Shopping · London · United Kingdom
Shopping in London
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
London shopping runs from Oxford Street's flagship stores and Harrods to independent boutiques in Marylebone and Shoreditch and markets selling antiques, vintage clothes and street food. Most shops open on Sundays, with shorter hours. Best souvenirs: Tea and biscuits, Liberty print and London Transport design.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 5
- Markets
- 5
- Top souvenir
- Tea and biscuits
Where to shop
Oxford Street and Regent Street
Flagship stores including Selfridges and Hamleys toy shop, with Liberty and Carnaby Street just off Regent Street.
Knightsbridge
Harrods and Harvey Nichols department stores and luxury boutiques along Sloane Street.
Covent Garden
Boutiques, beauty brands and the Apple Market's craft stalls under the old market building's roof.
Marylebone High Street
Independent shops, the Edwardian galleries of Daunt Books and a Sunday farmers' market.
Piccadilly and Jermyn Street
Fortnum & Mason, the Burlington Arcade and traditional shirtmakers and shoemakers.
Markets
Portobello Road Market
Antiques and collectibles on Saturdays in Notting Hill, plus fashion and food stalls through the week.
Columbia Road Flower Market
A narrow East End street packed with flower and plant sellers every Sunday morning, lined with small independent shops.
Old Spitalfields Market
A covered Victorian market hall with fashion, crafts, vintage and food stalls every day of the week.
Camden Market
Hundreds of stalls selling alternative fashion, vintage, crafts and global street food around Camden Lock.
Greenwich Market
A covered market for crafts, antiques and street food in the centre of maritime Greenwich.
What to buy
Tea and biscuits
Fortnum & Mason's tins of tea and biscuits are classic gifts; supermarket own-brand teas cost far less.
Liberty print
Scarves, notebooks and fabric in Liberty's famous floral prints from the Tudor-style store off Regent Street.
London Transport design
The London Transport Museum shop in Covent Garden sells Tube map and seat-fabric moquette designs.
Books
New and second-hand books from Charing Cross Road, Daunt Books and Hatchards on Piccadilly, founded in 1797.
London gin
Small-batch gins from London distilleries, sold at markets and specialist shops.
Streets and markets worth a wander
Market · London Bridge
Borough Market
Beneath the railway arches beside Southwark Cathedral, Borough Market gathers British cheesemakers, butchers, fishmongers, bakers and street-food traders selling everything from scotch eggs to raclette and oysters.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Food
- Free
- Shopping
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Afternoon tea, Scotch egg, Sticky toffee pudding and Cask ale. Hotels in Mayfair and Piccadilly, department stores such as Fortnum & Mason, and museum cafés for lower-priced versions. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Covent Garden and Soho | $$$$ | Theatreland, the market piazza and late-night restaurants in the West End |
| South Bank and Bankside | $$$ | Riverside arts quarter from the London Eye to Borough Market |
| South Kensington | $$$$ | Museum quarter, white stucco terraces and Hyde Park on the doorstep |
| Bloomsbury and King's Cross | $$$ | Georgian squares, the British Museum and Eurostar on the doorstep |
| Shoreditch and Spitalfields | $$$ | Street art, Brick Lane curry houses and East End markets |
| Notting Hill | $$$ | Pastel terraces, Portobello Road and a slower west London pace |
| Camden Town | $$ | Markets, live music venues and the Regent's Canal |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in GBP. Tipping about 10–12.5% is normal in sit-down restaurants when no service charge has been added. It is not expected for drinks bought at a pub bar, and taxi fares are commonly rounded up.
- Queue patiently at bus stops, shop counters and bars, where staff serve in order even without a formal line.
- Buses do not accept cash: tap a contactless card, phone or Oyster card on the reader by the driver.
- Use one contactless card or phone for every journey; daily and weekly caps limit what you pay automatically.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in January–February; the busiest months are June–August.
- March: St Patrick's Day parade and festival (weekend nearest 17 March)
- September: Open House Festival — architecture open days across the city (usually September)
- September: London Design Festival (usually mid-September)
- October: BFI London Film Festival (usually October)
- October: Frieze London art fair in Regent's Park (usually October)
- December: Christmas markets and ice rinks in Hyde Park, on the South Bank and elsewhere (December)
Staying near the shops
$$$ · Best for nightlife, food lovers, solo travellers and shopping
Shoreditch and Spitalfields
Street art, Brick Lane curry houses and East End markets
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in London?
Tea and biscuits, Liberty print, London Transport design and Books.
+Where is the best shopping in London?
Oxford Street and Regent Street: Flagship stores including Selfridges and Hamleys toy shop, with Liberty and Carnaby Street just off Regent Street.
+What are the best markets in London?
Portobello Road Market, Columbia Road Flower Market, Old Spitalfields Market, Camden Market and Greenwich Market.