Seven Dials, London

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Seven Dials, London

Seven Dials, London

Situated between Covent Garden and Soho, you'll find Seven Dials, a quaint cobblestone area that beckons fashion enthusiasts with its vintage clothing and accessory boutiques, streetwear specialists, and cosmetics shops. It's a fantastic destination for shopping without the hefty London price tags, and it also offers a glimpse into the history of the UK's capital city.

Comprising seven interconnected streets and courtyards, this area was once part of the Saint Giles Rookery, a destitute neighborhood frequented by the impoverished, prostitutes, and petty thieves. Thanks to its seven escape routes, pickpockets frequently eluded capture. However, in 1690, Thomas Neale envisioned a transformation of this locale into an upper-middle-class district. His original plan centered on a square where six streets converged, featuring a pillar adorned with six sundials. Just before the project's completion, a seventh street was added, and while the name Seven Dials persisted, a seventh sundial was never affixed to the pillar. Nevertheless, the central spike was often interpreted as such.

In 1773, the Town Council removed the column, ostensibly for repairs but primarily to disperse the "undesirable elements" congregating at the central square. This move didn't significantly reduce crime, but it became a topic of local discussion. Over time, the "undesirable elements" lost interest and relocated to more lucrative areas, leading this spot to evolve into a favored gathering place for students.

Pubs and shops were either refurbished or newly opened around the pillar, which was replaced by a replica of the original in 1988. Today, Seven Dials draws millions of tourists annually who come to meander through its charming cobbled streets and discover hidden courtyards brimming with unique shops, boutiques, high-end cosmetics stores, bars, and restaurants.

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Seven Dials on Map

Sight Name: Seven Dials
Sight Location: London, England (See walking tours in London)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in London, England

Create Your Own Walk in London

Create Your Own Walk in London

Creating your own self-guided walk in London is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Shakespeare's London Walking Tour

Shakespeare's London Walking Tour

You might know him as “the Bard,” but to England, William Shakespeare is practically the patron saint of poetic plot twists. Born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon to John Shakespeare, a glove maker and town official, and Mary Arden from a prosperous farming family, young William started life with ink in his veins and Latin on his mind. Grammar school likely gave him his first taste of rhetoric....  view more

Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.7 Km or 2.9 Miles
Charles Dickens Tour

Charles Dickens Tour

Imagine a world without Dickens. No Oliver Twist, no Ebenezer Scrooge, no brooding orphans wandering foggy streets with suspiciously eloquent vocabularies. Tough to picture, right? That’s because Charles Dickens didn’t just leave a mark on literature—he practically steamrolled through it in a horse-drawn carriage. Recognized as the undisputed heavyweight of Victorian storytelling, he...  view more

Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.5 Km or 2.8 Miles
Harry Potter Walking Tour I

Harry Potter Walking Tour I

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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles
Sherlock Holmes Tour in London

Sherlock Holmes Tour in London

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Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles
Walk around Buckingham Palace

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Buckingham Palace, the British monarch's official residence, is a must-see for anyone visiting London, but so are the adjacent royal establishments that give a unique window into the royal way of life. On this self-guided walking tour, along with Buckingham Palace and its memorable fountain, you will visit the St. James's private royal residence, the wonderful Queen's Gallery, and...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles
Bridges of London

Bridges of London

Around thirty bridges span the Thames river in London, each with its own story. Our self-guided walk takes you to see nine such historical structures located in the heart of the city, starting from the storied Westminster Bridge and ending at the iconic Tower Bridge.

The latter has stood over the River Thames in London since 1894 and is one of the finest, most recognizable bridges in the...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.2 Km or 3.2 Miles

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