London Eclectic Street Markets Exploration Tour

London’s street markets are amongst the finest and most eclectic in Europe from the boho chic of the world famous Portobello market to the smorgasbord of culinary delights to be encountered at Borough Market, to the Rock N Roll enthused Camden Market, all tastes are catered for. The roots of many of the modern London street markets date back to the middle ages, so a visit to an outdoor London market makes for not only a fun shopping trip, but also a fascinating cultural and historical experience as well. If you are looking for clothing, housewares, crafts, antiques, vintage finds, food, or just about anything else you can imagine,
All Tours carried out in Executive vehicles ( Mercedes, BMW, Audi )
The total duration of this tour is 8 hours. 6 hours to visit all the market places and 2 hours for journey and lunch

What to expect:

Duration: 8 hours

Borough Market

8 Southwark Street, , London, SE1 1TL

The 1,000-year history of Borough Market, from its beginnings in the 11th century to its rebirth in the 21st
It is one of the largest and oldest food markets in London, with a market on the site dating back to at least the 12th century.
One of the most famous places to visit in London, especially if you love to eat, is Borough Market. The market was established in 1885, and it's one of the most renowned markets in London for artisan prepared food, and fresh organic produce.
For 1,000 years it has stood at the foot of London Bridge, serving the people of Southwark. After the construction of the first medieval bridge, probably in the mid-990s, the road we now know as Borough High Street acted as a vital artery joining London—a walled metropolis on the north side of the river—to the ports and towns of the south, making it a magnet for farmers, bakers, brewers and fishermen hoping to sell their wares to travellers.

1 hour

Leadenhall Market

Gracechurch Street, , London, EC3V 1LT

A boutique retail market within the heart of the City London.
From the Roman Basilica to Diagon Alley, discover the rich heritage of Leadenhall Market.
Leadenhall Market dates back to the 14th century and is situated in what was the centre of Roman London. Originally a meat, poultry and game market, it is now home to a number of boutique retailers, restaurants, cafes, wine bars and an award-winning pub.
Starting as the site of a manor, Leadenhall has survived changes in use, rebuilding, and even the Great Fire to become a popular destination for city residents, visitors and workers.

Built on the site of a Roman Basilica (Courts) and Forum (Market), Leadenhall was the largest market North of the Alps and occupied an area bigger than that of Trafalgar Square.
Extensively restored in 1991, Leadenhall Market offers a spectacular Victorian setting with the roof, cobbles and buildings preserved. By the mid-20th century the shops are also being used for general retailing and leisure and by the end of the century Leadenhall Market has evolved into one of the City’s five principal shopping centres.

HARRY POTTER & MORE

Part of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (the first film in the blockbuster series) was filmed in Leadenhall in 2000/2001. The market was used to represent the area of London leading to the popular wizarding pub The Leaky Cauldron and magical shopping street Diagon Alley.

Leadenhall Market is a popular choice as a filming location and can be seen in many other movies including: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy; The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus; Hearafter; and Love Aaj Kal. The pop group Erasure also filmed their music video for Love to Hate You in the market in 1991.

1 hour

New Covent Garden Market

Nine Elms Lane, London, SW8 5BH

Covent Garden is known for its many open-air cafés, restaurants, pubs, market stalls and shops. Famous are the many street performers who entertain the visitors on the pedestrianized piazza. A former floral market now houses the London Transport Museum.]
A shopping and entertainment hub in London's West End, Covent Garden centres on the elegant, car-free Piazza, home to fashion stores, craft stalls at the Apple Market, and the Royal Opera House. Street entertainers
The Jubilee Market area is steeped in history with the novelist Thomas De Quincey lodging and writing here, goods used to be delivered on ponies direct from the docks to the loading bays which can still be seen, and the first mention of a Punch and Judy show in Britain was recorded, here, by diarist Samuel Pepys, who saw such a show in the square in May 1662.

1 hour

Old Spitalfields Market

16 Horner Square, , London, E1 6EW

Old Spitalfields Market is a covered market in Spitalfields, London. There has been a market on the site for over 350 years.
Spitalfields Market. As an international city, London is celebrated for its diversity in population. The East End has always been recognised for the wealth of cultures represented. Spitalfields served as a microcosm of this polyglot society, the 'melting pot' fusion of east and west.
Open seven days a week, all year round. Come rain or shine, you'll find a lively market full of home-grown fashion, art, homewares and more.
Filling the Market with vibrant vintage for over 14 years, our Thursday Antiques Market curated by Sherman & Waterman is alive with the South East’s most exciting traders.
Prepare to compete with top fashion houses and film studios for London’s most covetable vintage fashion, art, postcards & ephemera, cameras, militaria, ceramics and jewellery.

Fashion finds include American Workwear, Utility, Victoriana, 50s, 60s and 70s and Male Heritage, while costume jewellery covers everything from beautiful bargain gems to high end vintage Chanel.

Don’t be surprised if you end up rubbing shoulders with East End art scene royalty… Tracy Emin and Sue Kreitzman are both Market regulars.

1 hour

Camden Market

32 Camden Lock Place, London, NW1 8AF

CAMDEN MARKET IS A DIVERSE COMMUNITY OF CREATIVE SELLERS, STREET FOOD TRADERS AND INDEPENDENT STORES NEXT TO THE REGENT’S CANAL.
In the 1960s, legendary gigs at Dingwalls and the Roundhouse changed London’s music scene forever, bringing rock and punk to London. These venues were beloved by counter culture bands, including The Clash, The Sex Pistols and Blondie.
As Camden’s music industry boomed, alternative fashion came with it. Young designers started experimenting with new looks and selling them on market stalls where mods, rockers, punks and bohemians gathered to hang out and shop.
The first of Camden’s markets, Camden Lock started in 1974 as an arts and crafts market outside Dingwalls Dance Hall. Its popularity quickly grew, with Camden Market becoming the place to go if you were looking for something ‘alternative’. British subcultures defined by music were burgeoning: mods, rockers, punks, bohemians – everybody who was ‘cool’ was down at Camden Market on a Sunday afternoon buying their hippy flares, leather jackets, cheese cloth smocks, ripped Levi’s, slogan tees, platform boots and battered old Dr Martens.
Camden Market acted as a launch pad for many young designers. The flexibility of a market stall and the eclectic mix of visitors attracted to Camden Market every weekend made ideal conditions in which to start a fledging fashion business. By the mid-80s, The Daily Express had named Camden Lock ‘London’s trendiest Sunday hang-out’ stating that ‘many of Britain’s top designers started out with stalls here’. Eine Kleine, English Eccentrics and BodyMap are just a few of the brands that were dominating the London fashion scene in the 80s, not long after they had started out with nothing but a single stall in Camden Market.

2 hours

Portobello Road Market

72 Tavistock Road, London, W11 1AN

The Portobello Road Market — a six-day street market in Notting Hill, London — is one of the most famous street markets in the world. People flock to the Saturday antique market, in particular, to peruse over 1,000 antique vendors selling anything from furniture to collectibles
Portobello is really several markets in one, Saturday being the day when all are in full swing. Then you can experience a mile of hustle, haggle, colour and energy. The feature of Saturdays is the opening of hundreds of antique and specialist shops and stalls. There are some talented and bizarre street performers to be spotted too.
Friday – second busiest day
Southern Portobello Road – antiques
Middle of the market – food, new fashion, accessories, household goods
Portobello Green, North Portobello – vintage clothing & accessories, collectables, bric-a-brac
Golborne Road – bric-a-brac, furniture, food
The markets main attraction is the vibrant antiques section which is located near Notting Hill tube station; The half mile of road contains 100’s of buzzing market stalls, shops and arcades. You can expect to find a wonderful and wide array on antiques dating from BC to the 1960’s on offer including items such as glass and crystal, silver, books and many other collectibles.

1 hour