Virtual London - The best place to see London online

Neal Street and the surrounding area is the place to go for alternative shopping. The old warehouses date back to Victorian times, and have been transformed into shops (the Donmar Warehouse has been converted into a popular theatre), and the area is now the trendy place to be. It's a bit like Carnaby Street was back in the 1960's.

In Victorian times this area was a centre for second-hand clothing. Here Charles Dickens gives his impression of it from Sketches by Boz, chapter 6.

There's a shop for everything here, you can have your astrology chart made up while you wait, buy a kite, try on some ecologically sound clothing, or just laze around outside a vegetarian café. Neal's yard (just off Neal Street) also has plenty to offer those interested in new age and alternative therapies. There's an information centre in Neal's Yard, where you can find out about all sorts of alternative events throughout the capital. There's something for everyone here but above all, it's a fun place.

A short way down Earlham Street (which is just off Neal Street) is Seven Dials, a tiny junction where seven roads meet. In the middle is a replica of a sundial monument that was erected there in 1694 by Thomas Beale and Edward Pierce. It was removed in 1773. In 1989 it was rebuilt and unveiled by Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands.

Nearest Underground (Tube) Stations: Covent Garden and Tottenham Court Road