Camden Market
london at its loudest and weirdest
Canalside stalls, street food from everywhere and a tangle of punk history. Free to roam, and one of London's most visited spots.
Free to visit · Camden · Camden Town · NW1 8AF
Opening: Daily · roughly 10am–6pm
Camden Market is not one market but a sprawl of them, stitched together along the Regent's Canal and tumbling through old horse stables and railway arches. Wandering it is free, and it is gloriously, chaotically London, goth boots next to vegan doughnuts next to a stall selling nothing but hot sauce.
It grew out of the area's music history, and that punk, indie, anything-goes spirit still hangs over the place. The Stables Market end is the atmospheric bit, all cobbles and cast iron, with a bronze statue of Amy Winehouse who is woven into the neighbourhood.
The food is the modern draw and it is not free, but it is some of the best cheap street eating in the city, dozens of cuisines in a few hundred metres. Grab something, find a spot by the canal, and watch Camden be Camden.
Getting there: Right outside Camden Town on the Northern line, with the markets spreading north towards Chalk Farm.
Best time to go: Weekday late mornings to dodge the worst of the crush. Weekends are electric but absolutely rammed.
Insider tip: Walk up to the canal and follow the towpath out of the crowds towards Primrose Hill. It is a free, quiet ten minute walk that ends at the best skyline view in London, and hardly any market visitors think to do it.
Official site: https://www.camdenmarket.com
More free day trips from London · Free things to do in London