Places to see in London St James's
St James’s Attractions
As a district goes (and maybe even “district” is a bit of an exaggeration), St James’s is miniscule. That doesn’t mean to say that there isn’t a huge amount to discover in this little area, and we’ve got the lowdown on the best of it all. It’s very easy to stay up on Piccadilly and not take a look into the fun little side-streets, but it’s well worth it. There’s a day’s worth of stuff to do within these few roads, and even more if you include the (very high end) shops and boutiques!
Recommended Attraction in St James’s
We’re going to opt for a pub; but not just any pub. This is about as British a pub as you can possibly get. From the total lack of space to move, the low, circular tables, the oil lamps (that run on electricity thankfully), the amazing woodwork of the bar and great range of ales, as well as the wine choice being limited to “red” or “white” (any publican’s favourite tradition), this pub transports you to days of yore and a golden age of pub life. Welcome to the Chequers Tavern on Duke Street. Get yourself a pint, and around Christmas you couldn’t wish for a cosier or more heart-warming enclave to pass a traditional London evening!
Alternative Things To Do in St James’s
As we’ve established, what St James’s lacks in size it more than makes up for in things to do. If you can book a tour over the phone or online, then we’d recommend taking a look around BAFTA, hidden behind a door with the eponymous logo on it on Piccadilly. For those of you who don’t know, that’s the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Nice bar, decent but pricey food, but a good cinema.
On the same theme, there’s also the Jermyn Street Theatre on (you’ve guessed it) Jermyn Street that offers a phenomenal range of cabaret and musical comedy performances. It’s a small theatre but absolutely wonderful, and you’ll be transported to the somewhat antiquated world of darlings and dames, as well as seeing some of the most talented cabaret acts on offer anywhere in the world.
Finally, St James’s is a surprisingly good place to shop. Of course, there are some boutiques that you need a six-figure salary to shop in, but there’s also the market in the gardens of St James’s Church itself (behind some gates on Piccadilly) that specialises in memorabilia and hand-made jewellery. There’s a bizarrely high concentration of excellent Japanese restaurants, St James’s Square itself is very pretty, and, of course, there’s Fortnum & Mason.
Attraction List in St James’s
You can very happily, lazily and slowly take your time in this friendly and quiet part of West London, and we’d recommend sorting yourself out a great deal from our St James’s hotel booking service to really make the most of what this sleepy square has to offer.
Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the British monarch. It is a major tourist attraction and plenty of areas of the palace are open to the public on a regular basis. In the summer, you can even visit some of the State Rooms, which are furnished with some of the greatest treasures from the Royal Collection.
Address: London SW1A 1AA
Phone: 020 7930 4832
St James's Palace is the senior Palace of the Sovereign, with a long history as a Royal residence. It is still a working palace and is one of the oldest in the country.
Address: Marlborough Road, London SW1A 1BS
Phone: 020 7930 4832
Duke Street is home to White Cube art gallery. Built in 2006, it is the first free-standing building to be built in the area for more than 30 years.
Address: 25-26 Masons Yard, London SW1Y 6BU
Phone: 020 7930 5373
The Royal Mews provides tourists a chance to see the work of the Royal Household department in this stable, who provide transport for The Queen and the rest of the Royal Family.
Address: Buckingham Palace, London SW1W 1QH
Phone: 020 7766 7302
All the top fashion shops are on Jermyn Street. Top-class shirtmakers such as TM Lewin, outfitters Hackett, quality cigar shops and Tramp nightclub.
Address: Jermyn Street, London SW1Y 6LX
The Haymarket is home to two world famous theatres, most notably Her Majesty's Theatre. It opened in 1705 and has been home to some of the most famous plays and playwrights of all time.
Address: 18 Suffolk Street, London SW1Y 4HT
Phone: 020 7930 8890
The Mall is a road running down from Buckingham Palace and goes to Trafalgar Square. It was created as a ceremonial route in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Other countries send their royalty and heads of state up this route to visit the Queen.
Address: London SW1A 2WH
Clarence House must be visited if it’s open and you can afford it. For nearly 50 years, it was home to the Queen Mother, but is now the official residency of the Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall and Princes William and Harry.
Address: Little St James's Street, London SW1A 1BA
Phone: 020 7766 7303
Opened in 1766, Christie's is a world famous auction house that auctions some of the most famous relics, treasures and artifacts. Prices of goods range from £200.00 to over £80.00million!
Address: 85 Old Brompton Road, London SW7 3LD
Phone: 020 7930 6074
This little tavern is about as London as you can get. In the otherwise elite and, frankly, posh quarters of St James’s it sits, quite comfortably, offering either red or white wine, a host of ales and beers and bar snacks. However, the décor is authentically Victorian and Chequers Tavern feels like what pubs used to be like once-upon-a-golden time.
Address: 16 Duke Street, St James, London, SW1Y 6DB
Phone: 020 7930 4007
The British Academy of Film and Television (BAFTA), barely noticeable from the exterior, is on Piccadilly and signified by the eponymous logo of a dramatic face. This is a members-only venue, however, temporary memberships to get a coffee, drink or meal in the restaurant are available, and visitors can go to certain screenings there.
Address: 195 Piccadilly, St James, London W1J 9LN
Phone: 020 7734 0022
Founded 20 years ago, the Jermyn Street Theatre was turned from restaurant dressing rooms into a luxury studio theatre that has since offered up-and-coming as well as well-established acts. As a studio, it’s a small and intimate venue that explores contemporary issues as well as addressing the relevance of less recent artists.
Address: 16B Jermyn Street, St James, London SW1Y 6LT
Phone: 020 7434 1443
This iconic building St James’s Church, designed by Sir Christopher Wren, was bombed during the Blitz of 1940 and rebuilt to its present state shortly afterwards. As well as functioning as a church, the venue also offers a beautiful artisanal market in its grounds every day.
Address: 197 Piccadilly, St Jamess, London, W1J 9LL
Phone: 020 7734 4511
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