Christmas Light Shows

Our historic houses and palaces are a spectacular sight any day of the year, but they really comes to life at Christmas. Constantly growing in size and spectacle, winter festivals at some of our most historic locations can’t fail to dazzle and delight. Such is the film-set scale of these productions, employing professional sound and light artists to outdo the thrills, our insiders tell us planning for the next one starts even before the current year’s miles of wiring come down.

There’s something very special about wandering through sculpted gardens and parkland on a crisp winter’s evening; your path illuminated in twinkling lights. Designed to be an all-encompassing experience, trails now features interactive displays which illuminate and dance to your approach, timed music to bring the dioramas to life, and bigger and better surprises each year- we’ve heard rumours of illuminated giant dinosaurs! And of course, these great houses know how to ‘Downton Abbey’ the hospitality, with delicious warming fare and festive drinks. Get ready to ignite your Christmas spirit, with our pick of the most dazzling light shows on offer.

Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, London

Now a firm favourite on the Christmas calendar, enter a botanical world filled with seasonal cheer: Kew Gardens’ winter light festival is back and brighter than ever. The trail begins, as is tradition, through a glittering archway: the gateway to your festive voyage through dancing waterside reflections, trees drenched in colour, and tunnels of light, plus an appearance from Father Christmas himself. Refresh yourself with delicious festive fare from independent street food vendors, then thrill to a mesmerising Palm House Pond finale, where Kew’s famous glasshouse will spring to life with criss-crossing laser beams, jumping jets of light and magical kaleidoscopic projections on screens made entirely of water that will have you asking ‘how did they do that?’.

RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Essex

Enjoy an unmissable after dark spectacle of lights at RHS Garden Hyde Hall this Christmas. See much-loved gardens awash with colour against the dark night sky on your magical evening’s enchanted journey. With spectacular hilltop views, each different garden brings dazzling and dramatic festive colour, immersive sound effects, even living willow sculptures, all new for 2022. Take a pit stop along the trail at the Thatched Barn, Clover Café or Lake Cabins for tasty treats and winter warmers, then round off your visit with spadefuls of gift ideas for gardeners and loved ones, cheery decorations, colourful houseplants, wreaths and UK grown Christmas trees. It’s everything you need to spread some festive cheer!

Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire

It’s not just a Christmas market at Blenheim, it’s the full festive experience! Firmly positioned as one of the highlights of the UK festive calendar, wander the Palace’s picture-perfect gardens bedecked with over a million lights as seasonal sounds fill the air and projections dance across the palace walls. New for 2022, Blenheim invites you to step inside and explore the Palace rooms, each one exquisitely transformed and filled with hidden fairy-tale surprises. Discover the glistening Land of Snowflakes filled with a silvery frost-covered forest, and venture to the Snow Queen’s wintery Kingdom of Ice adorned with larger-than-life shimmering crystals. Then browse among the Christmas Market’s craft traders in the Great Court, where independent street food vendors bring a delicious twist to tempting treats, or sit down to a special Christmas Afternoon Tea.

Dunham Massey, Cheshire

Steeped in centuries of history, the National Trust know how to present a picture-perfect Christmas! See the gardens at Dunham Massey in Cheshire shimmering with a million twinkling lights, from huge tunnels a-sparkle, to dancing lights in the trees, and magical reflections in the lake. Enjoy time together with friends and family as you walk under giant baubles and gaze at the larger-than-life illuminations. A must-see trail in the UK's Christmas calendar, as a charity, visiting helps this stunning Georgian mansion be conserved to stay open to everyone, for ever. The National Trust is famous for its scones and home cooking, and Christmas is no exception, from spiced winter warmers to toasted treats, perfect for sharing with someone special.