Regent Street

A slightly more civilised sister to the madness of Oxford Street, numerous high street chains can be found on Regent Street, albeit in a slick, upmarket incarnation. The H&M flagship is here, as is a massive Zara, Uniqlo and Mango, outlets of Cos and a large Allsaints, designer stores like Aquascutum, Armani Exchange and Burberry and fun boutiques like Anthropologie (with, of course, the best retail customer service in the city).

The experience is somewhere between the business of Oxford Street, with a dash of Bond Street’s civility and manners, accessible but funky high street brands mixed up with upmarket boutiques, all beneath the historical storefronts of one of London’s oldest shopping streets. The essential London experience of toystore Hamley’s can also be found on Regent Street.

Opening times: Most stores open from 1000 to 1800, with many closing at 1900. Thursdays are late-night shopping, so expect stores to close around 2000.

Nearest Tube: Piccadilly Circus or Oxford Circus.