Visitor's Guide To London's Regent Street
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This page will provide you with an overview to Regent Street with information on the topography, links to detailed websites for shop, bar and restaurant listings. There are also helpful hints for the Christmas lights and details of hotels in the area.
Regent Street overview - what makes the area special
Regent Street is well-known for its shopping opportunities and its location right at the very heart of London. If you love to shop and enjoy the finer things in life, Regent Street is the place to head.
Regent Street layout
Regent Street winds it way from Piccadilly Circus to Oxford Circus. Along the street you will find bars, restaurants and shops. The majority of the buildings are shops. However, these are interspersed with places where you can sit and relax, enjoying a sandwich and a coffee or perhaps a cocktail. There are also some high end hotels that can be found on the street if you want a trip to London with a stay right in the heart of the city.
Shopping in the area
Regent Street is the place to head if you fancy a day of shopping. It offers many of your favourite high street stores, including Zara, Mango, Cos, All Saints and Reiss (in general, these are large stores so its easy to find a variety of different clothing). You will also find some famous stores - a trip to Regent Street would not be complete without a trip to Hamleys toy shop for kids of all ages!
Regent Street is also the place to head to find interesting designer and boutique shops such as Anthropologie, Aquascutum, Jaeger, Moss Bros, Massimo Dutti, Armani, Calvin Klein and Hackett.
Here you will find an A-Z search of of the shops. If you have a particular shop in mind, you can search for it here. Alternatively, if you would like a more general overview to what shops you can find on Regent Street, flick through the lists, clicking on any that take your fancy that you would like to find out more information about.
The famous Liberty department store is not actually directly on Regent Street. However, you will find it just around the corner in Soho. For details of the location, Operating hours and contact details, see the Official Liberty Website.
To find shops that can be found on Regent Street with information on location, opening times and contact details see the Official Regent Street Guide Website.
Pubs and bars
Regent Street and the surrounding areas are also an interesting place to head for a night out. Regent Street is, first and foremost, a shopping street. However, it is also popular if you are looking to go out for the evening. In general, Regent Street is known for being one of the more affluent areas in the heart of the city. This means that if you are craving some tasty cocktails in classy surroundings, this is a good place to head. You will also find interesting and quirky, such as the famous Sketch Bar and restaurant and the Ice Bar (yes, it is actually made from ice!).
For listings of the bars that can be found on Regent Street with information on location, opening times and contact details see the Official Regent Street Guide Website.
See above in the shops section for advice on how to use the official website.
Restaurants
Regent Street's restaurants are a useful mix of high end and more affordable options. For more lavish options you can head to restaurants such as Gaucho Grill, Momo or Sketch. More affordable chain options include La Tasca and Pizza Express.
For listings of restaurants that can be found on Regent Street with information on location, opening times and contact details see the Official Regent Street Guide Website.
See above in the shops section for advice on how to use the official website.
Regent Street Christmas lights
Each year in London Regent Street comes alive with the twinkling Christmas lights that hang above Regent Street. When they are turned on for the first time they are a reminder to Londoners that Christmas has finally arrived. They have a different theme each year, so the kids can look forward to guessing what they might find on next year's lights. Keep an eye on the Official Regent Street Website (links above) in the run-up to Christmas for information on who will be turning on the lights and when they will be turned on.
It is also worth remembering that it's not just the lights that are impressive during Christmas on Regent Street. This is the time of year when the shops pull out all the stops to create magical and creative window displays. Head to Hamleys and you will find windows like small works of art, with a new theme every year.
Operating hours for shops, bars and restaurants
In general the shops on Regent Street stay open later than in other parts of London or the rest of the UK. They stay open until around 19:30 each evening (apart from Sundays) and have even later Operating hours on Thursdays.
For exact opening times for each restaurant, bar or shops, see the Official Regent Street Website - links are provided above.
Regent Street's closest tube stations are Oxford Circus and Piccadilly Circus, one at each end of Regent Street.
Tube: Oxford Circus (Red Line / Central Line, Brown Line / Bakerloo Line and Blue Line / Victoria Line)
Piccadilly Circus (Brown Line / Bakerloo Line and Blue Line / Piccadilly Line)
Regent Street is a place that is not to be missed if you are a tourist heading to the city. If you come during the day you will love the fancy shops and eager crowds, treating themselves to what's on offer. In the evening the road and buildings sparkle underneath the ornate street lamps and the revellers come out to play.