Top Shoreditch Attractions for London visitors
Somehow, we missed visiting the lively Shoreditch section of London on previous trips.
This time, we visited Shoreditch just hours after landing at Heathrow, and fortunately, it was a Sunday, so the markets were in full swing.
Despite battling jet lag, there is so much going on in Shoreditch, Debbie and I kept exploring for hours.
Shoreditch is famous for street art and Brick Lane is the center of Shoreditch’s art scene.
History of Shoreditch
Shoreditch is centered around St Leonard's church. The current building dates from around 1740, but like everything in London, its history reaches back much further, with a Roman military settlement dating from 46 BC.
In the 16th century, the area was known for London’s first theater.
Key moments in the Jack the Ripper case took place in Shoreditch in the 1880s, and the area suffered heavy losses during World War 2’s aerial bombing.
In the 1990s, Shoreditch transformed from a declining industrial area to the home of artists and creatives looking for cheap rents. The area is now known as a haven for markets, street art, nightlife, and general funkiness.
The landscaping around St Leonard's church was a bit rough so we were surprised to find an active service going on inside.
What to do in Shoreditch
Columbia Road Flower Market:
Visiting the Columbia Road Flower Market with a few thousand friends.
Every Sunday from 8 am to 2 pm, Columbia Road fills with stalls selling flowers and plants.
Not only is the market packed with visitors, but you can also see many locals carrying giant plants back to their flats.
Arrive early for fewer crowds, but visit later in the day if you are looking for a bargain.
There are many places to eat or grab a drink, both on Columbia Road and on neighboring streets.
While many have a funky vibe, Oyster Boy Events is perhaps the most unusual. It’s literally a hole in the wall for oysters surrounded by colorful graffiti.
Brick Lane Market
Brick Lane is the center of Shoreditch’s “funkiness”.
Shoreditch’s Brick Lane Market is really a series of smaller markets. The number of vendors peaks on Sundays.
There is literally something for everyone at the market.
If you are visiting on the weekend, you could spend most of the day on Brick Lane.
Also, the area is the center of Shoreditch’s street art.
Street artists perform on Brick Lane.
Old Spitalfields Market
Under a huge Victorian roof, this lively marketplace houses unique shops and all sorts of restaurants and food stalls.
While the hours of the restaurants and free-standing stores vary, the market is open seven days a week, but closes at 6 pm (5 pm on Sunday).
Broadway Market
While technically in neighboring Hackney, not Shoreditch, we started our day at Broadway Market. The market is further from central London, so we began there and walked through Shoreditch and back to our hotel in Central London.
There is a wide variety of stores along the street, and on Saturday and Sunday, it’s closed to traffic, and over 70 stalls appear to sell a bit of everything.
The Broadway Market is definitely more laid back than the other huge markets in Shoreditch.
Regents Canal
The colorful boats along Regents Canal.
If you visit Broadway Market, you’ll cross over the Regents Canal on your way to Shoreditch.
Regent’s Canal cuts 8 miles through London and offers a unique passage for walking, biking, or even taking a ride on a narrowboat.
On this day, we just stopped to take a few photos since we had a lot to see in Shoreditch, but it is absolutely worth spending some time exploring Regents Canal.
Note - This blog post contains affiliate links. If we recommend a product, activity, or hotel, we might receive a small commission if you buy or book from these links. This is done at no additional cost to you. We only recommend products we have personally used or have thoroughly researched.
Shoreditch Street Art
If Shoreditch didn’t have enough unique attractions, the street art is perhaps its most famous aspect.
You can see works by famous street artists like ROA and Banksy.
By its nature, street art is always changing, but the Brick Lane area is the center of Shoreditch’s street art. Other notable areas are Club Row, Bateman’s Row, Fashion Street, Bacon Street, King John Court, New Inn Yard, Great Eastern Street, and Rivington Street.
Numerous street art walking tours will give you entertaining insights into Shoreditch’s street art scene.
There is no shortage of art and artists in Shoreditch.
Shoreditch Nightlife
Last year, our son, who is in his early 20s, visited London and chose to stay in Shoreditch because of its vibrant nightlife.
As you might imagine, Shoreditch offers everything from swanky bars to clubs where you can dance until dawn.
One of the most notable venues is the Village Underground, housed in a renovated turn-of-the-century warehouse.
Other top venues include XOYO, The Blues Kitchen, Nightjar, Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen.
If you are looking for something a bit more relaxed, All-Star Lanes Shoreditch is a retro-themed bowling alley with karaoke, games, shuffleboard, and, of course, food and drinks.
Getting to Shoreditch
Tube (London Underground):
Liverpool Street Station (serving the Central, Elizabeth, Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan lines, and the London Overground ) is about a 10-minute walk away.
Old Street Station (Northern Line) is an 8-minute walk,
Buses :
The bus is an excellent way to get around London, and many bus lines serve Shoreditch.
Both the tube and the buses allow you to tap your credit card to pay for your journey.
NOTE - The London Underground tube trains generally do not run 24 hours a day.
After midnight, certain night bus lines still run, and on weekends, select tube lines operate 24 hours.
Staying in Shoreditch
Hotels in Shoreditch tend to be a bit cheaper than other areas of London.
Hip and edgy hotels - The Hoxton Shoreditch, The Z Hotel, citizenM London Shoreditch
Upscale and posh - Montcalm East, The Boundary, One Hundred Shoreditch.
Note - This blog post contains affiliate links. If we recommend a product, activity, or hotel, we might receive a small commission if you buy or book from these links. This is done at no additional cost to you. We only recommend products we have personally used or have thoroughly researched.
Shoreditch offers so much, and it’s so close to central London that it’s absolutely worth at least a half day to explore the neighborhood.
If you can plan your visit for a Sunday, you’ll get the full experience of the area markets in full swing.
Some Great London Attractions:
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Shoreditch is London’s funky center of nightlife and street art. During the day, Shoreditch features busy markets and famous street art. At night, the clubs and bars come alive until dawn.