The Best Places in East London to Visit: Feel Like a Local on Your Next Trip to London, England

In a city brimming with vibrant communities and exciting things to do, doing a deeper dive on visiting places in East London is a welcomed way to feel more connected to this city. With its charming neighbourhoods, stunning green spaces and famous weekend markets, spending quality time walking through East London will be a highlight on your trip to England’s capital city.

places_in_east_london_victoria_park — Regent’s Canal running through Victoria Park in East London

London, England is a city filled with so much to see and do. Many visitors come to London for a day or two, and only really visit the most famous sites of the central parts of the city, and then move on. As magical as sites like Big Ben, the London Eye and Tower Bridge are, there is so much more to London than the highlights of Central.

In fact, once you spend a little more time branching out to the more local neighbourhoods of London, you’ll find vibrant city streets and shopping, beautiful parks and green spaces, and local pubs, restaurants and gems galore. If you’re looking to get outside of the central areas in London and really experience the city like a local, then setting your sites on the eastern parts of London is a good decision.

For whatever reason, it seems like I’m frequently checking out the eastern parts of a city. As it so happens, I love all corners of my hometown Toronto, but I grew up in the east end and currently live here, too. I’ve also enjoyed checking out the eastern boroughs of New York City in the likes of Brooklyn and Queens, and even lived in the southeastern suburbs of Seoul. My sister now lives in East London, so it’s just a matter of continuing the theme at this point!

Whether you’re moving to London for the long term, spending some extended time in the city housesitting or working remotely, or just looking to check out the city a bit more beyond the typical tourist path of Central London, then definitely plan to come east.

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East London Neighborhoods and Boroughs Worth Exploring

places_in_east_london_victoria_park_village — Victoria Park Village

During my most recent trip to London, I was actually visiting my sister, Brooke, who lives in and loves East London. She’s lived in the city for upwards of six years now, so she’s definitely had her fair share of time to decide which parts of the city she enjoys the most. I always appreciate an excuse to see a city through the eyes of someone who lives there, and what better opportunity is there than to see East London through my sister’s eyes?

I can see why Brooke has fallen in love with this corner of the city, since East London offers the perfect blend of quiet, tree-filled streets and parks, and bustling day- and night-life activities, especially on the weekends.

If you’re planning to visit East London, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with the neighbourhoods in this part of town. There are really two main boroughs that I’d recommend setting your sights on during your time wandering around East London. The boroughs of Hackney and Tower Hamlets are home to some of the most unique and exciting neighbourhoods in this part of the city, making them well worth exploring.

Hackney is home to notable neighbourhoods like London Fields, Shoreditch, Hackney Wick, Dalston, Hoxton, and Lauriston Village (Lower Clapton). Tower Hamlets is home to Bethnal Green, Cambridge Heath, and Brick Lane (Bow).

There are other boroughs in East London that you can visit, like Waltham Forest, or other neighbourhoods like Finsbury Park, but for most of this article I’ll be covering what I feel are the best places to visit in Hackney and Tower Hamlets.

How to Get to and Around East London

places_in_east_london_netil_260 — Sunset views from Netil360 Rooftop Bar

Like with any effort to get around London, the best means of transport is the London Underground. If you’re making your way to East London from Central London, chances are you’re going to want to take the Central or District Lines and transfer to more local lines like the Weaver and Windrush lines.

East London is also accessible by bus, with many routes covering the area. If you’re arriving to East London from outside of the city, then there are many National Rail stations that are easily accessible to East London, too, like Liverpool Street and Hackney Downs.

If the weather is on your side and you’re feeling bold, or just want to cover a lot of ground, another great option besides walking around East London is to take one of their public Lime bikes. These E-Bikes and scooters have parking banks all around the city. With some parts of East London being well-marked by bike paths, for those comfortable on a bike they are a great option for getting around.

On my trips to London I’ve learned that if you’re ever in doubt about the best way to get from Point A to Point B, downloading the Citymapper app is your best bet for navigating the London Underground, National Rail services and bus lines. This isn’t a sponsored recommendation—it’s honestly the best app to use to get around London. Big thanks to my sister for introducing me to this!

One of my favourite things about Citymapper is not only does it break down the step-by-step way to get to your destination, but it offers you all of the options and approximate times available for your journey, and even breaks them down by price as well.

Places in East London Worth Visiting

places_in_east_london_netil_market — Netil Market

Now that we’ve gone over the geographical logistics of East London, let’s get into the best places to visit in this corner of town. I’d say that one of the joys of visiting East London is that this part of the city is more about the sum of its parts than one particular place. I’d encourage you to plan to just spend the day walking from place to place, and see where you end up.

This is why I’ve decided to break down this article more so in terms of the types of experiences you should aim to have in East London, with several ideas for the best places to have these experiences in this part of the city.

In no particular order, here are the top experiences I’d recommend taking advantage of during your time in East London.

Wander Around East London’s Historic High Streets and Hip Neighbourhoods

places_in_east_london_royal_inn_on_the_park — The Royal Inn on the Park in Victoria Park Village

East London is filled with historic high streets and neighbourhoods filled with wonderful local businesses, cafes and a ton of personality. While the meaning of high streets has changed over the years, the charm and character of their roots remains the same.

It’s important to remember that what is now considered the city of London is actually a collection of boroughs and hamlets that make up Greater London. So much of East London’s neighbourhoods consist of a collection of what were once the high streets of hamlets and towns, which now make up the framework of the city of London.

Each neighbourhood’s high streets today offer a little something different. No matter the high street, you can always expect to find one or two local pubs, one or two grocery or specialty shops, independent coffee shops and cafes and several other shops and stores offering unique finds. Some areas are known for what their high streets offer to visitors, like Brick Lane, which is famous for its vintage shops, eclectic stores, and alternative goods.

Some more traditional high streets offer a window into the past with their architecture and design, like through Columbia Road and Victoria Park Village. No matter which high streets and areas you plan to check out, once you arrive to the neighbourhood you want to explore, head to its central business road and wander from there. You honestly can’t go wrong.

Check Out East London’s Parks and Green Spaces

There’s nothing quite like visiting one of the many green spaces in East London during your time here. If you’re visiting during the spring, summer or fall, even better, as spring blooms and vibrantly coloured trees abound in East London’s parks.

East London is a mecca green spaces, several of which have community running clubs, public markets, canals, ponds and beautiful areas to walk around and relax. It’s worth noting that unlike many parks around the world, London’s parks are locked overnight. You don’t want to catch yourself stuck in a park in the dark, so I’d recommend taking a picnic a little earlier in the day than later.

In no particular order, these are the parks and green spaces you’d be best to check out during your time in East London. Depending on what your timing is like, I’d recommend picking up takeaway from one of the weekend markets or a local shop, and packing yourself a picnic to take to enjoy in one of the parks.

Victoria Park. This expansive park is London’s oldest purpose-built public park (think Central Park in New York City, but older). It connects several neighbouring hamlets in the Tower Hamlets borough. It’s bordered by Pound Path along Regent’s Canal to the southwest, Victoria Park Road to the north, Cadogan Terrace to the east and the Hertford Union Canal to the southeast. Among the many notable highlights of this park are its grand gates at each entrance,
London Fields. London Fields is a beautiful park in East London that is exactly as it sounds: plenty of open, grassy spaces perfect for coming with an afternoon picnic. It’s conveniently located right next to Broadway Market, meaning you can easily grab a bite from the market and picnic on the grass.
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Visit Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to explore world-class sports facilities, enjoy beautiful parklands, attend events at the London Stadium, or swim at the London Aquatics Centre.

If you’re looking to head further northeast and looking for an even more expansive green space, Epping Forest offers ancient woodlands on foot or bicycle. You can also visit historic sites like Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge, and enjoy wildlife spotting, horse riding, and tranquil lakeside walks.

Head to a High Street Market

places_in_east_london_broadway_market — A Saturday morning at Broadway Market

This is one of my personal favourite things to do when I’m in East London, especially in the spring, summer and fall months. If you happen to be in East London for a market day, wandering through the vendor stalls and shops, and grabbing a bite to eat is a rite of passage.

Some of the best markets to visit in East London are:

Broadway Market: Open Saturdays (9-5) and Sundays (10-5) along the aptly named Broadway Market road between Andrews Road and Westgate Street in Hackney, this market has so much going on. It has everything from unique clothing boutiques, locally crafted goods and art (for humans, dogs and everything in between!), to an impressive selection of flower stalls and food vendors. It’s a great place to come on the weekend. Whether you grab a bite to eat to bring to London Fields, or snag a picnic table outside of The Dove Freehouse and Kitchen to people watch to your heart’s content, it will be a day well spent.
Columbia Road Flower Market: Open on Sundays from about 8am to about 3pm, this is quite possibly the most famous flower market to visit in London. Stretching between Hackney Road and Ravenscroft Street along Columbia Road, you can expect many varietals of vibrant blooms on a visit here. Whether you’re just planning on just browsing, or picking up a bouquet or plant as a gift, you’ll have the best selection earliest in the day. But if you are on the hunt for a bargain, feel free to come a little later in the day when you can expect vendors to have more competitive prices to sell. Just bear in mind that depending on the foot traffic, many vendors may be packing up their shops well before 3, so don’t leave it too late. Either way, it is a sight to behold, especially on a sunny Sunday.
Brick Lane Vintage Market: Brick Lane Market takes place every day, and largely consists of the vintage shops along Brick Lane between Bethnal Green Road and Whitechapel Road. There’s also a vendor stall building at The Truman Brewery, with smaller boutiques displaying their wares from about 11am to 6pm every day. Whether you’re on the hunt for luxury vintage fashion, accessories, unique finds or collectors’ pieces, you can definitely find this and more on Brick Lane. If you’re on the hunt for a place to eat, Beigel Bake is a famous bakery on Brick Lane open 24-hours with schmear, toppings and fillings a-plenty.
Victoria Park Market: This charming community market takes place in the beautiful Victoria Park on Sundays. It’s located on the footpath between Bonner Gate and Gore Road, from 10am to 4pm. It’s a locally produced and food-focused market, with a few other smatterings of goods for sale in between. After you’ve picked up what you need for the day, take some time to walk around Victoria Park to see sights like its pagoda, and then pop by a local pub for a pint or Sunday Roast. Royal Inn on the Park, The Crown, The Hemingway and The Approach Tavern are all excellent options that border the park.

Walk Along Regent’s Canal

places_in_east_london_regents_canal — Regent’s Canal near Broadway Market

Regent’s Canal is a peaceful canal that crosses from east to west through the city, north of the River Thames. It’s an 8.6-mile waterway with a history that began in 1820 transporting goods between the north of the city and the Thames. Now, it’s a tranquil place to take an afternoon stroll and escape the at times chaotic noises of the city.

You could truthfully spend days walking along Regent’s Canal and never tire. But it just so happens to be a great walkway to access several notable parts of East London. I’d recommend beginning near Victoria Park, and walking as far northwest or southeast as you’d like from there.

As you walk along Regent’s Canal, keep an eye out for beautifully designed houseboats, many of which have their own themes. Depending on the time of year, several houseboats will likely have blooming flowers and edible gardens on board, making the canal seem just a little bit brighter.

It’s worth noting that the canal has varying pathway areas on either side, but keep an eye out and make sure you’re ready to share the path with bike riders along the canal, too.

A Few Final Things to Consider When You Head East

However it is you plan on spending your time in East London, be prepared to quite literally stop and smell the roses. This may be in the form of moseying through a weekend market, grabbing some takeaway and taking up a spot on the green grass of London Fields, or on a park bench for some solid people watching, or just wandering through the city and seeing where you feel taken to.

Other places a little beyond the East London borough areas mentioned here that you could check out while you’re in the area are the Waterfront at Canary Wharf, and London Docklands.

Wherever you go in East London—take your time, and savour every moment!