Harrods is an exclusive single-site department store in Knightsbridge, London, and possibly the most famous shop in the city. Harrods is well-known for being the largest department store in Europe, with 330 departments and selling space of around 1 million square feet (more than 90,000 square metres).

The business was established in the early 1800s as a wholesale grocery, but by the end of the century, it had grown to a successful retail operation employing hundreds of people and selling all kinds of goods.

The store started becoming a favourite of several notable figures, among which were Oscar Wilde, Charlie Chaplin, Laurence Olivier, and Sigmund Freud. Over time, Harrods also became the holder of several royal warrants for Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, Charles III, and the Queen Mother.

Thus, Harrods cemented itself in the collective imaginary as a refined luxury store and site of tourist interest in its own right. In 1898, the store even debuted the first escalator in England, offering customers brandy at the top to relieve their nerves after such a stressful experience.

Today, inside the lavishly decorated store, you can find fashion items, fine jewellery and watches, pharmacy and beauty products, gourmet foods, household products, and technology items. You can see a map and directory of Harrods’ eight floors on the store’s website .

The majority of the goods in Harrods are expensive and exclusive, but many tourists still like to buy something to keep as a souvenir. The most popular items for this purpose are stuffed toys, chocolates, small household items, and tea, which Harrods conveniently always keeps in stock.

Remember that, although anyone can visit Harrods at any time, there is a dress code in place. Unkempt clothing, swimwear, sportswear, flip flops, bare feet, or bare midriffs are not allowed.

Location

87-135 Brompton Road, Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7XL.

Harrods is located in London’s Knightsbridge area, just south of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. This is one of the most exclusive areas in the inner city, and just by walking a few minutes west, you’ll find several famed cultural institutions.

Among them are the Science Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Royal Albert Hall. In the opposite direction, instead, are the Wellington Arch and Apsley House, which lead to Buckingham Palace Gardens and Green Park.

Schedule

Harrods is open every day of the week between 10:00 am to 9:00 pm, except on Sundays, when opening times go from 11:30 am to 6:00 pm. Keep in mind that on Sundays, the opening times for browsing visitors only are 11:30 am to 12:00 pm. This basically means that if you visit Harrods after 12:00 pm on a Sunday, you have to buy something.

*On Sundays, visitors who wish to browse only should visit Harrods between 11:30 am and 12:00 pm.

Transport

If you are taking the Tube, the best thing to do is to take the Piccadilly line and get off at Knightsbridge, just 300 metres down the road from the shopping centre.

As for buses, you have more options. Lines 14, 74, 414, and C1 can all leave you right in front of Harrods, but if none of them works for you, you can also take routes 19, 22, 137, or 452 to be dropped off right around the corner.

You can find a summary of the public transport options in the table below.

If you want, you can reach Harrods by taxi, but keep in mind that traffic conditions in central London might make the journey time-consuming and expensive.

Nearby sights

Hyde Park - 450 m (0.3 miles) north, 6-minute walk.

Victoria and Albert Museum - 800 m (0.5 miles) southwest, 10-minute walk.

Apsley House - 1 km (0.7 miles) northeast, 12-minute walk.

Natural History Museum - 1 km (0.7 miles) southwest, 13-minute walk.

Science Museum - 1.1 km (0.7 miles) southwest, 14-minute walk.

Buckingham Palace Gardens - 1.2 km (0.8 miles) east, 17-minute walk

Kensington Gardens - 1.3 km (0.8 miles) northwest, 17-minute walk.