British Isles itinerary — December 2026
For the British Isles trip (London, Dublin & Edinburgh), December 2026 is one of the less comfortable months by weather. Across London, Dublin and Edinburgh, daytime highs run from about 7°C / 45°F to 9°C / 48°F. Plan around 7–9 days for the full London, Dublin & Edinburgh loop.
In this order — about 7–9 days:
- London3 nightsUnited Kingdom
- Dublin2 nightsIreland
- Edinburgh2 nightsUnited Kingdom
- Route noteReserve the longest intercity leg first and keep transfer days free of timed sights.
By TripSapien · Updated November 6, 2026
London
London in December
TempTemperature
47°F / 39°F
8.1°C / 3.8°C
RainPrecipitation
16d
2.4in · 60.1mm
LightDaylight
8.2h
December is cold and festive, with West End shows, Southbank markets, ice rinks, and Oxford Street lights driving demand.
City overview
London sits on the River Thames, where Westminster, the City, South Kensington, Camden, Shoreditch, Notting Hill, Greenwich, Mayfair, and Covent Garden compress royal government, finance, museums, markets, theatre, and immigrant food into one transport map. The Tube, Elizabeth Line, National Rail terminals, and river piers make the city work as a set of village-like districts rather than one walkable center.
Food & drink
London food spans fish and chips, full English breakfasts, Sunday roasts, pie and mash, Brick Lane curry houses, salt-beef beigels, jellied eels, and modern pub dining. Borough Market, Brick Lane, Chinatown, Brixton Village, Broadway Market, and Southall are the first food map rather than one single restaurant row.
Events & festivals
- Nov 27 – Dec 6
- Dec 1 – Jan 1
- Dec 1 – Dec 3
Super Shorts Film Festival London
International Short Film Festival in London.
Source: TripSapien festival dataset
- Dec 1 – Dec 31
- Dec 1 – Jan 1
- Dec 1 – Dec 16
Show all 14 events for December
- Dec 1 – Dec 12
- Dec 2 – Jan 1
- Dec 3 – Dec 8
- Dec 3
Ciyaal Fish & Chips : Somali Independence Day Special – London
Music · Dance/Electronic.
Source: Ticketmaster
- Dec 6
- Dec 8
- Dec 19
- Dec 20
Holidays & observances
- Dec 25Christmas DayPublic holiday
- Dec 26Boxing DayPublic holiday
- Dec 28Boxing Day (substitute day)Public holiday
Top sights
Ranked for December suitability using weather, setting, ratings, and review volume.
- 1Victoria and Albert Museum
- 2National Gallery
- 3British Museum
- 4Westminster Abbey
- 5Natural History Museum
- 6Tower Bridge
- 7Tower of London
- 8Tate Modern and Millennium Bridge
- 9Houses of Parliament and Big Ben
1Victoria and Albert Museum
4.8★ · 69,113indoorOpen dailyThe V&A in South Kensington holds decorative arts, fashion, sculpture, photography, Islamic art, cast courts, theatre collections, and design objects. It sits beside the Natural History Museum and Science Museum.
Wikipedia
2National Gallery
4.8★ · 64,214indoorOpen dailyThe Trafalgar Square museum opened in 1838 and holds Van Eyck, Leonardo, Titian, Velazquez, Rembrandt, Turner, Monet, Van Gogh, and Seurat. Charing Cross and Leicester Square stations are short walks away.
Wikipedia
3British Museum
4.5★ · 3,738indoorOpen dailyThe Bloomsbury museum opened to the public in 1759 and displays Egyptian mummies, the Rosetta Stone, Assyrian reliefs, Greek sculpture, prints, coins, and global archaeology. Tottenham Court Road and Holborn stations are the easiest Tube approaches.
Wikipedia
Show 6 more sights
4Westminster Abbey
The Gothic abbey church was largely built under Henry III from 1245 and remains the coronation church and burial place for monarchs, poets, scientists, and statesmen. It stands beside Parliament Square, Big Ben, and Westminster station.
Abbey entry uses timed tickets; worship services are not sightseeing slots.
Wikipedia5Natural History Museum
Alfred Waterhouse designed the Romanesque museum building, which opened in 1881 on Cromwell Road. Dinosaur skeletons, Hintze Hall, minerals, mammals, and earth-science galleries sit above South Kensington station tunnels.
6Tower Bridge
The bascule bridge opened in 1894 with twin Gothic Revival towers and high-level walkways over the Thames. The exhibition includes engine rooms, glass floors, and views toward the Tower of London and City skyscrapers.
Wikipedia7Tower of London
William the Conqueror began the White Tower in the 1070s, and the fortress later held the Crown Jewels, royal prisoners, ravens, walls, and riverside defenses. Tower Hill station and Tower Bridge are both beside the site.
Book Crown Jewels entry early in summer and arrive near opening to avoid the longest queue.
Wikipedia8Tate Modern and Millennium Bridge
The art museum opened in 2000 inside the former Bankside Power Station, with modern and contemporary collections in the Turbine Hall and riverfront galleries. The Millennium Bridge links it directly to St Paul's Cathedral.
9Houses of Parliament and Big Ben
Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin rebuilt the Palace of Westminster after the 1834 fire, with Elizabeth Tower and Big Ben facing Westminster Bridge. The exterior works best from Parliament Square or the South Bank.
Neighborhoods
1Westminster and St James's
Westminster is ceremonial and governmental, with Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall, St James's Park, Buckingham Palace, and The Mall in one high-security walking zone.
2South Kensington and Chelsea
South Kensington is museum-heavy, with the V&A, Natural History Museum, Science Museum, Royal Albert Hall, Exhibition Road, and Chelsea streets nearby.
3Covent Garden and Soho
Covent Garden and Soho are theatre-and-nightlife dense, with Seven Dials, Neal's Yard, Chinatown, Carnaby Street, West End theatres, and late restaurants.
4Camden and Regent's Canal
Camden is market-led and music-linked, with Camden Lock, Regent's Canal, Roundhouse, street food, tattoo shops, and walks toward Primrose Hill.
5Shoreditch and the City
Shoreditch adds Brick Lane curry houses, street art, Spitalfields Market, bars, and tech offices beside the City's St Paul's, Bank, Leadenhall Market, and skyscrapers.
6Notting Hill and Kensington
Notting Hill has pastel terraces, Portobello Road market, Carnival history, bookshops, and quick access to Kensington Gardens and Holland Park.
Getting around
Transport for London runs the Tube, Elizabeth Line, Overground, DLR, buses, trams, river buses, and contactless/Oyster fares with daily caps. Use the Tube for cross-core trips, the Elizabeth Line for Heathrow and east-west speed, buses for short central hops, and National Rail terminals for day trips.
Dublin
Dublin in December
TempTemperature
47°F / 37°F
8.5°C / 2.6°C
RainPrecipitation
13d
3in · 75mm
LightDaylight
7.3h
Sea
49.1°F
9.5°C
December is wet and festive, with Grafton Street lights, pub sessions, and short daylight shaping plans.
City overview
Dublin sits on the River Liffey where Georgian squares, Viking-medieval lanes, literary pubs, Trinity College, the Liberties, Temple Bar, Smithfield, and St Stephen's Green make a compact city-center route. The city works best on foot, with DART coastal trains and Luas trams extending the map to Howth, Dun Laoghaire, and the docklands.
Food & drink
Dublin food is pub, market, and coast-fed: a full Irish breakfast plates sausage, bacon, eggs, pudding, beans, and tomato, Irish stew slow-cooks lamb or mutton with potatoes, seafood chowder uses Atlantic shellfish, and boxty turns potato into pancakes. The Brazen Head, Moore Street, George's Street Arcade, Temple Bar Food Market, Capel Street, and Howth seafood stops add soda bread, fish and chips, oysters, and Guinness pours.
Events & festivals
- Dec 1 – Dec 4
- Dec 1
- Dec 1
- Dec 2
- Dec 2 – Dec 31
- Dec 3 – Dec 4
Show all 40 events for December
- Dec 3
- Dec 3
- Dec 4
- Dec 4
- Dec 4 – Dec 12
- Dec 5
- Dec 5
- Dec 5
- Dec 7
- Dec 7 – Dec 8
- Dec 8
- Dec 8
- Dec 9
- Dec 9
- Dec 10 – Dec 12
- Dec 10
- Dec 10 – Dec 13
- Dec 11 – Dec 12
- Dec 12
- Dec 12
- Dec 13
- Dec 15 – Dec 16
- Dec 15
- Dec 16
- Dec 17
- Dec 17
- Dec 18
- Dec 18
- Dec 19
- Dec 19 – Jan 1
- Dec 21 – Dec 30
- Dec 22 – Jan 1
- Dec 28
- Dec 31
Holidays & observances
- Dec 25Christmas DayPublic holiday
- Dec 26St. Stephen's DayBank holiday
- Dec 28St. Stephen's Day (substitute day)Bank holiday
Top sights
Ranked for December suitability using weather, setting, ratings, and review volume.
- 1Kilmainham Gaol
- 2National Museum of Ireland - Archaeology
- 3Christ Church Cathedral
- 4St Patrick's Cathedral
- 5EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum
- 6Temple Bar
- 7Phoenix Park
- 8Trinity College and Book of Kells
- 9Guinness Storehouse
1Kilmainham Gaol
4.7★ · 3,428indoorOpen dailyThe jail opened in 1796 and is tied to Irish nationalist prisoners, the 1916 Rising executions, and penal history. It is west of the center near the Irish Museum of Modern Art.
WikipediaGuided tours sell out well ahead; book online as soon as dates open.
2National Museum of Ireland - Archaeology
4.6★ · 15,525indoorOpen dailyThe Kildare Street museum displays the Ardagh Chalice, Tara Brooch, bog bodies, Viking finds, goldwork, and medieval objects. It is beside Leinster House and Merrion Square.
Wikipedia
3Christ Church Cathedral
4.5★ · 12,287indoorOpen dailyThe cathedral was founded around 1030 and rebuilt in stone under the Anglo-Normans, with a crypt, tiles, and medieval city history. It stands near Dublinia and Wood Quay.
Show 6 more sights
4St Patrick's Cathedral
The Gothic cathedral is associated with a 5th-century baptism site and Jonathan Swift, who served as dean. It sits south of the Liberties beside its park.
5EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum
The interactive museum in the CHQ building covers Irish migration, diaspora, music, sport, politics, and family history. It sits in the Docklands near the Custom House.
Wikipedia6Temple Bar
The cobbled district south of the Liffey has pubs, galleries, buskers, restaurants, and nightlife between Dame Street and the river. It is crowded and expensive, but central for first-time evenings.
7Phoenix Park
The 707-hectare park dates to the 1660s and holds Dublin Zoo, the Papal Cross, Wellington Monument, deer herds, and the Irish president's residence. It begins west of Heuston Station.
Wikipedia8Trinity College and Book of Kells
Trinity College was founded in 1592, and the Old Library holds the Book of Kells, Long Room, manuscripts, and university history. The campus sits beside College Green and Grafton Street.
Timed Book of Kells tickets are safest during summer and holiday weekends.
9Guinness Storehouse
The St James's Gate visitor experience opened in a former fermentation plant and explains brewing, advertising, cooperage, and Guinness history. The Gravity Bar gives rooftop views over the Liberties.
Wikipedia
Neighborhoods
1Temple Bar and College Green
Temple Bar and College Green are central and busy, with pubs, Trinity College, the Irish Whiskey Museum, cobbles, buskers, and river crossings.
2St Stephen's Green and Grafton Street
The southside shopping-and-park district has Grafton Street, Georgian doors, Iveagh Gardens, Little Museum of Dublin, and Merrion Square nearby.
3The Liberties
The Liberties is old and working-class, with Guinness, whiskey distilleries, St Patrick's Cathedral, Francis Street antiques, Thomas Street, and market streets.
4Smithfield and Stoneybatter
Smithfield and Stoneybatter mix the Jameson Bow St. distillery, Lighthouse Cinema, cafes, pubs, apartments, and quick access to Phoenix Park.
5Docklands and Grand Canal Dock
The Docklands feel newer, with EPIC, Samuel Beckett Bridge, Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, tech offices, canals, and riverfront walks.
6Rathmines and Portobello
Rathmines and Portobello are local and food-heavy, with canals, cinemas, pubs, brunch spots, and red-brick residential streets south of the core.
Getting around
Dublin Bus, Luas trams, DART coastal rail, commuter rail, and Leap cards cover the useful visitor network. Walk the center, use Luas for Heuston-Smithfield-Docklands, and use DART for Howth, Malahide, and Dun Laoghaire.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh in December
TempTemperature
44°F / 34°F
6.9°C / 0.9°C
RainPrecipitation
12d
2.6in · 65mm
LightDaylight
6.7h
Sea
46.2°F
7.9°C
December is cold, with Christmas markets and Hogmanay setup making central hotel timing important.
City overview
Edinburgh sits between Castle Rock, Arthur's Seat, and the Firth of Forth, with Old Town closes, New Town crescents, Leith waterfront, Stockbridge streets, Bruntsfield cafes, and Calton Hill viewpoints forming a compact but steep city. Its August festival season changes the city more completely than any single attraction.
Food & drink
Edinburgh food is Scottish staples with a strong pub map: haggis is minced offal, oats, and spice served with neeps and tatties, Cullen skink is smoked-haddock soup, and cranachan folds cream, oats, raspberries, honey, and whisky into dessert. Grassmarket pubs, Stockbridge Market, Leith's Shore restaurants, New Town whisky bars, and chip shops add Scotch pies, shortbread, drams, and fish suppers.
Events & festivals
- Dec 1
- Dec 1
- Dec 2 – Dec 30
- Dec 2
- Dec 3
- Dec 3
Show all 40 events for December
- Dec 4
- Dec 4
- Dec 4
- Dec 5
- Dec 5
- Dec 6
- Dec 6
- Dec 7
- Dec 8
- Dec 8
- Dec 8 – Dec 29
THE FURTHER PANTOMIME ADVENTURES OF PETER PAN
Arts & Theatre · Circus & Specialty Acts.
Source: Ticketmaster
- Dec 9
- Dec 10
- Dec 11
- Dec 11
- Dec 12
- Dec 12
- Dec 13
- Dec 13
- Dec 15
- Dec 17 – Dec 20
- Dec 17
- Dec 18
- Dec 18
- Dec 19
- Dec 19
- Dec 20
- Dec 26
- Dec 29 – Jan 1
Planning lead · dates set closer in · Source: TripSapien festival dataset
- Dec 29
Source: TripSapien festival dataset
- Dec 30
- Dec 30
- Dec 31
- Dec 31
Holidays & observances
- Dec 25Christmas DayPublic holiday
- Dec 26Boxing DayPublic holiday
- Dec 28Boxing Day (substitute day)Public holiday
Top sights
Ranked for December suitability using weather, setting, ratings, and review volume.
- 1Arthur's Seat and Holyrood Park
- 2Calton Hill
- 3Royal Mile
- 4Princes Street Gardens and Scott Monument
- 5Edinburgh Castle
- 6Palace of Holyroodhouse
- 7National Museum of Scotland
- 8Royal Yacht Britannia
- 9Scottish National Gallery
- 10Camera Obscura and World of Illusions
1Arthur's Seat and Holyrood Park
4.8★ · 5,126outdoorThe extinct volcano rises 251m above the city, with paths from Holyrood, Duddingston, and the Salisbury Crags. Views reach the Castle, Firth of Forth, and Pentland Hills.
2Calton Hill
4.8★ · 7,025outdoorThe hill east of Princes Street has the National Monument, Nelson Monument, Dugald Stewart Monument, and one of the classic skyline views toward the Castle and Arthur's Seat. It is a short climb from Waterloo Place.
Wikipedia
3Royal Mile
4.7★ · 25,944outdoorThe Old Town spine runs from Edinburgh Castle to Holyrood Palace through Lawnmarket, High Street, Canongate, closes, churches, pubs, and souvenir shops. It is steep, crowded, and central to most first-time walks.
Wikipedia
Show 7 more sights
4Princes Street Gardens and Scott Monument
The gardens occupy the drained Nor Loch valley below the Castle, separating Old Town from New Town. The 1846 Gothic Scott Monument rises beside Princes Street and Waverley station.
5Edinburgh Castle
The fortress crowns Castle Rock above the Old Town and holds the Honours of Scotland, St Margaret's Chapel, the One O'Clock Gun, and military museums. The Royal Mile begins outside the esplanade.
Timed castle tickets sell out during August festivals and holiday weekends.
Wikipedia6Palace of Holyroodhouse
The royal palace stands at the foot of the Royal Mile beside Holyrood Park and the Scottish Parliament. State Apartments, Mary Queen of Scots chambers, the abbey ruins, and gardens are the main visit.
Wikipedia7National Museum of Scotland
The Chambers Street museum combines Victorian galleries with modern extensions and displays Scottish history, science, natural history, design, world cultures, and Dolly the sheep. It is free and near Greyfriars Kirkyard.
Wikipedia8Royal Yacht Britannia
The former royal yacht served from 1954 to 1997 and is now moored at Ocean Terminal in Leith. The route covers state apartments, crew quarters, engine room, and royal travel history.
Wikipedia9Scottish National Gallery
The gallery on The Mound holds Scottish and European painting, with works by Raeburn, Ramsay, Titian, Velazquez, Turner, Monet, and Van Gogh. It sits between Princes Street Gardens and the Old Town.
Wikipedia10Camera Obscura and World of Illusions
The attraction beside the Castle has operated optical shows since the 19th century and now adds mirrors, lenses, rooftop views, and illusion rooms. It works well in bad weather with children.
Neighborhoods
1Old Town
Old Town is medieval and vertical, with the Royal Mile, Grassmarket, Greyfriars, Victoria Street, closes, pubs, ghost tours, and festival venues.
2New Town
New Town is Georgian and ordered, with Princes Street, George Street, Queen Street Gardens, galleries, shopping, and hotels.
3Leith
Leith is port-city and food-led, with the Shore, Royal Yacht Britannia, Water of Leith paths, seafood restaurants, pubs, and tram links.
4Stockbridge
Stockbridge is village-like, with Sunday market, Raeburn Place, Dean Village access, Water of Leith walks, and independent shops.
5Bruntsfield and Morningside
Bruntsfield and Morningside are local and cafe-heavy, with Meadows access, cinemas, bakeries, bookstores, and tenement streets.
6Southside and Marchmont
Southside and Marchmont are student-and-festival districts, with University of Edinburgh buildings, the Meadows, theatres, pubs, and August venues.
Getting around
Lothian Buses, Edinburgh Trams, airport tram service, and contactless day caps cover most visitor moves. Walk the Old Town-New Town core, use trams for airport-Leith links, and expect steep climbs between Waverley, the Royal Mile, and the Castle.
Planning the British Isles route?
Add your dates and we'll pace all 3 cities — every place checked for closures, limited hours, and booking needs in December.
Weather by month for the British Isles trip
In December, climate averages for London, Dublin and Edinburgh show daytime highs from 7°C / 45°F to 9°C / 48°F, with nights down to about 1°C / 34°F in the coolest of those cities. The rainiest of those cities averages about 13 rainy days. Based on climate averages for London, Dublin and Edinburgh, December is one of the less comfortable months by weather.
The most comfortable months for this route are August, July and June, based on average daytime temperatures and rainfall in London, Dublin and Edinburgh. December 2026 is a lower-comfort month.
Common questions about the British Isles trip
- When is the best time to do the British Isles trip?
- The most comfortable months across London, Dublin and Edinburgh are August, July and June, based on average daytime temperatures and rainfall for those cities. December is one of the less comfortable months by weather — see the city climate sections below for the averages in December 2026.
- How many days do you need for the British Isles trip?
- A comfortable British Isles trip runs about 7–9 days, allowing roughly London 3, Dublin 2, Edinburgh 2 nights plus travel between stops. Add a day if you want a slower pace or extra day trips.
- What's the route for the British Isles trip?
- The classic order is London, Dublin & Edinburgh. The detailed month sections below cover London, Dublin and Edinburgh.
Ready to plan the British Isles trip?
Turn this route into a day-by-day plan for December 2026, every stop checked for closures and booking needs on your exact dates.