London days, Camden Town

Situated in North London, Camden or EC, is an eclectic mix of foods, sounds and fashion

Made famous by the likes of writer Charles Dickens, philosopher Friedrich Engels and late singer Amy Winehouse, Camden Town offers a wide variety of markets, cuisines and live music venues

A residential area since the 1790s, the area was revitalised by the Grand Union Canal development and the improved railway transport that turned it into a bustling London area. With over 1,000 places to dance, shop, drink and eat, both locals and tourists alike visit the town to bag a trinket or two at the markets, saviour the local beer or stroll by Regent’s Canal.

Shopping:

Camden has a labyrinth of open-air markets and other stores that could easily make you empty your wallet:

Inverness Street Market – contains a few of the original fruit stands but most stalls sell souvenirs and footwear

Stables Market – a mix of permanent shops and stalls that sell house antiques

Camden Lock Market – sells books, fast food, jewellery and crafts

Camden Lock Village – sells clothing and accessories

Camden Market – originally named Buck Street, this market sells fashion for all tastes.

The Electric Ballroom – sells everything from homemade soap to paintings. However, it is only open on Sundays

Camden High Street – a short stretch of road consisting of tattoo parlours, delicatessens and alternative clothing

Live music:

As soon as you leave the tube station, you will hear street performers filling the air with their guitars, singing to a crowd of people. But step away from the street acts and there are many places that can tickle your musical taste buds:

The Roundhouse – holding music-themed workshops, this venue was once a railway repair shed but now boats past performances from Jay-Z, Kasabian and Sam Smith

Barfly – an official venue of the annual Camden Rocks Festival, the venue hosts club nights along with indie, rock and alternative live performances

Dublin Castle – as the place often frequented by ska band Madness, the pub hosts four musical acts nightly

Lock Tavern – a lockside pub offering pie and mash and roof terrace hosting music events

Going for a gentle stroll:

After visiting Camden Lock, take a 15 min walk for a gentle stroll around Camden Square Park, seeing all the beautiful mews homes along the way. At the top of the park is where Amy Winehouse lived. Her house is opposite the little car park. Lookout for the tree with writing and ribbon on.

Getting there:

Address: Camden Market, Camden Lock Place, London, NW1 8AF

Buses: King’s Cross (214), Victoria (24), West End (274) and East London (393).

Trains: 5 minute walk from Camden Town, an 8 minute walk from Camden Road and a 10 minute walk from Chalk Farm

Tips:

• Look out for the Amy Winehouse statue at Stables Market
• Camden Market has four main entrances: Camden Market Camden Lock, Camden Market Camden Lock Place, Camden Market North Yard and The Stables
• Every year around 28m visitors descend on the waterside retail site, needles to say it can get extremely busy over the weekend. Consider visiting in the afternoon during a weekday to avoid huge crowds
• Look out for the old lockkeeper’s cottage, which is now a Starbucks
• The market is open 364 days a year, only closing on Christmas Day. It opens at 10am
• Visit Camden Market homepage to find out the latest events

Checking out C & J