Exploring London: From Camden to Chinatown in One Day

We arrived at King’s Cross just after 9.30 in the morning and took the tube straight to our Premier Inn in Southwark to drop off our bags. With that done we headed back onto the tube to Carnaby Street, which was a must visit for my daughter so she could browse Brandy Melville. Next stop was the M&M’s Store in Leicester Square a colourful, four-floor chocolate paradise filled with walls of pick and mix, themed merchandise and life size M&M characters. Our plan to visit the nearby Lego Store was cut short when we saw the queue stretching down the street. Known for its giant Lego models, interactive building zones and exclusive London themed sets. Just next door is London’s Chinatown, with its ornate red and gold gates, hanging lanterns and vibrant shopfronts, perfect for a quick photo stop before moving on.

In the afternoon we made our way to Camden Town, one of London’s most famous and eclectic neighbourhoods, known for its alternative fashion, live music venues and maze like market full of independent stalls. The atmosphere was buzzing, with music in the air, colourful shopfronts everywhere you looked and the bonus of hot summer weather with perfect blue skies. We picked up a couple of Carhartt and Nike hoodies from the vintage stalls and sampled food and drink from different vendors. I enjoyed a cold lager in the sunshine while my son headed straight to Hansel and Gretel, a dessert shop known for its over the top waffles piled high with toppings.

That evening we took the tube to Franco Manca for dinner before strolling back to the hotel. Our walk took us past London Bridge, which has stood in various forms for nearly 2,000 years and The Shard Western Europe’s tallest building whose glass spire lit up the skyline. It was a relaxed end to our first day.

The next morning, we set out on foot to Leake Street Graffiti Tunnels, also known as the Banksy Tunnel is a hidden 300 metre long pedestrian tunnel beneath Waterloo Station where graffiti is not only allowed but encouraged. First made famous in 2008 during the Banksy organised “Cans Festival” it’s now a constantly evolving gallery of street art, tags and murals, with new works appearing almost daily. The atmosphere is urban, gritty and creative, making it a great spot for photos. Armed with a tin of spray paint my son had the time of his life adding his own mark to the walls. We spent over an hour here taking in the creativity all around us.

From there, we walked to see Big Ben the iconic clock tower that has kept watch over Westminster since 1859 before heading to Tower Bridge a striking Victorian bascule bridge often mistaken for London Bridge. Along the way we also passed the London Eye the city’s giant observation wheel offering panoramic views across the Thames.

Next we jumped on the tube to Notting Hill a charming neighbourhood with pastel coloured houses and leafy streets. We wandered past boutique shops and visited the famous Notting Hill Bookshop made famous by the 1999 film Notting Hill starring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts.

Our final stop was Borough Market one of London’s oldest and busiest food markets. The crowds were intense so we made a beeline for Humble Crumble known for serving freshly baked crumble with a range of toppings before making our way back to collect our bags.

Our Family’s final thoughts

We agreed that one night in London felt like such a treat and somehow much longer than it was. We’d arrived on the 6am train, reached London at 9.30am, and left the next day on the 5pm train. Having visited the city a few times before we didn’t feel we needed any longer for this trip, but we’d happily return again to explore more.