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    Piccadilly Circus

    3.9 (229 reviews)
    Open • Open 24 hours

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    Recommended Reviews - Piccadilly Circus

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    Piccadilly Circus_Yelp_Sanju-6
    Sanjay G.

    It marks the irregular intersection of several busy streets, including Piccadilly, Regent, Haymarket, and Shaftesbury Avenue. It is square in shape, even though it was originally given the Roman name - Circus - for a circle. It is one of London's busiest hubs and traffic junctions, with large billboards that call to mind Times Square in New York (well, being from Jersey, it;s meh) Piccadilly Circus is the meeting place of five busy roads and is the center of London's hustle and bustle. Notable streets leading off Piccadilly Circus include Regent Street, a major shopping thoroughfare; Shaftesbury Avenue, at the heart of Theatreland; and Piccadilly itself. The surrounding districts are Soho, Leicester Square, Trafalgar Square, St James's, and Mayfair. Whether it's people on their way to work in the morning, shoppers en route to the chain store-lined Oxford Street (just a few blocks north), or lively club and bar hoppers passing through at night, Piccadilly is always thrumming with activity.

    Whitney L.

    Another staple in London worth visiting. Piccadilly has been featured in Harry Potter and it reminds me of a European New York City. There's a variety of stores to shop at but it can get overly crowded. There's also an array of homeless people but they usually don't bother anyone. My boyfriend and I went at night to see all the commercial billboards which was really cool. Definitely worth visiting at least once.

    Katherine P.

    Would compare this to the equivalent of Time Square In New York but just in London. Lots of people, lights, shopping and restaurants. Lots going on and very lively area.

    Andrea U.

    Shops, Neon signs, colorful people, American brands ...that remind me very much of New York's times square. The London Pavilion, a music hall has a prominent spot here. There are clubs, movies & entertainment venues as well.Lillywhites Sporting Goods is here along with Fortnum & Mason. Tower Records & Virgin Megastore we're here years ago when I visited. The Piccadilly tube station is in this circus. The name first appeared in 1626 as Piccadilly Hall, named after a house belonging to a tailor famous for selling piccadills, or shirt collars. During WWII it was the unsavory section of London with prostitution & pornography. The Irish terrorized the Circus in 1939 & 1974.

    Aug 2023
    Carroll N.

    Aug 2023 Shopping and entertainment that has the same vibe as NYC except with fewer video displays and neon signs. There was a street performer while we were there, which attracted a crowd. Great vibe and fun place to get together with friends for a bite, shopping, or show.

    Patrick D.

    Back to Piccadilly Circus a main tourist attraction because of its proximity to theaters and other great luxury shops. It has been a very busy traffic interchange since construction, as it lies at the centre of Theatreland and handles exit traffic from Piccadilly, which Charles Dickens Jr. described: "Piccadilly, the great thoroughfare leading from the Haymarket and Regent-street westward to Hyde Park-corner, is the nearest approach to the Parisian boulevard of which London can boast."

    Art on art
    P H.

    Piccadilly Circus has it all. Shopping for every type of budget, from high end fashion to common essentials. The streets are long and they go on and on so make sure to wear your walking shoes. I love how this location centers so much culture and food. There's the street dancers and the families that fill the spaces. There's a lot of theaters and cinemas. There's a park nearby if you desire to take off your shoes and touch some grass. Also, it's Pride Month and the festive decorations feel so welcoming

    Casey M.

    I don't understand the hype honestly, it's a big screen, crossroads with traffic coming in all directions, souvenir shops charging more than is acceptable and too busy to be of any enjoyment, not for me!

    You can see the iconic double-decker buses at Piccadilly Circus regularly
    Warren D.

    Date of visit: September 5, 2022 When you say "London's answer to Times Square," I was immediately intrigued, but the end result is a bit less than that, in my opinion. Yes there are some large international brands with a presence here (Hard Rock Cafe, LEGO) and there are some electronic billboards as well as a large-scale meeting place. But it just seems like more of a casual shopping center than a hub of activity like Times Square. I really didn't see why it was such a destination, there really isn't all that much here of interest. To me, Oxford Street, with its wide-range of shops, department stores, and restaurants is the better place to visit if you only have time in London for one of the two. Should you go, definitely check out LEGO; they have some awesome displays in there, but this is not something that will take much time to visit and check off your tourist list.

    Piccadilly Circus, London: Home of London's theatre district...
    Eric R.

    "To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance." - Oscar Wilde Piccadilly Circus is really no Circus at all, yet you can say it does have an upper bleachers Circus atmosphere. I promise more on that later lol. Piccadilly Circus is public space that intersect London roads in the West End in the City of Westminster. It was built in 1819. Again it has nothing to do with a Circus per se, but rather from the Latin word meaning "Circle", for it is a round open space of characters lol. Today, "the Circus" is known for its giant advertising video display and neon signs mounted on the corner building on the northern side, as well as the Victorian era Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain with Anteros (though many mistakenly, believe it's Eros). This spot is known to show many live performers. On my visit to "the Circus" I enjoyed listening to Gabriel Pollina play a modern version of steel drums. A hypnotic sound that resonates new age. You can follow him on Instagram as the "guy who plays that thing" lol. I noticed it's a popular spot for tourists going from one part of London to the next. Londoners also can be found here too, mainly due to the Piccadilly Underground and the fountain as a meeting point. Plus, theatres are everywhere. The famous Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace can be found here! In the end, I'd recommend a visit to Piccadilly Circus, but it's inevitable if walking or tubing London, really. Soho just up the road and "the Circus" is a stones throw to everything British. Hopefully you get to see my friend playing his "thing"... 'til then... Ta!

    Shawn K.

    High traffic (cars & people) area, but has tons to do in terms of shopping, restaurants, and bars. Definitely a must when visiting as it is essentially Englands version of Tomes Square in my opinion. What was odd were children crowded at night in massive circle having boxing matches disrupting the flow of walking traffic. Still pretty clean and has an underground station for easier access than walking or driving in/out.

    Very busy!
    Shayla B.

    Picadilly Circus aka London's version of NY's Times Square. You know what... I can see it. It definitely has a little bit of that "circus" vibe to it, but it's not as overwhelming as Times Square in my opinion. It's like a mini Time Square set right in the heart of one of the most bustling areas of central London. What can I say?! The big screens, the bright lights, the roaming crowds. I kinda like it. It's fun. But what's even more fun is everything that goes down in this square. At any given time, you'll be exposed to live music and live performers right there in the street. The traffic is pretty bad, but if you're on foot, this place can be really fun to visit. It's so easy to get down here by train. The tube station is located just minutes if not steps away depending on where you are in the square. There's tons of places to shop, eat, and admire. You'll find a few different Monuments placed throughout the square as well. One of the busiest areas in central London for sure with plenty of photo ops nearby. It's worth a stop if visiting London.

    Nicole E.

    Lots of shopping options here, lots of people, hoards of people, cars, buses and old black London cabs. It's a busy area for locals and the center of tourism too. It very much as busy as NYC's Times Square, but on a smaller scale for sure. I snagged the pics I took of the pop of red items.

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    Very lively, like time square is NYC. Busy area, lots of food and shops nearby. People seems to enjoy themselves here

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    Piccadilly Circus Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Piccadilly Circus

    “The area feels like Times Square (New York), or Yonge and Dundas (Toronto) with brightly lit screens and signs.”

    Mentioned in 66 reviews

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    Sky Garden - Sky Garden_Yelp_Sanju-2

    Sky Garden

    4.3(362 reviews)
    2.2 mi•Aldgate

    This is London's highest public garden that has 3 restaurants,2 bars and a gift shop…read more There is no admission fee but you must get a free ticket online.Tickets are available up to 3 weeks in advance of your visit and available time slots are listed. Arrive about 15 minutes early as you have to go thru security screening. Once thru security you take the elevator to the 35th floor. The views are amazing as are the gardens. Plenty of seating is available and there are public restrooms.

    We snagged sunset tickets to Sky Garden. I logged in shortly after tickets were made available…read moreonline three weeks prior and was able to book tickets for one of the nights of our trip. I would have preferred an earlier evening time slot, but they were not available. They are quite strict about going in at your designated time slot and they let people up in the elevator only when its your time. We were actually waiting in the lobby of an adjacent building where there was lots of seating, not realizing that the line formed on the *other side* of the building so beware. We lined up, went through security, went up the elevators, and then had an unlimited time up in Sky Garden. Since we already ate dinner, we didn't buy any food or drinks. The enclosed rooftop space is really quite breathtaking. There are glass walls on all four sides which makes the views just unbelievable. There is a balcony as well, but it was closed at the time of our visit (at night?) From the "front" lower side, you can see River Thames and the Tower Bridge/Tower of London. From the back, there are amazing views of The Gherkin. Up at the higher side, there is more space and some platforms to sit. However, it was really hard to be on the stairs going up and down because it was so congested. As you can imagine, the photos out the windows are amazing because the views are amazing. However, it's not an ideal place to pose for group photos because there will be tons of people around you. The whole space is just packed with tourists. I was glad to have experienced it once, but I don't ever plan on returning and would try a viewing area that is less touristy. It's worth a stop but not worth taking a huge chunk of time from your day if it doesn't slot in naturally.

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    Sky Garden
    Sky Garden - Me!

    Me!

    Sky Garden - Espresso martini

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    Espresso martini

    Buckingham Palace - Victoria Memorial, couldn't get enough pics of her.

    Buckingham Palace

    4.1(518 reviews)
    0.7 mi•Buckingham Palace

    Everyone has heard of Buckingham Palace as it is known to the home of the monarch,Royal…read morecelebrations and the Changing of the Guard. We did the State Room Tour which is only available from July-Sept. Breathtaking! So many priceless treasures. You definitely want to book your tickets in advance as it gets sold out. The checkin process was very easy as was going thru their security checkpoint. The only thing that was disappointing is No Photos are allowed in The Palace or on the Tour. The tour is a self guided tour with a head site that is provided. Small bags similar to what fits under an airline seat are allowed. After the tour you can visit the Garden Cafe or gift shop. Definitely a must stop in London!

    We were exited about visiting the palace. The checkpoint and entrance is rather quick when you have…read morethe ticket online. The security is tight. The visit includes 14 rooms in the palace. We like the audio guide is included. We also like the opportunity to take the picture with the royal preset picture. What we don't like which the Royal collection and trust can improve are below. 1. No picture allow in the palace is kind of step back to ruin the interest of the visitors. Second the exit is a ten minute walks to the entrance if you decide to go back to front. Third the garden on the general admission is kind of let down. There are no flowers at all. Even the king bees hive cannot be seen because is block from view. Fourth the ice cream parlor blocks the possibility view to the palace from a distance view. I think the visit compare to many attractions in the London is not the best. Not sure to recommend this visit.

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    Buckingham Palace - Good morning, Yelpers!

    Good morning, Yelpers!

    Buckingham Palace - Victoria Memorial stood out

    Victoria Memorial stood out

    Buckingham Palace - Victoria

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    Victoria

    One Marylebone

    One Marylebone

    5.0(3 reviews)
    1.1 mi•Euston

    I loved this place. It was a church where now a lot of…read moreparties take on. We have on similar building in milan (il gattopardo) which looks exactly like the one. I have been there thanks to Gp's party. Wow, what a party! The food was amazing and the music was nice. Purple lights where nice and the cocktails pretty good. There were many stabds for every hotel associated but still the space was enough to walk around. The first floor was really nice even if i felt in love with the ground floor where you can admire the paintings on the walls. So pictoresque. I hope some of our suppliers will cemebrate something again there because i want the opportunity of going another time to one!

    Wowzers. This place…read morereally blew me away when I walked it the door. One Marylebone has great bones! It's a great example of a old church conversion and has been transformed into an absolutely beautiful event space. The floors, the lighting, the stained glass, the very classy altar (is that what it's called?) -- everything here looks and feels special. The ground floor is definitely the most impressive, but there's an upstairs space as well. At the press event I attended yesterday they were serving food and drinks upstairs whilst displaying brands and products on the lower floor. The church-turned-elegant-venue is located a stone's throw away from Great Portland Street underground station and is really easy to reach.

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    One Marylebone
    One Marylebone
    One Marylebone

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    Tower of London - Composite armor for man and horse

    Tower of London

    4.5(853 reviews)
    2.5 mi•Aldgate, The City

    The Tower of London was founded in 1066 due to the Norman Conquest of England. The Duke of…read moreNormandy, William the Conqueror, had amassed thousands of troops and hundreds of ships and landed in southern England. In October 1066, the reigning Harold II died during the Battle of Hastings and was succeeded by William the Conqueror as king. A series of further victories had cut London's supply lines, and its leaders had surrendered the city. William then initiated an extensive program to fortify the city, which included the construction of the Tower of London in 1066. From then, the Tower had continued to play a significant role in England's regal history. For centuries, monarchs would begin processions at the Tower to Westminster Abbey for their coronations. However, during the Tudor period, the Tower declined in its use as a royal residence. The castle would also serve as a prison for those considered politically undesirable. Under the order of King Henry VIII, the execution of Anne Boleyn occurred at the Tower in 1536. Her daughter, Elizabeth I, was also imprisoned there before she became queen under the order of Queen Mary I. Today, the Tower of London is a popular tourist attraction in the country. Its proximity to Tower Bridge and other attractions along the Circle and District Underground lines help in bringing in many visitors. There is no need to purchase admission if one is walking beside it to view its walls. Fortunately, there are outdoor signs available to learn a little about the history of what you're looking at.

    When I visited London earlier this month, it was the first I'd been in London for almost 20 years…read more I don't remember if I went to the Tower of London when I was in London in 2007, but I do remember that I went on my very first trip to London when I was a little girl. I was heavily into my King Henry VIII phase then, and I wanted to see the site where two of his queens lost their lives. Visiting as an adult was interesting. Some things I remembered and some things I didn't. There's no question that this is an incredibly historic site. The site dates back to 1066, and then William the Conqueror built his castle, the White Tower, in 1078. Then the site was expanded by the kings that followed. The purpose of the site changed over the centuries: armory, treasury, menagerie, Royal Mint, public record office, home of the Crown Jewels... For a few centuries, it was the place the next king would spend a few nights leading up to their coronation. And under the Tudors, it became what I knew it as when I was in my Tudor history phase - a prison. Guy Fawkes was tortured at the Tower in 1605. Anne Boleyn was held and executed at the Tower in 1536. Henry VIII's fifth wife was executed at the Tower in 1542. Lady Jane Grey was executed at the Tower in 1554. Queen Mary I imprisoned her sister Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth I, in the Tower for two months in 1554. It's a large site with several different buildings that explain and cover different eras and aspects of the Tower's history. Although I suspect the Crown Jewels are the highlight of many people's visit to the Tower, I really enjoyed and learned the most from the Medieval Palace (which has been preserved/reconstructed to demonstrate the palace where Henry III, Edward I, Eleanor of Provence, and Eleanor of Castile lived); the Chapel Royal of St Peter and Vincula (the final resting place of many prominent prisoners who were executed at the Tower); the Tower Hill Execution Memorial; the Bloody Tower (the tower tied to the imprisonment and disappearance of two young princes in 1483 and Sir Walter Raleigh); St John's Chapel inside the White Tower; and the Tower's ravens (legend says that the kingdom will fall if the resident ravens ever leave the Tower). It's a large property, and the map they provide is pretty terrible. So we just wandered and wandered. You need some time to do this, because there are towers and nooks and crannies - and every little corner of the property has something to teach visitors. I might be a little past my Tudor phase, but a visit to the Tower of London can still thrill this history nerd. A must include on an itinerary for a trip to London.

    Photos
    Tower of London - Medieval Palace

    Medieval Palace

    Tower of London - Guards

    Guards

    Tower of London - Crown Jewels in here

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    Crown Jewels in here

    Big Ben - September 2023 as viewed from the Westminster Abbey

    Big Ben

    4.6(559 reviews)
    0.8 mi•Westminster

    Dear reader, Big Ben…read moreis one of those London landmarks that you have seen countless times in photographs, yet somehow remains magnificent when you are actually standing beneath it. The Elizabeth Tower is enormous, beautifully detailed, and every bit as grand as one expects from an icon that has spent generations casually dominating the London skyline. The entire Westminster setting adds to the experience. With the Houses of Parliament, the Thames, and Westminster Bridge surrounding you, there are fantastic views from nearly every direction. Hearing the famous bells while standing nearby only adds a little British theatre to the occasion. My tip: do not simply stand directly underneath it and leave. Walk across Westminster Bridge for one of the best views back toward Big Ben and Parliament, especially if you want photos that capture the whole scene. Go early in the morning if you can, before Westminster reaches peak human traffic. If you want the ultimate experience, you can actually tour inside Elizabeth Tower and climb 334 steps to the belfry. Tickets are released three months ahead, so planning in advance is essential. A magnificent London landmark and absolutely deserving of its reputation.

    I'm not going to try and add on anything else as most here have spelled it out. Big Ben is historic…read moreand no trip to London is complete without seeing it. I've had the opportunity to run the London Marathon a few times, as most recent as 2025, and running by Big Ben along the race course is a thrill, and makes for a terrific photo op. A great memory! It's iconic, period.

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    Big Ben - September 2025 Westminster Bridge

    September 2025 Westminster Bridge

    Big Ben - UVA daughter on Spring Break

    UVA daughter on Spring Break

    Big Ben - Photo by Elizabeth Tower

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    Photo by Elizabeth Tower

    Piccadilly Circus - landmarks - Updated October 2026

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