London's Chinatown

London's Chinatown, popularly known as Chinatown, is mid-only five minutes from Soho or Picadilly Circus, this was the area chosen by Asian immigrants, coming mostly from Hong Kong, were initially attracted by the Bajor price of rents and eventually the newcomers preferred to live in a neighborhood closer to their cultural environment. The main street is called Gerrard Street, into which you can find nice arches which make us see that we are entering a piece of china.

This area was known for many years as opium dens area (legal) and poor housing neighborhood, but today is a bustling shopping district where we can find food restaurants and eastern China and spice markets, fish and all kinds of traces related to Chinese culture. What most attracts visitors this neighborhood are many restaurants where you can eat in unlimited quantities, or not, Chinese food at very affordable price.

What most attracts tourists from around the world is that you're in London, in the Soho and suddenly, before you open the doors of a piece of china, with different constructions, with an oriental atmosphere and, among all is striking, London phone booths (traditional), are different and seem oriental. And these are just a few blocks, but it is very exotic and interesting, if only to go for a walk at lunchtime and enjoy one of their restaurants.

Although if you want to see is a Chinatown really boiling, you must visit in February, during Chinese New Year. At this time the district deploys all its charms, lion dances, Chinese acrobatics and martial arts. All this coupled with tides of people, the sound of drums, gongs and rockets and firecrackers.

Read our guide to travel to London and find out more useful information for visiting London.