A London Christmas – my experience Up at The 02 | Travel News | Travel

Up at The 02 is an outdoor climb that takes you across the iconic roof of the 02 arena, which offers panoramic views of east London.

At the summit, climbers can step inside a wintry snow globe with twinkling Christmas trees and billowing snow for an Instagram-worthy picture.

While the highest snow globe in the UK is only open until January 5, 2025, Up at The 02 has been running since 2012.

Throughout the years, countless visitors have completed the climb, including British Bake Off’s former host, Sandi Toksvig, so after some convincing, my mum agreed to try out the experience with me.

My mum, who is uneasy about heights, may not have been the ideal companion for the climb, but I, perhaps foolhardy, believed it would be good way to stretch her comfort zone.

After entering the check-in area (which would benefit from better signage outside for first-time visitors), we signed our safety waivers, watched a short instructional video and were introduced to our climbing guide.

Our exceptional guide – who was super helpful from start from finish – was professional, insightful and amazingly patient.

What to wear

All ready in our climbing jackets and harness, which were provided, my top tips would be to wear a short warm coat underneath and your own gloves.

People who wore long coats – including my mum – had to take them off to not interfere with the safety of the walk.

And while gloves are provided, they might be cold and damp from the previous climb, so wearing a pair of warm gloves will make the experience much more comfortable.

The climb

We began by ascending a few flights of stairs to a viewing platform at the base of the climb, where a professional photographer snapped our first picture with the O2 in the background.

Once the harness was hooked up to the climbing trail, we had to navigate safety bolts along the path, which can be fiddly, especially with cold hands.

While I glided through the climbing path, I turned around to find my mum struggling with the height and the bolts; thankfully, the guide quickly came to her rescue. “He was brilliant,” my mum said with a sigh of relief once we had reached the top.

The views

Pacified by a glass of bubbly and a biscuit, mum gingerly looked at the views surrounding her.

As Londoners, the views of Canary Wharf, Greenwich Park, the green Prime Meridian laser, the cable cars in the Docklands, and Stratford’s ArcelorMittal Orbit, are commonplace.

The verdict

This is why Up at The 02, in my point of view, is best appreciated by people who are visiting London, although our guide’s insightful knowledge about the landmarks made the experience feel more interesting.

As for the snow globe at the top, it was definitely a novelty – a festive enclosure to warm up in after the chilly climb – and another picture-perfect backdrop for more photos.

Now it was time for the descent down, where a professional photo encapsulated the experience perfectly – me, happy that I was almost done, and my mum, looking scared for her life.

Looking back, we both laugh at that moment – appropriately captured in a snow globe we each got from the gift shop.

While it’s not an experience either of us will be doing again, I can see the appeal for people who aren’t afraid of heights and are new to the London lights. And, at £44 for each person, I think that’s reasonably priced for the unique adventure.

Plus, there’s always the option to enjoy a lovely meal nearby inside the 02 and to browse around the shops.