Where: Southampton Street, WC2

What: Between Shaftsbury and Strand Streets is one of London's liveliest and most kid friendly areas. Covent Garden was originally a convent garden, supplying fruit and vegetables to westminster abbey, and then a market - covent garden market was given a Royal Charter in 1671 and grew into London’s largest wholesale fruit, vegetable and flower market.

The market has long since gone, covent garden is now a popular pedestrianised piazza with the old market buildings restored and open as a home to shops, studios, cafés, promenades, landscaped areas plus a small market with stalls selling jewelery and nick-naks.

Although you'll find many tourists there, covent garden is not a tourist trap, it's a place that londoners genuinely enjoy. Tourists and locals mingle amongst the upscale shops, trendy cafes, fine restaurants, cobbled side streets, street theatre, the funkie market and wooden lanes. It's a pleasant place to wander and spend an hour or two.

Covent Garden on a clear day is also a great place for children. Buskers (street entertainers) perform under the porch of the Actors' Church in Covent Garden (where Britain's first Punch & Judy show was performed), and you will usually find busker's playing different styles of music dotted around the square. Each 'show' lasts about half an hour and Covent Garden actually auditions its buskers as quality control, to ensure that you'll always see something good. Kids love it and are often pulled in to the show (you have been warned).

Nearest underground station: Covent Garden

Attractions and things to do in london's covent garden: In addition to the buskers (street performers) in the square, the former flower market now houses the London Transport Museum. The Royal Opera House is to the north of the piazza and Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square are a short walk way, as are many of london's top theatres (london theatre) and cinemas (london cinemas).

Slightly further afield, the former warehouses on Neal Street are an intriguing diversion, while the fashionable collection of health food shops, art galleries and restaurants of Neal's Yard are also worth a visit.

Opening times: All day, every day with buskers performing from around 10:00 until it gets dark.