Situated in the centre of London, just north of Westminster, Leicester Square is one of the city's most iconic destinations, bustling with tourists in the day and lit up at night by lights and signs announcing the abundance of cinemas and theatres in the area, making it one of London's most glamorous districts and certainly the best place to spot a stage star. This makes it ideal for tourists and especially those visiting the city to watch one of the many plays or musicals that take place every night. Most of the local hotels are located outside of the square itself to provide respite from the non-stop 24/7 buzz of the area, though the Radisson Edwardian Hampshire does have a privileged spot in the southeast corner. Leicester Square tube station is on the Northern and Piccadilly Lines and plenty of buses run throughout the area.
For those who love nothing more than to catch the hottest new play in town or to sing along to the words of their favourite musical, Leicester Square is a must. The area has so many theatres that it has been affectionately nicknamed Theatreland. Listing all of them would be akin to listing all of the casinos in Las Vegas, but some of the more popular ones include the Queen's Theatre, Prince of Wales Theatre and Apollo Theatre. Aside from the dense crowd of cinemas (Odeon, Empire) and theatres that fill the area, Leicester Square is close to most of the city's attractions due to its central London location. The adopted city centre and lively shopping district of Covent Garden is within easy walking distance (SACO Hotel is halfway there) and the City of Westminster is a short stroll to the south, easily accessed from the Thistle Charing Cross Hotel. The National Portrait Gallery sits along the bottom of the square and the area's other famous square, by the name of Trafalgar, is also close by.
The area is full of restaurants serving every conceivable type of cuisine for appetites and wallets of all sizes. Grab a takeaway Big Mac from McDonald's or sit down to watch a variety of seafood dishes cooked before you at the J Sheekey Oyster Bar with its U-shaped seating arrangement. At other nearby venues sample Greek cuisine or enjoy some karaoke whilst you wait for your Chinese meal to arrive. The area is also packed with cafes with themes varying from ice cream to bubble tea.
Leicester Square is a bit like a vampire in the sense that it truly awakens once the sun has set. If you're not busy catching one of the newest plays or musicals you might like to get all medieval and try some real ales at the Round Table pub or take in the tastes of the Netherlands in London's only Dutch café bar. Those with feet that were made for dancing might like to hit the tiles at the sophisticated Oxygen club.
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