Useful things to know before your visit
How much time do you need?
A typical visit to Piccadilly Circus takes 10 minutes.
Which buses go to Piccadilly Circus?
Bus routes 3, 6, 12, 13, 14, 19, 23, 38, 88, 94, 139, 159 and 453 all stop close by.
Which is the closest train station?
The nearest station is Piccadilly Circus, which connects with the Bakerloo and Piccadilly lines.
Which other attractions are nearby?
These attractions are all within 15 minutes walk of Piccadilly Circus: Chinatown, Leicester Square, Royal Academy of Arts, National Gallery, Burlington Arcade, National Portrait Gallery, Carnaby Street, Trafalgar Square, Nelson’s Column, St. James’s Palace, Benjamin Franklin House, Horse Guards, Household Cavalry Museum, St. James’s Park and Covent Garden.
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Email My review of Piccadilly Circus
When I used to fly home from faraway places I’d jump on the tube at Heathrow and spill out here in the middle of the night, coming up the station stairs to see the advertising lights. That’s how you know you’re back in London. It was like watching fireworks on a cold November night – seeing the tourists’ faces lit up in disco colours from the giant lighted signs over the road.
Photo: londondrum.comEveryone passes through here at some point. They troop across from Leicester Square and snap a few photos of the fountain, then head down Shaftesbury Avenue for the theatres, Regent Street for the shops, Piccadilly (more shops) or Glasshouse Street if they fancy getting lost in the saucy streets around Soho.
Take a wrong turn down there and you’ll find more neon lights, but this time they’ll be decorating the kind of doors that don’t have handles, highlighting the curves of can-can legs and the coloured ruffles of a ra-ra skirt.
The illuminated advertising lights
Photo: londondrum.comPiccadilly Circus became famous for its adverts back in the early 20th-century when they started wrapping them round the London Pavilion (where The Beatles put on A Hard Day’s Night). They’ve swapped them out for big HD screens now, which don’t seem to have the same sort of glow.
Photo: londondrum.comLots of things around Piccadilly Circus have changed since I came here as a kid. Who remembers the old Coca Cola sign, and that big Tower Records on the corner? But the huge sports store Lillywhites is still there – and that very glamorous restaurant next to the Criterion that keeps changing its name every five minutes. You might recognise its interior from a few dinner scenes in Downton Abbey.
The Eros statue on top of the fountain
Photo: londondrum.comHere’s a fact that nobody wants to know… contrary to popular belief that winged little cupid on top of the Eros fountain is not actually Eros at all. He was modelled on Anteros (Eros’s brother). Some call him the Angel of Christian Charity.
Anteros was definitely the better pick because he championed tenderness and mutual affection, whereas his mischievous little brother was all about unrequited love and lust. But if you try and enlighten the tourists then they won’t believe you – they don’t want to. As far as they’re concerned he’s Eros and that’s that.
I’ve never understood what’s so romantic about Cupid anyway. If I was in love with somebody then the last thing I’d want is a chubby little kid firing arrows at her.
Photo: londondrum.comThe other disagreement that everybody always has about Eros (although it’s not Eros – but I’m not getting into that again) is whether his bow is pointing down Shaftesbury Avenue. There’s an urban myth that he’s ”burying his shaft” up Shaftesbury Avenue, and maybe he did once upon a time, but he’s been removed and replaced so many times over the years that he’s probably pointed everywhere. At this exact moment in time he’s taking aim at the southern half of Regent Street.
I’ve ranked Piccadilly Circus as ★6 in where I’d go for the best London photos, ★10 in my favourite London landmarks and ★12 in my must-do list for London
It also appears in my best way to see London in a day itineraries, two free London itineraries, three 2-day London itineraries and 7-day London plan
London Squire guidebook – Check out my guidebook available to buy at Amazon, Apple and Kobo. I’ve personally visited 210 London landmarks, attractions and hotels and collected all of my reviews, example itineraries, handy practical info, and advice about using the buses and trains into an eBook, along with 675 original photos
What do you think? (4)
Ask a question, or share your experience of Piccadilly Circus
Togm How far is it to Oxford Street to walk. (reply)
Craig Hi Togm, it’s not very far. It’s about a 10 minute walk up Regent Street. (reply)
Andy Where can I find what’s on in the Theatre in October. (reply)
Craig Here you go – events/?m=october (reply)
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