Entertainment,
January 31 2023
From legendary clubs and pubs to stylish new restaurants and cafés, Soho brings the party 24/7. Here’s our guide to fun things to do in Soho.
This is London’s naughtiest district, thanks to its long history of housing criminals and London’s red-light district. Today, Soho is a sex positive, creative force with legendary bars and cool hangouts. It’s also been a hub of London’s LGBTQ+ community for decades. After sunset, neon street signs illuminate narrow walkways humming with activity. Soho is open for fun 24/7, so here’s a peek behind the curtain at the best places to visit in Soho.
Ronnie Scott’s is a Soho institution hosting some of the world’s greatest jazz stars and has shows seven days a week. Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald and Prince are just a few of the legends who’ve performed here. Book a ticket online and head down.
In the daytime, pop into one of the many cutting-edge art galleries in Soho. See the latest photography exhibition at The Photographer’s Gallery and explore works by multimedia artists at the Frith Street Gallery.
If you’re keen to do some shopping in Soho, there are flagship stores galore on Oxford Street and pedestrianised Carnaby Street. This is the famous birthplace of the swinging Sixties and still has plenty of clothes shops today. For Soho’s independent shops and markets, head to Berwick Street. Here, you can flick through the vinyl collections in Soho’s record stores like Reckless Records.
Beyond Retro is one of the bigger vintage stores in Soho’s Argyll Street, selling one-off finds. Finally, Foyles on Charing Cross Road has been selling books in Soho for over 100 years, with miles of bookshelves to browse through, and a laptop-friendly café on the upper floor.
Go in search of these nasal pieces of art stuck on the side of Soho buildings. Created by artist Rick Buckley in 1997 as a humorous protest at the number of CCTV cameras popping up in Soho, today there are 7 noses of Soho to *ahem* sniff out.
So get out your camera phone and head to Great Windmill Street and Meard Street and try to pick out (sorry!) the noses on the walls. Keep an eye out on Dean Street and Bateman Street, too. If you spot all seven, the myth is great fortune will land on you. If nothing else, it’s a fun free thing to do in Soho.
Soho is full of narrow streets crammed with buildings and crowds, which makes Soho Square gardens the ideal spot to escape and chill. A statue of Charles II has stood here since the 17th century and the slightly wonky Tudor-style hut in the middle was once believed to be a secret entrance to Buckingham Palace. In reality, it’s a disguise for an electricity substation used as a bomb shelter in WWII.
With plenty of cafés and restaurants nearby, it’s a great place to sit and watch the world go by as you contemplate your next Soho destination.
Get yourself ready to dine, shop, explore and join the party in Soho and stay at nearby Thistle Trafalgar Square Hotel and Thistle Piccadilly Hotel. Whether it’s a one-night stay or longer, we ensure you get the best of welcomes and the most out of your Soho trip. Looking for a place to grab a bite to eat or a drink after visiting Soho? Head to the Sound Cafe and Bar where you can enjoy some good food and live music 7 days a week.
