Mayfair

Mayfair, London's most expensive area.

This is a walk from Piccadilly Circus (Bakerloo and Piccadilly Lines, Zone 1). We start by walking along Piccadilly to Burlington House, home of the Royal Academy of Arts famous for its Summer Exhibition, exhibitions, events and library. Two beautiful Georgian arcades of shops follow, including Royal Arcade, so named because Queen Victoria bought her riding skirts from an outlet there.

 Shepherd Market is a lovely neighbourhood full of small restaurants, wine bars and pubs.

In Berkeley Square, the noise of the traffic drowns out any thought of hearing the celebrated nightingales, but the sight of 200 year old plane trees, and people sitting outside enjoying the Autumn sunshine are consolations.

Farm Street church is the UK HQ of the Jesuits, and we walk through its church yard. Thence to Grosvenor Square, dominated nowadays by the American Embassy. Just North of the Square is the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral, where we turn and pass down South Molton Street where we can see the Arms of the Corporation of London dating from the 1620's.

Savile Row is the place to buy bespoke tailoring for men, but nearby in the Royal Institution Michael Faraday conducted his early experiments with electricity.

The walk then returns to Piccadilly where we enter the church of St James's, with it's large decorated interior and weekday antiques market.

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