Bloomsbury
is a fine place for visitors with plenty in the district itself and
strategically positioned within walking distance of Covent Garden,
Oxford Street, Trafalgar Square etc.
The area is dominated by 3 big institutions, the British Museum, Great
Ormonds Street Children's Hospital and the University of London.
The north of the district around Tavistock Square and the Holiday
Inn is village like with small community shops, launderettes etc. |
Bloomsbury
Bookshops |
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Tavistock
Square is just one of many small parks in the area, all attractively
set out with plenty of seats, tame squirrels and birds, even a cafe
at Russell Square.
If you have kids Coram's Fields is the largest with some facilities
to amuse children.
Around Russell Square and Holborn there is a lot of large hotels and
more commercial activity. There are several small Tesco and Sainsburys
mini-supermarkets spread throughout the southern part of Bloomsbury.
In the UK shops are open 7 days a week, until late in this area -
with a slow start on Sunday. |
Bloomsbury
is famous for its literary past and there are lots of small book and
collectors shops all around. Some are there for the University of
London just north of the British Museum. Most of the bookshops are
around an area stretching from around the British Museum and Holborn
to Leicester Square.
Charing Cross Road is the hub of the bookshops immortalised by the
play and film 84 Charing Cross Road. Foyles is a famous large bookshop
by Tottenham Court Road, one of the largest with 5 floors and often
visiting authors. |
Shops
and Restaurants
The
area of Bloomsbury from the British Museum south has a maze of narrow
streets containing lots of interesting specialist shops, pubs and
services. As you walk south you come into the West End with many theatres.
Here there is every kind of restaurant for every budget. To the west
of the district is the Tottenham Court Road, the focus for electrical
goods - every other shop selling electrical gadgets of one kind or
another. |
Public
Transport
The
Bloomsbury is area is serviced by three underground stations, Tottenham
Court Road, Holborn and Russell Square through which the Central,
Piccadilly and Northern lines run. One of these will take you most
places you will want to go very quickly from about 05:00 to about
midnight.
We have full details about using the
London Underground on a detailed page.
Do remember stations are quite close together, for Covent Garden,
Leicester Square, Oxford Street its normally nicer to walk. |
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London
Buses are an attractive means of transport for visitors, especially
perched up on the top deck of a bus. If your accommodation is in Bloomsbury,
you're very central and buses are a very good alternative for the
short journeys you will be making to the crowded Underground.
There is a very economical day pass you can purchase.
If you stand still on one of the main roads at any time in the Bloomsbury
area there are probably two or three buses in sight, such is the frequency.
In Central London you have to purchase tickets before getting on the
bus, there are ticket machines at most stops which also sell the day
passes. |
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