The Chainsaw Stripper
It always catches the tourists by surprise. As they take in the splendour of the Royal Opera house, the neat market stalls and walk out to the Piazza, there sometimes stands before them a man juggling chainsaws, in his underwear. This is Covent Garden, official home to some of London's best street performers.
Fine Crafted British Products
In the 1500s the Abbey, or Convent of St. Peters, used to maintain a sizable kitchen garden to help provide its daily food. Over the next 300 years the monks' Convent Garden (later becoming 'Covent Garden) became a major source of fruit and vegetables for Londoners.
Nowadays, the only vegetables you are likely to find in Covent Garden are the ones resting on the side of your plate, should you decide to eat one of the piazza's many restaurants.
The centre piece of Covent Garden is the arcaded piazza where market traders and numerous shops and restaurants ply their trade. The Apple Market, located in the arcade, specialises in hand made British products with Mondays being a special day for antiques and collectibles
Live Opera Singers
During the summer, head for the Courtyard in the South Hall. Buy a bottle of wine and bag a table. This is the place to listen to professional Opera singers, who will perform for up to 60 minutes. The whole experience will only set you back a voluntary couple of pounds or so.
Deadly Pineapples
Walking home with a pineapple under your arm in 1500s London would have been dangerous, possibly even fatal. But why, you might ask? And you might also wonder about the decorative pineapples on the light tops of Covent Garden. Soon after Christopher Columbus brought them back from the Caribbean they became the exotic fruit of choice for most of Europe's royal households. One hundred years later, the first pineapple was grown in Britain but expensive. Wealthy households would often display them in their front windows as a sign of prosperity, hence sculptured pineapples were soon springing up in some of the UK's grandest buildings.
While looking upwards for the cast iron pineapples, you might also notice a crowd of people standing on the balcony of the Punch and Judy pub (the first Punch and Judy show was staged in Covent Garden circ. 17th century). This is the ideal place to safely watch the underwear clad chainsaw juggler and/or gaze at starry nights, whichever appeals most. Downstairs they have a traditional cellar bar of stone and brick with dining area.
The Royal Opera House (dating back to 1724 but majestically redeveloped in 1999) aside from hosting ballet/opera and dance also has 3 very good restaurants (check out the balconies restaurant) though you must be a ticket holder or member to gain access.
Iconic Red Telephone Boxes
Covent Garden also has a small number of red telephone boxes. They're red to make them easy to spot and are enclosed to protect callers from the rainy British climate (many were sold off by British Telecom - some being converted as shower cubicles in private homes). Please don't expect them to work.
Located to the South of the piazza is the London Transport Museum where you can find a detailed history of the London Underground.
Kansas Comes To Covent Garden
Keeping in line with the live events vibrancy that makes Covent Garden such an atmospheric destination, the American-styled Roadhouse offers perpetual party lovers live bands on stage nightly. They also have some of the best DJs in town plus a restaurant selling 16oz Kansas strip steaks and a 60-strong classic cocktail list.
For a retro look and feel, the Langley Restaurant provides a stunning dining setting with menu to match. They have DJs and music most nights.
The famous Gardening Club (located next to the Rock Garden Restaurant) - is a firm favourite with locals. The club also has live music and has hosted over 30,000 bands (including U2) in its 30 year history.
Leaf Plates And The Famous English School
In nearby Kings Street, check out Ganesha offering fair-trade products from such countries as India (checkout the party plates made from leaves). Also located in the iconic Africa Centre (the centre has hosted some of the most famous African bands), you will find the famous English School on the 4 floor. which has a balcony overlooking the Piazza.
To the east of the piazza you will find Wellington Street and The Lyceum Theatre which usually hosts award winning musicals. On your way there, you may want to stop off at the Charles Dickens Coffee House - located on the ground floor of the building that was the office for Charles Dickens 'All Year Round Magazine.' Dickens slept at apartments upstairs in the 1860s for a few years before his death in 1870.
The Secret Watering Hole
Where do the locals go for a drink? One of the places (and our school's designated pub) is the Nell Gwynne (Nell Gwynne was an actress, grew up in Covent Garden and gained fame as the mistress of King Charles II) Tavern, a tiny, intimate free public house hiding in an alleyway just off the Strand. You'll deserve a drink if you can find it. See you there!