Harrods

Published 18 September 2026 · By the Guide to London editorial team · Editor: Terje Moy

Harrods is London's most famous department store, a huge Edwardian building on Brompton Road in Knightsbridge with luxury fashion, a toy department and the celebrated Food Halls. Entry is free, you do not have to buy anything, and an hour spent in the Food Halls is one of the more enjoyable free experiences in the West End.

For many visitors Harrods is less a shop than a sight. People come to see the terracotta building lit up at night, to walk through the grand tiled food rooms, and to leave with a small souvenir in a green-and-gold bag. Others come to spend serious money on fashion, watches, jewellery or beauty.

Both kinds of visit work, as long as you know what to expect. This guide explains what to see if you are not planning to spend much, how the Food Halls work, what to wear, and how to fit Harrods into a day in Knightsbridge and South Kensington.

A short history of the store on Brompton Road

Harrods began in 1849, when Charles Henry Harrod took over a small grocery business in Knightsbridge, then a village on the edge of London. Under his son the shop grew quickly, and after a fire destroyed the building in 1883 it was rebuilt on a much larger scale. The terracotta building you see today, with its domed corner and long rows of windows, was completed in the early 20th century.

The store has always sold itself as a place where you can buy almost anything. That promise, and the sheer size of the building, is what made it famous. More than a century later it remains one of the best-known shops in the world.

Knightsbridge around it has changed too. The streets are lined with luxury boutiques, embassies and expensive flats, and Harrods is the anchor of a shopping district that also includes Harvey Nichols, Sloane Street and Brompton Road's smaller shops.

The Food Halls: what to see and what to buy

The Food Halls on the ground floor are the reason many people come, and they deserve their reputation. Some of the rooms have richly decorated tiled walls and ceilings from the Edwardian period, and the counters are arranged like small specialist shops: fresh fish and meat, cheese, charcuterie, fruit, bread and patisserie, chocolate, tea and coffee.

You can simply walk through and look, which costs nothing. If you want to buy, the Food Halls are also where a modest budget goes furthest. A bar of chocolate, a bag of biscuits or a tin of Harrods-branded tea makes an easy gift from London, and it comes in the famous bag.

Several counters and small restaurants in and near the Food Halls serve food to eat on the spot. They are not cheap, but a coffee and a pastry is an affordable way to sit down and watch the room. Prices, menus and which counters are open change regularly, so treat it as a place to browse rather than plan a meal around a particular counter.

Things to see if you are not buying

Harrods is large, with several floors and many rooms, and it is easy to get lost. A simple route for a first visit is to start in the Food Halls, take a look at the beauty and fragrance halls, then go upstairs to whatever interests you most. Store maps and staff at the entrances can point you in the right direction.

• The building from outside. After dark the facade is lit up with thousands of small bulbs, which makes it one of the most photographed shopfronts in London. Stand on the opposite side of Brompton Road for the best view.
• The toy department. Families often find this the most fun part of the store. It is a good place to let children look around and choose a first souvenir, even if you only buy something small.
• The Christmas windows and decorations. From late autumn, the windows and the Christmas shop draw big crowds. Our guide to Christmas in London includes other window displays worth seeing.
• The souvenir range. Harrods sells its own branded bags, tea, teddy bears and small gifts. They are popular because the name is the souvenir.

If you enjoy department stores as places to explore, you will probably want to see a few more. Our comparison of Liberty, Selfridges and London's other great stores helps you choose which fit your interests.

Opening hours, Sundays and holidays

Harrods publishes its current opening hours on the "Plan your visit" page of its website. Harrods' website did not allow us to read its opening hours in September 2026, so we do not print them here. Check the page before you go, particularly around holidays, sale periods and Christmas.

Some rules come from the law rather than the store. Under the Sunday Trading Act 1994, a large shop in England (more than 280 square metres of sales space) may open to customers for only one continuous period of six hours between 10:00 and 18:00 on a Sunday. Many large stores let you in for a short browsing period before the tills open. Large shops must stay closed on Easter Day, and the Christmas Day (Trading) Act 2004 means they cannot open on Christmas Day either. See our guide to bank holidays and opening hours in London for the full calendar.

What to wear and how to behave in the store

Harrods has long been associated with a dress policy, and older guidebooks still describe strict rules. The store sets out its current approach in the "Visiting our store" FAQ on its website. We could not read that page directly in September 2026, so we do not quote its rules here; check it before you go, because a department store can refuse entry to people it considers inappropriately dressed.

In practice, you will not look out of place in neat, clean everyday clothes. Beachwear, very dirty clothes and anything offensive are best avoided. If you have booked a table at one of the restaurants, it is worth checking whether that restaurant has its own expectations.

A few simple courtesies help. Staff are there to help, so ask rather than wander lost. Do not handle expensive goods in the luxury rooms unless you are genuinely interested, and ask before taking photographs of displays or staff. British shops expect you to wait your turn at counters, which our guide to British etiquette for visitors explains.

Bags and luggage

Harrods is a busy store with narrow aisles in some rooms, and a large suitcase makes a visit difficult for you and everyone around you. If you are coming straight from the airport or leaving for it later, drop your bags first at a left luggage service. Check the store's website for its current rules on large bags.

Prices, VAT and shipping your purchases home

Prices in Harrods, as in every British shop, include VAT at the standard rate of 20%. Visitors from outside the UK used to be able to claim this back at the airport, but that scheme was withdrawn in Great Britain on 1 January 2021. There is also no longer any VAT-free shopping in airport departure halls anywhere in the UK.

The only way to buy goods without VAT in Great Britain today is if the shop sends them directly to an address outside the UK. Whether a particular store offers this, and on which items, is up to the store, so ask at the counter before you pay. Remember that your home country may charge its own import duty and taxes when the parcel arrives. Our guide to tax-free shopping in the UK covers the rules in more detail.

If money matters on your trip, the Food Halls and souvenir counters let you enjoy the store without a big bill. Our guide to London on a budget has more ways to see the city's grand places cheaply.

Getting to Harrods from central London and Heathrow

Knightsbridge station on the Piccadilly line is a very short walk from the store. It has had step-free access since April 2025, which makes it much easier for wheelchair users and people with pushchairs; see our page on step-free travel in London for more.

Because Knightsbridge is on the Piccadilly line, you can travel directly from Heathrow without changing. A pay as you go journey on the Piccadilly line between Heathrow and Zone 1 costs £5.90 with contactless or Oyster at all times (September 2026). Our guide to getting from Heathrow into London compares this with the faster but more expensive options.

From the West End, the Piccadilly line takes you from Piccadilly Circus or Green Park to Knightsbridge in a few stops. Several bus routes also run along Brompton Road and Knightsbridge.

Combining Harrods with the rest of Knightsbridge and South Kensington

Harrods sits in one of London's best areas for a full day out. A short walk away, Harvey Nichols stands at the corner of Knightsbridge and Sloane Street, and Sloane Street itself is lined with designer boutiques leading down towards Sloane Square and Chelsea.

In the other direction, Brompton Road leads towards the great museums of South Kensington. The Victoria and Albert Museum, with its collections of fashion, design and decorative arts, is free and pairs naturally with a shopping morning. The V&A says the walk from Knightsbridge takes about 14 minutes, and that it is the step-free route to the museum. The Natural History Museum is close by too, and is a good choice with children.

North of the store, Hyde Park is only a few minutes' walk away if you need fresh air after the crowds. Our guide to Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens suggests where to walk and sit.

Afternoon tea nearby

Knightsbridge has many hotels and restaurants serving afternoon tea, some of them very grand. Prices vary widely, and most need to be booked in advance. Our guide to afternoon tea in London explains what is included and how to choose.

If you want to compare Harrods with London's other big shopping street, our guide to Oxford Street and its flagships covers Selfridges and John Lewis, and our list of souvenirs worth taking home has ideas beyond the green bag.

Frequently asked questions

Is it free to go into Harrods?

Yes. There is no entry charge and you do not need a ticket to walk around the store. You are free to look at the Food Halls, the toy department and the other rooms without buying anything, as long as you follow the store's rules on dress and behaviour.

Does Harrods have a dress code?

Harrods explains its current dress policy in the "Visiting our store" FAQ on its website, and older guides describing strict rules may be out of date. Neat, clean everyday clothes are a safe choice. Check the website before you go, particularly if you have booked a restaurant.

What are Harrods' opening hours?

Check the "Plan your visit" page on harrods.com, because hours change for holidays and events. On Sundays, the law limits large shops in England to six trading hours between 10:00 and 18:00, and Harrods cannot open on Christmas Day or Easter Sunday.

What is the nearest Tube station to Harrods?

Knightsbridge, on the Piccadilly line, is a very short walk away. It has been step-free since April 2025. The Piccadilly line runs directly from Heathrow, so you can reach Harrods from the airport without changing trains.

Can I get a VAT refund at Harrods?

Not in the way visitors could before 2021. The VAT refund scheme for tourists was withdrawn in Great Britain on 1 January 2021. You can only avoid VAT if the store delivers the goods directly to an address outside the UK, so ask whether this is available.

Sources

• Transport for London - Tube and rail fares (checked September 2026)
• legislation.gov.uk - Sunday Trading Act 1994, Schedule 1 (checked September 2026)
• legislation.gov.uk - Christmas Day (Trading) Act 2004, section 1 (checked September 2026)
• GOV.UK - Tax-free shopping (checked September 2026)
• Transport for London - Step-free access (checked September 2026)
• V&A - Visit V&A South Kensington (checked September 2026)