Londoners often say that a place is “like Piccadilly Circus” when it’s overcrowded and busy with traffic. No wonder – Piccadilly Circus today is a crowded, bustling, semi-paved traffic junction. And standing above it all is the statue of Eros, his bow raised and his silhouette an incongruous site against the modern neon signs and video advertising screens that turn this city jumble into a truly colorful circus at night. On the southeast corner, the leaping horses of the Criterion fountain are a surprising feature, as is the gleaming interior of the Criterion itself. If you can find a space, stand and look up; you’ll see that the Circus is actually elegant, and surrounded by wonderful buildings, if it weren’t for the advertising in the way. For a cheap bird’s eye view, head into Virgin Megastore and go up two floors to view Piccadilly from above, a traffic fume-free view that’s completely free.