome dinner. Overnight London (D)

Day 2 | Thursday 2 December
The Ghosts of Christmas Past & Present
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, published in 1843, transformed how the British understood Christmas, reviving folk traditions and instilling values of generosity and family into the holiday. We begin our day at the Charles Dickens Museum with a lecture introducing the history and traditions of the festive season, before exploring the author’s only remaining residence in the city. A break for lunch is then enjoyed in a traditional Bloomsbury pub, a convivial space that Dickens himself might have recognised, followed by an afternoon at leisure. We reconvene in the evening, continuing our Dickensian theme with A Christmas Carol at The Old Vic – Matthew Warchus’ production has become a modern classic of the London stage. Performed in the theatre’s atmospheric Victorian auditorium, this beautifully staged adaptation by Jack Thorne brings Dickens’ timeless tale vividly to life. Overnight London (B)

Day 3 | Friday 3 December
What the Dickens!
By the mid-19th century, Charles Dickens had become synonymous with the Victorian-era idea of Christmas, his stories influencing how families across Britain and Australia imagined generosity, feasting, and fellowship. After a morning lecture in the hotel, we visit the V&A East, the museum’s new East London outpost. Its collections explore design, fashion and performance, with displays covering costumes, stage design and contemporary responses to theatre-making, offering insight into how performance continues to shape visual culture. In the evening, we head to The Lost Estate in West Kensington for The Great Christmas Feast, an immersive theatrical experience where we step into Charles Dickens’ home on Christmas Eve, 1843, with “Dickens” himself narrating the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge. Dinner is served during the performance, with actors, musicians, and costumed waitstaff recreating the atmosphere of a Victorian Christmas table. Overnight London (B, D)

Day 4 | Saturday 4 December
Traditions of Worship & Celebrations
Alongside the influence of Dickens and his contemporaries, religious observance also shaped Britain’s festive traditions. This morning’s talk turns to the church leaders and reformers who revived older customs and encouraged new forms of celebration during the 19th century, examining how faith, charity and family life became intertwined in the Victorian Christmas. We then make our way to St Paul’s Cathedral, where Christopher Wren’s monumental Baroque architecture and a long tradition of choral worship bring the morning’s themes into focus. Following a break for lunch, we spend the afternoon at the Tate Modern, housed in the former Bankside Power Station on the Thames. The building’s vast industrial spaces introduce a different perspective on the city’s cultural life and provide a striking setting for its international collection of modern and contemporary art. There is time to relax after our visit before we reconvene for an evening performance, with details to be advised. Overnight London (B)

Day 5 | Sunday 5 December
Royal Traditions & Shakespeare by Candlelight
From the entertainments of the Tudor court to the family celebrations of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, the monarchy has also influenced how Christmas is celebrated in Britain. This morning we travel to Green Park and walk to The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace, where changing exhibitions from the Royal Collection reveal the artistic tastes and patronage of successive monarchs. The exhibition for our visit will be announced closer to departure. Following a break for lunch, we turn from royal patronage of the arts to London’s theatrical traditions, with a matinee performance at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. Adjacent to Shakespeare’s Globe, this intimate theatre evokes the indoor playhouses of the early 17th century, with oak galleries surrounding a stage lit by beeswax candles. The close relationship between actors and audience offers a distinctive setting for an afternoon of theatre. Performance details to be advised. The evening is at leisure. Overnight London (B)

Day 6 | Monday 6 December
A Christmas Castle
Royal castles have long symbolised Christmas splendour, hosting grand feasts and entertainment. Windsor Castle, still a royal residence, upholds this tradition with lavish decorations every December. This morning we travel by train to Windsor for a tour of the State Apartments, which are richly furnished and decorated for the holiday season, including the stunning St George’s Hall and the Waterloo Chamber. The tour also allows time to explore Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House, a remarkable miniature home with working lifts, running water, and extraordinary craftsmanship. Afterwards, we enjoy lunch together at one of Windsor’s local restaurants. The afternoon includes a brief stroll through Windsor’s historic centre before gathering in St George’s Chapel for evensong, continuing a centuries-old royal tradition of worship. We return to London by train. Overnight London (B, L)

Day 7 | Tuesday 7 December
Festive Shopping & Afternoon Tea
For generations, London’s shops have helped set the scene for Christmas, their decorated windows and seasonal displays turning the search for gifts into a festive outing. After a morning lecture at our hotel, there is time to browse the shops of St James’s, where historic arcades and specialist retailers preserve something of an earlier London. We then gather in the early afternoon for tea at Fortnum & Mason, founded in 1707 by royal footman William Fortnum and his landlord Hugh Mason. From its beginnings as a grocer, the business developed into one of London’s best-known purveyors of fine food, with longstanding royal connections. Its Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon, opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 2012, provides an elegant setting for finger sandwiches, warm scones and pastries, continuing an afternoon ritual that became fashionable during the Victorian era. Some free time follows before we take in another evening performance, with details to be advised. Back at our hotel, conversation over nightcaps brings the day to a relaxed close. Overnight London (B, AT)

Day 8 | Wednesday 8 December
Christmas in the Capital
Since medieval times, London’s riverbanks have hosted winter revels – from Tudor masques at Whitehall to the Frost Fairs that once animated the frozen Thames. This morning we head to the South Bank for a behind-the-scenes tour of the National Theatre. Led by one of the theatre’s expert guides, we explore the on-site carpentry, props and scenic painting workshops, gaining insight into how productions are realised from concept to stage. We also examine the distinctive features of this renowned building, including its auditoriums. Following our tour, we explore the Christmas markets along the South Bank, where wooden chalets line the river with seasonal food and craft. We then continue to Borough Market, one of the city’s oldest trading sites, with time to sample festive fare, before walking it all off with a leisurely stroll along the Thames. This evening we enjoy another of London’s theatre offerings, with the venue and performance to be advised. Overnight London (B)

Day 9 | Thursday 9 December
Aboard the British Pullman
Luxury rail travel reached new heights in the 1920s and 1930s, when richly decorated carriages and attentive dining service made the journey an occasion in itself. Today we recapture something of that era aboard the British Pullman, a Belmond Train, for a festive round trip through the Kent countryside. Departing from London Victoria, we settle into beautifully restored Art Deco carriages, decorated for Christmas, and enjoy a welcome glass of champagne. Polished wood, intricate marquetry and tables laid with white linen recall the craftsmanship of interwar railway design. As the countryside passes our windows, stewards serve a five-course Christmas lunch, prepared on board using
seasonal produce and accompanied by wines selected by the sommelier. Carol singers move through the carriages, adding to the celebrations, before coffee and petits fours complete our journey. We return to London in the late afternoon and make our way back to the hotel, with the evening at leisure. Overnight London (B, L)

Day 10 | Friday 10 December
Old Masters & Christmas Traditions
Each December, the Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square stands as a reminder of Britain’s wartime ties with Norway. First presented by the Norwegians in 1947 in gratitude for British support during the Second World War, the annual gift has become a much-loved part of London’s festive season. Following a leisurely morning, we gather for lunch at Rules in Covent Garden. In the private Graham Greene Room, we enjoy the traditions of British dining in one of London’s most historic restaurants. Afterwards, we walk to the National Gallery, where we spend time with its collection of European paintings. Stepping outside into Trafalgar Square, we then have time to admire the Christmas tree and browse the festive market before our evening performance (details to be advised). Afterwards, we return to our hotel to round off the day with a nightcap. Overnight London (B, L)

Day 11 | Saturday 11 December
The Twelfth Day of Christmas
Across Britain, the Twelve Days of Christmas traditionally mark both the culmination of seasonal observances and a final moment of festivity before the year turns. This morning’s lecture, ‘Wrapping Up’, reflects on the themes explored during our time in London – from the evolution of Christmas rituals to the city’s distinctive blend of performance, music and royal ceremony. We then visit the National Portrait Gallery, where portraits of monarchs, performers and literary figures offer a human perspective on the history and culture we have encountered throughout the tour. Nearby, we also visit St Martin-in-the-Fields, whose elegant Georgian portico overlooks Trafalgar Square, before attending our final matinee performance, with details to be advised. Later this evening we gather for our festive farewell dinner in the Clive Room at the Army & Navy Club on Pall Mall. A seasonal menu, Christmas crackers and mince pies provide a fitting conclusion to our London celebrations, with time to share favourite moments from the tour. Overnight London (B, D)

Day 12 | Sunday 12 December
Departure
Our tour ends after breakfast this morning. Please refer to individual travel arrangements for onward journeys. (B)