Seven Dials
A charming star-shaped junction in Covent Garden where seven little streets meet at a Victorian sundial pillar, ringed by independent shops and a tangle of hidden alleys.
FREE
The lowdown
Seven Dials is one of the most distinctive little pockets of central London, a junction where seven narrow streets radiate out from a single point like the spokes of a wheel. At the centre stands a column topped with sundials, laid out in the 1690s as a smart speculative development that long ago fell on hard times and has since been beautifully revived.
The pillar you see is a faithful 1980s recreation of the original, and standing under it you can look down all seven streets at once. Each one is lined with independent boutiques, cafes and theatres, a more characterful and human-scaled corner than the chain-store bustle of nearby Covent Garden.
It rewards a slow wander. The streets that spin off it lead into a web of courtyards and hidden alleys, and you are minutes from Neal's Yard, the theatres of Shaftesbury Avenue and the piazza of Covent Garden, all free to explore on foot.
The insider tip
The bit we only tell the people on the list. Join free and every insider tip unlocks on this device.
More like this
Get it in your inbox
One email a week with the best free things to do in London this weekend. Before everyone else finds them.