Streets squares and districts to visit London

One of London's most charming neighborhoods, but still a little undiscovered! Where the Regent's Canal meets the Grand Union Canal, Little Venice is an enclave of tranquility, home to flower-bedecked barges and sunny terraces. The comparison with Venice may be a little far-fetched, but it's a very pleasant place to stroll, especially on sunny days. You can enjoy a drink along the canal while admiring the flower-filled windows of the beautiful barges moored there.

Piccadilly Circus, at the crossroads of fifty major thoroughfares, is one of London's most important nerve centers, and many dread the constant flow of people and cars. Built in 1819 to link Regent Street to Piccadilly, this road junction is shaped like a circus, which is why it's now known as Picadilly Circus. Directly connected with Shafestbury Avenue and its famous theaters, but also with Haymarket and Coventry Street (from Leicester Square), Circus is an important crossroads in the city, a must for all visitors. In fact, it's best appreciated for its glittering neon signs, a real tourist attraction recognizable at a glance, and a little sister to New York's Times Square. Once you've seen the square, don't hesitate to leave the main thoroughfares for the calm of the adjacent side streets. The sculpture above the fountain opposite Piccadilly, known as Eros, does not represent the god of Love, but an angel of Charity. It was erected in 1892 in memory of Lord Shaftesbury, a famous politician and philanthropist. A little anecdote: it's not made of bronze, but of aluminum, a rare and new material at the time. Enjoy the lively atmosphere of the square, and listen to the talented musicians performing in front of the fountain...

Covent Garden is one of the most touristic places in the capital, lively day and night. Everything is organised around the covered market, where stands, shops and cafés mix. The name "Covent Garden" comes from a former garden that belonged to Westminster Abbey. The site was used as a fruit and vegetable market for as long as it was before the Earl of Bedford had halls built by architect Inigo Jones. It was "thanks" to the 1666 fire, when other markets were destroyed, that the place became the largest market in the country.

The nerve centre of London, it is the busiest place in the capital and it is also in this London artery that all the major retail chains have their shops, attracting every day a crowd of onlookers, tourists and Londoners who come here to buy the latest fashionable clothes. And even more so during the sales! Close to Oxford Street, Bond Street, Old Bond Street, New Bond Street and Regent Street are not to be outdone with chic boutiques (Chanel, Prada, Versace...), art galleries and auction houses.

Trafalgar Square stands in the heart of London. The square commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar, fought in 1805 off a Spanish cape near the city of Cadiz, between British forces led by Admiral Nelson and Napoleon's imperial fleet. Admiral Nelson distinguished himself by using new tactics that revolutionized naval combat. To celebrate this historic event, the square was built between 1829 and 1841 by architect John Nash, who sadly died before the work was completed. The square is regularly used for sporting and political gatherings. Statues of George IV, Henry Havelock and Sir Charles James, as well as superb bronze lions, can be admired in all four corners of the square. Don't miss the famous Nelson column, which dominates the square. Although the fourth plinth has remained empty for many years, it has recently been used by a number of artists. The latest commission is Yinka Shonibare's Nelson's Ship in a Bottle, inaugurated in May 2010 and depicting the admiral's warship in a bottle. Day and night, Trafalgar Square is never empty, as it's where most of the night buses converge, and thus many of the city's night owls. It's also where Londoners and tourists used to feed their pigeons, until Ken Livingstone passed a law banning the practice. Don't joke - you could be fined!

Known to Londoners as the "Wobbly Bridge", the Millennium Bridge celebrated the year 2000. Winner of a competition organized by the London Corporation (which manages the City of London), this pedestrian bridge is the work of Sir Norman Foster, the great architect of contemporary London. However, the 320-metre structure was closed to pedestrians as soon as it was inaugurated, due to oscillations caused by the large number of pedestrians (over 2,000). Since this event, the Millennium Bridge has been humorously nicknamed the "Shaking Bridge" and, following this incident, hydraulic control installations were installed to monitor the bridge's swaying movements, which were reopened in January 2002. Since then, no swaying movements have been observed. Phew! This pedestrian-only steel suspension bridge links Southbank to the City on the opposite side. Thousands of pedestrians, tourists and residents alike, use this magnificent footbridge every day to cross the Thames and reach St Paul's or the Tate Modern. This utlra-photogenic bridge, in perfect alignment between St Paul's and the Tate, was immortalized in the film Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. It is destroyed by the Death Eaters in a particularly spectacular opening scene. This iconic scene has brought yet more visitors to the Millennium Bridge. Get your cameras ready and come at sunset time.

In the 1970 s, it was the hot and shady district of London, with its clubs clubs, its porn bookshops and its peepshow-shows (we can still see some of the "vestiges" of this time, mainly west of Wardour Street). The 1990 s saw Soho revival: Gay neighborhood around Old Compton Street, trendy restaurants and bars make Soho a place to get out in the evening.

At Wimbledon, the arrival of summer marks the imminent start of this legendary tournament. Take the opportunity to visit this legendary venue and discover the traditions that have made Wimbledon the most coveted title in tennis. Immerse yourself in the history of the tournament, explore the backstage area and admire the center court. Soak up the iconic atmosphere of this prestigious tournament and explore the exhibitions that showcase the legends of tennis.

In the heart of Shoreditch, The Old Truman Brewery is a vast brick-built complex that was once London's largest brewery and Britain's^2nd largest. The Black Eagle brewery belonged to the Truman family, hence its name and the inscription on the large industrial chimney. Over the past 15 years, the site has been reborn from its industrial past to become home to art galleries, trendy boutiques, several trendy bars and clubs and vintage markets typical of the East End. A place not to be missed when strolling down Brick Lane!

Formerly the garden of the residence of Robert Sidney, Duke of Leicester and French ambassador between 1636 and 1641, it first became a public garden in 1874 before becoming a busy pedestrian square. Since the ^19th century, the square has enjoyed a reputation as an entertainment hub, home to a plethora of cinemas, bars and nightclubs, offering visitors a wide range of revelry. Its most famous residents: William Hogarth, Joshua Reynolds, Isaac Newton. The fountain in the center of the square is a tribute to Shakespeare.

Football fans will come to dive into an amazing experience that will take them in the behind the scenes of one of the most mythical stadiums in the world, the Emirates Stadium, fief of the famous Gunners of Arsenal. Walk through the tunnel and the dressing rooms to feel the emotion and energy of this wonderful place, full of memories. There are two types of tours:

The first is done with an audio guide available in 9 languages including French. It lasts between 55 and 90 minutes.

If you want to test your English and meet one of the former stars of Arsenal, choose the "Legends Tour", and an old glory of the club will guide you! Currently, it is Charlie George, hero of the FA Cup Football 1971, John Radford, Perry Groves, who won the League Cup in 1991, or Lee Dixon, the legendary right-back, who will join together for an approximately 90 minutes tour.

The two guided tours include free admission to the museum. An interactive and modern museum that will make you relive the epic of this great club through cult videos and objects.

Historically, the place was home to the first Chinese emigrants in the ^18th and ^19th centuries, and then saw the arrival of Cantonese refugees after the Second World War. You will find restaurants, supermarkets and Chinese gadgets, also spread on Lisle Street. Every year the Chinatown district is festive for the Chinese New Year which falls between January and February, according to the lunar calendar. Parade, lion dance, fireworks and culinary stands. Not to be missed, these are the most important celebrations outside Asia!

Opened in 1996 as a rugby museum, it became the World Rugby Museum in 2007, thanks to its collection of over 25,000 objects. You can take a full tour of the stadium, and also discover the Wall of Fame, which features all the rugby stars who have played here and gone down in history. The museum is located close to Heathrow airport, making it an ideal attraction for both arrivals and departures. Exhibitions and conferences too.

The Strand, the main artery linking Westminster to La City, was once one of London's most important arteries. It was best known for its sumptuous aristocratic residences such as the Savoy Hotel and King's College, some of which were built on the banks of the Thames. If this artery has lost some of its former splendour, it is still very lively, especially in the evening, because it is here that theatres and music halls have gradually settled, where famous plays and musicals are still performed today.