Burlington Arcade is the grandest of London's historic covered shopping passages, a Regency arcade running off Piccadilly that has traded in luxury since 1819. Lined with jewellers, cashmere specialists and fine boutiques beneath an elegant glazed roof, it is still patrolled by the Beadles, the world's oldest and smallest private police force, in their top hats and frock coats.
Why visit
It is a perfectly preserved slice of nineteenth-century London and a pleasure to walk through whether or not you buy. The hush, the gleaming shopfronts and the uniformed Beadles make it one of the West End's most atmospheric corners.
What to see and do
The arcade specialises in jewellery, watches, leather goods, fragrance and cashmere from long-established names. Quaint rules, no whistling, singing or hurrying, are still nominally enforced by the Beadles, part of its enduring charm.
Visiting tips
It links Piccadilly with Burlington Gardens, beside the Royal Academy of Arts and a short walk from Fortnum & Mason. Green Park and Piccadilly Circus are the nearest stations.
