These are the four Christmas film spots in London you must visit

As we all desperately army-crawl to the finish line of the semester one season, it can be hard to romanticise life. 

Making it home to a place where the heating bill is your parents’ problem is almost within reach. To make it there with a semblance of sanity still in tact, however, daily romanticisation is essential. 

Luckily for us, we go to university in a city that many artists (film makers included) have made their muse, especially at Christmas time. 

In between writing essays, crying about writing essays, and writing some more essays, here is a list of Christmas movie filming locations that you can visit to take a break and get into the festive spirit.

Notting Hill – Love Actually

Mark (Andrew Lincoln) confessing his love to Juliet (Keira Knightley) via a series of signs gives us arguably the most iconic and memorable scene from Love Actually. As it happens, this presents fans of the film with the perfect excuse to head to Notting Hill for the day.

The exact address at which the scene was captured is 27 St. Luke’s Mews, not far from Westbourne Park tube station.

The street is a residential one, though, so please bear in mind the homeowners if you take a trip there. It is not recommended that you linger too long and take imposing photographs – or worse, knock on the door in an attempt to recreate the scene.

One is certainly spoilt for choice when trying to choose a Love Actually location to visit, though. 

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There’s Grosvenor Chapel, the church where Peter (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Juliet are married at the start of the film, sound-tracked by All You Need is Love.

There’s Oxford Street Selfridges, where Harry (Alan Rickman) takes his first step to becoming the most hated man in the world by buying a necklace for his mistress, and not for poor Karen (Emma Thompson). I think of her every time I listen to a sad Joni Mitchell song. 

And, of course, if you’re jetting off to catch some winter sun, you could always pass through Heathrow – as we are told in the opening montage, whenever Hugh Grant gets gloomy, he simply thinks about the arrivals gate. Turns out love, actually, is all around!

Covent Garden – Last Christmas

Entering onto the Christmas film scene relatively recently in 2019, Last Christmas has proved itself a huge festive hit (on my Prime Video account, at least).

The film features various London locations, including Regent Street and the Strand. In particular, the shop front of the quirky Christmas shop that protagonist Kate (played by Emilia Clarke) works in was constructed in a corner of Covent Garden for filming. 

Covent Garden can be painfully busy in December. But if you can bear the sheer overwhelm, it’s a Christmas-in-London cornerstone.

The West Piazza South Hall is famously decorated with huge bells and baubles, and hosts a gorgeous hand-painted sleigh that makes for the perfect photo opportunity. 

The most fun Covent Garden Christmas feature in my opinion, however, is the daily snow flurries.

On the hour every hour, between midday and 9pm, you can be fake-snowed upon for free just outside the West Piazza. The weather may be dreary, but you can have that white Christmas after all!

Shere, Surrey – The Holiday

Escape the hustle and bustle of the tourist trap that is Christmas-time in London by taking a day trip to beautiful Shere.

Just over an hour away from London by train, this peaceful town in Surrey is famously the location of every Jude Law lover’s favourite Christmas film, The Holiday.

Despite, heartbreakingly, the fact that Kate Winslet’s cottage is not a real building you can visit, and (even more heartbreakingly) the fact that Jude Law does not actually reside there, Shere still has plenty to offer.

For beautiful wintry countryside, a couple of proper British pubs, and some general peace and quiet away from the Big Smoke, have a well-needed day off from uni work and visit this iconic filming location. 

Borough Market – Bridget Jones’s Diary

I know, I know. Bridget Jones is not technically a Christmas film.

It certainly contains a heavy Christmas presence, however, starting with terrible Christmas jumpers at Bridget’s parents’ Christmas party, and ending with a breathtakingly snowy Renee Zellweger x Colin Firth kiss. So, I’m including it!

Bridget Jones actually resided just a stone’s throw away from Guy’s Campus, at 8 Bedale Street, next door to Borough Market. I just know she would have loved a cheeky sports night at GB.

Once again, please pay mind to the residents if you visit this one. They deserve a quiet life, and it’s not their fault they have to live in the shadow of this self-proclaimed spinster.

Still, any opportunity to visit Borough Market should be taken. The market is a historic one, offering world-class food, and plenty of opportunities to get yourself a glass of mulled wine – it’s what Bridget would have wanted.