Lady’s 11 Reasons to Love Piccadilly Street in London

Of all the roads in London, Piccadilly street might be the most iconic. From famous hotels to beloved department stores, world-class museums to royal parks, this thoroughfare has it all. And that’s to say nothing of Piccadilly Circus and Hyde Park Corner, bookends most roads would envy. If you want to discover the best of it, read on for A Lady in London’s guide to Piccadilly.

Piccadilly Street

Slicing through central London, Piccadilly street serves as the dividing line between St James’s and Mayfair.

After the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, Piccadilly became one of the most fashionable areas in London.

Today Piccadilly street is bordered by some of London’s most famous names in retail and accommodation, and is home to heritage buildings and high-end shops.

But it’s not just about the big draws. A walk down Piccadilly reveals a street full of secret courtyards, hidden parks, and historic churches.

There’s a lot to discover if you take the time to explore, and I hope you find inspiration in my list of places to love about the street.

How to Get to Piccadilly

If you do, it’s easy to get here. The simplest way to arrive is by tube, as there are three London Underground stations along the street.

Hyde Park Corner is at the west and is served by the Piccadilly line. Green Park is in the middle and is served by the Piccadilly, Jubilee, and Victoria lines. Piccadilly Circus is at the east and is served by the Piccadilly and Bakerloo lines.

There are also buses that run along Piccadilly street from other parts of London, so you have a lot of options for getting here.

Where to Stay on Piccadilly Street

If you want to stay on Piccadilly street, I recommend The Ritz hotel. Located just down the road from Piccadilly Circus, it’s in an ideal location for exploring the street and surrounding area.

1. Piccadilly Circus

Once here, most people start at Piccadilly Circus. This iconic junction sits at the far east end of the street and is a London landmark in its own right.

Piccadilly Circus features enormous screens with advertisements from major brands, a statue of Anteros, and stunning views towards Regent Street.

It’s also surrounded by shops, restaurants, and attractions. Some are touristy, some not, but locals and visitors alike frequent the area.

2. Green Park

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Green Park is a great antidote to the bustle and intensity of the city.

The park was created in the late 17th century, when Charles II acquired the land because he wanted to walk all the way from Hyde Park to St James’s without leaving royal ground.

Today the park is one of the most beloved in London. Piccadilly street borders the northern edge, and it’s easy to pop in and soak up the tree-lined walkways if you need a bit of nature in your urban explorations. It’s also great for picnics in the warmer months.

3. Fortnum & Mason

And if you want good picnic food, Fortnum & Mason is just the place for it. This iconic department store was established in 1707 and is famous for its hampers, teas, and other delicious goodies.

Floor after floor of luxury goods and mouth-watering food make this place a heaven for shopping addicts and foodies alike.

Fortnum & Mason is a great place to pick up a London souvenir or gift, or go for tea or a meal (there are restaurants and cafes here, too).

4. The Royal Academy

Over the road, the Royal Academy has been a London institution on Piccadilly street for over 250 years. Set back in a grand courtyard, the RA is an independent, privately-funded art institution led by prominent artists and architects.

It hosts regular exhibitions throughout the year and has expanded in recent years to offer free art and architecture displays.

The courtyard always has something intriguing to see, too, so it’s worth a look while you’re walking down the road.

5. The Market on Piccadilly Street

Also worth browsing is the small outdoor market in front of St James’s Church. Piccadilly Market is filled with stalls selling all kinds of food, art, crafts, antiques, and clothing from around the world.

Open from Monday to Saturday, it’s a fun place to explore on Piccadilly street. Different days have different things for sale, so it’s worth visiting again and again.

6. St James’s Church, Piccadilly

And speaking of St James’s Church, it pays to duck in here as well. This 17th-century beauty was built by Sir Christopher Wren, who’s best known for being the architect of St Paul’s Cathedral in the City of London.

The interior of St James’s Church is full of Wren’s signature arches and curves, and the craftsmanship in the furnishings is worth admiring.

The church’s striking marble font is attributed to Grinling Gibbons, an English sculptor and wood carver known for his work on Windsor Castle, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and Hampton Court Palace.

Notables like painter William Blake were baptized in the font, so it’s famous in its own right.

7. St James’s Southwood Garden

Back outside, St James’s Southwood Garden is a secret green space tucked away next to the church and market. The garden was originally a burial ground for the parish, and was used as such for over 200 years.

After World War II, Viscount Southwood gave money for the churchyard to be made into a garden of remembrance ‘to commemorate the courage and fortitude of the people of London’.

The garden was opened in 1946 by Queen Mary, and it’s a great oasis of calm if you need a break from the busy stalls and street beyond.

8. Shops and Restaurants on Piccadilly

Back out on Piccadilly street, there are lots of shops and restaurants to discover.

My favorite shop is Hatchard’s, a multi-level bookshop founded in 1797. It claims to be the oldest of its kind in the United Kingdom, and its warren of rooms is a testament to its history.

Another great shop on Piccadilly is Maison Assouline. This one is full of the iconic coffee table books the brand is known for. Its interior is beautiful with high ceilings and design-led decor.

As far as restaurants go, I love The Wolseley. Set in a former car showroom for Wolseley Motors, this grand Art Deco cafe is one of my favorite places for breakfast in London.

Its elegant atmosphere and traditional menu make it a modern British classic.

Other favorites include afternoon tea at The Ritz, which is one of the city’s icons, and dinner at Hide, a restaurant that has pleased critics and patrons alike.

9. Shopping Arcades on Piccadilly Street

But back to shopping. Piccadilly is home to some of London’s historic shopping arcades. From Burlington Arcade to Piccadilly Arcade, these heritage retail havens are full of traditional shops and unique goods from Britain and abroad.

The shopping arcades are great to browse any time of year, but they really come into their own at Christmas.

The decorations bring them to life with seasonal cheer, and they’re fun to visit after taking in the lights on Piccadilly street outside.

10. Albany

Tucked away off the main road, an iconic apartment complex called Albany (or The Albany) sits in a quiet cobblestone courtyard (called, unsurprisingly, Albany Courtyard).

Built as a Georgian mansion for the First Viscount Melbourne in the 1770s, it was converted into apartments in the early 19th century. Since then it’s been the longest continuously co-owned apartment building in the world.

It’s also become known for both its famous residents—everyone from Lord Byron to Graham Greene and Anthony Armstrong-Jones has lived here—and its appearance in fictional works by big-name writers like Charles Dickens, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Oscar Wilde.

It’s worth stepping into the courtyard to take in the scene, but beware the doormen. They might tell you to move on if you try to get too close to the buildings.

11. Hyde Park Corner

At the far west end of Piccadilly, Hyde Park Corner caps things off with a riot of important buildings and memorials.

The roundabout is home to Apsley House and Wellington Arch, both of which are important historic landmarks and English Heritage sites in London.

Apsley House once had the address “Number 1, London”, and Wellington Arch is topped by the largest bronze sculpture in Europe.

Hyde Park Corner also has important war memorials. These include the Australian War Memorial, the Royal Artillery Memorial, the New Zealand War Memorial, and the Machine Gun Corps Memorial.

It pays to get up close, as they’re incredibly moving (the New Zealand one stops me in my tracks every time).

Piccadilly

I hope you’ve enjoyed this guide to Piccadilly street in London. It’s one of the most iconic thoroughfares in the UK capital, and it’s worth taking the time to see everything it has to offer.

You can use my self-guided Mayfair walk to explore more of the street and surrounding area, too. Given how much there is, it might take several trips. Which is all the more fun.

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