Finsbury Circus

If you take the street on the right and walk a few metres, you’ll come across Finsbury Circus. It’s interesting to note that in Roman times, this park didn’t exist and the site was the starting point of river Walbrook, which flowed through the City of London and into the Thames. While the river still exists today, it’s completely underground. In 1812, William Montague transformed this area into an oval-shaped garden bordered by buildings owned by wealthy landlords. At the beginning of the 20th century, the park was opened to the public and became a popular spot for locals trying to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. However, it also became a major meeting spot for the Miglia Quadrato race, which has been held annually since 1957. During this event, teams of motorists compete in a sort of motorized treasure hunt! The race was conceived in the 1950s in response to fuel shortages caused by the Suez Crisis. With petrol in short supply, it was decided that the race would take place solely within the City of London, the financial district of the English capital. Every May, participants set off to find clues to finish the race in the 5 hours time limit, and get to Finsbury Circus, the finishing point, as quickly as possible! You can take a little detour to admire it or simply continue your tour.