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Covent Garden is a must see if your visiting London. Big open spaces, lovely shops and restaurants. Fantastic on a nice day, sitting outside watching the street performers. Its a lovely atmosphere, great restaurants and bars
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Date of experience: April 2020
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There's always something to see around Covent Garden. From the souvenir market to the entertainers around the piazza, this place is a must if you are in London. My favourite time to visit is around Christmas and enjoy a hot drink at one of the many cafes around the area.
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Date of experience: February 2021
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+1
I love the district of Covent Garden for many reasons: its vibe, its shops and markets, its cafes and restaurants, its entertainment options, its culture, its vitality, and its hidden secrets and little hints of quirkiness. I don’t think I am wrong in saying that it’s an area that many London residents tend to avoid – mostly due to the incessant and heaving crowds it seems to attract. Not me (a London resident of over 25 years); I love the area and visit it frequently; it’s certainly my favourite shopping area in London. And above all, I love it for its heart and soul. The area is centred around a lovely old piazza and mellow sandstone market buildings that were once the home of London’s huge fruit and vegetable market. It’s on the eastern edge of central London’s West End. The neighbourhood has its own underground station, Covent Garden, on the Piccadilly Line. Turn right as you exit the station and you are in its centre. It’s walking distance from Leicester Square, Trafalgar Square and The Strand. The neighbourhood has a long and interesting history. There were small settlements here in the 7th and 9th centuries, but it was in the early 13th century that part of the area was walled off as an orchard and garden for the abbey and convent of the Westminster Abbey. It became known as the ‘Convent Garden’, which is where the neighbourhood’s current name has stemmed from. Over the centuries the creation of the piazza led to the development of a huge flourishing market; the current neoclassical market hall was built in the 1830s to help better organise the market. The market was finally moved to a more serviceable location in the 1970s and the area handed back to the people and developed into the tourist mecca it is today. Here’s why you should visit: 1. Shopping! It’s quite a haven for those who love to shop. Whilst some of the larger mainstream stores (such as TKMAX) have a presence, there’s a plethora of the smaller designer stores, independent boutiques and quirky outlets in which to browse. The main thoroughfares of the district, such as Long Acre, King Street, James Street and Monmouth Street, are brimming with stores, but there are many more in picturesque corners like Neal’s Yard, or around the Seven Dials monument, or in the old market area around the piazza, or in laneways like Floral Street, Neal Street, Langley Court and Rose Street. Wander, get lost, and shop till you drop. 2. Markets! The name Covent Garden is synonymous with its roots as a market area for garden produce, but the area still boasts a number of market areas. The Apple Market in the piazza continues to support market traders, offering a range of unique handmade crafts and goods throughout the week; it is brimming with handmade jewellery, prints, watercolours and beautiful crafts. Every Monday, you’ll find one-off antiques and collectables. Additionally, the East Colonnade Market is located on the east side of Covent Garden’s market buildings and is filled with handmade soaps, sweet treats and jewellery stalls. Across Henrietta Street you’ll find the covered Jubilee Market, crammed with stalls selling all manner of clothing, souvenirs and tourist tat, and various crafty items. 3. Pubs, Cafes an Restaurants! There are many, and the choices can be formidable, confusing and occasionally a mixed bag. Do your homework, and certainly use Tripadvisor. I have a few favourites; first and foremost is Rules on Maiden Lane; it’s London’s oldest restaurant, dating back to 1798. It’s expensive, upmarket and formal, with many traditional British items in its menu. It’s a beautiful dining experience. There’s the Ivy Market Grill for mid-range dining, and Boulevard Brasserie on Wellington Street for casual breakfasts and lunches, and more informal and less expensive evening dining. For sheer quirkiness, head down to Drury Lane to Sarastro; it’s my favourite Covent Garden dining spot for my international visitors, as they will probably not experienced a dining experience like it previously. There’s many ice-cream outlets, hamburger joints, and coffee outlets, including the likes of Caffè Nero. You won’t starve. 4. Entertainment! Just walking the streets is entertainment in itself, but there are many options here. The wonderful London Transport Museum is on the eastern end of the piazza, as is the Royal Opera House (usually know as ‘Covent Garden’). On Wellington Street is the London Film Museum. There are many theatres in the area; check current listings for what’s on. My favourite aspects of entertainment in Covent Garden are the alfresco street performers. You’ll find them in the western end of the Piazza in front of St Paul’s Church, or along James Street as you leave the underground station. The variety is enormous; the standards may be questionable! 5. Hidden Gems! There’s lots of quirky things in Covent Garden. There’s the curious seven dials on the equally curious ‘Seven Dials’ pillar where seven roads intersect. There’s the hidden Goodwin’s court with its historic cottages and atmospheric gaslit lamps. And you should check out the Punch and Judy pub; apparently the first Punch and Judy puppet theatre was held in Covent Garden, commemorated by the pub. Some may even get to see the quirky decorative tiled panels above the urinals in the gentleman’s facilities beside St Paul’s Church (I do not know if the lady’s facilities offer the same visual feast!). Christmas time in Covent Garden is a particularly pretty time to visit the neighbourhood; it is a veritable festival of twinkling lights and beautiful street decorations. The market halls with their huge glittering baubles and illuminated mistletoe are sure to have your cameras clicking! Grin and bear the crowds as you wander and browse, and you should enjoy the ‘Covent Garden’ experience. Note: the photos I have included were taken during London’s lockdown period. In normal times it’s a different experience, and hopefully that experience will return.…
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Date of experience: January 2021
60 Helpful votes4 Reposts
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+1
Covent Garden covers the area that includes the Royal Opera House, Neal’s Yard and the former fruit and vegetable market building. In 1974 the fruit and vegetable market was relocated to the New Covent Garden Market in Nine Elms. The main market building was redeveloped into a major tourist sight with the Apple Market and Jubilee Hall being the main attractions. I used to work very close to Covent Garden and I was lucky enough to enjoy the free lunchtime recitals. Covent Garden was always extremely popular until the event of coronavirus and since then it has been quiet and forlorn. Hopefully soon it will become popular again as it definitely one of the main highlights to be seen in London.…
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Date of experience: December 2020
87 Helpful votes1 Save6 Reposts
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This is a good time to visit Covent Garden as sadly it’s not as busy as usual. It’s such a pretty place with lovely Christmas decorations everywhere. The cobbled streets are quaint and the shops and restaurants charming.
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Date of experience: December 2020
1 Helpful vote
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