5 Things to Do in Shoreditch, London
- thereseholland
- May 21, 2015
- 3 min read
So, you're in London. You know the basic sights to see, but how about some cool artsy vibes you can't get outside of Buckingham Palace? Looking for something interesting, a bit more hipster, or a side of London that's away from the basic tourist attractions?
Meet Shoreditch, the cool hipster part of East London the kids are talking about. Shoreditch used to be all slums, but now is associated with art and culture. Shoreditch is very much like Brooklyn in New York—edgy, not undiscovered (still a well-known part of the city's character), and pretty occupied by hipsters.
So what should you do while visiting this cool part of the city? I'm here to help.
As always for the UK, post codes (example: AB1 23Z) can be used to find spots in any map app. Where I've included them, they essentially act as the place's address.
1. Go Shopping. As a hipster hotspot, it can be expected that Shoreditch has great markets and vintage stores.
There are plenty of stores everywhere you look. Pop into any that strike you!
A few special shopping spots to look for:
Spitalfields Market. Spitalfields, London E1 6EW. This is a cool market, with events, shopping, and food.
Boxpark. This is a site to see! Tiny cool shops make up Boxpark, the world's first pop-up mall.
Brick Lane. This is a place to find cool art, clothes, whatever. Sift through interesting gems here and simply wander about.
All around the area, you can find cool small spots with interesting finds. Explore, and enjoy simply walking around and feeling the Shoreditch vibes.
2. Admire the Street Art. As soon as you're in the area, you'll notice colorful street art all over the streets. While walking around, simply appreciate the character and color of Shoreditch. Maybe you'll get lucky and find a new Banksy piece!
3. Eat Curry. So, London is famous for curry, with many people migrating here, there's some great places to eat. Shoreditch is the heart of London's Bangladeshi community, so this is some of the best curry in London!
4. Grab a Drink in a Trendy or Historical Pub. There are loads of interesting pubs and cafes to check out. Here are my recommendations for a pint in Shoreditch:
The Big Chill (E1 6LY) as it's a nice funky vibe, and some outdoor seating for nice weather. There are public picnic tables around this spot as well, where typically some hipsters are sipping a tall can of Red Stripe beer. At the Big Chill, try a Portobello Brewing Co. draught. They change up the kind of beer they serve from this company, but it's a nice local brewery to try, no matter what's available.
The Ten Bells (E1 6LY), as it's been around since 1666. In fact, it's said that two of Jack the Ripper's victims were killed here.
And on that note...
5. Explore Jack the Ripper Sites. Shoreditch is the area where this famous killer did some killin'. If you're interested, explore spots such as The Ten Bells. There are plenty more to check out, but it's not exactly my cuppa tea.
These 5 sites are at the core of what makes Shoreditch the place it is.
So how do you get there?
You can take the tube or overground to any of these stations: Liverpool Street (tube), Old Street (tube), Shoreditch High Street (overground), or Hoxton (overground) to get to the Shoreditch area. Any of these should be a comfortable distance from where you want to go in this area, but check with Googlemaps or Citymapper to be sure.
Enjoy Shoreditch!
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