With winter just around the corner, it might be tempting to snuggle up and stay indoors, but to do so would really mean missing out. Whilst summer is often considered to be the best time to get away, autumn and winter have a charm all of their own. There are two particular destinations in the UK that truly seem to sparkle in the colder months, London and York. These cities both offer visitors a vibrant mixture of the modern and the traditional, and they always have something interesting going on, whatever the weather.
Luxury hostel brand Safestay is the perfect place to stay if you’re looking to visit either of these great cities, with two hostels in prime locations in London and one right in the heart of York. Safestay want their guests to get the most out of their stay so they have complied a list of great events taking place throughout the next season. We’ve cherry-picked their list to give you our highlights, so dust off your suitcase, wrap up and get exploring:
London Highlights – Part 1
If you choose to stay in the award winning Safestay London Elephant & Castle, you could enjoy:
London Cocktail Week [5 – 11 October] London Cocktail Week is in its 6th year and this time promises to be more delicious than ever. During the week, 250 cocktail bars across London will offer cocktail lovers tasting sessions, tours, pop-up events and unmissable parties. http://www.timeout.com/london/bars-pubs/london-cocktail-week-the-highlights
Hyper Japan Christmas Market [27-29 November at Tobacco Dock] Have yourself a Japanese Christmas with Japanese-style festive fun in Tobacco Dock, featuring unique shopping, traditional crafts, elegant kimonos and bonsai trees. Visitors will be able to sample a large selection of Japanese food and drink, watch Christmas-themed cooking demonstrations and marvel as chefs from top London restaurants compete in the Sushi Awards. Hyperjapan.co.uk
Winterville [2 – 31 December at Victoria Park] Free-to-enter, this alternative Christmas theme park set inside Victoria Park includes horse-drawn carriages, market stalls, an outdoor ice-rink, a ferris wheel, a festive food hall and street food traders, as well as a roller disco for an eclectic series of club nights. Winterville.co.uk
London Highlights Part 2
Guests wishing to stay in the beautiful surroundings of Safestay London Holland Park will also have plenty of events to choose from:
EFG London Jazz Festival [13-22 November] EFG London Jazz Festival is the city's biggest music festival, with world-class artists playing in venues across London such as the Barbican, the Royal Festival Hall and Ronnie Scott's.
Lord Mayor’s Show [14 November between Bank and Aldwych] Enjoy the spectacular 800-year old traditional parade, which celebrates the Mayor’s allegiance to the crown with a procession between Bank and Aldwych, featuring 7,000 performers including musicians, dancers, acrobats and horse riders, as well as a river pageant from Westminster Bridge and a lively firework display. https://lordmayorsshow.london/
King’s College Choir at the Royal Albert Hall [16 December] Get festive with a wonderful selection of carols from the prestigious choir of King’s College, Cambridge at London’s most famous music hall. King’s College Choir
York Highlights
There’s also plenty going on for guests staying in the Grade I listed building Micklegate House, where Safestay York is based:
Illuminating York [28 October to 2 November at York Minster]Attracting more than 50,000 visitors in the ten years its been running, this festival sees specially commissioned digital artworks projected on to York’s historic building, allowing visitors to see York Minster, the Yorkshire Museum and the Bar Walls in a whole different light. Illuminating York
York Does Vintage [1 and 29 November at York’s Merchant Adventurer’s Hall] On the first and last Sundays in November, York’s Merchant Adventurer’s Hall will be filled with affordable vintage stalls and a pop-up beauty parlour as well as live music and dancing so you can be entertained whilst you shop.
St Nicholas Christmas Fayre [19 November - 23 December] York’s Christmas markets are some of the best in the UK, and St Nicholas’ Fayre is no exception. Featuring Victorian costumed traders, carol singers, delicious roasted chestnuts and hot chocolate laced with brandy, it is the perfect place to finish your Christmas shopping as high quality gifts and crafts and local produce can all be found in the fayre’s traditional wooden huts. http://www.visityork.org/christmasmarkets.aspx