Have a Blooming Marvellous Time in London at Covent Garden
If you dig shopping, dining and entertainment, delightful Covent Garden will be a must-see destination on any London itinerary. Found at the eastern edge of London’s famous West End, Covent Garden has grown from a tranquil patch of arable land belonging to Westminster Abbey in medieval times into the pulsating and attractive neighbourhood it is today. Picturesque Covent Garden Piazza is the square at the heart of the district, and it’s here that visitors can discover quirky markets, Italianate shopping arcades and fashionable boutiques. Meanwhile, food lovers can loosen their belts and experience independent eateries, health food restaurants and upscale dining options. Besides its gorgeous period architecture, Covent Garden is also a corner of central London that boasts cultural attractions and hotels.
Covent Garden is a Hub for Cultural Attractions in London
Whether its arts, entertainment, history, or culture, Covent Garden is one of London’s leading attractions. History lovers can discover the London Transport Museum, which celebrates the heyday of the city’s vintage red buses, trains and trams. But if you’re in the West End to experience London’s entertainment and cultural attractions, you can see great dramas and musicals on stage at top theatres around Covent Garden. Within a few steps of the piazza are illustrious venues, including the Adelphi Theatre and the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. As the home of the Royal Opera and the Royal Ballet, the beautifully restored Royal Opera House in Covent Garden is a world-class venue for dance and music. But if you don’t have the budget for a West End show, you should still explore Covent Garden for you can marvel at numerous talented street performers and might even stumble upon a celebrity busker. Superstars like Paul McCartney and Jon Bon Jovi have previously given impromptu acoustic shows in the district.
See Why Shopaholics and Foodies Love Covent Garden
Covent Garden features shopping opportunities galore. In the middle of the piazza is a covered market hall where Londoners used to buy their fruit and vegetables. Today it features boutique shops and the Apple Market, which hosts market stalls offering a variety of handmade crafts and goods like jewellery, clothes, antiques and artworks. Long Acre, meanwhile, is one of the best shopping streets in London for clothes, with fashion outlets of all kinds along its length. But if you seek artisan foods, healing remedies and cosmetics made with essential oils, you can stock up on all three at trendy Neal’s Yard at the northern end of Covent Garden.
Food and drink are the lifeblood of Covent Garden, with countless restaurants and more than 60 pubs and bars to try. In the summer, al fresco dining is common at restaurants on the piazza and in the surrounding streets. Among the more interesting options on offer are Lima Floral, a Peruvian restaurant in Garrick Street, and the healthy Wild Food Cafe, which serves vegetarian dishes in Neal’s Yard.
Covent Garden is Home to Many London Hotels
There are many popular central London hotels located in and around Covent Garden, so it could make a logical choice as your base in the British capital. Besides the numerous shopping, dining and entertainment options that will be on your doorstep, you will also be near Covent Garden Underground Station on the Piccadilly line, making it simple to explore London at large.