Bright and beautiful Covent Garden tops many London travelers’ must-see lists and has done so for centuries, tracing its history back to first-century Roman times. Its tie to fresh fruits and vegetables harks back to its role as a monks’ “convent garden” during the 13th century. More recently, Covent Garden was the backdrop to 1964’s My Fair Lady. Today, it remains a place steeped in history and prestige in the heart of England.

Take a moment to enjoy the street performers, who add a dash of eccentricity and excitement to the bustling Covent Garden Market. Once under the market’s glass roof, visitors encounter more than 50 vendors offering fresh and local produce, meats, cheese and pastries. Pick up a Sweet Cakes cupcake to go with a cup of Hasbeans’
freshly roasted coffee — so fresh, in fact, visitors can watch the roasting. Hasbeans has added a jolt of caffeine to Covent Garden for 130 years. After filling your basket with fresh foods, stop by The Studio, the working studio of realist painter A.R. Gillet, who specializes in sports paintings, and watch art bloom before your eyes.

Fashion and vintage lovers should stop by Seven Dials. Here you’ll find urban outfitting with a retro flair. Head to Baracuta, 9 Shorts Garden, for a famous G9 jacket. Other hot spots include designer denim at Diesel at 25A Neal St. and ski and surf wear from Fat Face, 11-13 ThomasNeals’ Centre.

If classic British fashion is more your style, head to Long Acre. Here you’ll come across Hawes & Curtis, 51 Long Acre. The shop is famous for its perfect-fit, superiorquality, oh-so-British shirts; it also specializes in silk ties, handbags, wool suits and ladies’ wear.

For a splash of bold style, stop by Betsey Johnson, 4-5 Carriage Hall, 29 Floral St., which runs parallel to Long Acre. Covent Garden is home to the only Betsey Johnson shop in the U.K.

After outfitting yourself like a rock star at Johnson’s shop, relax like a superstar at The Sanctuary, also on Floral Street. This exclusive women-only spa was designed with the Royal Opera House dancers in mind. Today, it offers relaxing pools, massage therapy, facials and other luxury pampering for all women.

All that shopping and pampering likely left you famished. Book a reservation at Rules on Maiden Lane, the oldest restaurant in London. Here you can order traditional British cuisine with an emphasis on game, including pressed wild rabbit with black pudding, steak and kidney pie, and grilled calves’ liver.

Weblinks

Baracuta

Betsey Johnson

Covent Garden

Covent Garden Market

Hasbeans

Hawes & Curtis

Rules

The Sanctuary

Seven Dials

The Studio

Sweet Cakes