I spent three years living in London when I did my nurse training. We lived off Tottenham Court road, a lovely central location. Covent Garden, Soho and Oxford Street were a short walk away, and I loved taking a wander down to Covent Garden. My Granny lived in London too, and we used to spend time with her every holiday. We learned how to navigate the tube and were not phased by London life. I remember going with her and my Mum to Covent Garden as a child, seeing the vibrant market stalls and watching the street performers. I’ve also been to the Opera house and when I was a student sampled the colourful nightlife on offer.
I’m blessed enough now to live in a peaceful suburb of a Kent town, but still within an easy commute to London. The train comes into Victoria, then it’s a simple tube journey to Covent Garden, which is on the Piccadilly line. There is a lift to get to the main street. If you live further afield but still wanted to visit, try looking for a Covent Garden Hotel to stay in, there are plenty to choose from. Here’s one I spied whilst walking around that looked nice.
The best thing for me is the shopping. You get such a variation in shops in a concentrated area. There’s the covered market in the centre, with handmade items and unique art for sale bundled together with a sensory explosion of scents, sights and sounds. There was an opera singer busking, a chocolate shop, perfume shops, tea shops and art on display which all came together to provide a one off experience. Pigeons swoop around the shoppers and try to get a cheeky bit of cake or pastry from the brave open air diners. Designer shops compete with stall owners in a wonderful co-existence.
I spied one of my favourite online shops that I’ve never been to in person, Sass and Belle and I couldn’t resist going in. I wanted to buy a lot, but I settled for a new glasses case with a leopard design as I needed a new one.
As well as the shopping, there are also theatres galore, the opera house and also the London Transport Museum.
Covent Garden Nightlife
There are a great deal of restaurants and cafes to choose from, and a wide selection of clubs and bars. We used to go to the Punch and Judy a lot, you go upstairs and there’s a balcony to show off from. Across the other side of the street is another pub which has a similar balcony. We would alternate between the two! You can choose from traditional pubs and more upmarket bars like the Ivy, and even the famous Stringfellows is based in Covent Garden.
Then it was time for me to find somewhere to eat. I wanted something local and independent, that offered vegan/vegetarian options. After walking for a while and debating, I finally settled on Bill’s, which is tucked away in a courtyard. It made me feel so relaxed and happy. I found out it’s actually a chain of restaurants in the south, but it feels very arty, full of plants and quirky decor. They had a whole veganuary menu and a set menu which was very good value. In the end I went for a very un-vegan chicken burger which was delicious. I love dining on my own, no pressure to talk and I can eat in peace. Perfect!
Afterwards I had a final wander around and had a particular destination in mind. My Phoebe has a birthday coming up (her 9th) and she is a big fan of Pusheen. I’d seen an ad on the tube for a Kuwaii shop called Artbox and I set my google maps to take me there. One minute later I was there. If you’re a Hello Kitty or Pusheen or Anime fan you need to go to Artbox. The two serving girls were dressed completely in the Kuwaii style (they were camera shy).
As a child when I visited London my Granny would take me to Hamleys just to look around. I would spend ages looking at all the Hello Kitty stuff. It brought back so many memories and I took my time. I chose some bits for Phoebe and made my way home, weary but happy. It really was a soul food day.
Have you been to Covent Garden? What’s your favourite part?
Spending money and travel expenses were gifted by Hotels.com, but all views are my own
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