In this video tour, David Hill of New York Habitat (www.nyhabitat.com/) explores London's bustling West End district!

On the tour, we will stop by Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Street, Convent Garden, Soho and more. All are part of London's thriving West End district, the go-to place for entertainment, theater and shopping! West End stretches roughly from Charring Cross in the east to Hyde Park in the west, and from the banks of the River Thames in the south to Euston Road in the north.

Covent Garden

The tour starts at the Covent Garden market: a place that started as a fruits and vegetables garden, evolved into a famous fruit, vegetable and flower market, and is now a thriving shopping area. Covent Garden also houses London's Royal Opera House, which has been part of Covent Garden since the mid 18th century. In Covent Garden you'll often get to experience street theater performances, which you can enjoy from one of the many terraces in front of Covent Garden's restaurants. One of these is Rules: London's oldest restaurant! London's oldest pub, the Lamb & Flag, is also located in Covent Garden.

Leicester Square

One of West End's three famous squares, Leicester Square is home to many movie theaters. Leicester Square pays homage to the world of theater with a statue of Shakespeare, which you can find in the center of the square, and with the many street artists you'll see all around. If you plan on seeing one of the West End musicals, you can often find discounted tickets at the TKTS booth located on Leicester Square.

Soho & Oxford Street

Next stop on the tour is London's entertainment center: Soho. Soho, which has also become London's gay scene center, lies at the heart of the West End, and is simply brimming with restaurants, pubs and shops.

North of Soho you'll find Oxford Street, which is the busiest shopping street in Europe! With hundreds of shops ranging from Topshop to the Gap, Oxford Street is sure to please even the most fervent shopaholic.

After a busy day of shopping, you can relax and feel at home in your London vacation rental apartment (www.nyhabitat.com/london-apartment/vacation). NY Habitat London vacation rentals provide the perfect base to explore the city from! An example of one of our vacation rentals is this 2-bedroom rental in Covent Garden: www.nyhabitat.com/london-apartment/vacation/1010. The apartment has a classy modern feel, comes with a fully equipped kitchen and is just blocks away from the British Museum! For a longer stay, we have apartments to offer such as this studio apartment, also in Covent Garden: www.nyhabitat.com/london-apartment/furnished/494. The studio is part of an 18th century house, and is located right in the center of Covent Garden, so you have excellent access to the Covent Garden Market and more! Check www.nyhabitat.com/london-apartment.html for our entire selection of apartments in London.

Piccadilly Circus & Trafalgar Square

Next on the tour is Piccadilly Circus, a busy square popular with tourists that boasts many neon billboards. Along Piccadilly, you'll find cafes and shops such as the restaurant Richoux, the shopping arcade Burlington Arcade and the tailor shop Gieves & Hawkes. Along Jermyn Street, you'll find ladies and gentleman clothing outfitters such as Hackett.

In West End, you'll also come across cultural institutions such as the British Museum, which is one of the oldest and largest museums in the world. To the south, you'll find another such cultural institution on Trafalgar Square: The National Gallery. Trafalgar Square itself is also well worth a visit, as it's home to Nelson's Column, the Admiralty Arch and great fountains. The square is also where many events are held, for example, it's the unofficial venue for the New Year's Eve celebrations.

Seven Dials

Now you've seen the three great squares of the West End district, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square, we'll end the tour at another great crossroads: Seven Dials. Seven Dials is a small road junction where seven streets meet, and it nicely illustrates the great attractions of the West End: theater, entertainment & shopping.

We hope you've enjoyed this tour of London's West End neighborhood! Don't forget to check out our blog for more information about the area: www.nyhabitat.com/blog/2012/11/05/london-video-tou…. Did we miss any of your favorite spots? Let us know in the comments below!

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