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Inner city district of London, England
Photo: Georgia Pinaud, Lille, France., Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
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The official book depository of the United Kingdom, holding a copy of every book ever printed here, and a wide variety of periodicals. No less than 150 million items catalogued and there is an unimaginable 625 km of shelving! Visitors may not use the library unless they have proof of identity, home address, and a genuine need to use a specific item, but there is a free "Treasures of the British Library" exhibition chronicling the history of the written and printed word and displaying some of the library's best known items, including two of the original manuscripts of the Magna Carta and Leonardo Da Vinci's notebook. Additionally there are temporary exhibitions on historical or literary subjects, which charge admission. Popular ones can be very crowded at weekends. In the central atrium stands the King's Library (the library of King George III) surrounded by a glass wall, so visitors can occasionally see librarians retrieving books for readers. Tours of the library building run M W F-Su and cost £6. Call to book. Large items of luggage are not permitted in the building and cannot be stored in the cloakroom.
A 2-acre nature reserve amid the industrial wasteland just north of King's Cross Station. This lovely little park gives visitors interested in nature the opportunity to learn about the work of the London Wildlife Trust who administer this and 26 other reserves in London. This is the only one in the centre of the city.
In 2010, it reopened after a renovation with a modern extension. Exhibitions on the long history of the Jewish community in London. Well laid out and interesting.
You can walk or cycle along the canal through east London all the way to the Thames (3 hr). The St. Pancras lock is directly north of St Pancras station. Regent's Canal was once a lifeline for trade and industry in London with narrowboats and barges ferrying goods to and from North London. The canal winds its way from the Grand Union Canal near Paddington in West London, past Regent's Park, Camden, Islington and Mile End to Limehouse, where it meets the Thames. From Camden Lock you can walk upstream along the canal to Regent's Park and on to London Zoo. It is a great way to approach the Zoo and a good way to avoid the traffic. Downstream of Camden is less pretty but still an interesting walk, taking you through the Islington Tunnel (one of the longest tunnels in the British canal system) and out in to East London. Whichever way you go along the path, watch out for cyclists!
Hidden away behind St. Pancras railway station is what is believed to be one of the oldest sites of Christian worship in England. There has been a church on the site since at least around the year 314. The current church is mostly a 19th-century structure, but it contains some traces of an older Norman structure. Surrounding the church is a cemetery, today transformed into a public park that contains a memorial to philosopher and "mother of feminism" Mary Wollstonecraft, who was originally buried there before her remains were moved to Bournemouth. This is where her daughter Mary, the author of Frankenstein, first declared her love for her future husband, Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley.
Ornate Neo-Gothic architecture, used in the Harry Potter films.
English Folk Dancing.
Theatre named after George Bernard Shaw and famous for showing high-quality non-mainstream productions.
A selection of cafes at the station. Convenient for a quick bite.
Mexican cafe bar & bistro with vegetarian & Vegan options.
Indian restaurant named after the famous Indian sitarist and composer. A superb vegetarian Thali can be had for under £10. Wash it down with a Kingfisher and you are set for the night.
The Dev
The dress code is strictly alternative and the pub has got a late night license for Fridays and Saturdays. DJs every night and some gigs. The artwork on the walls was produced by Robin, the barman.
Camden Road Arms
Victorian Boozer
A bit rowdy and often quite packed, this pub and music venue has played a pivotal role in British music. It is well known for producing the 1980s band Madness and helping a great many other groups along their path to glory. Worth a stop, just for the atmosphere.
A more refined side of Camden, this pub is part of a chain in North London attempting to apply a little class. It has a fine selection of beer and cider, including a selection of Belgian beers both bottled and draught. The food is always good and the staff always friendly. There is a large, semi-covered outdoor seating area with heaters.
A nice pub where the likes of Blur and Pulp and a load of other Britpop bands from the 1990s used to drink. Prices are reasonable, there are two pool tables, and the general atmosphere is laid back and friendly.
Tucked away in a side street close to the Stables Market, this two-story pub has a small garden and a roof terrace. There are sometimes concerts upstairs. A favorite of the late Amy Winehouse.
Food, drink, and music (jazz, soul, blues). Every Saturday the place turns into a great 1980s music club, with "I love the 80s".
Pleasant and good-value place to sit and sip, though it closes when Waitrose around 9PM.
Local landmark and a good meeting point. It is large, with two separate bars and a lot of seating. Food is served at the weekend.
Pub with a Theatre
with Jukes Basement Bar: previously the Kentish Town police cells
Gastropub
in a classical Victorian Gatehouse
A nice pub away close to Euston station.
Former cinema which was used in WWII to manufacture weapons and then faced a piracy lawsuit after screening A Clockwork Orange after Stanley Kubrick famously banned it. Now an alternative music venue.
A historic ballroom turned contemporary rock music venue. As a former dancefloor, the audience stands on a flat surface so it may be difficult to see the stage further back. The Ballroom hosts several different club nights. It is a big venue with two separate dance floors and four bars. Features a rock floor, as well as a floor for the industrial/goth/rock/techno genres.
It is a great spot to go and catch alternative bands: goth, metal, electronica, rock, punk and many others are found here. Friday nights are also regular club nights, attracting large numbers from the young alternative crowd and more "studenty" than on Saturdays.
Grade II listed music venue with restaurant. Card only.
Part of the Smart Backpackers chain of hostels, on the street next to Camden High Street.
On the corner of Camden High St and Plender St, which is home to a small morning market. Belushi's bar on the ground floor.
A modern hotel with 130 rooms beside the canal at Camden Lock.
A modern, clean, reasonably priced hotel.
formerly Novotel St. Pancras
It is equidistant from the St. Pancras and Euston railway stations. This former corporate Novotel was taken over and completely refurbished by Accor's upscale Pullman brand. It features rather spacious rooms and interesting views from upper floors, as well as modern decor and fitments and all the creature comforts expected from an upscale hotel.
Midland Hotel
This is the rebirth of the former Midland Hotel that operated the space from 1873-1935, inside the palatial heritage-listed Neo-Gothic St. Pancras station building above. Definitely outside the budget of many travellers, but for architectural aficionados this is one hotel that should be stayed in at least once in a lifetime. While the public spaces are original, the rooms are in a wing constructed in the 2000s, with the original hotel rooms now being private apartments.
The railway hotel of King's Cross station, and the oldest of London's railway hotels, opened in 1854. The hotel is named after the Great Northern Railway, the company that built King's Cross station and operated it until 1923.
Many stores mainly focused around music and clothing. This is the market most people mean when they talk about the "Camden Market".
This is the largest of Camden's market areas, featuring hundreds of stalls selling everything from African art to beds to fetish clothing to antiques. This is probably the best place in London for interesting clothes, including vintage, goth, cyber and general club-wear. Cyberdog is an experience just to look at, and the extreme basement contains some distinctly adult items. Burleska and Sai Sai are among a number of corest stockists.
The three-storey market that stood here burned down in 2008. It has reopened since, but the area just contains a number of small stalls. The owners are trying to get planning permission for re-development.
This is a small market selling a range of common goods such as fruit and vegetables, cheap clothes and other bits and bobs. The Inverness Street Market is the smallest market in Camden, but it's the original local market in Camden predating the others by decades.
This is the first market you see turning right out of the tube station and it has a big sign declaring it "The Camden Market". However, it only sells only the typical funny t-shirts, knock-off designer boots, keyrings, etc., that you can find in practically every city in the world.
Probably the finest purveyor of curious things in London. They also sell weed and hash-smoking paraphernalia.
The British Boot Company
Selling Doc Martens since the 1960s. The proprietor is always happy to talk and has some fun tales about the strange requests he has had from famous people.
A proud upshoot that took its roots from Camden market and now has four high street stores across London.
One-stop emporium for all your wizarding needs, this is the official souvenir shop of the Harry Potter franchise in London. Adjacent is the eponymous platform, where you can have your picture taken pushing a luggage trolley through a solid wall. It's probably the only other Harry Potter-themed store in London outside of the WB Studio Tour in Watford.
By bus
Getting to Camden by bus is easy from almost anywhere in North or Inner London, with major bus stops near:
By Overground
Camden is connected to the London Overground by two stations on the Mildmay line (North London Line) from Richmond to Stratford and one on the Lioness line (Watford DC Line) from London Euston to…
By rail
Camden is served by three major train stations: Euston, St. Pancras International and King's Cross.
By bicycle
Bicycle parking can be found on Parkway (opp. Caffè Nero) and Camden Road (outside the World's End pub).
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