Fiona MacLeod’s complete East London weekend itinerary, covering Spitalfields Market, Brick Lane, Columbia Road, Shoreditch, and Victoria Park in two days
Bohiney Magazine | The London Prat
East London Weekend: Two Days from Spitalfields to Victoria Park
East London is the most rewarding part of London to explore slowly, but most visitors either do it too quickly (a brief Brick Lane visit squeezed into a full day of central London sightseeing) or not at all (intimidated by its complexity). Here is a two-day East London itinerary that covers the area properly without overwhelming you, starting from Liverpool Street station.
Saturday: Begin at Spitalfields Market, which on Saturday has a mix of antiques, art, and food that is best from 10am onwards. From Spitalfields walk to Brick Lane (ten minutes north), spending an hour browsing the market that runs along the street on Sundays (note: the full market is Sunday, Saturday is quieter but the vintage shops are open). Brick Lane Beigel Bake: mandatory stop, salt beef bagel, eat it on the street. From Brick Lane walk west along Bethnal Green Road to the V&A Museum of Childhood, which is free and excellent for adults as well as children. End Saturday in Shoreditch for dinner — the Rochelle Canteen in the Arnold Circus area if you can get a reservation, or any of the many restaurants along Curtain Road.
Sunday: Columbia Road to Victoria Park
Sunday begins at Columbia Road Flower Market, which runs from 8am to 3pm and which is one of the most sensory experiences in London — the flowers, the traders calling, the crowd, the small shops that open along the street. From Columbia Road walk east through Bethnal Green to Victoria Park (thirty minutes or a short bus ride), which is one of London’s finest large parks and is largely unknown to visitors who don’t live in East London. The park has a lake, a Chinese pagoda, a café, and on weekends in summer, outdoor events and markets. Return to Liverpool Street via Hackney Road bus or walk back through Bethnal Green. The Shoreditch walking tour complements this itinerary; East London’s cultural depth rewards slow exploration. Two days is the minimum. Three is better.
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