Ultimate Guide to Piccadilly Circus
Some say that London is too noisy, busy and full of traffic. They’re absolutely right, and nowhere is this clearer than Piccadilly Circus. To help you feel a little less disorientated we’ve put together an ultimate guide to Piccadilly Circus. Good luck!
There’s no particular historical reason why Piccadilly Circus is so popular: it’s just famous because it’s famous. The most obvious feature you’ll notice as you stand bewildered on the street is the garish advertising baring down on you. The first products were advertised here in neon lights in 1908, with some of the promotional pioneers including Bovril and Perrier. The lights remained switched on throughout WW2 – either an example of the famous British stiff upper lip, or the ludicrous tenacity of consumer capitalism.
In fact, the lights have only ever been switched off on two occasions: firstly for the funeral of Winston Churchill in 1965, then again for Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997. If you want to see this iconic London location without the crowds, we recommend that you arrive early in the morning. However, seeing the lights at night time is particularly striking, and a chance to see London at its busiest.
Open all hours
Picadilly Circus (Picadilly and Bakerloo Line)
12,88,94,159,453,N3,N109,N136
Q Park, (0113 238 4200), 39-41 Whitcomb St, London WC2H 7DT
You can find out more information of this site, and some of the most iconic sites in the city, on our free London Walking Tour!
For more information, click here