Have some dumplings in Chinatown and then visit the Royal Academy of Arts and Photographers´ Gallery. Busy streets and silent places around Piccadilly.
- Starts Leicester Square tube station – Ends at Oxford Circus tube station
- ~3 hours
- New Jen café, St. James’s Church, Academy of Arts, Photograpers Gallery
1. Leicester Square Tube Station
Take the tube to Leicester Square (opened in 1906). Use the Chinatown exit and when outside turn left into the small alley Newport Court and you are soon surrounded by Chinese gift shops and small restaurants with a lively atmosphere and lots of colours.
2. New Jen Café
At the New Jen Café, you will see dumplings being prepared by hand. The Café is fairly small in size and you can at times need to share your table with other customers. After a bowl of Beijing dumplings or two, walk up to Gerrard Street which is the main street in Chinatown.
3. St. James’s Church
Cross over to the church and enter the church hall and take a seat and enjoy a quiet moment. When you leave the church go through the church hall, and at the back of St. James´s Church you find Jerwyn Street with its exclusive shops. The cheese shop is from the 18th century (hopefully not the cheese :-).
4. The Red Lion
The Red Lion pub is well worth a visit for the thirsty and curious, and this is an old-fashioned pub with mirrors and brass. Close to the pub you also find St James´s Square. Back on foot look for the Piccadilly Arcade on Jermyn Street to get back to Piccadilly.
5. Royal Academy of Arts
At each end of the Burlington Arcade, you find an entrance to the Royal Academy of Arts and you can enjoy various exhibitions, look up what is in beforehand as there is an entrance fee.
6. Savile Row
Savile Row is famous for its tailor shops. You can´t miss the perfumed scents lingering over Savile Row to give the place an even more attractive aura. Next stop Photographer´s Gallery close to Oxford Circus.
7. Photographers´ Gallery
The Photographer´s Gallery is on three levels, exhibiting well-known as well as upcoming photography from all genres and allowing you to indulge in a bit of free culture. The closest tube station is Oxford Circus on Oxford Street a short distance from the Gallery.
8. Oxford Cirus Tube Station
The Oxford Circus tube station (opened in 1900) is served by Bakerloo, Central and Victoria lines. There are always queues and a lot of people, especially during peak hours.
