Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square was laid out between 1829 and 1845 as a memorial to the Battle of Trafalgar, where Admiral Nelson’s fleet destroyed Napoleon’s combined Franco-Spanish navy in 1805 at the cost of Nelson’s own life. The 51-metre column with his figure at the top went up in 1843. The four bronze lions at the base were added in 1867, cast from cannon salvaged from the sea floor. The square is pedestrianised on the north side and functions as one of London’s main public gathering spaces; the Norwegian government has sent a Christmas tree here every year since 1947 as thanks for British support during World War II.

On its own, it is a large square with a column and fountains. The reason to spend time here is the National Gallery.

The National Gallery faces the square from the north and is free to enter. The collection of roughly 2,300 Western European paintings covers 1250 to 1900 and is one of the great public collections anywhere. The Sainsbury Wing houses early Italian paintings; the long sequence of rooms runs from Raphael through Rubens and Rembrandt to Turner and the Impressionists.

Specific things worth finding: Velazquez’s Rokeby Venus, the only surviving female nude by the artist; Holbein’s The Ambassadors with its elongated skull that only reads correctly when you view it from a sharp angle to the lower left; Seurat’s Bathers at Asnieres; and the room of van Goghs, which includes Sunflowers and Van Gogh’s Chair. The gallery holds all of this without an entry charge and without requiring advance booking for the permanent collection. You can walk in off the street and look at the Rokeby Venus for as long as you want. That is the correct relationship between a great public institution and the public.

The espresso bar in the basement is decent and reasonable by the standards of the surrounding Charing Cross area.

The Fourth Plinth

The Fourth Plinth in the northwest corner has hosted rotating contemporary sculpture commissions since 1998. The plinth was originally intended for an equestrian statue of William IV that was never funded; it stood empty for 150 years. Previous works have included a marble-resin recreation of an Assyrian winged bull destroyed by ISIS, a giant blue rooster, and David Shrigley’s comically oversized thumbs-up. The commission changes roughly every two years and the works are consistently more considered than the tourist circuit usually delivers. Check the Mayor of London’s website for what is currently installed before you visit.

Immediately east of the National Gallery, free entry, holds the most comprehensive collection of portraits of notable Britons across several centuries. The gallery was extensively renovated and rehung in 2023. Tudor portraits on the top floor are the historical anchor; contemporary commissions on the lower floors are consistently less interesting than the historic collection, though that assessment is disputed by people who work there.

St Martin-in-the-Fields

The church on the northeast corner of the square dates to 1726. The crypt contains Cafe in the Crypt (reasonable prices, open daily, reliable for breakfast or lunch), a gallery space, and the London Brass Rubbing Centre. Free lunchtime concerts on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday at 1pm.

Eating Near the Square

The restaurants immediately on and around the square are tourist-trap pricing without exception.

Dishoom on St Martin’s Lane, ten minutes walk, does Bombay-style cafe food: bacon nasi lemak, black dal, keema pau. It is genuinely excellent and more interesting than most of what the area offers. Arrive before noon or after 2pm to avoid the worst queues.

J. Sheekey on St Martin’s Court has been serving fish since 1896. Atlantic plaice, cured salmon, oysters, mains GBP 25-35. More kitchen history and better cooking than most of the nearby celebrity restaurant options.

Chinatown is five minutes walk northwest via Charing Cross Road: dim sum lunch at Plum Valley or HK Diner runs GBP 15-20 per head and is significantly better than anything in the tourist zone.

Practical Notes

Nearest Underground stations: Charing Cross (Bakerloo and Northern lines), Leicester Square (Northern and Piccadilly lines). Leicester Square itself has one useful feature: TKTS, the official half-price theatre ticket booth. The queue starts around 9am; the booth opens at 10am. Avoid unofficial ticket sellers operating nearby.

The square hosts major public events: New Year’s Eve countdown, Chinese New Year celebrations, Diwali, and film screenings. Free entry to all of them. The square is accessible at any hour.

Early mornings before 10am are the right time for photos: the fountain has light on it and the column has no crowd around its base. After 7pm, the square thins out and is pleasant for a walk-through even if you have seen it already.

Staying Nearby

The Savoy on the Strand, two minutes from the square, has been operating since 1889. Rooms from around GBP 600. The American Bar is worth a visit for a drink regardless of whether you are staying.

Trafalgar St. James is directly on the square, rooms from around GBP 200, rooftop bar popular in summer.

For better value: Premier Inn London County Hall on the South Bank is one Tube stop south and charges around GBP 100-140 per night with reliable quality and good access to the whole central area.