London Attractions - Covent Garden

What started out in the seventeenth century as London 's first luxury neighborhood is once more a highly desirable place to live, work and shop. Based around Inigo Jones`s piazza - London's oldest planned square - the area had for years been a market centre for fruit and vegetables.

That was closed in 1974 and for a while it looked as if the developers would move in on this prime central real estate and demolish it all for unwanted new office blocks. These plans collapsed and now we have the elegant old market hall, and shops, restaurants and arts-and-crafts stalls. It has become one of London`s major tourist attractions, which now boast some of the trendiest clothes shops, cafes and restaurants in London.

Tourists and locals mingle amongst the upscale shops, trendy cafes, fine restaurants, cobbled side streets, street theatre, the funky market and wooden lanes. It's a pleasant place to wander and spend an hour or two.

Covent Garden on a clear day is also a great place for children. Buskers (street entertainers) perform under the porch of the Actors' Church in Covent Garden (where Britain 's first Punch & Judy show was performed), and you will usually find busker's playing different styles of music dotted around the square. Each 'show' lasts about half an hour and Covent Garden actually auditions its buskers as quality control, to ensure that you'll always see something good. Kids love it and are often pulled in to the show.

For more information about Covent garden visit: www.coventgardenlife.com