Piccadilly

Piccadilly Circus is famous for its gaudy advertising boards and one of London's most misunderstood landmarks, the fountain of Eros. While many people mistakenly assume he is a monument to love with his bow and arrow, the figure actually represents the rather more worthy Angel of Christian Charity.

Piccadilly, which leads west from Piccadilly Circus to Hyde Park Corner, is a busy street with few shops to browse but some of London's most well known names - both Fortnum & Mason and the Ritz are on Picadilly.

The Criterion Theatre, is a grade II listed building, it stands on the south side of Piccadilly Circus. The entire theatre, with nearly 600 seats, is underground and is reached by descending a stairway.

The Ritz lies further up, near Green Park, but most of interest is pretty close to the Piccadilly Circus end. Nearby is the Royal Academy of Arts which has changing exhibitions, it is the oldest institute of Fine Arts in Britain.