The Clooper Guide To Camden Town
Camden Town has a unique vibe and is known for its street musicians, live music venues, and markets. That’s not all! Once you get away from the crowds, there is the joy of exploring the canal — as well as some fantastic green spots dotted around.
OVERVIEW
Camden has long since been regarded as a hub for the alternative to gather. People who fall under a banner outside the ‘norm’ flock here for shopping opportunities, exciting themed bars, and merely to wander around. Punks, emos and goths roam galore here, and it’s a place without judgement — so if you’ve been itching to rock a spiky leather jacket and combat boots lately, rock them on down to Camden Town.
Camden stands as one of London’s most vibrant areas due to this, as well as its richness of culture. Camden is a very multicultural area, most evident in the available cuisines, and has a bustling community full of people from all walks of life. Visitors and locals alike roam the streets in search of bargains, tasty snacks or meals, or simply a stroll along the canal. Where will your Camden adventures take you, I wonder?
PROPERTIES AND PRICES
LIVING & RENTING: Camden is a fairly popular place; many seek to live here due to its unique charm and fantastic travel links. Many share flats here, and you could net a spacious room in a cosy household for around £500-600pcm. If you’d rather your own space, flats generally start at over one thousand pounds per month, and to buy them you’re looking at anywhere from £300,000 to £500,000 for a starter one-bedroom.
STAYING: Serviced apartments in and around Camden usually begin at around £100 a day. Find your ideal lodging here!
GREEN SPACES
Camden is more of an industrialized area for sure. However, there are an abundance of green spaces and pretty natural sights to find. One of the most popular is Saint Martins Gardens. This little slice of green space is very well-maintained by staff, and beloved by locals for its childrens play area. According to reviews, the peaceful birdsong there is something you just have to experience. It’s almost easy to forget you’re in London at all!
Camden Gardens is another popular choice. Its eponymous name means people relate it to Camden Town specifically, and it’s apparently a beloved place to take your dog for a quick stroll. Or merely meet up with friends for a coffee! In the summer, this park can get a little busy — as it’s directly opposite Camden Road Overground Station, so many commuters and visitors often take a moment or two to relax in the hot weather. These gardens are often highly regarded as a brilliant place to ‘put your feet up’ and relax in the middle of bustling London.
Last but certainly not least is Castlehaven Community Park. Not only is this a wonderful place to relax, it actually doubles as a sports pitch! Castlehaven is a brilliant place for folk to get together and play some football or netball, and it’s apparently quite a hub for young folk particularly. There are regular training classes held there, with professional coaches, and available seating for whoever would rather just watch than get rolling around on the astroturf.
THINGS TO DO
We have to start with Camden Lock Market. It’s the gem of this whole area! The markets are definitely what this locale is known for. You can nab anything from the beloved Bang Bang Chicken, to some spooky new neo-victorian duds. Additionally — fine silver, original street art, eccentric shoe collections, vintage watches, halloween themed jewelry and so much more. Not only will you find some bargains here, but the stall vendors make the experience memorable, as each character is more vibrant than the last.
If history is a little more your vibe, then you can find your way down to the Jewish Museum London. This modern museum has a re-constructed Victorian Jewish Quarter. Here, you can explore and learn about a wide variety of historical Jewish artifacts and more. You can learn a lot about the history and culture of Jewish people today. Today, and then all the way back to 1066! The entry prices are very fair considering how centrally this museum is located, and the exhibitions on Judaism are said to be very informative and intriguing.
Camden additionally has a wide variety of places for you to boogie the night away. The Electric Ballroom is easily one of the most popular. This venue is long-established. It has been a staple of the culture in the area for as long as anyone can remember. Many even call it the ‘heart’ of the area. Door staff are professional but very friendly, bar staff are level-headed, capable and kind — and of course, the live music is always thrilling!
PLACES TO EAT
In terms of cuisine: where do we start?! We have to direct you towards the market vendors. There are a wide variety of restaurants in this area, however, we’d be doing you a disservice if we didn’t send you straight to Wok-Boy Bang Bang Chicken. The vendor, often colloquially called the ‘Bang Bang Chicken Man’, is something of a local legend. Wok-Boy doesn’t only serve its staple chicken dish though! You can find anything from chicken and fries, bruschetta, korean fried chicken, chinese-style fried king prawns and so much more. We’re getting hungry just thinking about it!
TRAVEL
You can access Camden Town by its underground station of the same name. From here, you can get the Northern line, and access anywhere from Kings Cross to Liverpool Street — two primary London stations. This area is also serviced by various buses ( leading everywhere from Tottenham Court Road to Kentish Town ), black cabs and uber, and Santander bikes. It’s also cycle friendly if you’d rather bring your own bike.
Looking for something a little further afield? Check out our Ikoyi area guide here.
