Culture in Covent Garden

Culturally, Covent Garden is known for its Street Theatre and Opera, though even these had humble beginnings with the site hosting its first Punch and Judy shows as far back as 1642 (which was written about by Samuel Pepys in his famous diary). It is also home to the Royal Opera House, which opened in 1732, originally as a play house, and is now home to the Royal Opera and the Royal Ballet. The Opera House has been rebuilt twice since it was first built due to two disastrous fires, one in 1808 and one in 1857.

For more information on Covent Garden's fascinating story, visitors should take advantage of the Covent Garden Walking Tour, which really delves into the history of the area and provides some fascinating insights.

Whet your Appetite

Appropriately, given its history, Covent Garden is also home to the oldest restaurant in London, Rules. This is a restaurant which still thrives even today, specialising in classic game cookery as well as oysters and pies. There are a multitude of other restaurants, cafés and eateries in the area, serving everything from British to Japanese to North African cuisines which means that even the fussiest of palates can be catered for.

Covent Garden was also the setting for the Oscar winning film 'My Fair Lady', although the actual film was not filmed anywhere near Covent Garden! Regardless, the site has been seen in a number of other films, including 'Four Weddings and a Funeral' directed by Richard Curtis, 'Layer Cake' starring Daniel Craig before he became James Bond, and the futuristic Luc Besson Hollywood blockbuster 'Fifth Element.'

Shop until you Drop

Covent Garden is also well known for its long history of retail with a wealth of boutique shopping. It is also home to a multitude of unique craft stalls as well as world famous brands such as Burberry Brit, Rugby Ralph Lauren, Jo Malone and Chanel. However, Covent Garden is not just a haven for the fashionistas, in 2010 it also became home to the largest Apple store in the UK.

Given the diversity of what is on offer in Covent Garden, it should come as no surprise that as a tourist destination it attracts over 44 million visitors from all over the world every year.

For more information about what is happening in and around London's Covent Garden, check out the official website.

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