Covent Garden, London > Reviews (8)

Visiting Covent Garden is a method of self-torture for myself being a shopaholic. Out of all the shopping areas of London this, along with Camden, is a must visit.

There are basically two main areas to visit; turn left out of the station and travel down Neal Street to find yourself surrounded by a multitude of designer shops; turn right and you will find your way to the market which houses more main stream shops and some restaurants.

The latter of these options will also bring you daytime entertainment provided by many different acts such as jugglers, mimes and unicyclists. In the cobbled piazza you will come across a trendy pub called the Punch and Judy. This traditional pub is set on two levels and gets pretty crowded in the evening. Surrounding the piazza are several places to eat, whether you are after a short lunch break between shopping raids or are looking for an evening meal, there is something to cater for you. Some of the shops here include The Gadget Shop, Dockers, Hamleys and The Disney Store. Try and stop off at Whittards Tea Shop on Bedford Street for a quick sample of fruity tea.

Neal street and its adjoining streets provide the serious shopping, with designer names such as Diesel, Mango, Pepe Jeans and Storm. This is a haven for shoe shoppers, like me; with Office, Sole Trader, Buffalo and Offspring being a few of the shoe shops to be found. ‘Must visit’ shops include The Tintin Shop, Neal Street East (selling oriental and indian nik-naks) on Neal Street and Rough Traders in Neals yard (selling skateboards, street wear and a great selection of random music).
Walking down Neal Street is a pleasant experience in itself with cobbled roadway, benches, trees; it’s a shame that it’s adorned with all the shops really (I don’t mean that). Continue out the other end of Neal Street and roughly keep walking in the same direction and you will shortly arrive at the east end of Oxford Street, but I recommend staying well clear at peak times.

Covent Garden tube station is on the Piccadilly line but is within walking distance from most central areas such as Oxford Street, TrafalgarSquare and Leicester Square. Taking a walk around central London is only a short journey and well worth while.

If you’re on your first visit to London then Covent Garden should be on your ‘must see’ list, it may get a little crowded during tourist season (should be a shooting season in my opinion) but it can’t be beaten for charm. If you find a quiet time there, which doesn’t happen very often, it is a wonderful place to chill out for a bit during a hectic schedule.