How to Visit the Camden Markets in London

The Camden markets – generally referred to collectively as Camden Market – are a collection of unique markets located between the Camden Town and Chalk Farm tube stations. This was originally an industrial area known for its distilleries and warehouses, all dedicated to producing and shipping London’s world-renowned gin. Today, the markets are a popular tourist destination, especially for those looking for unique souvenirs.

Depending on how you’d like to make your way through London’s many wonderful attractions, I can help you explore this lively and fun area as part of a custom London travel itinerary. In the meantime, here are my tips for visiting and getting the most out of the Camden markets! 

What is the history of the Camden Market location?

In the early 1970s, this famous site began hosting a Sunday market, beginning with just 16 temporary stalls where artists, designers, and craftspeople offered their creative wares once a week. It soon became a staple of London life, a center for shopping, the arts, and well-known music venues. 

Camden has long been an area that has attracted artists, musicians, punks, and bohemians of all kinds. Their culture, fashion, and music influenced the cosmopolitan and “alternative” character of the Camden markets.

Today, the market is one of London’s most popular sites, attracting more than 250,000 people a week. It has blossomed into a diverse community of independent stores and food vendors, with more than 1,000 places to shop, eat, drink, and dance. 

Stables Market

Starting at Chalk Farm (a small urban neighborhood in north London), explore the Stables Market along Chalk Farm Road. This is the largest of the markets that make up the Camden Markets as a whole, and it has an eclectic and fascinating history. 

This area gets its name from the more than 400 horses that used to live and work along the canal in the early 1900s. Here they pulled trains, train parts, and barges along the canal, as well as transporting people and their goods and luggage. Horses were so integral to the life and commerce of this area that there was even a horse hospital to tend to any that were injured on the job or fell ill. 

Today, FEST Camden operates where the hospital once was — a club, art space, and cabaret venue that draws Londoners and visitors looking for cutting-edge music and dance performances.

The shops and stalls are set up in the old stables and in the arches under the railway viaduct. Here is where you can find antiques, vintage and second-hand clothing, and a variety of retro treasures.

Camden Lock Market

From the Stables Market, you can make your way south and across the lock to Camden Lock Market. This is the original Camden market, where those 16 crafts and antiques stalls made their first splash in 1974. 

Inside and near the main 3-story building, you’ll find one-of-a-kind gifts and souvenirs, high-quality craft items, and a variety of food vendors with tasty treats from all over the world.

A venti history lesson, extra whipped cream, please: look for the original lock keeper’s cottage, which is now a Starbucks.

Buck Street Market 

The original Buck Street Market was the first market to greet visitors on their exit from Camden Town tube station. A large green sign announced the entrance and welcomed tourists to The Camden Market. For 30 years, the area was a bustling hub where people could get trendy clothes and knick-knacks. 

In 2019, the city began a remodel of the historic area, replacing the stalls with 88 repurposed shipping containers and taking on a decidedly modern vibe. While the change wasn’t without controversy, the new environmentally-friendly market has been well-received and has become an attraction in its own right. 

Buck Street is the first eco-conscious market in the UK, where the retailers and food vendors have a sustainability focus, from the items they sell to the food they serve to its zero-plastic policy.

Calling all vegans! This is a great place for travelers looking for delicious vegetarian and vegan food options. 

And for live music enthusiasts: don’t miss the Electric Ballroom, an iconic music venue that’s been around for more than 80 years, hosting famous artists like Sid Vicious, The Clash, U2, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sir Paul McCartney, Prince, and The Smiths.

An Alternative Route: Arrive at the Camden Markets By Cruise

If you’d like a different way to explore the markets, consider arriving by boat! 

The London Waterbus Company offers tranquil floating tours aboard charming historical narrowboats — the kind that used to navigate the canal way back in the 1800s. You can book a 45-minute canal cruise that takes you along the Regent’s Canal between Little Venice and the Camden Markets.

Alternatively, Jason’s Trip offers a similar tour on more modern tour boats. 

Both company’s tours offer a rich historical narrative, plus an opportunity to see some of London’s most famous Victorian streets from a canal-side view. Kids will love looking at actual live-in houseboats along the canal, passing under the echo-y Maida Hill Tunnel, and getting an excellent view of Regent’s Park and the London Zoo. 

Strolling, Shopping, and Making the Most of Your Time in London

However you choose to visit the historic Camden markets, they are sure to enthrall and amuse, and they are a perfect, easy way to spend an afternoon in oh-so-charming London. 

With a custom-designed itinerary, I can book canal tours, arrange transportation from your hotel, make reservations at a restaurant you’ve been meaning to try, or snag tickets to an upcoming live show — and all you have to do is show up and enjoy yourself!