Free Days Out- Covent Garden/Trafalgar Square


  • Start at Covent Garden Tube Station
  • Here you will find the covered market and many street performers
  • Opposite the station is Neal Street
  • At the end of Neal St go back on yourself down Marmouth Street
  • Neals Yard is on your right
  • When you get to the end of this road turn right onto Cranbourn Street
  • This will take you to Leicester Square
  • Make your way to Charing Cross Road
  • You will see the galleries and Trafalgar Square
  • Cross Trafalgar Square and walk up Haymarket till you reach Piccadilly Circus
  • Go up Shaftbury Avenue till you find Rupet Street
  • Up here is Burwick Street Market
  • Further up is Soho Square
  • The nearest tube station from here is Tottenham Court Road.

The National Portrait Gallery ****star

National Portrait Gallery

The National Portrait Gallery is free to visit and is full of, well, portraits. There are some really cool paintings and amazing photographs. When I went I saw an image of a woman and without you realising it would gradually change and morph into other images - I sat and watched it for ages it was so amazing.


The National Gallery ***star

The National Gallery

The National Gallery, Trafalgar Square
The National Gallery looks onto Trafalgar Square and is free to look round. It holds paintings from the 14th century to the 18th century so it is quite traditional. One of the most famous paintings it has is probably Van Goghs Sunfowers which are superb in real life. If you're not into old paintings it's still good for a quick look as the building itself is also very impressive.

Trafalgar Square **star

Nelson's Column, Trafalgar SquareTrafalgar Square

Home to Nelsons column, Trafalgar Square always feels like the very centre of London to me. It often has street artists/performers and would be nice to sit beside the fountains and take in Londons atmosphere here. Yet another memorial in London - but it's larger than all the others so go see it! Also the lions at the bottom of it are fun to climb on.


Piccadilly Circus ***star

Piccadilly Circus

Get your cameras out! This huge advertising banner features in so many films, Bridget Jones being one, you've just got to see it especially as its so close to Trafalgar and Leicester Square.


Burwick Street ***star

Burwick Street Soho
Burwick Street has a market open on weekdays famous for old vinyls and fabrics. Only small but worth a visit if your into music as your sure to find some obscure stuff.


Soho Square ***star

Soho Square


You can get away from the manic hustle and bustle of London life by taking a walk around Soho Square - just off Oxford Street. It's a really pretty, peaceful square and would be great to bring a picnic here.


Leicester Square ***star

Odeon Cinema, Leicester Square

This is the cinema where all Londons premiers are held. Check out the website for up coming red carpet events. Around the square you can find the hand prints of many actors like Tom Cruise and Kate Winslet.

Discounted Ticket Stalls, Leicester Square

Going to the theatre is a must when you visit London but unfortunately it is rather costly. In leicester Square there are lots of discount tickets stalls where you buy theatre tickets starting at £15.00! Make sure you check them all out though to get the best deal.

Neal Street, Covent Garden ****star

Neal Street

Neal Street is the place to come if you don't want to be pushed around by grumpy Londoners when you're shopping. It has a huge urban outfitters and an Office as well as some cool boutiques. Though beware charity volunteers - there's one every two feet down this otherwise quiet street.

Imso, Fashion Boutique, Neal Street


Imso is one of my favourite boutiques on Neal Street, targeted at young people its full of vintage style clothing and has a huge collection of accessories at very low prices.


Covent Garden ****star

Covent Garden

Covent Garden is quite a large area with pretty much everything from shops to clubs and theatres. But in the heart of Covent Garden is an undercover shopping arcade full of cute boutique shops where you can find all sorts of one off creations. It also has the 'Apple Market' which sells lots of arts and crafts. My favourite part is the string quartet that plays just outside a small cafe, its the perfect music to listen to in this traditional, old fashioned building.

Covent Garden busker

Covent garden is a hive of activity - one of it's highlights is the various street performers it attracts. This picture shows the 'dogman' who would bark insults at anyone that walked past - very amusing to watch just make sure you don't catch his eye!

Street Performer, Covent Garden

Street performer, Camden Town

Not only can you find barmy street performers in Covent Garden but now you can see them in abundance in Camden! Also you find a lot of people randomly dancing to hardcore dance music - I don't think they are doing it for money but it's still really funny to watch! Think Techno Viking (YouTube him!)