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The Strand is one of London’s most historic thoroughfares, the great street linking the City with Westminster along the line of the river. Lined with grand hotels, theatres and one of the capital’s finest arts venues, it is a stately spine to walk between Trafalgar Square and the Temple.
Where is the Strand and how to get there
The Strand runs through central London from Trafalgar Square eastward towards the City, parallel to the Thames. Charing Cross, Embankment and Temple stations all sit along or beside it, and it is a short stroll from Covent Garden and the South Bank across the river.
Somerset House and the sights
The jewel of the street is Somerset House, a magnificent eighteenth-century quadrangle whose courtyard hosts fountains in summer and an ice rink in winter, alongside galleries and cafes. The Strand is also home to the grand Savoy Hotel, several theatres, and Twinings, whose narrow shop has sold tea on the same spot for three centuries. The river and its walkways are only a step away.
Eating and drinking
The Strand offers grand old-world dining, from the Savoy to the historic Simpson’s in the Strand, alongside the cafes of Somerset House. It is an easy add-on to an afternoon in Covent Garden or on the South Bank.
Good to know
What can you do at Somerset House?
Somerset House hosts art and design exhibitions, a programme of events, and cafes and restaurants around its grand courtyard, which becomes a fountain-filled square in summer and an ice rink at Christmas. Much of it is free to enter, making it one of the Strand’s most rewarding stops.
Where to go next
Step into Covent Garden, cross to the South Bank, or walk to Holborn. Browse all our London neighbourhood guides.
