Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
BUCKINGHAM PALACE FROM ST JAMES'S PARK
St James's
An exclusive little enclave sandwiched between St James's Park and
Piccadilly, St James's was laid out in the 1670s close to the royal seat of
St James's Palace. Even today, regal and aristocratic residences overlook
nearby Green Park and the stately avenue of The Mall; gentlemen's clubs
cluster along Pall Mall and St James's Street; and jacket-and-tie restaurants
and expense-account shops line St James's and Jermyn Street. Hardly
surprising, then, that most Londoners rarely stray into this area, though
plenty of folk frequent St James's Park, with large numbers heading for the
Queen's chief residence, Buckingham Palace. If you're not in St James's for the
shops, the best time to visit is on a Sunday, when it's quieter, the nearby Mall
is closed to tra
c, and the royal chapels, plus Spencer House, the one
accessible Palladian mansion, are open to the public.
