Celebrate the festive season in style with these 11 amazing experiences

Whether you’re looking for a luxury dining spot or the perfect place for your Christmas shindig, we’ve got the destinations to make your Yuletide merry

(Getty Images)

Organising your Christmas get-together can be a stressful task. We’ve got you covered with these fabulous dining and drinking spots.

Dance the night away at a celebrity hotspot

(Lío London)

Experience the magic of Lío London, the award-winning immersive restaurant, and its live show ‘Besos, Beats and Beauties’. Featuring show-stopping choreography and feel-good musical performances, this one-of-a-kind experience is not to be missed. Picture acrobatics, sensational live acts and a recently refreshed Mediterranean-style menu from Executive Chef Attila Kalanyos, previously at Kensington Palace. While you gaze in awe at the performances, you can sip on one of the festive cocktails inspired by the show. After dinner, stay to dance the night away as the venue transforms into a nightclub with a line-up of local and international DJs, including Seth Troxler on 24th November and Fat Tony on 31st December.

End the year with a memorable night out at liolondon.co.uk

Throw a strike this Christmas

(All Star Lanes)

While bowling is a fun activity to enjoy all year, there’s really no better time than the festive season to gather your friends and battle to reach the top of the leader board. At All Star Lanes, you can do all this and more, with karaoke, festive cocktails and a Christmas menu all on offer. With packages starting from just £40 per person, you can follow your game of bowling with a 2 or 3 course meal as well as half a bottle of wine per person. If you’re looking to level up the festivities, book a private room and enjoy an exclusive area for just you and your friends with private lanes and free-flowing drinks.

Book now and receive a £50 All Star Lanes voucher (valid on any Christmas party package) using code DEAL50. Offer ends 31st December 2023.

Delight in a new dining menu in the heart of Soho

(Balans)

Famed for its all-day brunches and late-night dining options, Balans puts its guests’ experiences at the heart of each and every one of its London restaurants. Its flagship eatery, No.60, stands proudly in the heart of Soho, boasting a unique interior draped in artwork as well as offering a scrumptious brunch menu full of pancakes and French toast. This festive season, experience No.60’s brand-new evening dining menu, in which you can delve into an array of exciting dishes such as fried lasagne, butternut squash girella and grilled octopus. Afterwards, select one of the tempting desserts from the menu, created by the in-house pastry chef.

Indulge your appetite this Christmas and book a table at balans.co.uk

Embark on a festive cruise around famed British landmarks

(City Cruises)

While many of us have always assumed that a river cruise is strictly reserved for summer and springtime, winter is in fact the best season to hop aboard and set sail. This festive season, City Cruises is offering a range of tours exploring the sightseeing spots of London, Poole or York, while you enjoy a jam-packed schedule of Christmas fun. Book a Thames Christmas Lunch Party Cruise and prepare for a day full of live music, delicious Yuletide delights and a trip around London’s iconic riverside landmarks. If you’re looking for an evening activity, the Christmas Dinner Party Cruise offers a three course meal and welcome drink, as well as live entertainment and dancing. Finally, if you’re still finalising your New Year’s Eve plans, the New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner Cruise is the perfect choice. After you behold the skyline lit up with fireworks, you can dance the night away to the on-board DJ’s blasting tunes.

For full details on all the festive cruises available, visit citycruises.com or call 020 7740 0400

Delve into UK culture at a discounted price

(Art Fund)

If you’ve got time off work during the festive period and are unsure how to spend it, we’ve got the pass for you. With the National Art Pass, you can explore hundreds of cultural destinations across the UK, from museums and galleries to famed family homes and castles. Explore the life of William Shakespeare in his family abode, delve into aristocratic history at Cardiff Castle or behold the beauty of some of the most famous paintings in the world at Tate Modern. With the pass, you’ll also receive 50% off major art exhibitions, including those at the V&A and the National Museum of Scotland. Membership also includes the Art Quarterly magazine, which will be your guide to making the most of your pass, plus discounts at museum shops and cafes.

Explore the wonders of the UK now and save 25% for the first year with direct debit, until 31/12/2024

Reduce the signs of tiredness with this amazing supplement

(Myrkl)

Myrkl (pronounced ‘miracle’) is a food supplement designed for those who want to enjoy a great festive night out while still remaining productive the next day. Myrkl is the result of more than 30 years of research and development by Swedish company De Faire Medical. The formula, which could potentially boost your productivity and wellbeing, contains a blend of high-performing bacteria, L-cysteine and vitamin B12. The latter contributes to the reduction of fatigue as well as the support of normal energy-yielding metabolism, normal function of the nervous system, homocysteine metabolism, psychological function, red blood cell formulation and function of the immune system. Myrkl contains both prebiotics and probiotics and is suitable for vegans and vegetarians.

New customers can take 15% off their first order with code HEALTH. Valid until 31 December 2023

Immerse yourself in a nostalgic festive musical

(Seven Dials Display House)

Christmas time is the perfect opportunity to take a trip to the theatre. With all the singing, dancing and dazzling costumes, theatre shows and Christmas festivities pretty much go hand-in-hand. This year, add a twist to your holiday entertainment schedule by booking a seat at Chriskirkpatrickmas: A Boy Band Christmas Musical. Running at Seven Dials Playhouse from the 1st to 30th December, the parody musical follows *NSYNC founder Chris Kirkpatrick, as he’s faced with a decision that could change his life forever. Queue: singing, dancing and a load of 90s nostalgia.

Head to sevendialsplayhouse.co.uk and use code INDEPENDENT20 to receive 20% off Band A tickets until 30 December 2023

Book a Christmas party with a twist

(Platform)

If you’re looking for a unique place to book your Christmas party, or are bored of your usual drinking spots, look no further. With locations in Shoreditch and Canary Wharf, Platform is changing the game when it comes to drinking (literally). Once you arrive, you’ll be met with a ton of video games to choose from, from Mario Kart and Just Dance to Mortal Kombat and EAFC24. Simply climb into your semi-private booth (holding up to eight people) and let the games begin. When you need a break, order a festive cocktail and pizza from the menu, and watch your friends defeat their opponents.

Book your Christmas gaming bash now at experienceplatform.co.uk

Reunite with friends at a Japanese hidden gem

(Chotto Matte)

Located in Soho and Marylebone, Chotto Matte is a culinary oasis hidden within the city. Discover inventive Japanese-Peruvian dishes, championing the very best sustainably sourced ingredients. Chotto Matte’s Nikkei menu combines a unique blend of culinary techniques to create dishes that are both authentic and artistic. With the bespoke interiors honouring Japanese culture curated with colourful art walls and lava stone materials, you’ll feel as though you’re in the heart of Tokyo. Combined with lively contemporary flavours and an extensive list of crafted Japanese and Peruvian inspired cocktails, it’s the perfect place to come together with friends over the holidays.

Book your table

Celebrate the season with an immersive bingo experience

(Hijingo)

If you haven’t heard of Hijingo yet, then you’re missing out on a truly one-of-a-kind experience. Based in the heart of Shoreditch, the multi-sensory bingo-inspired venue combines live entertainment with immersive technology to create a spine-tingling competition. This winter, the venue will be transformed into a Christmas show, featuring curated cocktails, festive food and, of course, sensational prizes (a £500 jackpot is among the rewards). Whether you’re looking for a fun night out or an immersive experience to enjoy with your work colleagues, Hijingo is the place to be.

Visit hijingo.com/christmas and for the chance to win a £1,000 cash jackpot, book the New Year’s Eve show now to receive the early-bird rate of £69 (full price £85)

Step into adventure this Christmas with Escape Hunt

(Escape Hunt Group)

This Christmas, step into new worlds and experience epic adventures at Escape Hunt with locations across the UK. Choose from a wide range of epically themed five-star escape rooms for an immersive, pulse-racing, real-life adventure. Tumble down the rabbit hole in the Alice in Puzzleland adventure, step aboard a pirate ship in Blackbeard’s Treasure or capture the lamp in Aladdin & The Magic Vault. Packed with excitement, you and your teammates will leap into new worlds to complete groundbreaking missions. Work together as a team to find clues, solve puzzles and complete challenges before the time runs out.  Escape Hunt gift vouchers are also available to purchase, the perfect stocking filler for Christmas. A one-hour sessions starts at just £27 per person. It’s perfect for friends and families with games suitable for children aged 8+.  

Find out more and book yourself an epic pulse-racing adventure 

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