My Ten Things To Do In Covent Garden List is perfect for Londoners and visitors to London WC2. Covent Garden was once home to a famous fruit and vegetable market; you’ll find the beautiful Market Building and Piazza with designer boutiques and street performers. Read my Ten Things To Do In Covent Garden list to learn about shops, restaurants and attractions in the area. I first compiled this list in May 2019 and have been back to Covent Garden to update this article.
Seven Dials
Ten Things To Do In Covent Garden List
1. Browse the historic Covent Garden Market Building and Piazza
2. Rummage around the stalls at the Covent Garden Apple Market and Jubilee Market
3. Clap your hands to one of the Street Performers in the Piazza
4. Book tickets to a Covent Garden Theatre or The Royal Opera House
5. Eat at Seven Dials Food Market or Neal’s Yard Square
6. Explore the shopping streets in Covent Garden
7. Find out about the capital’s transport system at the London Transport Museum
8. See original James Bond vehicles at the London Film Museum
9. Learn how to dance at The Pineapple Dance Studio
10. Relax in the garden at St Paul’s Church
Ten Things To Do In Covent Garden Details
Covent Garden Market Building and Piazza: This was once home to a historic fruit and veg market established by the Earl of Bedford in 1670. It relocated to Nine Elms and became the New Covent Garden Market in 1974. The building was revamped as a shopping, eating and drinking destination. It’s a fabulous place to explore because it is pedestrianised and set within a beautiful building with a splendid piazza outside. Visit Benjamin Pollock’s Toyshop and the Moomin store, which are both adorable.
Covent Garden Market Building and Piazza
Covent Garden Apple Market: At The Apple Market, you can treat yourself to a beautiful handmade scarf, necklace or art print from Tuesday to Sunday. On Mondays, the stalls sell antiques and vintage items. The East Colonnade traders sell confectionery, sweets, jewellery and more. Located nearby is Jubilee Market which is open every day of the week. On Monday, you will find antiques and collectables. A general market sells art prints, bags, London signage and souvenirs, bags, and clothing from Tuesday to Friday. At the weekend, arts and crafts are the focus. The address is Tavistock Court, The Piazza, Covent Garden WC2E 8BD.
Covent Garden Apple Market
Covent Garden Piazza Street Performers: Covent Garden is famous for street performers. The tradition dates back to 1662 when Samuel Pepys wrote about Punch and Judy (you will notice that a Punch and Judy Pub overlooks the Piazza). You can watch jugglers, circus acts, clowns, singers, dancers and more. Be sure to clap your hands, and if you like what you see, give them some money for their efforts.
Covent Garden Piazza Street Performers
Covent Garden Theatres and The Royal Opera House: The area and nearby is home to many theatres (known as theatreland), so you can book tickets to a play, musical or The Royal Opera House. Plenty of restaurants offer pre-theatre meals so you can eat before the performance.
Covent Garden Theatres
Seven Dials Market Food Hall and Neal’s Yard Square: There are many places to eat in Covent Garden, and I can recommend checking out Seven Dials Market, a food hall where you can sample everything from burgers to bao buns or vegan tacos. The address is 35 Earlham Street. Alternatively, locate this lovely courtyard which is named after the 17th-century developer called Thomas Neale. With colourful warehouse buildings and alfresco dining, you can enjoy a healthy lunch or fresh juice. Treat yourself to a massage at Neal’s Yard Therapy Rooms. There is an alley between Shorts Gardens and Monmouth Street, which takes you to the square. We found some interesting independent eateries located on New Row.
Seven Dials Market Food Hall
Covent Garden Shopping Streets: This area has plenty of streets to check out. A few of my favourites are Long Acre, where you can find TK Maxx, & Other Stories, Arket and Allbirds. The Yards Covent Garden is a shopping and dining area comprising St Martin’s Courtyard, Mercer Walk and Old Brewer’s Yard. Floral Street is home to Paul Smith, Agnes B, Free People and the famous Tintin merchandise store. Neal Street is ideal for shoe shopping as Birkenstock, Superga, and other footwear specialists. At the end of the street, you can find the Astrology Shop, where you can buy a horoscope reading. If you find Seven Dials, seven roads connect around a statue of Thomas Neale, and these are worth exploring. Other shops to locate are the Apple store at The Piazza and Aram for furniture on Drury Lane.
Floral Street
London Transport Museum: Housed in a Grade II listed Flower Market building in Covent Garden Piazza. This charitable museum is dedicated to telling the story of London’s transport system. You can travel back in time 200 years to discover how vital transport was to helping London evolve. The address is Covent Garden Piazza (South East Corner), London WC2E 7BB.
London Transport Museum
London Film Museum: If you’re a James Bond fan, this is the exhibition for you. The museum features more than a hundred original vehicles and artefacts from 24 Bond movies. You can buy Bond memorabilia at the gift shop after your tour. The address is 45 Wellington Street, Coven Garden, London WC2E 7BN.
London Film Museum
Pineapple Dance Studio: Pineapple was founded in 1979 at a disused warehouse in Covent Garden by Debbie Moore OBE. You can learn how to dance tap, ballet and contemporary moves from the best teachers. Or you can book a rehearsal studio. The address is 7 Langley Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9JA.
Pineapple Dance Studio
St Paul’s Church: St Paul’s is fondly known as The Actors’ Church because of its long association with the theatre community in Covent Garden. It was built by Inigo Jones in 1633, who created the Italian style Piazza. There are benches in the garden, which is a tranquil spot to escape the crowds.
St Paul’s Church
Ten Things To Do In Covent Garden Information
There is a tube station at Covent Garden which is on the Piccadilly Line. Other stations within walking distance are Holborn on the Central and Piccadilly Lines and Leicester Square on the Northern and Piccadilly Lines. Covent Garden is on the eastern edge of the West End between Charing Cross and Drury Lane. For historical information, read the Wikipedia Covent Garden page. To see more pictures take a look at my Love Covent Garden Pinterest Board. Please read my other posts about Covent Garden for further information:
Kerb Opens Seven Dials Market Covent Garden
Best Shopping Streets Covent Garden
Nine Reasons To Visit Neal Street Covent Garden
Visit Seven Dials Covent Garden
Ten Reasons To Visit The Yards Covent Garden
Author: Homegirl London. Photographs: Homegirl London.
