Shopping, street performers, entertainment facilities, the Royal Opera House, Seven Dials area, if you hadn’t already guessed, my adventures now take me to one of my favorite areas; the central London district of Covent Garden. I cannot put my finger on what it is about this place but from the first moment it had me at hello, with its history, character and charisma.
The name Covent Garden was given during the reign of King John. The area maintained a large kitchen garden throughout the Middle Ages to provide daily food. There are extensive early-medieval archaeological remains in the Covent Garden area reflecting early settlement.
Inside the Covent Garden market
The Covent Garden Piazza is in the centre of Covent Garden which was the site of a flower, fruit and vegetable market from the 1500’s until 1974. The central building re-opened as a shopping centre and tourist attraction in 1980 with the shops today mainly selling novelty items.
From the Piazza you can venture off to Neal street for some shopping or lunch at one of the colourful café’s on Neal’s Yard. Alternatively, head towards The Strand which is a street nearby where the Somerset House is situated. St. Paul’s Church can also be found in Covent Garden. It is also referred to as the Actor’s Church due to its long association with the theatre community.
Visitors to the city are attracted to the area so it is popular and crowded with tourists however, there is just something different about this place that doesn’t make it feel mainstream. You can still find your local Londoner in the area so that must tell you something.
The famous Covent Garden Street Performers are fantastic. They are trained classical performers or artists who can draw crowds in their hundreds. Performances can last 30 minutes consisting of tricks and acrobatics that is great entertainment.
There are numerous side streets which all add to the experience of Covent Garden, so put your map down and get yourself lost as you can randomly find something which may be of interest to you.
A bar I have discovered in Covent Garden is The Porterhouse which has an interesting copper layout and interior design as it was once a brewery. They brew their own beer but also have a mind boggling menu of international beers so you’ll be spoilt for choice. There is live music, food and the place is huge that seems to go on forever. Its spread over 4 floors so if you get lost it might take you a while to find your friends again! It can get very busy especially during weekends and when they broadcast live sport.
There’s plenty to immerse yourself in at Covent Garden which is what makes this area one of my preferred in central London.
Here are some useful website to get you going…
http://www.coventgardenlondonuk.com/
http://www.coventgarden.uk.com/
