Santa's Grottos in Greenwich, London 2026: Dates, Prices and Booking

Meeting Father Christmas is one of the best-loved parts of a Greenwich Christmas, and this year there is a good choice within a short trip of Blackheath and Greenwich. The popular dates go fast, and some sessions have already sold out, so we've gathered the confirmed 2026 grottos in one place: dates, prices, SEND-friendly sessions and how to book. Every detail below comes from each organiser's own website, checked 1 November 2026.

Santa's Grotto at the Queen's House, Greenwich

The Queen's House runs its Snow Queen grotto from Saturday 14 November to Thursday 24 December 2026. Families follow an actor-led story inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale, meeting the Snow Queen, her Hobgoblin assistant, Gerda, Kai and the little robber girl, before ending in Santa's Grotto, where children meet Father Christmas and receive a gift to take home.

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Queen's House

Museum & Heritage · Greenwich

Inigo Jones’s white Palladian villa in Greenwich, now a free art gallery with royal portraits, seascapes, the Armada Portrait of Elizabeth I and the famous Tulip Stairs.

Tickets are £30 per person, £27 for Royal Museums Greenwich Family Members, and under-1s go free, plus a £3 booking fee per transaction. Royal Museums Greenwich says it is best for children aged 9 and under. When we checked, the SEND sessions on 15 November, 28 November, 4 December and 10 December were sold out, and there was very low availability on the December weekends and Monday 21 December. Book through the Royal Museums Greenwich grotto page.

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Royal Greenwich Heritage Trust at Charlton House

Museum & Heritage · Charlton

The heritage charity that cares for the Royal Borough's historic collections and runs Charlton House & Gardens, a Jacobean manor with free gardens, tours, events and a tea room.

The grotto sits right beside the Queen's House Ice Rink, which opens on 18 November, so it's easy to make a day of it.

Father Christmas at the Old Royal Naval College

Father Christmas and his granddaughter return to Admiral's House at the Old Royal Naval College from Saturday 28 November to Tuesday 22 December. Children's tickets range from £5 to £65 depending on the session, and adults go free.

There are several kinds of session. Standard 40-minute sessions on 19 to 22 December include a welcome from Father Christmas, a reading of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, a photo opportunity and a gift. Calmer sessions for babies and toddlers run on 28 and 29 November and 18 December (the 18th was sold out when we checked). Father Christmas's Workshop runs on 4 to 6 and 11 to 13 December. The 10:15am session on the standard and baby-and-toddler dates, and the 9:30am session on the Workshop dates, are relaxed SEND-friendly sessions. Full details and booking are on the ORNC Father Christmas page.

While you're there, the Painted Hall is a short walk across the college grounds.

Santa's Grotto at Charlton House

For two days only, Santa and one of his elves move into Charlton House during its Christmas Fair, on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December 2026. Timed slots run from 11am to 3:30pm. Tickets are £10 per child and adults go free. Each ticket includes up to 15 minutes with Santa and a small gift. Charlton House says the venue is wheelchair accessible, and refunds are offered up to two weeks before the event. Booking is open now via the Royal Greenwich Heritage Trust.

The Christmas Fair itself is free to enter, so you can browse the makers' stalls before or after your visit. Charlton House has more festive dates planned too: Santa Paws dog photos with Father Christmas on 11 December, and Storytelling with Mrs Claus on 12 December.

Father Christmas at Eltham Palace

English Heritage welcomes Father Christmas to Eltham Palace on weekends from Saturday 5 to Sunday 20 December 2026. Tickets cost £15 per child for non-members and £12 for members, and must be booked in advance. Non-members also need admission to Eltham Palace and Gardens. Sessions run at 10:20am, 11am, 11:40am, 12:20pm, 1:40pm, 2:20pm and 3pm, and places are limited to one accompanying adult per child. See the English Heritage event page.

Santa's Grotto at Woolwich Works

Woolwich Works lists a Santa's Grotto from Saturday 28 November to Wednesday 23 December, with a preview day on Friday 27 November (preview tickets from £9.50). Prices for the main run are on the Woolwich Works Christmas page.

Before or after your visit

For a warm drink or a treat near the Queen's House and the Old Royal Naval College, try Royal Teas on Royal Hill, Paul Rhodes Bakery on King William Walk, or The Pavilion Café in Greenwich Park. If the weather turns, our guide to rainy-day activities for kids in Greenwich has more ideas. For everything else on this season, see our guide to Christmas in Greenwich and Blackheath.

Where we checked

All details were checked on 1 November 2026. Dates, prices and availability can change, so please check the organiser's page before you book.

Queen's House grotto: rmg.co.uk, Santa's Grotto at the Queen's House

Old Royal Naval College: ornc.org, Father Christmas

Charlton House: greenwichheritage.org, Santa's Grotto at Charlton House and Christmas 2026 at Charlton House

Eltham Palace: english-heritage.org.uk, Father Christmas at Eltham Palace

Woolwich Works: woolwich.works/christmas

Photos: The Queen's House by Ввласенко, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Charlton House by Dominic Nelson, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Eltham Palace by Tom Parnell, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.