Covent Garden
The Basics
Covent Garden’s original purpose was as a convent garden, where Westminster Abbey monks would grow fruit and vegetables, some 500 years ago. In the 17th century, architect Inigo Jones built St. Paul’s Church (not to be confused with the cathedral) and the Covent Garden Piazza and the area started to take shape. In the streets around the market came theaters, coffee houses, and restaurants, turning the area into a nightlife hotspot.
The market arcades, built in the 1830s, were home to fruit, vegetable, and flower sellers. The original market was moved out of the city in the 1970s, and the arcades were redeveloped into stores and cafes. Nowadays, the piazza is famous for lively street performers, while the surrounding streets—Floral Street, Neal Street, Long Acre, and Mercer Street—offer some of the best shopping in London. Guided walking, bike, and taxi tours visit the area on a regular basis. It's also a stop on hop-on hop-off sightseeing buses.
Recent reviews from experiences in London
Things to Know Before You Go
Covent Garden is wheelchair accessible.
For same-day theater tickets, visit the TKTS booth on Leicester Square.
St. Paul’s Church is known as “The Actor’s Church” for the area’s many theaters.
The churchyard has benches for visitors to sit and rest.
Covent Garden’s seven main streets converge at the Seven Dials sundial.
How to Get There
Covent Garden is located in the center of West End, London. The nearest subway (tube) station is Covent Garden on the Piccadilly Line. Leicester Square station is also a short walk away. The area is walkable from many other points in Central London and is a popular stop on historic walking and bike tours of the city. Hop-on hop-off buses also stop here.
Trip ideas
When to Get There
Covent Garden is a public piazza and is open all day. The Apple Market stalls are open from 10am–6pm. Nearby stores, restaurants, and theaters, including the Royal Opera House, have their own separate opening times—check before visiting.
London’s Chinatown
A few streets away from Covent Garden, bordered by Shaftesbury Avenue and Charing Cross Road is London’s Chinatown, filled with colorful shops and restaurants serving authentic East Asian cuisine. One of the city’s most popular destinations for cheap eats, the area is always buzzing with both locals and tourists.
- Things to do in Horley
- Things to do in Stansted Mountfitchet
- Things to do in Cambridge
- Things to do in Oxford
- Things to do in Southampton
- Things to do in Birmingham
- Things to do in Bristol
- Things to do in Cardiff
- Things to do in Bruges
- Things to do in Lille
- Things to do in Manchester
- Things to do in Liverpool
- Things to do in South East England
- Things to do in East of England
- Things to do in Nord-Pas de Calais