Guide to Shoreditch, London

Shoreditch is easy to get to by foot, bus, taxi, or train. The closest Tube and Overground stations are Liverpool Street and Shoreditch High Street. For those of you who prefer a more scenic view through London, bus lines 205, 26, 35, 394, 47, and 55 all stop near Shoreditch day and night. If you are walking here from Central London, expect a journey that lasts between one and two hours, as there are plenty of sites to see along the way, from St. Paul’s Cathedral to the financial district of the capital.

Shoreditch and Spitalfields is the hub of London’s urban art scene. Banksy has left his mark on this part of town, as have several other renowned local artists, including Eine, D*Face, Sweet Toof, and Pure Evil have left their mark on this part of town and one of the best ways to explore and see them all is on a street art tour of the area. There are many independent guides who offer such tours and can be booked in groups or for private one-to-ones. If you want to go it alone, Brick Lane, Fashion Street, Hanbury Street, Princelet Street, and Redchurch Street are the places to go. Avoid weekends as the streets get busy.

Another market to know in these parts is Brick Lane. Like Columbia Road, it operates at its fullest on a Sunday and stretches from Aldgate to the tippy top of Shoreditch near Old Street. The whole market showcases the best of the best, with enthusiastic salespeople competing for your hard-earned cash and hoping to tempt you with their stalls packed with jewels, vintage art, records, instruments, clothes, and more. Beyond all the things to buy, there’s a fantastic selection of curry houses, bagel bars, and street food vendors to try, plus one-of-a-kind thrift stores and excellent independent coffee shops. To eat under one roof, visit the Boiler House Food Hall, and for a legendary bagel, don’t miss a bite at the Brick Lane Beigel Bake.

There’s way more to Shoreditch than just vintage shops and artisanal coffee joints. For all things cool in women’s clothing, head to Aida for indie labels and unknown vegan and planet-friendly beauty brands. Variety is best explored at Boxpark. All the shops are set inside refitted shipping containers just underneath Shoreditch High Street Overground station. Expect labels from Nike to Dockers, and lots of food outlets in between. Further down the road, there’s Old Spitalfields Market. While more gentrified than its humbler neighbors, it’s still worth a gander to find old records, movies, and more.

The great thing about staying in this part of town is that you can check in to a central location without the hefty London price tag. There are lots to choose from, including the original Hoxton Hotel, the very fashionable Nobu, and more boutique options, including Redchurch Townhouse and the Boundary. Couples will love The Culpeper, a pub with rooms and a great restaurant, and for families on the go, CitizenM London Shoreditch is your best option. Whether money is tight or simply limitless, there’s somewhere that will suit most travelers here.

Shoreditch is deeply alternative and bohemian, so it suits people who love nothing more than to explore outside of their own boundaries. That said, it’s great for families who want to discover another side of London, and if you’re a traveling couple, Shoreditch is the ideal spot to create a weekend love nest set to the tune of long city walks and romantic date nights.