Covent Garden

The heart of the West End

Londres

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The vibe

A former fruit and vegetable market turned pedestrian zone, Covent Garden brings together street performers, shops, restaurants and the Royal Opera House. It’s the perfect starting point for West End theatres, the lanes of Seven Dials and the bookshops of Charing Cross Road.

Good to know

Avoid Covent Garden station at peak times: Leicester Square is a five-minute walk away and far less crowded.

When to go

Late afternoon before a show, when street performers take over the piazza.

Getting there

Tube to Covent Garden (Piccadilly line) or Leicester Square (Northern and Piccadilly lines).

The story

How the neighbourhood came to be

The piazza, designed by Inigo Jones in the 1630s, was London’s first Italian-style square. The covered market thrived there for three centuries before moving out in 1974; threatened with demolition, the area was saved by its residents and became one of the busiest in the city.

Did you know?

1Covent Garden market inspired the opening scene of George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, and later My Fair Lady.
2Street performers on the piazza have to audition for the right to perform there.

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