To not get the fuss with covent garden

[Fairyloo]

Every time I go to london people tell me go to covent garden "it's amazing". I always go and feel a bit let down. It's high st shops and millions of miserable street performers.

I like the inside market bin but so overpriced.

I do love south bank.

Am I missing something with covent garden??

I use the outdoors shops,pop into Stanford's for maps and guidebooks and few other shops such as Muji and Duo which aren't in my local town. Probably mow down the teenage tourists en route as I go in my work lunch hour. I think it is ausefulshopping shopping area ... And there's Neal's Yard for cheese too ... But it isn't that amazing or unique.

I love London, but then I am a Northern Bumpkin so probably easily impressed.

It's every so big, isn't it?

It is Waffly, ever so big
I expected crowds but I couldn't move for crowds of tourists, next time I go, I need to have like a proper schedule.

LadyBeagle...go a bit East, try Colombia Road Flower Market although i'm not sure if it's only Sundays and then down to Brick Lane. Greenwich antiques market is quite quirky and you have the Park and the observatory as well. I quite like Islington and Upper Street for a nice lunch, lots of choice in restaurants. Places just outside London like Richmond, Marlow and Henley are more sedate and pretty with nice pubs along the river Thames, depends what you're into really

Day 1. Tube to Piccadilly Circus in the morning. Walk to Green park tube station. On the way nosy round Piccadilly market. buy a fancy kaleidoscope. Fortnum and Masons. buy some gentleman's relish. Nosy in Burlington arcade and buy some macarons from Laduree. Maybe visit the British Acadamy. It costs though. Stop for a cup of tea at The Wolsley. Press your nose up against The Ritz's windows. Walk through Green park. Nod at Buckingham palace then walk through lovely St James's park. Take nuts to feed the squizzels. If you wish go to the cabinet war rooms. Then down past the Houses of Parliament. Up Whitehall past Downing Street and Horseguards parade. to Trafalgar Square. National Gallery and Portrait gallery if you fancy. (this is a nice walk without going in any museums or galleries if you don't want) Through Admiralty Arch. Along the Mall, pop into the ICA if you wish. Go up the Duke of York steps and immediately to your right behind railings you'll find a grave of Giro the nazi dog. And you're back at Piccadilly circus.

Can't think of anywhere round there both cheap and good for lunch. But there are a few cafes on Piccadilly.

Day 2. Tube to Westminster. It's an amazing station. Like something from The Metropolis black and white film set in a future of cyborgs. See if you can spot the 'secret' entrance to the Houses of Parliament.

Wave at Big Ben again. Walk along Southbank past the big wheel, Tate Modern. After Tate Modern head away from the river to bankside where you'll find borough market, george inn and the shard. If you have £25 to spare you can go up to the top of the shard. You can probably have a nice lunch in Borough market or one of the pubs. If you're still in the mood to walk, back to southbank and along towards the Oxo tower. Then, um, whatever.

Day 3. Liverpool Street, Spitalfields Market, Petticoat Lane. Dennis Severs house. (expensive) The Water Poet for boozy lunch. Geffrye museum or Museum of Childhood, Shoreditch/Hoxton/Brick Lane.

I'm bored now.

Oh yes! Greenwich is a nice day out! Get the boat. the market. Cutty Sark! The Observatory! Pie and mash!

Covent Garden is for tourists, sadly.

I saw Amy Winehouse in Covent Garden once.

Londoners don't go to tourist traps!

You need to be going up the back streets

Can you just stroll into the Wolsley for a cup of tea, without booking?

My favourite two places for 'quirky' London are Sir John Soanes House and The Hunterian Museum. The Wellcome Collection sometimes has good things too and their bookshop is brilliant.

London is all that.

"Why, Sir, you find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford."
? Samuel Johnson

I miss London badly and regret moving away. When I bought my place I couldn't afford to buy in London, so bought in the 'burbs, I wish I'd saved longer. Now it's almost impossible to get back

I would love to live in London, I work there most days so am planning to move there when dd is 18. Probably to a tiny flat in a scuzzy area if I am lucky. Can't wait.

You can stroll into The Wolseley for a brew or breakfast, usually.

I'm only an hour out of London, it pisses me off how expensive it is to get the train in. I love mooching, but really can't justify the cost now unless it's to do something specific and even then the train really really adds to the cost of the day out :(

Ta, Bunch.

It was great when I was a kid. We used to go to the General Store (?) and The Button Shop.

Is Mysteries still there? I haven't been in about 6yrs. Me and the DC's just go to the museums + galleries.

Love this thread.

Have been to London twice this wek from Glasgow, and are back in a couple of weeks.

Have done Southbank and princess diana gardens but looking for more chilled out things to do

Actuall, I think it was The Bead Shop. Whatever it was it was amazing.

waffly we spotted the 'secret' entrance to the HOC last time I took the dc's to see it.

A boat to Greenwich and meander round there would be more chilled out.

geordie

I preferred covent garden when the covent garden general store was there, more independent shops now it's the same shops as in most shopping centres

But most Londoners avoid covent garden as it is a tourist destination nice to have quick wonder round before or after going to the theatre. The opera house bar is lovely

and of course Londoners big up the city simply because it is he most fantastic place to live with so much always going on and full of culture and history

Well done, meglet! I've come out of that exit after visiting HoP but I never notice it when I go in the station and only remember I meant to look out for it when it's too late!