Travel Tips - Covent Garden, England

Magma Books is absolutely essential if you’re interested in fashion, street art, web design, branding and architecture. This small shop, situated on Earlham Street and around 10 minutes from Covent Garden and Leicester Square tube stations, is stacked to the roof with shelf upon shelf of titles and t-shirts.

Save some of your shopping budget, as this place is well worth a visit.

After a few hectic hours of shopping in the West End of London, you could well be in need of a time out. If you find yourself stranded in the middle of the high street with nowhere to turn, take a little walk down the cobble stones of Covent Garden and you will come across the hidden sanctuary of Neal’s Yard – a true oasis in the retail insanity.

The range of charming coffee shops and restaurants here provide an array of choice for a perfect mid-afternoon snack and also serve up more substantial dishes if you have built up an appetite. A more ethical coffee break can be had at the World Food Cafe and definitely not to be missed for a quick treat is the delectable carrot muffin from the Neal’s Yard Salad Bar.

Although problems may arise from spending too much time relaxing in the colourful surroundings of this safe haven rather than facing another battle on the high street, the area surrounding the yard features a number of charming boutiques selling everything from antiques, handicrafts and homemade goods that will no doubt help ease you back into the action.

For an authentic laid-back atmosphere with a real kick-start coffee aroma, there are few places like Ray’s Jazz Cafe in Foyle’s Bookshop. As much as the famous Charing Cross Road branch of Foyle’s has become a safe-haven for the literary minded, their recently rejuvenated first-floor lunchroom offers a relaxing mixture of cool music, great food and freshly-brewed blends – setting it in complete contrast to the sterile coffee-house chains that have taken over the city.

The wide range of organic freshly-made food – from out-of-the-oven quiches to scrumptious salmon bagels and pastries – is also what separates this cafe from its lowly generic counterparts. Another feather in their cap is the reliable free wi-fi service that they provide, although you will find most patrons prefer to sit back with a light refreshment and an engrossing novel. If you are on a whistle-stop tour of the London sights, this chilled-out refuge – halfway between the British Museum and Trafalgar Square – is an ideal place for a quick time out. Also, try to pay a visit on a mid-week evening, when they host performances with some of the most accomplished jazz musicians the city can offer.