10 Things to do in London in November 2026

Robert Icke adapts and directs Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s acclaimed film for the stage. This West End drama explores surveillance, censorship and artistic freedom, with Keira Knightley, Stephen Dillane and Luke Thompson leading the cast.

Tickets are from £25; prices and availability may vary by performance. Adelphi Theatre is on the Strand, a short walk from Covent Garden and Charing Cross, making it a convenient base for exploring central London.

Eight outfits and accessories from Freddie Mercury’s career form the focus of this free display, developed with Mary Austin. It offers a close look at the stagewear and visual choices behind his performances.

No ticket or booking is required. The display is at V&A South Kensington on Cromwell Road.

The V&A is worth visiting in its own right for its galleries spanning art, design and performance.

Step into Agatha Christie’s world in an exhibition that takes visitors through five settings connected with her life and work. The displays include her typewriter, correspondence, photographs, notebooks and typescripts.

Admission is £20–£25 for standard tickets, depending on the date; concessions are available.

The British Library is worth visiting beyond the exhibition: its free Treasures Gallery, with no booking required, includes Magna Carta and Shakespeare’s First Folio, and the Grade I-listed building is worth exploring.

Bonfire Night in London commemorates the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605, when Guy Fawkes and his companions attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament and King James I. The celebration of the plot’s failure has become a long-standing tradition marked by bonfires and fireworks displays across the city. Different locations may have food stalls and activities for children.

Bonfire Night is on the 5th of November, and fireworks take place in several locations the following weekend.

The popular Hogwarts in the Snow experience transforms the Harry Potter Studios into a magical winter wonderland. The Great Hall, Diagon Alley, and the Forbidden Forest are all dressed in festive décor, while the Hogwarts castle model is blanketed in snow using the same filmmaking techniques seen in the movies. Visitors can see authentic props and decorations, learn about the film’s snow effects, and pick up unique Christmas souvenirs.

The Lord Mayor’s Show turns the City of London into a civic pageant, with a procession of floats, bands, performers and community groups. It starts at Mansion House and travels towards the Royal Courts of Justice via Cheapside and St Paul’s, before returning along the Embankment and Queen Victoria Street.

Watching from the route is free, and no event ticket is offered. The nearby Guildhall Art Gallery is also free to visit and makes a worthwhile stop in its own right.

Follow a free trail of 12 artist-designed, Beano-inspired sculptures through Fleet Street Quarter’s historic streets. The installations mark Dennis the Menace’s 75th anniversary and the historic connection between Beano publisher DC Thomson and Fleet Street. The announcement also describes themed Dennis and Gnasher projections at Ludgate Circus; a detailed route has not yet been published.

The trail is free to explore, and no booking is necessary. Last year's Snoopy trail was very popular, and we expect the same from this trail: a fun activity that takes you to areas not typically used for a promenade.

Hyde Park Winter Wonderland brings festive markets, food, rides and seasonal attractions to Hyde Park. The current programme includes the Gandeys K-Pop Dragon Circus, a Neverland-themed Magical Ice Kingdom, Bar Ice and Christmas by Candlelight.

An entry ticket is required. Published advance prices are £1 off-peak, £5.50 standard and £8.25 peak, subject to change. Entry is free with a qualifying online pre-booking of at least £25 in one transaction; rides and ticketed attractions cost extra.

London Museum in Smithfield opens with galleries exploring the city’s history, newly displayed objects and a central space for socialising and events. Look out for the Cheapside Hoard, the Whitechapel Fatberg and a six-metre gallery window looking out on passing Thameslink trains.

The museum has also announced London Tastes, an inaugural programme bringing food and evening events into the mix. Admission to the permanent galleries is free; walk-ups are welcome, but booking is strongly recommended to guarantee entry, particularly during the opening weeks.

The restored Victorian General Market is worth seeing in its own right, with its dome, market architecture and underground vaults.