Explore: Winter Wonderland, London

It's Christmastime! And what is one of the best ways to get yourself in the festive mood? Christmas markets!



Winter Wonderland at Hyde Park has become the iconic destination in London at Christmastime, and you can't go wrong. Open from 10am till 10pm daily there are tons of activities to do whilst you are there: from eating, drinking, shopping, riding the rollercoasters, ice skating and so much more... (Just not in that order). The Park is also easily accessible, closest entrance perhaps being situated at Hyde Park Corner station (Piccadilly line) or a short walk from Marble Arch station (Central line) too. Or if you are travelling from an overground station Winter Wonderland is about a 20-30 minute walk from Victoria Station with bright pink signs to guide the way. There is something there for everyone, from toddlers to adults who want a fun time. Oh and most of it's free!

Shopping
When you first head in to Winter Wonderland (I arrived from the Hyde Park Corner entrance) you are met with plenty of village-like market stalls. These small cabins display products from small businesses decorating the walkway with ornaments and homemade gifts to sweets and popular trends like gems, crystals and pink himalayan salt lamps. If you're looking for unique presents I would highly recommend perusing the stalls for a good find; some businesses even offer personalisation on the items they sell.

Also, for all you Potter fans out there there is a Harry Potter merchandise stall this year! Filled with perfect gifts large and small to take home with you. If that's not the closest thing to Christmas at Hogwarts I don't know what is!




















Food
Food is a must at Winter Wonderland and this year they have really outdone themselves by catering for all; halal, vegetarian, vegan and even gluten free are just some of the offers available at different venders. Alongside these you will find a lot of traditional foods synonymous with christmas markets, for example Bavarian foods, crepes, waffles, churros... the list goes on.

I'd highly recommend Moony's Halloumi sticks, situated near the Hangover ride. Their halloumi is DELICIOUS! You choose from a selection of dips too and they are so warm on a winters day, kept my hands warm too. So scrumptious!

For the adults who like to treat themselves to an alcoholic beverage, you are not in the wrong place. Winter Wonderland is known for its German beer, mulled wine and more importantly mulled cider. This year many of the bars were offering Brothers toffee apple mulled cider and it is something I highly recommend you try if you drink. For the adults who want a bit of hilarity when they drink, I suggest you visit the Carousel Bar, here you can order the Brothers mulled cider and step on to an old carousel ride which has now been renovated in to a bar.

The Bavarian Village
The Bavarian Village has a variety for all to experience from food to drink to entertainment.
If you're looking for traditional food to try in the village, there are plenty of vendors selling Bratwurst sausages in varying kinds. The sausages are cooked over an open fire so the smells as you walk past will make you just as hungry. For those who don't eat meat they also offer different options such as varying flavours of pretzels, pizza and pastries. I tried a cheese pretzel, which they heat up for you there, and it was delicious. The cheese pretzel I also want to add was massive! About twice the size of my hands! The pretzel will fill you up just as much as the Bratwurst sausages will.

There are two big event spaces in the Bavarian village, the larger of the two has a couple of bars, selling German beer, and food vendors inside and a stage with various acts performing all day long. If you are looking for time and space to sit down and chill this would is the place to be. Try some hot apple mulled wine, served in traditional little pots, or a German stein and take a seat and watch the shows. Josef was a fantastic performer when I visited; alone he sung an array of songs, old and new, to get the crowd dancing and swaying along in their seats. Josef was a comedic performer when we visited as he sung German songs, cheesey songs like 'Is This The Way To Amarillo' and it seemed he was a fan of George Ezra as he sung quite a few of his songs too. The crowd were entertained and singing along, all smiles and laughter.

In the second chalet style space which can be found opposite the giant Bavarian man with a bird (see image above) you will find a similar venue catering for all. Albeit the space is slightly smaller but it made for a more intimate time. The Oompa band (see below) performed beautiful songs whilst people revelled in the music and enjoyed the company of loved ones. For all those fanatics out there keep an eye out and see if the Oompa band have steins of beer at their feet... something to tick off your Winter Wonderland bucket list.

Attractions
There are plenty of attractions that will appeal to most people. Catered from young ages up to those thrill seekers looking for their next shot of adrenaline. Let's not forget one of the iconic attractions of the park... the Ice Rink which if you aren't brave enough to dare it on the ice you can at least watch the happy skaters from the sidelines. If you wish to access some of the attractions you will need to buy tokens which you can purchase from ticket offices dotted around the park and a new feature for this year is that a lot of the stalls and stations accept contactless.

There is an area of Winter Wonderland dedicated to the younger generation aptly named Santa Land, here guests can visit Santa, watch the Circus, and ride on smaller rides like carousels, spinning teacups and more. The Magical Ice Kingdom: The Secret Forest is located nearby displaying an amazing trove of ice carved animals and scenery transporting you to a Narnia like wonderland. Just around the corner from Santa Land you can also find a new experience this year, The Snowman Experience, curtesy of Backyard Cinema offering you the chance to watch the film in a wintery setting.

The Ferris Wheel has become an icon for Winter Wonderland, allowing guests to reach new heights and see the sights from above. A must would be to ride this at night when all the lights glow twinkly bright amongst the dark. For those looking for a more daring adventure will find rollercoasters like the Munich Looping at the centre of the park. Munich Looping is the only rollercoaster in the park which loops its victims round and round in the cold. Likewise the Hangover transports its victims to beautiful scenic heights only to be dropped after luring you into a false sense of security. A tip here: stand and watch people get on this ride, and if you're evil, laugh at them as they plummet back to the ground safely.







If you're looking to go at a time that won't be too busy I'd suggest visiting during the week before 3pm; after 4pm it begins to get busier with people finishing work, schools being let out, and the imposing rush hour. However if you are looking for the nightlife and to gaze at the twinkly spectacle of the park then any time after 5pm would be perfect. The sun has now set and the lights are all on making it that much more festive.

Winter wonderland is open till the 6th January 2019.

Happy Holidays!