Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Denmark Street
Soho Square
Strolling Through Soho
Carnaby Street
Regent Street
Piccadilly Circus
Piccadilly Street
Jermyn Street
The West End, the area just west of the original walled City of London, is London's liveli-
est neighborhood. It's easy to get caught up in fantasies of jolly olde England, but the West
End is where you'll feel the pulse of the living, breathing London of today, from genteel
shopping to raunchy red light districts, and everything in between. Theaters, pubs, restaur-
ants, bookstores, ethnic food, markets, and boutiques attract rock stars, punks, tourists, and
ladies and gentlemen stepping from black cabs for a night on the town.
Most of this topic's walks and tours focus on history, art, and museums. But this
walk is about appreciating the London lifestyle: the entertainment energy at Leicester
Square; the thriving popular hum of Covent Garden; the rock-and-roll history of Denmark
Street; the bohemian, creative, hedonistic groove of Soho; the once-swingin', now corpor-
ate Carnaby Street; the bustling neon hub of Piccadilly Circus; and the distinctive shop-
ping boulevards of Regent Street and Piccadilly Street.
The walk is divided into two parts. The first takes you through the colorful heart of
this area (lively and a bit seedy), while the second part—for those who still have energy
(and pounds) left—is more focused on swanky shopping (or window-shopping) zones.
