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This guide forms part of our complete UK Travel Guide, featuring scenic road trips, iconic destinations, practical travel advice and honest first-hand travel experiences from across the United Kingdom.
This article is part of our London Guide series. See our 3 Days in London: Ultimate Guide and our 24 Hours in London Guide for lots of ideas on what to see and do in this capital city.
Harrods, London, UK
Harrods is one of the world’s most famous department stores and a symbol of London luxury and tradition. Located in Knightsbridge, Harrods began life as a small grocery shop in 1849 and has grown into a vast retail landmark spanning multiple floors and more than 300 departments.
Harrods London: More Than a Department Store
Harrods has such a long history with London, and it is easily the largest and most opulent department store we have ever stepped inside. Located in Knightsbridge, the closest Tube station is Knightsbridge on the Piccadilly line, just a short walk from the store.
Renowned for its lavish interiors, attentive service and extraordinary product range, Harrods is as much a London sightseeing attraction as it is somewhere to shop. Across seven floors, we found everything from designer fashion, jewellery and watches to beauty, home furnishings, technology, luxury gifts and the famous Harrods Food Halls.
Even if we’re not planning to buy anything, we enjoy simply walking through and taking in the incredible surroundings. For first-time visitors, Harrods offers a glimpse into London’s long-standing relationship with craftsmanship, prestige and international style.
Christmas is an especially memorable time to visit. The store is transformed with elaborate decorations, festive window displays, Christmas gifts and seasonal treats, while the famous exterior becomes part of the experience itself. If you’re visiting London during the festive season, we think Harrods deserves a place on your itinerary.
An Extended Visitor Guide
More than a department store, Harrods is a global symbol of luxury, excess, and London tradition. For many visitors, a walk through its doors is less about shopping and more about witnessing scale, craftsmanship, and spectacle at the highest end of retail.
🏛️ From Corner Shop to Global Icon
Harrods began in 1849 as a small grocery shop founded by Charles Henry Harrod. Its transformation into a retail empire accelerated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, driven by London’s growing wealth and global reach.
After a devastating fire in 1883, Harrods was rebuilt larger and more ambitious than ever, embracing gas lighting, lifts, and grand interiors that made it a destination in its own right. Today, the store spans over one million square feet with more than 300 departments across multiple floors.
💎 The Most Expensive Items Ever Sold at Harrods
Harrods is known for selling objects that stretch the definition of “shopping”:
- Multi-million-pound diamonds and jewellery, including bespoke engagement rings and rare gemstones
- Luxury supercars and hypercars displayed inside the store
- Gold-plated household items, from telephones to bathroom fittings
- Custom-built yachts and private aircraft brokerage services
At various points, Harrods has showcased items priced well into the tens of millions of pounds, reinforcing its reputation as a place where money is rarely the limiting factor.
🦞 The Most Unusual and Extravagant Goods
Some of Harrods’ most talked-about offerings have included:
- Live exotic pets (historically — no longer sold)
- Solid gold iPhones and watches
- Custom-designed pianos, safes, and furniture
- Rare food items such as:
- White truffles
- Imperial caviar
- Handcrafted chocolates priced per gram
The Food Halls alone are considered one of the finest food retail spaces in the world and attract visitors even with no intention of buying.
👑 Ownership, Dodi Fayed & the Princess of Wales
From 1985 to 2010, Harrods was owned by Mohamed Al-Fayed, often known as Dodi Fayed’s father. Under his ownership, Harrods became even more extravagant and internationally visible.
Al-Fayed’s son, Dodi Fayed, was in a relationship with Diana in 1997. Following their deaths, Mohamed Al-Fayed installed memorials inside Harrods, including:
- A statue
- A shrine featuring personal items
These memorials were controversial and later removed after Harrods changed ownership.
Today, Harrods is owned by Qatar Investment Authority, reflecting its continued position as a global luxury asset.
🕯️ A Separate Note: The Death of Diana and Dodi
In August 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales, and Dodi Fayed were killed in a car crash in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel in Paris. The event shocked the world and remains one of the most significant public moments of grief in modern British history.
Official investigations in both France and the UK concluded the crash was caused by dangerous driving while intoxicated and high speed, with paparazzi involvement contributing to circumstances. Despite ongoing public debate, these findings remain the legal conclusion.
The connection between Harrods, the Fayed family, and Diana gave the store an emotional resonance for many visitors during that period, a reminder that Harrods’ story extends beyond retail into modern British cultural history.
🚇 How to Get to Harrods
The easiest way to reach Harrods is by Tube:
- Knightsbridge (Piccadilly Line)
- Exit toward Brompton Road
- Harrods is a 2-minute walk
Bus routes along Brompton Road are also frequent.
📍 What to Visit Nearby
Harrods sits in one of London’s most elegant districts. Nearby highlights include:
- Hyde Park: directly across the road
- Victoria and Albert Museum: fashion, design, decorative arts
- Natural History Museum: iconic architecture and exhibitions
- Knightsbridge boutiques and cafés for high-end window shopping
These make Harrods an easy anchor for a half-day Knightsbridge itinerary.
🎯 Why Harrods Is Worth Visiting (Even If You Buy Nothing)
Harrods endures because it offers:
- A spectacle of luxury few places can match
- A tangible link between commerce, history, and culture
- A setting where modern wealth and old-world tradition collide
For visitors, Harrods is not just about shopping, it’s about seeing how far luxury can go, all under one famously gilded roof.
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