While trying to plan our trip to London and seeking out places we wanted to visit - Leadenhall…read morepopped up as a place to visit and it is absolutely worth it It is a covered market, and known for a couple of reasons, namely being one of the oldest markets in London and it has served as the inspiration for Diagon Alley as well as being featured in several movies! And for good reason, the quaintness and charm of the architecture is rather marvelous. There are plenty of eating, drinking and shopping options in the area and I appreciated the mix of tourists, locals and workers from the nearby financial district. But most of all the charm of the market makes this a must visit while in London!

This place felt like a movie set. You could feel the energy as soon as you enter. It is open with a…read morecool roof. The bar on the corner had people flowing out of it and the drinks were flowing. We walked around and there were a lot of god food options. We took some pictures and saw the Harry Potter filming location and Wonka inspiration. We spent about an hour there as the market is small, but we all got different food from various places. There is no community seating so we brought food from one restaurant to another and no one seemed to care. I would recommend this for those who want to feel like they have been taken to another land.

We enjoyed our week stay in Covent Garden. We took full advantage of the Covent Garden Market,…read morevisiting in several occasions. The Market is picturesque with lovely flower carts by the entrances. Historically, Covent Gardens were the gardens for the convent. Today, the beautiful enclosed market hosts various vendors that change regularly. The market is a great way to connect with locals. We went to the market four times during our visit. On Sundays, various art vendors set up and we visited with a local fossil dealer and purchased a couple fossils. We loved our dinner in one of the nearby cafes. On Mondays, antique dealers set up and sell various treasures. My husband bought me a vintage bracelet. We also watched a quintet play in the atrium. We found a few reasonably priced souvenirs to take home for gifts. Plenty of great restaurants surround the Market. We ate at several places and enjoyed our meals. The Market always seems to be new and people were friendly.

Covent Garden is an area in West End with a collection of shops and restaurants. This is considered…read moreto be in the city of Westminster. All of the shops are high-end, luxury. Think Rodeo Drive in London. It's a fun area to visit and check out all of the amazing offerings that most probably can never afford lol. Another must-see for hitting tourist areas in the West End.

Fun one mile shopping area and eating area in SOHO located in the west end of Westminster. No cars…read moreallowed, only pedestrians. After having a tasty snack at Pizza Pilgrims, went to the two story Rolling Stones store which was my favorite place on Carnaby Street. A bunch of boutique shops and found one bathroom and a drinking fountain. There was an old English style red phone booth containing an unspeakable object on the floor inside, good conversation piece for the rest of my trip. Welcome to London.

One of my absolute favorite places to shop when in London. I'll never pass up a chance to trek down…read moreto Carnaby street as the shopping and dining options are elite. For any one of my friends traveling into London I always recommend veering off a little to Carnaby. Over the years some shops have come and go but some of my favorites remain open. I'm a huge Great Frog lover and their shop is nearby, also for us rock n rollers I can't help stopping into The Rolling Stones Uk store. Lots of major branded stores but also cute local vendors and stores. It's a very walkable street and safe. Plenty busy so come earlier in the day to beat the crowds. Another pro tip is catching a reservation at dishshoom down here as I've found it easier to snag a reservation here than at their other locations. Plenty of dining options though and local stalls like Starbucks and Joe & the juice. It's a touristy street of shops but I love it - definitely bookmark this area on your must shop / see list when on this side of town.

I was looking for a free rooftop view of London and learned about this place from YouTube travel…read morevideos. It does not disappoint. All you have to do is find the elevator and go to the highest level, and since the elevator is mostly glass, you can get amazing views of St. Paul's Cathedral just on the way up. When we went around 10am on a Saturday in late August, there was barely anyone there. Maybe it was a combination of it still being early and not that many people knowing about it. It's also only about a 3 minute walk from St. Paul's Cathedral which you can get amazing views of from the rooftop as well as other notable sites like The Shard and The London Eye. And since it's outside with low panes of glass, you can take unobstructed photos. You can even get amazing shots on the ground floor because of the contrast between old vs. modern architecture.

Spectacular view of St Paul and surroundings from the rooftop terrace. There is a glass elevator to…read morethe 6th floor of this new office building shopping center that takes one to this hidden gem of a place. On a clear day the views are awesome of St Paul's Cathedral Dome and the rest of London. One can distinguish several key buildings and landmarks from above.

This was such a cute shopping center in the city. Loved walking around to see all the holiday…read moredecorations and lovely businesses. We sat for a drink under the heaters just to take a little break from exploring and walking all day. It was lovely.

Stumbled across Hay's Galleria with a holiday market while visiting in December 2024 which led to…read moreone of my favorite pop-up adventures out there. This holiday market was so nice and definitely a bit more upscale and organized compared to others. My favorite park was the ski lodge bar that was smack dab in the center. They had a full bar and it felt like you were in a small ski town. It's fairly small where you could enjoy a complete walk within twenty to thirty minutes, but it was very aesthetically pleasing. Curious what it looks like outside the holiday season.

What a huge selection of running and sport clothing. Weather in London was super high and we…read morerealized we need d lighter clothes that would wick sweat while we walked and found exactly what we were looking for. Very very affordable and the staff were quite pleasant, helpful and easy to find

The selection in the TK Maxx's I visited in London was terrible. Way too much Tommy Hilfiger and…read morecheap stuff made in China; not enough high quality merchandise, especially with regard to footwear and handbags. Most of the footwear and handbags was cheap vinyl crap made in China. The stores are incredibly cramped. They are understaffed as well.

Brunswick is located in Russell Square and filled with outdoor dining venues, shops you may be…read morefamiliar with and some small boutiques as well. Grab coffee, pastries, sushi, gluten free goodies, cosmetics, shoes and much much more. The marketplace is large with a gorgeous center space for sitting quietly, enjoying conversation, even people watching in peace. Keep an eye open for the flea market which offers local goods from chocolates to tshirts. ~Christy

The Brunswick Shopping Centre, just under half a mile from London Euston Station and really close…read moreto Russell Square Underground Station is a small shopping complex in Bloomsbury, London, located between Brunswick Square and Russell Square it is a fairly impressive building with impressive adaptations to make it seem more modern than old. I called in here to grab some food before getting the tube nearby to Wembley Stadium, there was a decent range of shops and places to eat, including brands such as Superdrug, Starbucks and Nandos', and a Waitrose store. Other stores here include Sainsbury's Local, Boots and 3, or if you're feeling hungry there is also the likes of itsu and Gourmet Burger Kitchen, the latter I only found out about after leaving it appeared to be hidden in the centre - shame! The entrance to the centre up a ramp which soon converted part into chairs looked quite dangerous, for me it looked like an accident waiting to happen with no clear lighting or signs to show it, which is why I can't help but wonder how this part of the building passed health and safety, which I can only guess is there down to it being grade II listed. A small selection of shops and places to eat and drink in decent surroundings, slightly quieter than getting something perhaps inside the Euston Station (or the square outside), and perhaps somewhere easy and nearby to go ahead of grabbing a train so it certainly is worthy of a solid three-star rating.

Went here on Saturday, I was greeted by friendly staff, and they were very polite. The store is…read morewell laid out. Lots of different brands available and there is a good range of sizes. I found some lovely boots that are hard to find in other stores. I will definitely be shopping here again soon.

So this was a wonderful surprise. Every block is filled with some sort of ethnic or cultural gem,…read morenot to mention all the breathtaking street art and wall graffiti that is there to discover. There's a market that happens only on Sundays til 4pm, so try to go then, but even when it's not happening, Brick Lane is such an adventure to walk through. It has a serious Brooklyn vibe - thank you, hipsters of the world. If you're at all into vintage clothes, arts, jewelry, maps, antiques, home decor, and bric-a-brac, this is the mecca for it. I've never seen this much vintage merchandise in one location! Make sure to check out the underground vintage market halfway through the street, because if you're into shopping at all, you'll find tons of second-hand designer clothing and accessories. The food options literally left my jaw dropped, and the same will happen to your Instagram followers. The crux of it is geared towards Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi cuisines and dollar stores (hence the unofficial nickname, Curry Lane), but you can find all sorts of shops on the street, like chocolatiers, donuts, a world-famous cereal bar, Lithuanian food, Ethiopian food, Middle Eastern food, and more. There is so much personality and eclectic energy to Brick Lane - I can't recommend it enough that you add it to your itinerary!

pretty cool slept on area? similar vibes to kensington (toronto). tons of food optionsread more

Now this is a shopping experience. Retail, food, cafes and pastries, cocktails, lattes, teas... Can…read morewe import Harrods into the U.S. already? During the winter holidays, it's festively decorated inside and out--and it's bussssy. Great place for gift shopping, picking up a luxe lewk, or just kill some time while being a tourist.

Is this a store or a mall? That was the controversy within our family after we visited. We all…read moreagreed that it was a huge space. There are separate stores each by brand or category. They have everything from clothes to appliances to electronics to furniture. You have to pay for each items at the location and in some instances you get a bag with that store's name on it, and in others, you get a Harrods' bag. One the lowest floor are the food options, including a grab and go style cafe, a sit down food court, again with many different restaurant concepts, but all within one space, and a bakery. The entire thing is a site for the eyes and consumerism at its finest. The bathrooms are clean and things were clearly labeled. We all also agreed that this was an experience for sure!