- Covent Garden: This little market area with 2 floors of stalls and stores is perfect to shop some cute souvenirs. Around here you find some street artists and magicians as well as plenty more shops and restaurants offering pre-theatre menues.
- Northbank: This is the huge street you end up on once you go from Coven Garden towards the river. Not only the famous train statino Charing Cross is located here, but also a huge number of musicals, hotels and theatres. In winter times, this street some a fabulous chirstmas lights as well.
- Trafalgar Square: Pretty much on the western end of the Northbank is Trafalger Square. This is a huge open square framed by the National Gallery at the northern side. All around are plenty of streets that are always busy. On the square itself you find some stairs, the monument Nelson's Column, some more Egyptian like figures and two spring fountains. Not only is this place a great point to go to some world famous attractions in all directions, but also are some special events hosted here regularly, like festivities for religiouy holidays or live screenings of a ballett show.
- Piccadilly Circus: This is the square with the huge screens along the building. In the middle is some fountain with stairs around it. There is always some street musician playing music, plenty of tourists, lots of cars around and of course the bright advertisements going on. It also feels like this would be in the middle of the city with all sights within reach. It is a great place to enjoy some food outside and get to know the city vibes.
- Leicester Square: That's the place where plenty of casinos, musicals and restaurants are located. Actually it is just a little green space, but most people account much more to this name. It is fantastic for nightlife opportunities and locates the Lego and M&M stores.
- Charing Cross: This is the train station I mentioned earlier. Just off Trafalgar Square is the historic building with a train and a tube station inside. It is huge and very busy mostly.
- National Gallery: Also this museum was talked about before. It is on Trafalgar Square, free to visit and inherits plenty of historic paintings. It is actually easy to get lost in here. Definitely worth a visit - and offers toilets and free wifi on a long day in the city ;)
- Transport Museum: This very different museum is directly in Covent Garden. Access is not free here, but therefore the museum has a lot to offer. With historic trains, playing stations for kids about the future of the tube and plenty of exhibits to touch, feel and experience it is a great place to be with a family and on rainy days.
- Seven Dials: This sort of little square, while actually also a small neighbourhood around it is called like this, has its name form the 7 little streets going off this place. It is really not big, but there are some authentic independent stores and great musicals as well as newly refurbished shops and restaurants around here. It is located a little north of Covent Garden, to be reached in 2 minutes of walking.
- Chinatown: Located just north of Leicester Square, you can already see the first streets of Chinatown from there. It is the really Asian quarter in Central London with Pavillons, Chinese entrance gates and of course lots of typical restaurants and shops tourists can marvel at. Also Chinese new year is a huge festivity around here, where there is even more offered on these few streets.
So, all in all, the are around Covent Garden is about shops, restaurants and theatres while provdnig you with some very special things to see in the big city. It is a lively area where you can spend hours just wandering around all the tiny streets and steadily discovering new things. It is a great place to be and one of my favourite ones around!