Lying at the junction between Regent Street, Shaftesbury Avenue, Piccadilly and Haymarket, Piccadilly Circus is one of the busiest spots in the whole of central London. A hub for traffic of all kinds, it connects the key areas in the heart of the city, including Trafalgar Square, Soho, Chinatown and Leicester Square.
This patch gained its name back in the 17th century when tailor Roger Baker produced frilled collars for men here, which were known as ‘piccadills’. The ‘circus’ part of the name refers to the traffic riding in circles here around the central statue of Greek god Anteros. When you visit, you’ll find yourself mesmerised by the circus of colour and light. There are also plenty of excellent shops, cafés and restaurants to be enjoyed.
The statue is at the centre of Piccadilly Circus, Anteros as a winged archer standing proudly over Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain. It was built back in 1893, designed by Alfred Gilbert, and was the first statue ever to be cast in aluminium. You’ll see crowds of people gathering here as it remains an enduringly popular meeting spot as well as a great place to watch visitors coming and going.
From Piccadilly Circus, visitors have many different choices to go on to. On Regent Street, you’ll find a plethora of excellent shops, while the Theatre Royal nearby is one of the great arts venues in this part of town. The Royal Academy of Art is in this quarter too, as is The Comedy Store.
These days, you’ll still see Piccadilly Circus aglow with its bright neon signage, amplified by the street entertainers and the sheer numbers of people passing through – all of which makes the atmosphere a heady one. If you need to escape the crowds for a while, retreat to one of the many cosy pubs or cafés nearby.
Situated in the heart of London, you can alight at the Piccadilly Circus Underground station and you’ll be right here.
