Shopping in Piccadilly Circus, London (2023)

This page will give you an overview to the shopping options in and around Piccadilly Circus. There is advice on the sorts of options that are available to you and what shops can be found in the areas surrounding Piccadilly Circus. You will also find listings of a selection of Piccadilly Circus shops. Some of the listings link to a detailed page where you will be able to find out about the location, contact details, what to expect and photos of each shop. The shops have been split into categories to make it easier for you to find what you are after: shopping centres, book shops, sports stores. You will also find links to areas that are close to Piccadilly Circus and offer some of the best shops: Regent Street, Soho and Leicester Square.

What to expect from the shops in Piccadilly Circus

Piccadilly Circus itself does not offer a great selection of shops. However, if you head down the various streets that come off from the large square, you will find a wide range of shops to suit different ages, tastes and budgets. Here I will provide you with a short description of what to expect on the various streets that surround Piccadilly Circus:

Coventry Street: This is the relatively short street that links Piccadilly Circus to Leicester Square. It is home to the large Trocadero shopping complex (see below for more details). It is also home to a selection of small independent souvenir shops, where you will be able to buy the classic treat to take home, such as Union Jack hats and Big Ben mugs. Also, if you are looking to buy discount theatre tickets, this is a good area to head to.

Regent Street: Regent Street is famous for offering some of the best shopping opportunities in the whole of London. it is home to a selection on department stores and high street flagship stores (see below for more details).

Lower Regent Street: Lower Regent Street will take you from Piccadilly Circus to the regal Pall Mall. It does not have a particularly large selection of shops. However, it offers the odd upmarket clothes or jewellery shop. You will also find a few souvenir shops and some impressive Japanese specialist stores.

Piccadilly: Piccadilly is home to two important London stores: Fortnum and Mason and the largest bookshop in Europe (see below for more details). It is an affluent street that is home to a selection of upmarket stores including clothes shops, book shops and jewellery shops. It sits adjacent to Regent Street, so whilst you are shopping you can ramble between the two.

Shopping centres in Piccadilly Circus

There are no shopping centres directly on Piccadilly Circus (unless you would call Lillywhites a shopping centre - see below for more details). However you will find a few options in easy walking distance:

The Trocadero is a large entertainment complex that sits less than one minutes' walk from Piccadilly Circus. Within the complex you will find a whole shopping mall that offers souvenir shops, jewellery shops, clothes shops and toy shops. For a guide, see our Guide to the Trocadero Centre.

Fortnum and Mason is more of a department store than a shopping centre. It sits about two minutes' walk from Piccadilly Circus and is one of the oldest and legendary shops in the whole of London. It is a massive food hall that sells tasty foodstuffs that you could take on a picnic or buy as gifts to bring home to loved ones. They are famous for their specialist teas, lavish displays and afternoon teas. For a guide, see our Guide to Fortnum and Mason Food Hall.

Sports shops in the area

Piccadilly Circus plays host to one of the biggest and most important sports shops in the whole of Britain. Lilywhites sits directly on the square, towering over the whole area. It is a sports department store that sits inside an ornate and historic building. It is a good place to head to pick up anything from a new pair of flash trainers to some specialist sports equipment. For a guide, see our Guide to Lilywhites in Piccadilly Circus.

Book shops

All along the street called Piccadilly (see above), you will find a selection of book shops, ranging from independent specialists to a large chain department stores. If you are a fan of literature, you will not want to miss the large Waterstones that sits less than two minutes' walk from Piccadilly Circus. It is the largest book store in the whole of Europe, and it spans eight floors. It also houses a bar offering views of the city, a café and a gift shop. If you are looking for a specialist book or just fancy perusing, this Waterstones is an ideal place to head to. For a guide, see our Guide to the Waterstones in Piccadilly Circus.

Other areas near Piccadilly Circus with shopping opportunities

Piccadilly Circus sits right at the heart of London, ensuring that it is surrounded by excellent areas for shopping. On exiting Piccadilly Circus tube station, you can head in a number of directions to find useful areas for shopping. Depending on which direction you decide to head in, you can have some different experiences. Here I will provide links to some of the closest and highest quality areas. For each separate area, you will find listings for individual shops and descriptions of what to expect in the area.

London Regent Street leads directly off from Piccadilly Circus, meaning that you can get there from the tube station in about one minute. Regent Street is home to shops that suit a range of tastes and budgets. You will find large high street stores, including Zara, Mango and H&M. You will also find department stores, including the famous Hamleys toy store. You will also find high-end shops for those with a designer taste, including Barbour, Guess and Michael Kors.

Soho Shopping throws up some more alternative options. Soho can be reached from Piccadilly Circus in about five minutes. In the heart of Soho, you will find a great selection of independent stores, with more of a quirky edge than in areas such as Regent Street. If you are looking for high street favourites, it is better to head to Oxford Street, Tottenham Court Road and Regent Street. However, in areas such as the famous Carnaby Street and Berwick Street, you will find interesting designers and creative outlets

Whilst you hit the shops, chances are you will need a pit-stop to grab some food and gather your energies. In Piccadilly Circus and the surrounding areas, you will find a wide selection of shops to suit a range of tastes and budgets. For links to restaurant listings, with location, opening times and booking information, see our Guide to Places to Eat in Piccadilly Circus.

Covent Garden is one of the best areas in the whole of London to head to for shopping. It is a bit further from Piccadilly Circus - it will take you about ten minutes to walk there. However, once you get there, your efforts will be rewarded. Covent Garden offers something for everybody - there are the quirky independent shops around Seven Dials, the high street options around the Covent Garden tube station and the traditional Covent Garden market.

Piccadilly Circus is the middle ground for some of London's best shopping areas. You will not find many shops in the square itself. However, if you begin your shopping day in Piccadilly Circus, you will not be disappointed. You can head to areas with shops including Britain's famous toy shop, the largest book shop in Europe and the legendary swinging sixties shopping street. To make the most of your day, do some research before you start and head to the areas that have what you are after - shopping can be tiring!