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Chinese New Year celebrations in London will be the largest outside Asia, according to Visit London

The London Eye on the South Bank of the Thames, near Waterloo Station will get everyone in the mood by lighting up in red and gold on Chinese New Year's Eve, Thursday, 30 January.

The Year of the Horse begins on Friday, 31 January and colourful free events will take place from then  until Sunday, 2 February. Here's our guide to Chinese New Year in London – with a handy map of the Chinese New Year Celebrations in Central London – and links to campsites within reach of our famous capital city. 

 

See the Chinese New Year Parade on 2 February - Photo James O Jenkins/VisitLondon.comCome to London for the Chinese New Year Parade on Sunday, 2 February - Photo James O Jenkins/VisitLondon.com

 

Thursday, 30 January

Chinese New Year's Eve

Head for the EDF London Eye to see live performers from 5.30pm, when the Eye will be illuminated in red and gold. Giveaways are promised here, too.

To make your evening complete, why not take a tube or bus to Leicester Square underground station, walk a short way northwards and eat in one of the 78 Asian restaurants in Chinatown? (Booking recommended.)

 

Hundreds of thousands of people will flock to Chinatown in London from 31 January to 2 February. Photo VisitLondon.comStreet entertainers, food stalls and crafts will be in Chinatown - All photos VisitLondon.com

 

 

Sunday, 2 February

Colourful Chinese New Year Parade

Free

The parade will start from 10am onwards, with performers moving along Charing Cross Road and Shaftesbury Avenue through Chinatown to Trafalgar Square.

In Trafalgar Square you'll be able to see visiting artists from China performing on the main stage.  '

 

Trafalgar Square is the venue for free Chinese New Year entertainment. Photo VisitLondon.comFree Chinese New Year performances such as the energetic Lion dancing will take place in Trafalgar Square

 

In Chinatown there will be 'Lion teams' performing around the streets and local artists performing on a stage in Dean Street.  

(Watch a video of a previous London Chinese New Year performance here.)

Delicious Chinese food and colourful Chinese crafts will also be sold from many stalls set up in  Chinatown.

 

31 January to 1 February, 2014

Chinese New Year at Madame Tussauds

Marylebone Road, London NW1 5LR

Tickets from £22.50

Get yourself photographed with Kung Fu legends Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan – well, their lifelike waxwork figures, anyway! The figures are on loan from Hong Kong and Shanghai and will stay here until mid-April. On 1 February Chinese 'Lion dancers' will perform their high-energy show to music at Madame Tussauds and the building will be lit up in lucky red.  Full details are on  Madame Tussaud's website. 

 

For more information about Chinese New Year events please ring VisitLondon on 020 7292 2877  or browse the Visit London website

 

Camping around London

As with many capital cities around the world, there are few campsites in the centre of London, so you'll need to pitch up on the outskirts and use London's excellent trains, tubes and buses to join in the fun.  Please use the Transport for London journey planner to discover your best routes.

 

Holiday caravans to rent

Thriftwood Holiday Park 

Sevenoaks, Kent

Stay in comfort in a rented holiday caravan on this highly-rated park and take a 40-minute train ride to London 

 

Touring in a caravan or motorhome

Crystal Palace Caravan Club Site

South London SE19 1UF

This site is just a bus ride away from  Central London. 

Open all year to members and non-members.

 

Abbey Wood Caravan Club Site

South East London SE2 OLS

It's a five-minute walk to the nearest station with trains to London from here.

 

Alderstead Heath Caravan Club Site

Nearest town: Hooley, north of Redhill, Surrey RH1 3AH

 

Chertsey Camping and Caravanning Club Site

Chertsey, Surrey KT16 8JX

Open all year

Trains from Weybridge station to London

 

Lee Valley Campsite

Chingford, East London E4 7RA

Central London is just a 20-minute bus ride plus a tube train away.

 

The Elms Caravan and Camping Site

Loughton, Essex IG10 4AW

 

Theobalds Park Camping and Caravanning Club  Site

Waltham Cross, Herts EN7 5HS

Open from March

North of London. Trains go to central London from Waltham Cross station.