Kew Gardens is once again to bring colour, lights and festivities to south-west London as Brits begin to enjoy the start of Christmas.
From Wednesday November 15, the enchanted woodlands will host people in what has been described as glittering tunnels of light, with dancing lakeside reflections and many of the garden's 12,000 trees drenched in jewel-like colour – alongside new sustainable light trails.
Find out about booking tickets and dates below.
When is Christmas at Kew?
Christmas at Kew begins on Wednesday, November 15, and will run into the new year. The botanical gardens will be open on the dates listed:
- Wednesday, November 15 – Sunday, November 19
- Wednesday, November 22 – Sunday, November 26
- Tuesday, November 28 – Sunday, December 3
- Tuesday, December 5 – Sunday, December 24
- Tuesday, December 26 – Sunday, January 7, 2024
Christmas at Kew will take place each day from 4.20pm to 10pm and people can visit at different times – the last slot of the day is 8pm. Visitors should note that the last entry on Christmas Eve is 7pm.
Unfortunately, most tickets are sold until the new year so people are urged to not miss out on January tickets by booking them as quickly as possible.
How to get tickets
Tickets are still available for purchase at the following prices:
- Non-member adult: Off peak £22.50, Peak £29.00
- Member adult: Off peak £19.50, Peak £24.00
- Child tickets, aged four to 15: £19.00
The Kew Gardens website asks visitors to choose an entry gate and a date and time before paying.
Different entry gates include Victoria (main entrance and mostly used by those coming via public transport), Elizabeth (best for those travelling by National Rail – South West trains) and Brentford (only available with prepaid parking).
What can visitors expect?
Visitors can walk through Kew's returning favourite, the Christmas Cathedral. It is a twinkling tunnel of light inspired by arched church windows and features 300 candles lining on the route to the Temperate House, the oldest Victorian glasshouse in the world.
Elsewhere, Kew's Palm House will hold a light display while LED lights "float" on the surface of the adjacent lake in a grand finale.
People will also be invited to see Kew’s contemporary art installation, The Hive, for the first time. It is a 17-metre high, multisensory installation created by British artist Wolfgang Buttress and which is connected to a real bee colony, expressing its life in light and sound.
