Are you planning to explore the coolest neighborhood in London, UK, Camden Town? Well, there is so much to explore if you don’t have much idea about the activities you can do while in Camden Town. Through this guide, we have ensured that you don’t miss doing anything in Camden Town, so keep reading to explore your options for what you might be doing once you are there.
Camden Town is located in the heart of London, and this neighborhood is known for shopping, entertainment, nightlife, and many more things. The list is long, and you would love your visit to Camden Town. There are famous markets where you can shop all day, and you would love the touch of culture, artsy, and creativity in the market and enjoy live music events.
Camden Town is in the heart of London; its location and multiple attractions make this place worth visiting. Wherever you turn in the city, you will find something fun and entertaining to do. This city never sleeps, and you can stay awake with it to enjoy its nightlife.
You will have the opportunity to visit one of the city’s legendary music venues to enjoy concerts, or you might want to enjoy the international cuisines. If you are in the mood to experience something more exclusive, then you can take a walk through royal park.
The people of Camden Town have made this place even more like to live in because of their pleasant attitude and behavior. The vibe of this place is a mixture of coolness, hip, and friendliness, and people from all over the world come to enjoy this vibe. Over the years, many artists, musicians, writers, and intellectuals have found their new home in Camden Town, and nothing is surprising about it. Camden Town has many well-known residents like Amy Winehouse, Virginia Wolf, Charles Dickens, Dylan Thomas, and so on.
If you spend just a few hours in Camden Town, it will be difficult to decide which event to attend and what fun activity to miss. There is so much to do in Camden Town, and through this guide, you might be able to do fun and get entertained once you are in Camden Town.
Things To Explore In Camden Town
Here is a list of the top 10 fun things that you can do, see, and explore while you are in Camden Town:
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Famous Markets And Shopping Malls
Who doesn’t like to shop? Well, Camden Town is known for its shopping, and it is one of the largest attractions of the town around the world. You won’t be able to find things here that you wouldn’t find in any corner of the world. Doesn’t this sound tremendous?
Well, there are not just shops you can browse while doing window shopping, but you will find various stalls set up at various locations with all the quirky stuff. You can find ceramic goods, clothing, and artwork in the stalls and all over the market.
Shopping is one of the reasons why people visit Camden Town, and there is one famous market that you must visit, Camden Lock. This market has the remains of Old Stables Market as it is a mixture of indoor and outdoor stalls. You can find anything to everything in the stalls that you can not even imagine there. While shopping, you will surely feel hungry, so you will find various food corners serving a wide range of food items worldwide.
We are talking about Camden Town markets, but we can not miss mentioning Buck Street Market, which is focused on sustainability and quite famous. The market is made up of recycled shipping containers, making the place a little quirky. If you are looking for a spot to sit and relax, you will find a big pink rooftop bar covered with greenery, and the place’s vibe is simply amazing.
You will meet eco-friendly traders there, and you will find a variety of eco-friendly products. There is no other market you can compare with Camden Town markets because it has variety, is cheap, and you will find mass-produced products there. For handcrafted items, there are some high street quirky shops that you must explore.
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Live Concerts And Events
When it comes to music Camden Town has a reputation because UK’s most famous bands began their career in this town. Finding a cool venue in Camden Town is not difficult if you want to enjoy live music.
Roundhouse is one of the most famous places in Camden Town, an old Victorian building in the center of the city. This place was famous for turning railway engines but has become a well-known venue for performing arts, live theatre, and music events. You will find art, workshops, and much more inside the venue. You can enjoy drinks at the bar that opens from 10.30 am to 5.30 pm, and you might have to get tickets for a few events that would be happening at Roundhouse.
If you like rock, indie, metal, or punk, then you must check the Underworld because recently, Placebo, Radiohead, and Smashing Pumpkins, among many others, were performed at that pub.
There is a jazz club located a few minutes away from the Camden Town tube station, where you can enjoy soul, hip-hop, jazz, funk, and reggae. You might want to have some food while enjoying the evening then you will be amazed to know that there is a restaurant on the venue’s mezzanine.
If you want to enjoy the vibe of Camden Town, then there is no better place than the Dublin Caster to stay. You will have to book to get a table because the venue is small but place our bands perform there every night. Coldplay, Oasis, The Killers, Madness, and other well-known bands have played there.
If you are still looking for more music options, Electric Ballroom is also located next to the Camden Town tube station. Famous names like Patrol, Snow, U2, and The Clash have recently hosted this place.
It would be best to check on the calendar what is happening next before you visit Camden Town and book some places.
You might want to enjoy populaLondon’s rock music history tour that will take you to the most extravagant and famous places of Camden Town.
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Artwork Street Walk
If you are a person who loves to explore art, then you will surely find a lot of creativity in Camden Town because we might have mentioned the fact that Camden Town is a hub of creativity.
While wandering in the markets of Camden Town, you must look up and find breathtaking art on the walls of the streets. These shops have artwork, and some of them have dragons coming out from their walls as they have been carved through the walls, and the brickwork has been done perfectly.
The vibrantly painted shops will get your attention on High Street, and large murals and graffiti will amaze you. Well-known street artists do some striking pieces, but all consist of political messages.
It is impossible to select which artwork is the best, but if you have an eye for looking for the finest art in London, some spots are worthy of your time and attention. The list includes Hawley Street, Kentish Town Road, and Castlehaven Road.
It would be best to book a tour with a local guide because someone local can help you explore all the artwork done in Camden Town.
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Market Food And Famous Camden Town Venues
We have already talked about Camden Lock Market, where you will find anything you want, but you can also street worldwide street food in that market as it is located in the heart of London. You might get confused while choosing from the cuisines because Camden is known for its amazing restaurants and many other places worth exploring.
You would like to visit Shaka Zulu, one of the most special pubs in the Stables section of the Camden Lock Market. It serves perfectly made South African food, and the ambiance is just outclassed. You will be amazed to witness the heavy safari-style furniture and the statues of warriors, and every surface is covered with carved faux wood.
You won’t want to miss Poppies Fish and Chips if you are looking forward to enjoying traditional British cuisine. You would feel like you have been teleported to the 1940s and 1950s when London was rebuilding itself right after World War II. The reason is that the place has been furnished using authentic fittings from those times, and the food there is delicious. You will have the option to enjoy a performance lounge and a vintage jukebox. You can enjoy live music and the vintage jukebox on Friday and Saturday nights.
Last but not least, you can not end your day with having dessert; for something sweet, you must go to Chin Chin Lab to satisfy your sweet tooth cravings. You can find this place next to the Camden Market for Swedish sweet cravings. Their menu has a variety of ice creams, and they make changes according to the season. You won’t get the taste of the ice cream that has been frozen with liquid nitrogen, and you can choose your favorite flavor from Burnt Butter Caramel, Tonka Bean, and Apple Butter Pie. There will be topping available like Glazed White Chocolate, Glossy Cherri if you are a cherry lover and Bee Pollen Honeycomb. These details sound mouthwatering!
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Primrose Hill
You would like to explore the most hit place in Camden Town because it is a favorite spot of Hollywood celebrities, and we are talking Primrose Hill. Once you walk around this stunning hill, you will see cute, adorable houses painted with pastel shades. There are high-end restaurants and fashionable expensive boutiques; you would be amazed to explore this tumultuous place.
Primrose Hill has been derived from the hilltop park at the hill and is surely a pleasant place for the residents. Primrose Hill is not far away from the Camden Town tube station. If you are looking for a peaceful space, this place is known for its silence, tranquility, and extraordinary city view. This viewpoint is considered one of the best attractions in the world.
To maintain the beauty of this place, all the trees get cut down so the scenic view of this place doesn’t get obscured.
If you have been looking for the most stylish street in the area, the answer would be Chalcot Crescent and Chalcot Square, located in the district. It would be best to visit Primrose Hill on Saturday because you will find about 50 stalls of art and street foods at the market set by St. Paul’s School from 10 am to 3 pm. You can have breakfast and lunch there while exploring the street.
Primrose Hill is doubtlessly one of London’s few parks open day and night for people to explore. You can visit the park whenever it is convenient, but sometimes they close it for a few hours when the noise disruption causes problems for the management.
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Nightlife/Pubs
Camden Town is known for its nightlife, and once you are in the town, you will find a variety of pubs, from historic and charming to unusual ones. Well, you can call the unusual ones quirky, and you might find them according to your taste in pubs. If you want to explore the nightlife of Camden Town to its fullest, then you must book your pub crawl so you will be able to explore all the options available. You can also list pubs and plan your tour to explore all the best ones.
There are a couple of pubs in Camden Town, like the Black Heart, as it is a quirky gothic-style pub, and you will find religious imagery decorating the walls. All of them have been styled in a gothic way, and it is a former sports pub. It serves deliciously baked pizza, and you can watch films that the pub plays in the upstairs dining area.
Opposite Camden tube station is another pub, The World’s End, an iconic North London landmark with a mezzanine balcony and two bars. You can decide whether you want to enjoy the drink or you are in the mood to enjoy the lively atmosphere by sitting on the balcony. If you were lucky enough, you might get a chance to see Charles Dickens there because he often comes to the pub for a few drinks.
Joe’s is located between Camden Market and Primrose Hill if you are a fan of the true rock and roll atmosphere and want to experience the best nightlife experience in Camden Town. You will have the option to hear rockabilly, ska, and Northern Soul music there too.
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The Regent’s Park Visit
A park borders Primrose Hill across that road and is spread over an area of 400 acres. We are talking about Regent’s Park, which has a history. This park was once a hunting ground for King Henry VIII, but now it has become one of London’s largest outdoor sports complexes on the western outskirts of Camden Town. It has a large area for playing softball, cricket, rugby, and football.
If you are into sports, you can find a peaceful boat ride summer down the lake or eat at several cafes. If you would be lucky enough, then you might be able to catch a live performance at the theatre.
This park is a sight to behold because it has more than 12,000 roses, and you will witness wildlife in the Regent’s Park. It is one of the Royal Parks in central London that has become a home for hedgehogs breeding. You will see a versatile variety of birds, but it would be best if you don’t see the hedgehogs if you see any. If you have dogs with you, then for their safety, keep them on a leash all the time.
The Regent’s Park is open to the public every year, every day from 5 am to 10 pm. The closing time may vary according to the season, but it would be best to check the timings on the official website before planning a visit to the park so you don’t get disappointed.
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Regent’s Canal Side Walk Or Take a Ride
If you want to enjoy a friendly, relaxed atmosphere, you must go for the Regent’s Canal sidewalk, and it would be the best place to escape the city’s hustle and bustle. Sometimes this place also be quite busy during the day times with walkers, cyclists, joggers, and people trying to enjoy the towpath.
You can hire your boat if you are feeling brave and you know you will be able to handle it on your own. About a kilometer north of Paddington, you can take the return boat tour to Little Venice if you will have this option available. It is one of the most popular things to do in Camden Town.
Once you are done with the boat ride now, you can have a canal-side lunch, and there is no other place than this, and you can plan a picnic. While visiting Camden Lock Market, you will find a vast variety of food vendors around the canal at one point. There are versatile picturesque waterside cafes and traditional pubs so that you can choose the option according to your mood and situation. You will surely find something there that would go with your taste.
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ZSL London Zoo
London Zoo was founded in 1828, and it is one of the world’s oldest scientific zoos; it has a collection of over 400,000 animals and a total of 750 species of animal lives in this zoo.
The Zoological Society of London is located on the northern edge of Regent’s Park, and the main purpose of this zoo is to conserve species from getting extinct. So you will see and learn many things if you visit this zoo.
You can get close to the animals in the aquarium of the London Zoo, and you will have the option to approach them as near as possible because it has an amazing design enclosure structure. You will get to close up and interact with animals like ‘In With the Monkey’ and ‘Butterfly Paradise.’
There is so much to explore in this zoo, and one of the best features of this place is the ‘Land of the Lions,’ where you experience a lifetime journey that has been themed after India. You can walk through the Land of the Lions through three different walkways. You just have to know the opening hours and get the tickets in advance if you are willing to see the Lions closely.
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Jewish Museum London
So the last place on the list that you must visit and explore is the Jewish Museum in the center of London; the museum has been dedicated to preserving the culture and heritage of Jewish people in Britain (from the 11th century to the present). To grab the attention of more visitors and keep them interested in the museum, temporary exhibits get launched, but four permanent exhibitions take place there. Once in Camden Town, you must ensure you don’t miss the opportunity to explore the old East London street and a tailor’s workshop.
The oldest object in the museum is the mikveh, a Jewish bath that the Jews used for cleansing rituals, and we are talking about the rituals of the 13th century.
You won’t get lost in the museum because it is just three minutes from the Camden tube station. This place opens from 10 am to 5 pm during the week, but there might be a change in timings according to the weekdays. Before exploring this museum, it would be best to get full information from the museum’s official website.
During the weekdays, you can witness various Jewish activities happening, but if you want to enjoy a peaceful visit, try to plan a visit after 2 pm. You must not miss visiting this place while on your Camden Town tour.