London certainly is a wonderful vibrant city, full of excellent museums, fab places to eat, quiet places to sit and reflect and of course lots and lots of shops. One of my favourite places to spend a day in the city would have to be Covent Garden. It’s a great place to get a taste of London’s brilliant culture, food and shopping. We had a free day before school started again, so I headed there with my daughter Jessica, to see how much we could fit into one day. We had a wonderful time and managed to visit absolutely loads of places. Here are our top 10 things to do in Covent Garden, based on our lovely day out together.
Visit the London Transport Museum
This museum has been high on my London wish list for absolutely ages. It’s one of the only London Museums I’d never visited and I’m so glad I finally did. I really love anything to do with London history and the collection of historic vehicles in the museum is brilliant. We enjoyed going on board a few of them and jumping onto the back of a rout master bus brought back lots of memories! The museum is great for both kids and adults alike. Adult entrance costs £18 and includes unlimited re-entry for a year, kids go free.
Explore the Piazza
One of the things that makes Covent Garden so vibrant is it’s bustling market and piazza. It’s one of the prettiest and most unique spots in London and if like me you love to take pictures, there are plenty of snapping opportunities too. The piazza contains a mixture of market stalls, high end shops and eateries. You could definitely spend a whole day fully exploring the piazza alone. The area is known for it’s quirky street entertainers and awesome Instragram spots.
Stop for Brunch at Covent Garden Grind
I’m a big fan of the whole Grind Brand and have been stopping at their various branches across London for brunch and an excellent coffee for years. The Covent Garden branch is one of favourites. The decor features some fabulous neon and lots of leafy plants. The brunch options are fantastic and always beautifully prepared and presented. I opted for a Granola Smoothie Bowl and Jess went for avo toast with poached eggs and chilli flakes, both of which were absolutely delicious. She had a smoothie and I had a beautifully made latte. Brunch for two costs around £25-£30, but for a quick stop, a pastry and coffee go down nicely too.
Visit the London Film Museum
This is another museum that I’d never visited before. They currently have an excellent exhibition called Bond in motion, which features various cars and vehicles featured in James Bond Films. We really enjoyed looking at all the awesome cars and loved that next to each one, there were screens showing the clips from the films featuring each car. It definitely made me want to go and watch all the Bond films again! I’ll be keeping an eye on the museum’s future exhibitions, as I’d love to make a return visit to see more. Entrance costs £14.50 for adults and £9.50 for children.
Find Treasure at the Petersham Nurseries Shop
I couldn’t visit Covent Garden without popping into one of my very favourite shops. I’ve been a long term fan of Petersham Nurseries gorgeous site in Richmond, so when they brought their brilliant shop to the heart of the city I was instantly a fan. Pop in for beautiful vintage curios, antiques that channel the French broncante aesthetic and beautiful house plants to name just a few of their delights. They also have a cafe, which is another great spot to stop for some refreshments. Prices very from very expensive to just a few pounds for a candle or little pot plant.
Stock up on Skincare and Make-up
One of the best things to do in Covent Garden is indulge in a little beauty shopping. All the best names in beauty have shops there. If you’re feeling spendy then head to Dior, Jo Malone or Charlotte Tilbury for smaller budgets try Kiko for make up and The Ordinary for skincare. If you feel like a pamper and some indulgent treats you can’t beat Rituals for beautiful bath products. Me and Jess stocked up on a few essential beauty supplies and it was a lovely way to spend some time with my teenage daughter.
Go Vintage Shopping in Rockit and Blackout II
Of course I couldn’t go anywhere without checking out the local vintage shops. Covent Garden features two of my favourite stops on the London vintage trail. Our first stop was Rokit. This treasure trove stocks everything from 90s tees to 50s dresses. If you rummage hard enough you can find some pretty epic pieces. I spotted some lovely Prada shoes for just £60. We left with some cute Levi’s cut of shorts for Jess and a updated cropped t shirt. Jess loved choosing a unique new outfit and it was fun putting a look together that suited her more sporty style as opposed to my usual vintage dress obsession. We’ll definitely be back for more.
My other favourite vintage spot is Blackout II. This is one of London’s best high end vintage shops, which specialises in older more special pieces. Some of my most beautiful vintage finds have come from here. The prices are quite high, but the calibre of stock is very hard to beat. If you’re looking to shop for vintage in Covent Garden – think Rokit for fun cheaper pieces and Blackout II for those extra special unique finds. I love both.
Take lots of Instagram Pictures!
One thing that Covent Garden does very well, is cater for our obsession with Instagram. There are so many fab spots to take pictures, including lots that have been set up especially for taking pictures. I’m loving the piano display that they have on display at the moment. However the gorgeous architecture and pretty local scenery also make the perfect backdrop for photos. See some of my Instagram snaps from the area in my Festive Covent Garden Photo Walk.
Visit the Royal Opera House
On this outing we just had a look at the Opera House from outside. But I have visited many times to see the ballet or to grab a drink in one of the many restaurants and bars. One day I would love to book onto one of their behind the scenes tours. It’s definitely worth a visit.
Have a Quiet Moment in St Paul’s Church and Garden
One side of the piazza is home to St Paul’s Church. I love to sit in the churche’s beautiful garden – a little oasis in the heart of the area. The church is known as “The Actor’s Church” because of it’s association with the bustling London theatre scene. Look out for the names of lots of famous actors on the benches around the garden. We popped into the church to light a candle and have a moment of calm in the middle of a busy day.
It’s amazing how much you can fit into one day. We had such a fun time and only did a few of the fantastic things that the area has to offer. Do you have any favourite places or shops in the area that you’d recommend?
*This post was written in collaboration with Hotels.com who kindly gave me and and Jess some spending money to enjoy our day. All opinions and recommendations are my own.
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