One of my absolute favorite places to shop when in London. I'll never pass up a chance to trek down…read moreto Carnaby street as the shopping and dining options are elite. For any one of my friends traveling into London I always recommend veering off a little to Carnaby. Over the years some shops have come and go but some of my favorites remain open. I'm a huge Great Frog lover and their shop is nearby, also for us rock n rollers I can't help stopping into The Rolling Stones Uk store. Lots of major branded stores but also cute local vendors and stores. It's a very walkable street and safe. Plenty busy so come earlier in the day to beat the crowds. Another pro tip is catching a reservation at dishshoom down here as I've found it easier to snag a reservation here than at their other locations. Plenty of dining options though and local stalls like Starbucks and Joe & the juice. It's a touristy street of shops but I love it - definitely bookmark this area on your must shop / see list when on this side of town.

Fun one mile shopping area and eating area in SOHO located in the west end of Westminster. No cars…read moreallowed, only pedestrians. After having a tasty snack at Pizza Pilgrims, went to the two story Rolling Stones store which was my favorite place on Carnaby Street. A bunch of boutique shops and found one bathroom and a drinking fountain. There was an old English style red phone booth containing an unspeakable object on the floor inside, good conversation piece for the rest of my trip. Welcome to London.

We enjoyed our week stay in Covent Garden. We took full advantage of the Covent Garden Market,…read morevisiting in several occasions. The Market is picturesque with lovely flower carts by the entrances. Historically, Covent Gardens were the gardens for the convent. Today, the beautiful enclosed market hosts various vendors that change regularly. The market is a great way to connect with locals. We went to the market four times during our visit. On Sundays, various art vendors set up and we visited with a local fossil dealer and purchased a couple fossils. We loved our dinner in one of the nearby cafes. On Mondays, antique dealers set up and sell various treasures. My husband bought me a vintage bracelet. We also watched a quintet play in the atrium. We found a few reasonably priced souvenirs to take home for gifts. Plenty of great restaurants surround the Market. We ate at several places and enjoyed our meals. The Market always seems to be new and people were friendly.

Covent Garden is an area in West End with a collection of shops and restaurants. This is considered…read moreto be in the city of Westminster. All of the shops are high-end, luxury. Think Rodeo Drive in London. It's a fun area to visit and check out all of the amazing offerings that most probably can never afford lol. Another must-see for hitting tourist areas in the West End.

This was such a fun spot! Lots of great eateries from pizza to cocktail bars to pub style fare, the…read morecourtyard was vibrant and casual. Great atmosphere and many choices! The restaurants span three floors, so be sure to look up to see the additional choices before deciding. We loved our visit here and how alive and happy it was.

This is a lovely food court in Soho, near Carnaby street. I visited a restaurant called Paradiso…read morefor a scrumptious burger and coke. I visited on a Tuesday at 4:30pm so it wasn't busy and staff were all very nice and friendly. Kingly court has many different restaurants and is a great hang out place.

THE quintessential aesthetic London department store…read more Harrods is for tourists with a lot of money. Liberty is for anybody with taste. An authentic London shopping experience that offers unique items you can't find elsewhere. A long history of beautiful design in a stunning Tudor-esqu building without a single escalator! (There are elevators) Gorgeous fabric from designers like William Morris. Come here for genuine London products, and for an authentic only-in-London shopping experience.

When tariffs kicked in, I made it my mission to buy the advent calendar from here in person. Did it…read moretake up 2/3s of my check in luggage? Yes. Saved on shipping and taxes. No regrets. So if you happen to find something made in the UK, buy it in person! My Mason Pearson brush was almost $100 less here. Same with the DS Durga fragrance sampler I treated myself to. On top of all that, the customer service is lovely. They leave you alone but are also genuinely helpful when you need it! Speaking of the fragrances, when my flight left before my click and collect was ready, they price matched the item I had bought online for Black Friday and let me buy in person since it was in stock. Honestly love this place more than Harrods for their more personal human interactions.

Another good trip to this location. They have so many festive items, including; homeware, clothing…read moreand decorations. Great place for stocking stuffers and their bath bombs selection is one of the best! So many to choose from, including Disney and Christmas designs, all either £1 or £1.50! Staff on the floor are a bit useless and unwilling to help but the register staff were pleasant. As always - come early to avoid the crowds!

Your enjoyment or appreciation of this place is going to be entirely dependent on who you are, and…read morewhat your lifestyle is. I am not local (American) but I have lived in London as a young poor 20 something. Primark was a Godsend for me. It's also really interesting now that they have expanded into the states (although not where I live) to come back and see how it has changed. When I lived here and had no money this was my go to for anything trendy, or needed. When I moved back to America quite unexpectedly I went there to stock up on inexpensive suitcases to pack up my life and carry back across the world. Any fast fashion or trendy items, this was my go to. Needed something for my home that didn't need to be high quality, Primark. I got a job at AllSaints a few blocks away and we were supposed to wear their clothes exclusively, but we only got a 60% discount (that's a big discount but still not inexpensive for a college kid) so I got a lot of my work shoes here and they never noticed. Now that I visit as a tourist, it's my go to for things like I need an umbrella that I can leave behind when I go home, or it's raining and I didn't bring my raincoat with me today...or it's colder than what I planned for on this trip so let me stop by and grab a few pieces of layering clothes or a coat. The Disney selection makes me wonder why there isn't a Primark in Orlando (because they get very unique Disney licensed items). If you don't have a big budget or are in need of souvenirs, I also recommend Primark. But if you're looking for a luxury experience, this isn't for you. If you're anti fast fashion, please just skip this. It's busy and loud and sort of a cattle call at the till, but it's great novelty spot. The layout has shed over the years bit it's still a great spot for cheep gifts, replacing broken or lost items and getting an unexpected suitcase for any souvenirs if you are a tourist (my favorite suitcase going on 11 years was £25 from here & yes we got another this most recent trip) 3 stars because I've definitely had some weird experience here over the years but generally if you go in knowing what it is and what to expect, it won't disappoint you.

Tips: - The foodhall is worth the visit. Enter from Oxford…read moreStreet. - Candy is on the lower ground level. - If you come here around Christmas, the Christmas section is lovely. I was in London in December 2013. I visited a bunch of department stores. Part of me was curious about how they are set up versus how the flagship department stores in Canada were set up. I visited the flagship Selfridges store on Oxford Street. Rest in peace to the flagship Eaton's store in Winnipeg that I frequented often when I worked across from it. I also miss the flagship Hudson's Bay stores in Toronto and Winnipeg. I will toss in the flagship Simpsons store that preceded the Hudson's Bay. I stayed in South Kensington. There was a bus stop steps away from the hotel and around the corner from Gloucester Road station. I took the 74 Putney bus that got me to this store. I could have also taken the underground to Piccadilly Circus, but the walk would have been a bit longer. I wasn't sure how much damage I'd do here! I entered the store from Oxford Street, which gets you on the ground level. I remember seeing sushi on a convenor belt to my left. It was cool. It was Yo! I'm glad that this eatery is still around. You can dine here or do takeout. I entered the foodhall. I was so happy. I saw cupcakes, oysters, caviar, and more. Everything looked fancy and yummy. The ground floor had a beauty section and a pharmacy. This store is large. It's the second-largest department store in London, behind Harrods. I spent most of my time on the lower ground level. It's where the candy, wine, and cookshop sections are. I love candy and confections. I saw everything from macarons and chocolate malt balls, to fancy bourbon and wine. I bought some chocolate bars. They were perfect to hand out to colleagues. They were also Christmas-themed. I got milk and dark chocolate varieties. They were delicious. This floor also had a cinema. I didn't check it out. I was too busy visiting the technology and stationery sections. I was so happy on this floor. I spent the most time here. I did check out the women's clothing, which occupies levels 2 and 3. There was a lot of designer clothing. It didn't suit my casual, cheaper style. I loved coming here just before Christmas. It was festive and fun. The Christmas section was enjoyable to peruse. I have fond memories coming here. I hope to return someday. This store is over a century old and I'm pleased that it continues to endure. (49)

This place is beautiful and can be compared to a Saks store. On our visit, it was really packed and…read morecrowded since everyone was trying to get their holiday deals. Plus, it is beautiful during the holidays. The store has a total of 4 floors with a huge Jellycat Fish and Chip pop-up on the top floor. If you are here for that, be prepared to wait since it is a 2 1/2 hour wait. There is also a walk-in line if you were unable to create a reservation. Merch here is on the pricier side but if you are looking for something trendy, you can definitely find it here. Plus, there are a few food and snack locations if you get hungry while shopping your hearts away.

Hi-end brands both international and local brands with trendy stuff; specialised niche products on…read moredisplay. Seems very sought after especially during the holiday season. Try visiting if in London at Piccadilly street next time!

I wanted to love Burlington Arcade but their selection just wasn't what I was expecting…read more The shops at Burlington Arcade lean mostly to boutique shoes and suits and jewelry, no scarves or wraps or silk, almost nothing feminine. It felt very much like the focused customer base were men (and gifts they would buy for themselves or their wives) and the selection of the lane offered really showcased that. I still think it's a fun walk through if you're visiting, but I wouldn't go expecting to buy gifts for women outside of jewelry.

Brunswick is located in Russell Square and filled with outdoor dining venues, shops you may be…read morefamiliar with and some small boutiques as well. Grab coffee, pastries, sushi, gluten free goodies, cosmetics, shoes and much much more. The marketplace is large with a gorgeous center space for sitting quietly, enjoying conversation, even people watching in peace. Keep an eye open for the flea market which offers local goods from chocolates to tshirts. ~Christy

The Brunswick Shopping Centre, just under half a mile from London Euston Station and really close…read moreto Russell Square Underground Station is a small shopping complex in Bloomsbury, London, located between Brunswick Square and Russell Square it is a fairly impressive building with impressive adaptations to make it seem more modern than old. I called in here to grab some food before getting the tube nearby to Wembley Stadium, there was a decent range of shops and places to eat, including brands such as Superdrug, Starbucks and Nandos', and a Waitrose store. Other stores here include Sainsbury's Local, Boots and 3, or if you're feeling hungry there is also the likes of itsu and Gourmet Burger Kitchen, the latter I only found out about after leaving it appeared to be hidden in the centre - shame! The entrance to the centre up a ramp which soon converted part into chairs looked quite dangerous, for me it looked like an accident waiting to happen with no clear lighting or signs to show it, which is why I can't help but wonder how this part of the building passed health and safety, which I can only guess is there down to it being grade II listed. A small selection of shops and places to eat and drink in decent surroundings, slightly quieter than getting something perhaps inside the Euston Station (or the square outside), and perhaps somewhere easy and nearby to go ahead of grabbing a train so it certainly is worthy of a solid three-star rating.

When in London, afternoon tea is a must…read more I booked a reservation with Fortnum & Mason a few months in advance but when we arrived on a Sunday at 12:30PM, there seemed to be plenty of open tables available. A live pianist played in the front entrance. Staff were kind and proper. They offered to hang our coats in the closet. Afternoon Tea came with refillable teas, sandwiches, scones, and desserts. A Savory Afternoon Tea was an option as well, which doesn't have any sweets. I enjoyed all of the sandwiches. Everything was equally delicious, except the Cucumber and Lemon Mint. The Suffolk Ham with English Mustard had a nice kick. The Egg Mayonnaise was a classic for me. The Coronation Chicken was a mini chicken salad in a sandwich. The Kames Bay Trout with dill Cream Cheese is a great combination. I'm not a huge scone person, but the savory scones were very good. The Fortnum Strawberry Preserve was our favorite. For the desserts, my favorite was the Dark Chocolate with Hazelnut Praline. The Hazelnut Praline cookie bottom was airy and crisp. The chocolate inside was a light mousse. All of the desserts were extremely fragrant. The Rose Eclair and Orange Mousse played no games. I also liked the Treacle Tart because of its nutty flavor. I was incredibly full that I couldn't finish the Coconut Loaf, which was my least favorite. For the price of £85 per person, it was well worth the experience and the quality of the food and the service. Treat yourself!

This was not just food. This was not just an experience of a lifetime. This was pure, unadulterated…read moreimmersion into the British Culture. The food here was fantastic and nothing I had experienced before. I'm obviously not one who partakes in Tea Parties all that often. But holy cow did this blow me away. The ambiance was upscale. You felt like a royal family while dining and eating the queen's favorite finger foods. The service was unfortunately subpar. But the whole experience is one of the few that can overshadow that fact. It's expensive. But well worth the price of admission.

The toy store from our childhood dreams! What a great place for children. Good service. Great…read moreselection of toys games and candy. Floors of fun for everyone offering a great value. Amazing toy stores are rare and kids really love them. Watching your child's imagination is magic for parents. You should go, and I'll be back!

I heard this was the toy store of all toy stores and it indeed was. There were 7 floors of product,…read moreeach dedicated to a theme. Suitable for all ages. There were many photo opportunities and lots of demonstrations as well. The sales people worked for the store and there was no pressure at all. We were there a little under an hour and discovered many new items. Our kids really enjoyed the lego and Wicked themed areas. There is also a cotton candy machine where you can watch it being made through the glass, all automated. We somehow left without purchasing anything due to our inability to take it back home.