Camden Town

Camden High Road
London, England

Submitted by: lisa t

A mix of markets, coffee shops, pubs, bars, nightclubs, restaurants, shopping, entertainment and so much more.

Why It Works

Camden Town is a densely populated area, no matter what the time or day of the week. Packed full of shoppers, locals, tourists and tons of independent shops and markets, Camden Town brings millions of people down annually for a variety of different purposes. The streets are intertwined and pedestrian friendly, lined with old unique buildings, each one different from the next. Each street brings upon new and unique experiences.

What Makes Camden Town a Great Place?

Camden Town is easily accessible from all central London districts. Dozens of train and transit lines connect with Camden town, with the main underground tube station right in the center of the commotion. On a nice day, is also easily walkable from most central districts, and the pedestrians in Camden Town tend to outnumber automobiles. It is also residential so that people who live nearby are able to use this space for all purposes (i.e. banking, grocery shopping, nightlife, transportation etc.). Hundreds of colourful, unique flyers are posted on lampposts and buildings, so finding its features and events is never a problem.

There are many outdoor patios, also sheltered from the rain. As with all heavily used areas, there tends to be a fair bit of litter on the ground, but the old-age buildings are well maintained and kept. The abundance of people at all times of the day make the streets relatively safe from any real violence and assaults, but one must always beware of pickpockets.

People use this area for a variety of purposes, ranging from shopping to entertainment to just lounging and watching life go by. People of all ages and genders use this area. There is no one age group, race or gender that outnumbers another. Evenings and nighttime tend to attract a younger crowd, due to Camden's vibrant nightlife.

The mood in Camden tends to vary. People are quite sociable and friendly inside the establishments, but on the streets can be a bit frustrating plowing through the crowds, stepping on people and getting stepped on. Weekends tend to be the busiest, making it nearly impossible to see anything in front you but people. It would suffice to say that if one wanted to meet people from each corner of the world in one day, Camden Town would be the place to do so.

User Comments:

08/15/05 Kate Spaulding said:: Camden Town in London is where trends are set, bands are discovered, and all types of people connect. Bands like The Clash played at some of the historic venues in Camden Town before they made it big, that definitely says something. All of my favorite fashion steals from my semester abroad in London were found here. Cool "trainers" (casual sneakers), punchy bags, $10 shoes, music, haircuts; you can find anything hip and trendy in Camden Town and be eating some of the best and most exotic food while doing so. It's the one place you can really escape from the High Street same trendy fashion that takes over everywhere else in London.
09/16/08 Jon Vickers-Jones said:: My most memorable moment in Camden Town was eating eel pie and mash when I was 8 ...but that was 63 years ago. I'm so glad that Camden town still thrives and is so alive. I live in USA now.
12/04/09 Nigel Spencer said:: Great stuff in Camden Lock Market: got CD collection of all Rolling Stones singles at a great price!