Soho

Piccadilly Circus

St. James's · 0.6 miles

A busy traffic junction and public space in London’s West End, Piccadilly Circus links Piccadilly with Regent Street, Shaftesbury Avenue, the Haymarket, Coventry Street and Glasshouse Street. Situated in the St James’s area of the City of Westminster, the site sits close to the main shopping and entertainment districts that define the West End, making it a frequent meeting point for both locals and visitors. The northern corner is recognisable for its illuminated video displays and neon signage, while the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain and the statue of Anteros stand at the southwestern edge of the roundabout. The layout dates back to 1819 when it was created to join Regent Street with Piccadilly, originally known as Regent Circus South. Over the years the circular form disappeared and the junction became a one-way roundabout in 1926, with traffic lights added the same year. Beneath the plaza lies Piccadilly Circus underground station, served by the Bakerloo and Piccadilly lines since 1906. Surrounding the space are notable buildings such as the London Pavilion and the Criterion Theatre, and the area hosts a variety of retail outlets, restaurants, bars and nightclubs. Access is via the underground station and the surrounding road network; entry to the public space is free and there are no admission charges.

Cecil Court

Aldgate · 0.6 miles

A pedestrian lane of Victorian shop-fronts runs between Charing Cross Road and St Martin’s Lane in Westminster, forming part of the Jubilee Walkway that links the city’s historic core. The street is fully step-free, offering wheelchair access, and the nearest Underground stop is Leicester Square. It lies close to Aldgate and is situated within the central London street network, making it readily reachable on foot or by public transport. The thoroughfare, whose origins trace back to the late-17th century when maps show a hedgerow along its line, now hosts roughly a dozen independent bookshops dealing in antiquarian and second-hand titles, including modern first editions, rare maps, collectible children’s books and esoteric works. In addition, the lane accommodates art galleries, an antiques dealer, and shops specialising in silver, militaria, numismatics, porcelain, jewellery and art-deco items. Historically, the court was a hub for early British cinema, earning the nickname “Flicker Alley” after more than forty film-related businesses set up there from 1897 onward. It also provided temporary accommodation for the eight-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1764; a plaque at number 9 marks the site of the barber shop where he lodged and where tickets for his London concerts were sold. The present buildings date from around 1894, were laid out during the tenure of Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, and remain in the ownership of the Cecil family. Admission to the street is free, and its pedestrian nature allows visitors to explore the shops and historic ambience at their own pace.

Cecil Court

Aldgate · 0.6 miles

A pedestrian lane of Victorian shop-fronts runs between Charing Cross Road and St Martin’s Lane in Westminster, forming part of the Jubilee Walkway that was opened in 1977. The thoroughfare, which dates back to the late-17th century, was originally a tradesmen’s route and later acquired the nickname “Flicker Alley” because of the concentration of early film firms that set up there in the late 1890s. Today the street is owned by the Cecil family, and the buildings visible today were laid out around 1894 during the tenure of the third Marquess of Salisbury. The court now hosts roughly a dozen independent bookshops dealing in antiquarian and second-hand titles, ranging from modern first editions and collectible children’s books to rare maps, antique prints and esoteric works. In addition, there are art galleries, an antiques dealer, and shops specialising in silver, militaria, numismatics, porcelain, jewellery and art-deco items. A plaque at number 9 marks the short residence of eight-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1764, when he performed for King George III and possibly composed his first symphony. The street’s historic link to early British cinema is commemorated by a second plaque unveiled in 2012. Access is straightforward via Leicester Square underground station, and the lane is step-free, providing wheelchair-friendly passage. No admission fee is required, as the area is open to the public at all times.

Burlington Arcade

St. James's · 0.6 miles

A covered shopping arcade stretches for 196 yards between Piccadilly and Burlington Gardens, running parallel to Bond Street in the City of Westminster. Commissioned by George Cavendish, 1st Earl of Burlington, and designed by Samuel Ware, the passage opened on 20 March 1819 on the former side garden of Burlington House. Its original layout comprised a single, top-lit corridor lined with 72 two-storey units, a format that anticipated later European galleries and is recognised as an early example of a modern shopping mall. The arcade lies within the St James’s area and can be reached from either Piccadilly or Bond Street, with the nearby Piccadilly Arcade offering a comparable experience. Since its inception the arcade has maintained a reputation for upscale retail, now hosting around 40 shops that include clothing, footwear, accessories, art and antique dealers, and specialist jewellers in antique silver. Traditional beadles in top hats and frock coats patrol the promenade, enforcing a long-standing ban on singing, humming, whistling and other noisy conduct that dates back to its early days. The Piccadilly façade, enhanced with sculptures by Benjamin Clemens in 1911, adds a decorative touch to the historic interior. Although the arcade has survived fires, wartime damage and a 1964 robbery, it remains a protected landmark where visitors can stroll beneath its glazed roof without an admission charge.

Cecil Court

Aldgate · 0.6 miles

A pedestrian lane with a line of Victorian shop-fronts connects Charing Cross Road and St Martin’s Lane in Westminster, and forms part of the Jubilee Walkway. The thoroughfare, whose origins trace back to the late 1600s, originally followed a hedgerow and served as a tradesmen’s route. After a fire in 1735, the street was rebuilt, and in 1764 it provided temporary accommodation for the eight-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who lodged with barber John Couzin and performed for King George III. A plaque at number 9 marks the site of Mozart’s residence, while a second plaque installed in 2012 commemorates the street’s early cinema links. Today the lane is home to roughly a dozen independent antiquarian and second-hand bookshops, offering specialities such as modern first editions, collectible children’s books, early printing, rare maps, antique prints, music and esoterica. Adjacent premises include art galleries, an antiques dealer, and shops dealing in silver, militaria, numismatics, porcelain, jewellery and art-deco items. The area acquired the nickname “Flicker Alley” because, from 1897 onward, it hosted a concentration of film-related businesses, including early offices of Cecil Hepworth, James Williamson and international firms such as Gaumont and Vitagraph. The street remains in the ownership of the Cecil family, with the present buildings laid out around 1894. Access is pedestrian only; the nearest Underground station is Leicester Square, and entry to the shops is free, each setting its own opening hours.

The Lion of Knidos

St Giles · 0.6 miles

A marble lion, larger than life and weighing six tonnes, stands on a plinth beneath the roof of the Queen Elizabeth II Great Court, forming part of the British Museum’s collection. Carved from the same Pentelic marble that built the Parthenon, the recumbent figure measures 2.89 metres in length and 1.82 metres in height; only its lower jaw and front legs are absent, and the eyes were probably once set with glass inlays. The statue originally topped a square funerary monument with a stepped pyramidal top, a form that has prompted scholarly debate over its date, ranging from the mid-fourth century BC to the second-century BC, with the museum currently estimating a creation period of 200–250 BC. The lion was first observed by the archaeologist Richard Popplewell Pullan in 1858 while he assisted Charles Thomas Newton in excavations near the ancient port of Knidos, now close to Datça in Turkey. After the monument collapsed, the marble lion was recovered, transported along the coast and loaded onto HMS Supply by Robert Murdoch Smith before being shipped to London. Since 2000 it has been displayed prominently in the museum’s Great Court. In 2008 the Turkish town of Datça lodged a formal request with the British Ministry of Culture and Tourism for the statue’s return. The monument is listed in OpenStreetMap as a historic feature near the St Giles area of London.