Fun one mile shopping area and eating area in SOHO located in the west end of Westminster. No cars…read moreallowed, only pedestrians. After having a tasty snack at Pizza Pilgrims, went to the two story Rolling Stones store which was my favorite place on Carnaby Street. A bunch of boutique shops and found one bathroom and a drinking fountain. There was an old English style red phone booth containing an unspeakable object on the floor inside, good conversation piece for the rest of my trip. Welcome to London.

One of my absolute favorite places to shop when in London. I'll never pass up a chance to trek down…read moreto Carnaby street as the shopping and dining options are elite. For any one of my friends traveling into London I always recommend veering off a little to Carnaby. Over the years some shops have come and go but some of my favorites remain open. I'm a huge Great Frog lover and their shop is nearby, also for us rock n rollers I can't help stopping into The Rolling Stones Uk store. Lots of major branded stores but also cute local vendors and stores. It's a very walkable street and safe. Plenty busy so come earlier in the day to beat the crowds. Another pro tip is catching a reservation at dishshoom down here as I've found it easier to snag a reservation here than at their other locations. Plenty of dining options though and local stalls like Starbucks and Joe & the juice. It's a touristy street of shops but I love it - definitely bookmark this area on your must shop / see list when on this side of town.

We enjoyed our week stay in Covent Garden. We took full advantage of the Covent Garden Market,…read morevisiting in several occasions. The Market is picturesque with lovely flower carts by the entrances. Historically, Covent Gardens were the gardens for the convent. Today, the beautiful enclosed market hosts various vendors that change regularly. The market is a great way to connect with locals. We went to the market four times during our visit. On Sundays, various art vendors set up and we visited with a local fossil dealer and purchased a couple fossils. We loved our dinner in one of the nearby cafes. On Mondays, antique dealers set up and sell various treasures. My husband bought me a vintage bracelet. We also watched a quintet play in the atrium. We found a few reasonably priced souvenirs to take home for gifts. Plenty of great restaurants surround the Market. We ate at several places and enjoyed our meals. The Market always seems to be new and people were friendly.

Covent Garden is an area in West End with a collection of shops and restaurants. This is considered…read moreto be in the city of Westminster. All of the shops are high-end, luxury. Think Rodeo Drive in London. It's a fun area to visit and check out all of the amazing offerings that most probably can never afford lol. Another must-see for hitting tourist areas in the West End.

This was such a fun spot! Lots of great eateries from pizza to cocktail bars to pub style fare, the…read morecourtyard was vibrant and casual. Great atmosphere and many choices! The restaurants span three floors, so be sure to look up to see the additional choices before deciding. We loved our visit here and how alive and happy it was.

This is a lovely food court in Soho, near Carnaby street. I visited a restaurant called Paradiso…read morefor a scrumptious burger and coke. I visited on a Tuesday at 4:30pm so it wasn't busy and staff were all very nice and friendly. Kingly court has many different restaurants and is a great hang out place.

THE quintessential aesthetic London department store…read more Harrods is for tourists with a lot of money. Liberty is for anybody with taste. An authentic London shopping experience that offers unique items you can't find elsewhere. A long history of beautiful design in a stunning Tudor-esqu building without a single escalator! (There are elevators) Gorgeous fabric from designers like William Morris. Come here for genuine London products, and for an authentic only-in-London shopping experience.

What a fun stop while shopping around central London! The front doors are lined with flowers for…read moresale. I absolutely love browsing their incredible selection of fabrics. I treated myself to a silk scarf with a stunning yellow/pink design this trip! The top floor is filled with festive Christmas items, looking so cute for the holidays, and there is something for everyone. Between the women's and men's clothing, bedding, home decor, holiday fun, and even a vintage clothing spot upstairs, it's easy to spend a happy hour exploring.

Very big Primark & first Primark I have visited outside of the US…read more They have 4 shopping floor here, where you'll find women's, kid's, & men's clothing! Lots of makeup + pajamas, etc. I mean, they've got literally every and anything you'd be looking for to buy for every day or even clothes for occasions, at very affordable price.

Another good trip to this location. They have so many festive items, including; homeware, clothing…read moreand decorations. Great place for stocking stuffers and their bath bombs selection is one of the best! So many to choose from, including Disney and Christmas designs, all either £1 or £1.50! Staff on the floor are a bit useless and unwilling to help but the register staff were pleasant. As always - come early to avoid the crowds!

We stopped by Selfridges to pick up a swim suit for the honey, but also ended up dropping into…read moretheir food hall. For the food hall I loved that they had a great selection of so many different types of food and drink. I was able to pick up some sushi and drinks, while the honey got some ramen to-go. I also loved that you could pay at the specific stall you got the food from and did not have to get in line for every single item. In relation to Selfridges' clothing section upstairs, the signage for the sections was poor and we ended up having to ask where the swim area was. Everything was £80 and up so we later ended up going to Primark since it was a little too rich for our blood (DH constantly loses his swim trucks when we travel). All in all, I was glad they were close to our hotel and the food hall definitely gives the nearby Mercado (which was our goto last year) a run for it's money.

Tips: - The foodhall is worth the visit. Enter from Oxford…read moreStreet. - Candy is on the lower ground level. - If you come here around Christmas, the Christmas section is lovely. I was in London in December 2013. I visited a bunch of department stores. Part of me was curious about how they are set up versus how the flagship department stores in Canada were set up. I visited the flagship Selfridges store on Oxford Street. Rest in peace to the flagship Eaton's store in Winnipeg that I frequented often when I worked across from it. I also miss the flagship Hudson's Bay stores in Toronto and Winnipeg. I will toss in the flagship Simpsons store that preceded the Hudson's Bay. I stayed in South Kensington. There was a bus stop steps away from the hotel and around the corner from Gloucester Road station. I took the 74 Putney bus that got me to this store. I could have also taken the underground to Piccadilly Circus, but the walk would have been a bit longer. I wasn't sure how much damage I'd do here! I entered the store from Oxford Street, which gets you on the ground level. I remember seeing sushi on a convenor belt to my left. It was cool. It was Yo! I'm glad that this eatery is still around. You can dine here or do takeout. I entered the foodhall. I was so happy. I saw cupcakes, oysters, caviar, and more. Everything looked fancy and yummy. The ground floor had a beauty section and a pharmacy. This store is large. It's the second-largest department store in London, behind Harrods. I spent most of my time on the lower ground level. It's where the candy, wine, and cookshop sections are. I love candy and confections. I saw everything from macarons and chocolate malt balls, to fancy bourbon and wine. I bought some chocolate bars. They were perfect to hand out to colleagues. They were also Christmas-themed. I got milk and dark chocolate varieties. They were delicious. This floor also had a cinema. I didn't check it out. I was too busy visiting the technology and stationery sections. I was so happy on this floor. I spent the most time here. I did check out the women's clothing, which occupies levels 2 and 3. There was a lot of designer clothing. It didn't suit my casual, cheaper style. I loved coming here just before Christmas. It was festive and fun. The Christmas section was enjoyable to peruse. I have fond memories coming here. I hope to return someday. This store is over a century old and I'm pleased that it continues to endure. (49)

I wanted to love Burlington Arcade but their selection just wasn't what I was expecting…read more The shops at Burlington Arcade lean mostly to boutique shoes and suits and jewelry, no scarves or wraps or silk, almost nothing feminine. It felt very much like the focused customer base were men (and gifts they would buy for themselves or their wives) and the selection of the lane offered really showcased that. I still think it's a fun walk through if you're visiting, but I wouldn't go expecting to buy gifts for women outside of jewelry.

Hi-end brands both international and local brands with trendy stuff; specialised niche products on…read moredisplay. Seems very sought after especially during the holiday season. Try visiting if in London at Piccadilly street next time!

Brunswick is located in Russell Square and filled with outdoor dining venues, shops you may be…read morefamiliar with and some small boutiques as well. Grab coffee, pastries, sushi, gluten free goodies, cosmetics, shoes and much much more. The marketplace is large with a gorgeous center space for sitting quietly, enjoying conversation, even people watching in peace. Keep an eye open for the flea market which offers local goods from chocolates to tshirts. ~Christy

The Brunswick Shopping Centre, just under half a mile from London Euston Station and really close…read moreto Russell Square Underground Station is a small shopping complex in Bloomsbury, London, located between Brunswick Square and Russell Square it is a fairly impressive building with impressive adaptations to make it seem more modern than old. I called in here to grab some food before getting the tube nearby to Wembley Stadium, there was a decent range of shops and places to eat, including brands such as Superdrug, Starbucks and Nandos', and a Waitrose store. Other stores here include Sainsbury's Local, Boots and 3, or if you're feeling hungry there is also the likes of itsu and Gourmet Burger Kitchen, the latter I only found out about after leaving it appeared to be hidden in the centre - shame! The entrance to the centre up a ramp which soon converted part into chairs looked quite dangerous, for me it looked like an accident waiting to happen with no clear lighting or signs to show it, which is why I can't help but wonder how this part of the building passed health and safety, which I can only guess is there down to it being grade II listed. A small selection of shops and places to eat and drink in decent surroundings, slightly quieter than getting something perhaps inside the Euston Station (or the square outside), and perhaps somewhere easy and nearby to go ahead of grabbing a train so it certainly is worthy of a solid three-star rating.

If you want a fancy, pamper yourselves experience, this is your place. Book well in advance, and…read morehave an amazing afternoon tea with your besties here. Expensive? Yes - afternoon tea is 86 pounds a person to start. You get a lovely 3 tiered scrumptious afternoon tea - we did the high tea and the beef Wellington was wonderful. The scones either fresh clotted cream and a jam that you also get to take home were delish. Afterward, there are 4 floors for fancy shopping to do - the biscuitarium is so much fun, especially the musical Cooke tins

While walkng along Piccadilly, I chanced upon this 18th-century department store known for its…read moregourmet groceries including a wide selection of "high-quality" teas, posh preserves, biscuits, chocolates, and gourmet food items. The multilevel interiors are classy and whimsical, displays are beautiful, decorations festive, and the atmosphere is lively with a lot of shoppers intermingled with all the vibrant colors. My senses were too overwhelmed and overloaded with all the bright colors meant o excite and entice one to buy that I limited myself to 2 floors and didn't go further up to explore their tea room, etc. Packaging is eye-catching and colorful but the biscuits just taste average. Staff are professional, friendly, and helpful.

For my kids, this was a highlight of our trip. 7 floors with really well organized and wide…read moreselection of toys. A ton of demonstrations happening with fun staff as well to make it very special. The staff definitely give off a "Disney" vibe. Pricing was a little higher than I'd like to pay, but overall the experience added to it so we bit the bullet and bought a few toys on our trip. It's well worth it for your kids if you want to visit - nothing like it in the US

I heard this was the toy store of all toy stores and it indeed was. There were 7 floors of product,…read moreeach dedicated to a theme. Suitable for all ages. There were many photo opportunities and lots of demonstrations as well. The sales people worked for the store and there was no pressure at all. We were there a little under an hour and discovered many new items. Our kids really enjoyed the lego and Wicked themed areas. There is also a cotton candy machine where you can watch it being made through the glass, all automated. We somehow left without purchasing anything due to our inability to take it back home.