When it comes to things to do in London, there’s no shortage of fun activities. From all the cool London sightseeing opportunities to the hidden gems, we were excited to explore every bit of it! At the top of our list of fun things to do in London was visiting as many different street markets the city had to offer. We also sprinkled in a 900+ year old market in Eastern England to put the cherry on top of this awesome list, but more on that in a bit!
Markets in London
Camden Market in Camden Town
Camden Market might be the mecca of all markets in London. This place is HUGE. Located right on the Regent’s Canal, with over 1,000 different vendors, you could spend ALL day here. We were fortunate enough to be able to see this market with our friends Hayley and Richard who we met while on our honeymoon at Cocobay Resort in Antigua. They live outside of London but came in to the city to spend the day with us (queue all the feels y’all – they are the BEST!)
While we were at Camden Market, they introduced us to Halloumi Fries (pictured below) and holy heck they are amazing. Be sure to pop over to the Oli Baba and dine on these delicious deep fried cheese strips – trust us, you won’t regret it!
Camden Market Hours: 7 days a week, 10am – late (you can figure out what that means when you get there).
Location: Camden Lock Place, London NW1 8AF
Borough Market near London Bridge
Foodie market galore. Borough Market is quite famous for its impeccable food stalls that offer tons of local treats and cuisines from all over. And for us Harry Potter fans, it’s the location of the Leaky Cauldron in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Borough Market is right by the water and only a street away from the London Bridge. Perfect location. It has all the food you could ever dream of. Mac & cheese, oysters or whatever you want. Borough is the food market everyone should snack at. Street food is the best and Borough does it justice.
Borough Market Hours:
Location:8 Southwark St, London SE1 1TL, United Kingdom
Portobello Road Market In Notting Hill
We have a true love for antiques. In fact, we would shop at antique stores every weekend if we could. Thankfully for us, in London is home to the largest antique market in world. On Saturdays at Portobello Road Market you’ll find tons of unique antiques. It doesn’t hurt that this London Market is in the beautiful Notting Hill area, made famous by the 1999 Notting Hill movie. It’s an amazing neighborhood in itself but the streets filled with colorful houses make it even better. Portobello Road Market is a gem and is surely one of the best things to do in London.
Portobello Road Market Hours: Monday to Wednesday 9am – 6 pm(No antiques), Thursday 9am – 1 pm (half day, no antiques), Friday 9 am – 7 pm (antique stalls open), Saturday 9am – 7 pm (main day, all stalls open) and Sunday closed.
Location: 306 Portobello Rd, London W10 5TA, United Kingdom
Columbia Road Flower Market in Shoreditch
Flowers can brighten just about anyone’s day. Whether it’s hydrangeas, sunflowers, house plants or roses! On any given Sunday in East London you’ll see men, women and children strolling down the street with bunches of flowers, houseplants and everything in between. The Columbia Road Flower Market in Shoreditch fills the street with the most colorful flower and plant vendors on both sides, for as far as the eye can see. The flower market is always packed so be sure to get there early to get the best of everything. We went with gorgeous white hydrangeas and sunflowers. Get some pretty flowers that smell amazing and check out the local shops too.
Columbia Road Flower Market Hours: Sundays from 8am ’til 3ish
Location: Columbia Rd, London E2 7RG, United Kingdom
Covent Garden Market
We didn’t make it to the Covent Garden Market while it was open but we did walk through and are super bummed we didn’t go while the market was in full force. Covent Garden is as well known as any neighborhood in London but not everyone knows there’s an adorable market right in the middle of all the high end shops. Shop here for crafts & goods and be sure to check out the London Underground Museum in Covent Garden as well.
Covent Garden Market Hours: Monday – Friday 8 am – 7 pm, Saturday 8 am – 6 pm and Sunday 10am – 4 pm
Location: 130 King Street, London N6A 1C5, United Kingdom
Norwich Market
Though it’s not in London, the Norwich Market definitely makes our list of the best markets in England. Nestled in the square of Norwich, about 2 hours Northeast of London, you’ll find the oldest outdoor market in the UK. It’s believed to be 900+ years old and has always run in the same spot. The Norwich Market has almost 200 colorful and vibrant stalls, selling anything and everything you can imagine. Local produce, cheeses, seafood, clothes and more.
Norwich Market won 2019 Best Large Outdoor Market and we totally understand why. There are a ton of things do in Norwich but the market was definitely a highlight for us. We highly recommend doing a day trip to Norwich and if you’re lucky you’ll catch Prince William, Kate and George at Norwich soccer club game… or you’ll find out when you get on the train to leave Norwich that they were there…We aren’t bitter… really.
Norwich Market Hours: Monday – Saturday 8:30 am – 5:30 pm, Sunday closed
Location: 1 Market Pl, Norwich NR2 1ND, United Kingdom
London is officially our favorite city we have ever visited… I mean, did you actually read the list above? It’s a no-brainer, at least for us. The incredibly diverse selection of street markets is a big reason why. These markets take the term “London attractions” to a whole new level. We could have spent all day, every day shopping and eating at all the street markets in London. Did we miss one of your favorite London markets? Let us know in the comments!
