Things to do in London – Shop at Camden Market

Whether you are on a business tour or an a leisure trip with friends or family, one thing is for sure no matter how much you try one can never squeeze out from a trip to the markets. No wonder, then that a trip to the markets now forms an inherent part of any trip and you now have package tours designed specially centred around markets and shopping festivals – The Dubai Shopping Festival and the Malaysian Shopping Festivals being such examples.

One such market which attracts people in thousands and is in the list of must visit places is the Camden Market of London. The largest street market in the UK, Camden’s group of markets attracts around 500,000 visitors each week and is the fourth most-visited tourist attraction in London. The market located in the town of Camden near the Hampstead Road Lock of the Regent’s Canal comprises of various markets like Camden Lock Market, Camden Stables Market, Camden Canal Market, Inverness Street Market, and Camden (Buck Street) Market and collectively go the name – Camden Market or more popularly “Camden Lock”.

A shopper’s paradise, the history of Camden and of its market can be traced back to 1800’s when the Earl of Camden developed the land around Camden High Street as a stop off point to Hampstead. This was followed by the construction of the Regent’s Canal in 1870’s, which linked the Grand Junction Canal at Paddington with the River Thames at Limehouse and enabled goods to be moved by barge more easily from the industrial Midlands to the London docks. This continued till the 1950’s when road transport killed off most of the waterway traffic, and the canals fell into decline. However, the fortunes of Camden underwent a sea change when a craft market was established in Camden Lock Market in 1974. What initially started as a small craft bazaar gradually grew in scope and size. Apart from traditional crafts, the market started to deal in a wide variety of goods including antiques, and clothing with a scattering of food stalls. Soon the market began to attract many people- both Londoners as well as the tourists who started to make a beeline to the place largely because of the goods sold as well as its location. Boat trips and walks along the canal become a popular attraction of Camden Lock.

As the fame of market grew, new markets soon opened up. These were the Camden Stables market, which became an important centre of alternative fashion scene; the Camden Buck Street market and the Electric Ballroom and the Inverness Street Market, a century old street market famous for fresh produce and foodstuffs. These markets are now home to designer workshops, stalls, shops, cafes, restaurants and bars selling an extensive array of high quality goods from designer, alternative & vintage clothing and accessories like furnishings, antiques, jewellery etc. Once done with the shopping, visitors can either hop on the tube/ bus or stroll down to Regent’s Park & Queen Mary’s Gardens to admire London’s most beautiful park; Primrose Hill for some hip cafes & boutiques and even take a scenic trip along Regent’s Canal.

Getting to the market is easy as Camden is well connected with the rest of London. Camden Town or Chalk Farm is the nearest tube station. The market is open seven days a week with most footfalls happening on the weekend.

Opening Times:

• Camden Lock Market: 10:00-18:00 7 days, off Chalk Farm Road
• Stables Market: 10:00-18:00 7 days, off Chalk Farm Road
• Camden (Buck Street) Market: Thu-Sun 10:00-17:30, Camden High Street, junction with Buck Street
• Camden Canal Market: Sat-Sun 10:00-18:00, off Chalk Farm Road

A trip to Camden Market will ensure that you never come back empty ended. If not goods, you will definitely come back with great memories.

Famous the world over for its beaches and parties, Goa got yet another feather in its cap that, as the host of the grooviest International Dance Music Festival in India- The Sunburn Festival. Viewed as one of Asia’s biggest dance Festival, this electronic dance music festival held for the first time in 2007 at the Candolim Beach, Goa, has come a long way. Now in its third year, the Sunburn festival promises to be a massive event than ever with over 90 Indian and international DJ’s participating for a chance of being the best in the world.

Voted as ninth best festival in the world by CNN, the festival is a synergy of music, entertainment, sports, food, shopping and lifestyle that attracts thousands of music afincados from all over the world. Held over a period of three days in the last week of December, the main highlight of the festival are the artists playing simultaneously on seven huge outdoor stages! Divided into two parts- Sunburn on the Beach and Sunburn after Dark, the festival is a 24 hours non- stop musical extravaganza. The festivities start on the beach at noon continuing till 10 pm only to move indoors (sunburn after dark) to Butter lounge from where it continues till the wee hours.

This year, the Sunburn Festival will be from 27th – 29th December at the Candolim beach. Tickets for the same are available on a daily basis as well as a package for the entire duration. These can be brought either online (www.sunburn.in) or on the day of festival at the venue itself.

So if you planning a holiday in Goa, India and want to enjoy the music and have a good time then make sure to book your accommodation and be at this hot and happening city latest by 26th Dec.

One of London’s finest landscapes and also a popular landmark, Hyde Park spread over 350 acres is one of England’s finest royal parks. Dating back to the 15th century, the Park was earlier a private hunting ground of the British royals till it was opened to the public in1637 by Charles I. Since then, the character of the park has undergone many changes. The park was the site of many a national celebrations and mass demonstrations namely the Great Exhibition of 1851, for which the Crystal Palace was designed. However, the park is mainly associated with the various agitation and riots beginning in 1855 which finally lead to the culmination to the Speakers Corners where people were given the right to debate and have discussions on any topic of their choice. Since then, the park has been associated with ‘free speech’ and has given birth to many such ’speakers corners’ in various parts of England and abroad.

Over time Hyde Park has undergone considerable change – from a normal hunting ground to accommodating a sea of demonstrators, the park is now a place for holding concerts, film shows and exhibitions. Various notable movies have been pictured here – Around the World in Eighty Days, The Ipcress File, Johnny English to name a few. People who have seen the movies can clearly identify the various scenes and places that were pictured here. Besides, the speaker corner, there are various other places which are sure to capture the visitors interests -the Serpentine, a lake of 11.34 hectares, the July Memorial in honour of 7 July 2005 London Bombings victims and the Princess Diana memorial fountain are some of the most visited areas of the park as is the Holocaust Memorial and the Weeping Beech also known as the upside-down tree”.

Events such as rock concerts, the Winter Wonderland fest (18 December 2011 -3 January 2012) and the upcoming Summer Olympics when the park will be venue for the triathlon and the 10 km open water swimming events further asserts the importance the park has in a Londoner’s life. Events or no events, one can be sure that the average Londoner will be making a trip to the park once in a while whether it’s simply a jog in the park or catching up with friends.
The park is open from 5am until midnight all year round and one can reach there by taking the tube from the Central Line or the Piccadilly line.