9 Coolest Things to Do in Camden Town
Whoever visits London knows there are countless things to do in Camden Town. I mean – Camden Town in London is one of the most visited places in the world, and of course, since it’s such a tourist place, there are more Camden Town restaurants and shops than you could count. Camden Market, for instance, is loaded with street food stalls. From Hawaiian freshness to Italian richness and delicious Thai food, you can find in Camden Town all the delicious food specialties and some of the best restaurants in London you could dream of.
9 Coolest Things to Do in Camden Town Alone
I have been to Camden Town many times. There are a few places I love to visit there over and over again, and Camden Town at night is just as exciting as it is when you go just to browse the Camden Town vintage shops. This part of London is so much fun. Streets are full of art, painted walls, and sculptures of shoes built on the outside of the buildings – perfect for snapping some good Insta photographs. Besides the best restaurants in Camden Town, you can see there amazing shops like the famous Cyberdog shop, for instance – an unmissable sight.
To find out which are the best places to see in Camden Town, stick around! Also, if you don’t want to miss any new goodness on The London Local, I highly suggest you sign up for the newsletter. I promise, no weird junk in your mailbox!
5 Best Things To Do in Camden Town During The Day
There are a bunch of places to eat in Camden Town, and a whole lot of landmarks to explore. The best part is you can most of them on foot as well. From the Jewish Museum to a chill walk along Regent’s Canal, the Camden culture is one of freedom, expansion, and rebellion. The Camden Town street art offers some of the largest paintings on walls that all of London has to offer. The only place that could maybe compare in terms of street art would be Shoreditch, and even then, it doesn’t feature the fierceness that the Camden Town street art offers.
Some of the London landmarks you can find in Camden Town include:
- Arlington House
- The Dublin Castle
- Camden Market
- Regents Canal
- Dingwalls
- Street Art
- The Hawley Arms
- Proud Photo Gallery
- Staples Market
- The Roundhouse
- Jewish Museum
5 Best Things To Do in Camden Town London During The Day
Look for the best Camden Town street art
Camden Town is filled with street art. It doesn’t matter whether you’re on Camden High Street, going left or right when you leave the station. You are bound to find amazing paintings on the walls – sometimes even on the ground. Not too long ago, LGBT multicolor flags were painted at a few Camden Town crossroads as well, making the place even more colorful than it usually is.
If you want to dive deeper into the Camden Town London street art, pay a visit to Ferdinand Estate, Hartland Road, or Castlehaven Road. There, you’ll find your street art fix. Miller Street is a sight too, just off Camden High Street, and you’ll find there more street art than you could have believed would be possible.
Visit the best Camden Town charity shops
I love charity shops in London so much that I’ve already written two posts about them. Shopping in Camden Town is one of the best things to do. Even if you’ve come for the vintage shops, you can sometimes find amazing gems in Camden Town charity shops. Plus, you’ll just cash out a fraction of the price you’d have spent in vintage shops. Some of the best Camden Town charity shops include those on Camden High Street, among which Cancer Research UK, the British Heart Foundation, Oxfam, and Mind Camden closer to Camden Town station.
Find out more details about those cool Camden charity shops in my dedicated post, and if you want to know about more amazing charity shops in London, I’ve also written an entire blog about them.
Visit Camden Lock’s Colorful Houses
Camden Lock is a sight – the area offers some of the best vintage shops in London, for starters. As you walk up Camden High Street, when you pass Camden Market, you find yourself in a quieter area. Camden Lock is quite famous, however, when people visit London and look for color, they’ll most probably go see the colorful houses in Notting Hill. And overlook Camden Lock, even if there are many colorful streets there as well. The most famous is Bonny Street, I’d say, and if you walk to Kentish Town, you’ll also find many colorful houses on Falkland Road.
Do some shopping at the best thrift shops
I’ve written about the best budget shops in London and told you a few weeks ago about Poundland, Savers, and all the coolest places to get makeup, homeware, and electronics in London for a pound or two. Camden Town is lucky enough to have some of the best charity shops in London, but it also has quite a few discount stores.
On Camden High Street, you can find two Poundland shops and one Savers. From Poundland, you can get some of the best health and beauty brands, and try the very good Makeup Gallery makeup products – I especially love their creamy lipsticks, lip liners, and nail polishes.
I’d also suggest getting a warm pastry from Lidl while you’re nearby. I wouldn’t say that Lidl is the best Camden Town restaurant, but we all know how amazing their pastries are – decadent and oh, so buttery. They make for a cheap London snack when you’ve just arrived in Camden Town in London and don’t really know where to grab a bite.
Visit Cyberdog Camden Town
There’s no way I’d make a list of the best things to do in Camden Town and leave out Cyberdog. This shop is an institution in the Camden borough, and perhaps in all of London. It’s a very much party-themed store, huge and filled with the trendiest and most unwearable clothes, made for raves and parties. There, you’ll find PVC clothes, the shortest skirts you’ve ever seen, neon makeup, weirdly colored contacts, and so much more – one of the edgiest and coolest shops in London. Prices follow the hype, so get some budget ready, because you’ll want to splurge!
Best Things to do in Camden at Night
Visiting Camden Town in London at night is one of the coolest favors you can do yourself. It’s not all about shopping in Camden Market – there are lots of jazz places, pubs, and events in Camden Town taking place every day. Some are free, some you have to pay for and it all depends on the event and the artist. The Camden culture is big on music and edgy activities, so that’s the best place to go in London if you’d like to open up your mind to something more local.
Head to a Gig
Camden Town is famous for music and arts, so it goes without saying that attending a gig at night in this part of London is on my to-do list. The Roundhouse is exactly the synonym of fun music events. Surrounding yourself with music is the best thing to do in Camden at night.
For more information, do check their website – it’s a perfect place to spot fresh talent. There is also a bunch of stuff you can participate in if you have any kind of talent. If you just want to chill after a full day visiting Camden Town, there’s an incredible calendar of theatre, live music, and much more there so you’re sure to blend in.
Explore iconic Amy Winehouse landmarks in Camden Town:
Camden has many historical landmarks. Most of us visit them during the day, but viewing them at night is something else.
Camden is a hub of musical history, and to be fair, some of the most famous landmarks in Camden Town include everything Amy Winehouse-related. Taking a tour to learn more about the history of both this part of London and the singer is a great way to spend time. There’s more than just the statue of her in the middle of Camden Market – there are plenty of Amy Winehouse-related street art pieces on the walls of the Camden Town borough.
Chill out to Jazz Music in Camden Town London:
How about enjoying a music night in Camden Town? It’s the best way to spend nights for most of us when we’re not having dinner with friends. Isn’t it? My favorite place to enjoy jazz music is the Jazz Cafe. I have been a fan of jazz ever since I can remember, and to be fair, the Jazz Cafe equals Ronnie Scott in Soho. If you’re more of a live music type of person, The Blues Kitchen in Camden Town is the best option. Oh, and Underworld is the place for heavy metal rock fans – there’s really something to do for everyone in Camden Town.
How to get to Camden Market?
There are two ways to get to Camden Market. Chalk Farm and Camden Town both are underground stations. If you are going shopping, I recommend you to go via Camden Town station. That way, you will arrive at the Camden Town shopping area directly. You can explore nearby and go back through Chalk Farm. If you are looking for reasonable items to lay a hand on, then you should also definitely consider getting off at Chalk Farm station.
Then, Stables Market and Camden Lock Market are famous places to do amazing shopping. Around, you can get anything from an amazing slice of pizza to body mists from Skinny Dip, silver rings, and vintage designer jeans. But you need to be careful, some of the Camden Town shops really are targeting tourists and rip-offs are normal there, as in any touristy place in London. Think before you buy!
There’s so much to do and see in Camden Town that it’s impossible to list it all in one easily digestible article, to be honest. I don’t want to put any pressure either on me or you when you read The London Local articles. All I’ve listed above are very much part of the eclectic Camden culture, and very different from the posh places I’ve written about in the past, like the best halal restaurants in Mayfair, or the best vegan brunch places in London, for instance.
9 Coolest Things to Do in Camden Town London Alone
Finding out how to get to Camden Market is easy – when you get out of Camden Town station, take a right and walk up Camden High Street. Cross the bridge, and you’re there. The famous Cyberdog shop is located right in the middle of Camden Market, and you can find countless jewelry, vintage clothes, and even high end leather shops there. They all make up a great part of the London landmarks, to be fair. Very different from museums and art galleries – but to be fair, Camden Town is an open-air museum, and I never find myself lacking options to have fun there.
What’s more, no matter what kind of food you are looking for, Camden Town has some of the best restaurants in London. The taste of Camden town street food is an unforgettable experience, for tourists especially. Besides that, Camden Town’s rich culture is what makes it stand out. Street arts, live music, gig nights, and pubs, you can find everything in this part of London.
People there, especially the young generation, are known for their artistic nature, humbleness, rebellion, and talent. On a lucky day, you can even spot a real punk or two! If you’d like to know more about exciting things to do in London off the beaten path, I’ve written a guide to the 7 best cheap non touristy things to do in London alone for you to enjoy!
Having previously lived in both Paris and Rome as a fashion makeup artist, she enjoys the freedom that freelancing offers and loves to spend her time seeking out new and exciting spots in London.