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There
are many markets in London, many small neighbourhood fruit and vegetable
markets you might stumble across at any time.
Markets also go into and out of favour and fashion and of course
once a market becomes popular with tourists it tends to start to
be filled with tourist tat killing the original appeal.
Currently the big 3 for visitors to London in terms of popularity
are Portobello Road, Camden Lock and Borough Market.
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Portobello Market |
Portobello
Market
Portobello is a street market occupying Portobello Road north of Notting
Hill.
The South end of the street is mainly antiques, the middle is vegetables,
and the north end bric-a-brac. Best day by far to go is on a Saturday
when the full market especially at the southern end comes out.
You can walk to the market (just follow the crowds) from Notting Hill
Underground in about 5/10 minutes and at the northern (less interesting
end) of the market is Ladbroke Grove Underground. If you're staying
in Bayswater you can easily walk it.
On Saturday, Portobello is huge, with over 2,000 stalls, selling everything
from books to bric-a-brac to lace. Thousands of people mill around
browsing second-hand clothing stalls or choosing outlandish material.
For those who have the patience to search, there are some fantastic
bargains.
Portobello
Road Market Web Site |
Camden
Lock Market
Camden Lock Market, by the canal, was originally a craft market but
now has a much wider spectrum of goods on sale. Its very, very busy
and very, very crowded and has become one of the most popular visitor
attractions in London. |
The
people here tend to be younger here than other markets and it has
a trendier feel, (but its slowly becoming more and more commercialised).
The main market is by Regents Canal, you cannot miss it with the words
Camden Market emblazoned over a railway bridge that crosses the main
road outside.
Nearest underground is Camden Town. The number 24 bus stops outside
too among others and goes very frequently connecting Camden Lock with
the heart of Central London.
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Camden
Lock Market |
It
is at the weekend that the market scene jumps fully into life with
all stalls and shops fully trading and the lively Camden Lock Village
opening Friday to Sunday.
The indoor fashion market at the Electric Ballroom opens on Sunday
only.
There's a wide array of goods to view ranging from antiques to clothes
(vintage and new) crafts, accessories and furnishings. Indeed just
about everything and anything you could conceivably want, but probably
not need. Sundays, in particular, tend to be mega-crowded.
Camden
Lock Web Site |
Borough
Market
Borough Market is London's oldest food market. It was established
on the south bank of the Thames when the Romans built the first London
Bridge. It has occupied its present site for 250 years.
This gourmets delight boasts a mouth-watering range of fresh food
stalls under its Dickensian wrought-iron roof. Accent here is on quality,
not cheapness.
Between Borough High Street, Bedale Street, Stoney Street and Winchester
Walk nearest Underground is Borough or London Bridge, both a 5 minute
walk away.
Borough
Market Web Site
Other Markets
Columbia
Road Flower Market
Every Sunday this historic street fills with a bright patchwork of
hundreds of flower stalls. Columbia Road is the capital's most colourful
and sweet-smelling market.
Everything from bedding plants to 10-foot banana trees are up for
grabs. A lot of the flower sellers grow their own plants.
Columbia
Road Flower Market Web Site
Spitalfields
Market
Spitalfields Market marries market stalls with modern shops and restaurants.
Best day to come is Sunday by far the busiest day, with over 150 stalls
operating. Organic vegetables, art, books, ethnic, vintage cars -
a whole rag tag of merchants. Many leading contemporary artists and
sculptors have their studios there.
Spitalfields
Market Web Site |
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| Self
Guided London Shopping Walk |
Join
us on our step by step self guided walking tour of London's
shopping districts.
Besides the department stores of Oxford Street we visit the
specialist shopping districts, Saville Row, China Town, Bond
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for Harrods and Harvey Nichols Department Stores.
Simple to follow instructions and street map and best of all
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London
Shopping Walk Details |
Oxford
Street Department Store |
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