London at Christmas is both magical and accessible ♿️

I’m guessing the reason I love London so much is because I’m part Londoner. No matter how many times I visit, I always find something new to do or see. It’s the best city in the world.

Yet, last December I experienced the city in a whole new way.
My Mum had a pretty tough year, and due to mobility issues required a wheelchair to get around, so I surprised her with a trip to her hometown. It had been many years since I’d visited London at Christmas time, and this time I would be taking someone in a wheelchair.

I’d never taken much notice of wheelchair or accessibility signs before, so the idea was a little daunting and required some forethought and research.
The most helpful sites were Visit London and Transport for London. They provided loads of information and I ordered an accessibility Tube map indicating all stations with and without step-free access, which was great for planning our journeys. It was great to learn that both London buses and black cabs have wheelchair ramps, which I was previously unaware of

Even with the research, it’s fair to say that Mum and I were a little dubious.
We needn’t have worried.
By planning ahead, we were easily able to get to all the places we wanted. Other than one black cab driver whose ramp was broken, every taxi and bus driver was polite, patient and helpful. Shop assistants and the general public were amazing too - directing us to lifts; holding doors open; letting us through crowds, etc.

As Mum’s ‘wheelchair pusher’, another surprise was that I travelled free on the bus and got a free companion/carer ticket to events.
We saw War of the Worlds at The O2 and the hilarious pantomime Snow White at the London Palladium. The stewards at each venue were friendly and accommodating.

Shopping? It would be rude not to.
I get a buzz out of the hustle and bustle of people Christmas shopping. My secret, don’t look at it as a chore, make it fun. The fact that you have to queue for 15 minutes is a good excuse to give your feet a rest from pounding the pavements, and of course, there’s always a reason to stop for another coffee.

The shops were fabulous. I particularly liked John Lewis on Oxford Street whose top floor was dedicated to everything Christmas. Cheerful and catchy tunes were blaring out the speakers and it was impossible not to sing along whilst wandering around. Needless to say, we found some great gifts for family and friends, and a couple of items for ourselves may have slipped into the basket.

Covent Garden was so Christmassy.
The tree was HUGE - much more impressive than the one in Trafalgar Square. The market had large baubles and mistletoe decorations hanging from the ceiling & there were loads of photo opportunities dotted around. From the recent light switch on, it looks like the market will be a beautiful place to visit again this year.

I’m looking forward to seeing ‘Last Christmas’ at the cinema, as it was filmed in London last year and will bring back loads of fun memories.

Our hotel was located on the edge of Hyde Park towards Notting Hill Gate, perfectly positioned for a leisurely amble along Portobello Road Market.
On a clear, crisp morning we strolled through the park to visit the Princess Diana Memorial and the Serpentine, ending up at Winter Wonderland for a luscious hot chocolate.

So did Christmas in London live up to the hype?
Yes, it did. The lights, decorations and atmosphere were wonderful, and our cases were a little fuller on the way home.
We were amazed at how easy the experience was and have hopefully inspired you to visit this coming Christmas season.

Have you visited London or another big city with a wheelchair user?

The Christmas Gift of Accessible London

Seeing 2020 in with a Bang!