Your guide to London: Christmas lights on Oxford Street

London is an amazing city where it’s impossible to be bored. In my short time there, I attended Bloomsbury International, which I think is the best English Language School in London. Everyone was very friendly, students as well as staff, and I made very good friends.  It’s easy to improve your English during a short stay, even without attending any English Language classes. But no other thing in London is as delightful as the sparkle of the Christmas lights, which give the city an instant festive transformation. You can find all the details and dates for lights in Oxford Street, Covent Garden, Regent Street and West field online.

This is the 55th year that Oxford Street will sparkle for Christmas, and the 1778 glittering white globes stretching the length of the street are back for a second year.

You can learn many things about London by simply walking around the streets, but for a more in-depth experience, look for hotels near Oxford Street and stay a while. My favorite walks in London were all beside the River Thames on the docks. You can start at Tower Bridge and walk all the way to Big Ben. On Saturday evenings, the atmosphere is really pleasant with live shows and buskers all along the route.

This is me with the Bloomsbury administrators when we decided to see the Christmas lights on Oxford Street. Another nice winter walk is the one down Regent Street and Oxford Street, because you can easily walk in the cold with your warm big coat, scarf and gloves and enjoy the sparkling decorations for Christmas. If you have not seen them, don’t miss out. It’s a wonderful experience to see the shining white balls suspended over Oxford Street and the ice-covered tree branches in Regent Street. I really love this sparkling Christmas atmosphere.

An alternative way to see genuine British culture is to go to the market places. My favorite one was Borough Market, which is under London Bridge. You can go there to have lunch, but keep in mind that it closes every Sunday. You will always find something which smells really nice amongst the stalls of local produce, and the prices are very affordable.

The old Spital fields Market sells fashionable vintage clothes and second-hand goods. If you keep walking down the street near the market, you can also enjoy the traditional atmosphere of exciting streets full of street art, trendy coffee shops and restaurants.

If you love shopping, you will definitely find what you are looking for in London.Take a look at Primark for cheap deals on fashionable clothes, accessories and more. Next, make your way down Oxford Street and visit Top shop, River Island, New Look, Cos, Forever 21 and many more.

If you want to eat out, there are numerous choices open to you. There are thousands of restaurants where you can book a table and spend the night with family and friends, and there are so many varieties of food in London that you will certainly find something to entice you. If you want to stay out later, you can always go to a pub for a few pints of beer, or check out a nightclub. The best places for a great night out at the bars and clubs are Covent Garden, Piccadilly Circus and Camden Town.

While you’re in London, don’t pass up the chance to go to the theater and see a musical. I saw a lot of them during my stay and it was always very thrilling and enjoyable. It is maybe a little more lavish and costly than a normal night out but it is an essential part of London life. It is still possible to find cheap tickets if you book well in advance or if you purchase your tickets in certain ticket offices – for example, there are ticket offices in Leicester Square where you can buy economy tickets for shows on the same day. You can also get tickets from the Bloomsbury International reception counter at special student prices.

I hope these tips will help you to enjoy your stay in London. But there are so many other nice things to do in London that you’re sure to find your own! Don’t forget to share your experiences in London on our Facebook page to help your fellow travellers!

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