London Town Guide |
Piccadilly District
W1
Nearest Tube: Piccadilly Circus
Along with Oxford Street, Piccadilly is one of the oldest roads that originally led out of London to the west. The unusual name comes from the word "pickadill" which was a type of stiff collar that was fashionable in the 17th century. During this period, the area became renowned for its tailor's shops where these collars were sold, hence the name.
The area of London directly around Piccadilly, with Piccadilly Circus at its centre, is considered by many to be the centre of London. Indeed, in its heyday in the 17th century this area was one of the most fashionable and exclusive parts of the city. Nowadays the area is unfortuately swamped with traffic but that doesn't seem to stop it from still being very popular with tourists.
If you wander along Piccadilly today you will find yourself amongst some very famous shops, such as Hatchards and Fortnum and Mason. However, the heavy levels of traffic make life fairly unpleasant for pedestrians, so you may find that shopping is more pleasurable in the various arcades that lead off from Piccadilly. Particularly worth visiting is the Burlington Arcade.
Also in Piccadilly you will find the Royal Academy of Arts, Green Park, the church of St James's Piccadilly and several of London's most glitzy hotels.
And nearby are the areas of Soho, Mayfair and St James's; Green Park, Hyde Park and St James's Park; and the shops of Oxford Street and Regent Street.
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