If there was such a place has a heaven for punks, this would be it. Arguably the quirkiest market in London, and also the cheapest, this place is amazingly lively.
When I went here, I had a slight cold. My parents bought a few bottles of freshly-made orange juice for £1 each, a ridiculously cheap price for London. We cautiously ventured into some of the deeper areas of the infamous market, and by the end, we had seen every colored mohawk that could possibly exist. We stuck around for lunch; there were a couple of cheap falafel stands, and we got some falafel sandwiches. The clothing was dirt-cheap, but it wasn't really my style (lots of punk rock stuff, peace tie-dye shirts, and a lot of other stuff you could expect to find at a place like this.) The surrounding streets were also cheap (2-3x cheaper than Oxford Street), and in fact we came here at the end of our trip just to buy souvenirs. Time to spend: 1-3 hours Bottom Line: Everything (and I mean everything) is extremely cheap, however some would find this place sketchy and feel unsafe
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The Leadenhall Market is easy to miss while you're strolling through the skyscrapers of the City of London district. However, this historical Victorian indoor marketplace is worth a visit. The Leadenhall Market is most well-known to be the set of Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter series, but also contains a variety of clothing stores and food. It is also especially beautiful during Christmas; there is a Christmas tree and the shops are lined with garlands. While you're there, don't miss taking a photo- its vibrant red and gold ceilings are quite stunning. Time to visit: Less than an hour Bottom Line: Stick to Borough Market if you're looking for shopping, but is a must for Harry Potter fans and photographers alike Picture your average shopping mall. Multiply its size by ten. You get the giant department store Harrod's. If you live in London, you know what Harrod's is, but if you don't and are visiting, I encourage you to take a visit. The interior is Egyptian-influenced, and is packed top to bottom with world-famous designers and perfume shops, which are not exactly my idea of fun, but it was really fun to see the quirky interior of this giant department store. It is also relatively old, and dates back to the Victorian Era, which is clearly visible in its architecture.
Well, what exactly do you do here? Explore the wide range of over-the-top designer stores. Take the escalator all the way to the top and take a picture of the Egyptian sphinx. And if you're in the mood for an afternoon tea, visit The Georgian on the fourth floor, which also serves a lunch buffet. Time to spend: 30 minutes to 2 hours Bottom Line: Lots of designer stores and quirky Egyptian architecture packed into one of the most famous department stores in the world. From the outside, the British Library looks like a boxy factory, but once you step in, only then you realize how large this library is. It houses every book ever published in the UK and Ireland (750 million books), more than half of which are underground.
To check out or read a book, you must get a Reader's Pass, which requires applications. However, there are hassle-free methods to get the most out of this library. The Treasures of The British Library exhibition contains work from Leonardo da Vinci, Shakespeare, The Beatles, and houses the original Magna Carta. In the Philatelic Collection, which houses 750 million stamps, you can see the Penny Black (the world's first stamp), several WWII Nazi stamps, and of course old stamps from the British Commonwealth and other defunct countries and empires. Adjacent to the British Library is the majestic Kings Cross St Pancras train station, so if you are taking a train to Brussels or Paris and arrive at the station early it won't hurt to take a quick visit to the library. Stop by there and snap some instantly social-media worthy pictures of the beautiful Gothic masterpiece. Time to spend: 1 hour to more than 3 hours, depending on your interest Bottom Line: Come here for a quick visit: two very interesting exhibitions will brighten your day up Covent Garden is a neat array of small streets, starting from the Seven Dials monument and ending at the giant greenhouse-like Convent Garden Market. For a person who likes walking through a city's streets like me, this deserves a spot an your itinerary. Covent Garden Market The Covent Garden Market is a small shopping complex, filled with small French bakeries such as Ladurée and small toy shops such as Benjamin Pollock's Toy Shop. It is a wonderful place to walk around and spend a few minutes, and outside the front entrance you can find street performers. When we went there, there was a contortionist, and we came back the next week and found a magician. Souvenir shops outside tend to be on the pricey side; go souvenir shopping in the Camden Lock Market. Time to spend: 20 minutes to an hour. Bottom Line: Small building, but many unique shops and cafés. Covent Garden & Soho Districts The Soho area is filled with vibrant streets with quirky shops and amazing ethnic eateries. Walk to the Seven Dials monument and from there, get lost in the maze of streets in the area. If you need a quick bite, there are plenty of very good Thai restaurants such as Siam Central, Thai Metro, and Thai Square (yes, for some reason they all sound like train stations!) For shopping, visit the Strand or the ever-crowded Oxford Street
Time to spend: less than 2 hours Bottom Line: Come here for eating, shopping, and night-life; it is also one of the best areas to walk around in London. |
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General Tips: London
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