Are you planning on going to London? Then you definitely have to go to the district Shoreditch. A few years ago this area was known as a bad neighborhood where you didn’t want to come, but now it’s a creative, artistic hipster area. In this article I tell you the must see’s and must do’s!
Go on a street art tour
The street art in Shoreditch is truly amazing. And not just random street art: most of the paintings are made by famous artists. Detailed portraits, colorful cities, giant animals and crazy designs are dominating the street scene. You can book a tour with a guide to find the best pieces of art, but you can also walk by yourself. Just get lost and find the hidden street art! You’ll definitely be impressed.
Go vintage on the vintage market
If I need to describe the district in one word, I would definitely choose the word ‘vintage’. Every Sunday you can find a big vintage market over here, where all hipsters are coming to. Fur coats, leather bags, colorful shirts, denim jeans and furniture that could be of your grandma: they have everything that has to do with vintage. The market is not only outside, also the shops are all about vintage. That’s why you’ll see a lot of hipsters around. And music artists are making the place even better. It’s a great spot if you want to score some one of a kind pieces that you can’t get anywhere else.
Boxpark: world’s first pop-up mall
Shoreditch wasn’t a good area a few years ago, but now the district is focussing on trends and it’s such a cool neighborhood. Almost futuristic if you ask me. And that’s because of Boxpark, the world’s first pop-up mall. How cool is that?! Modern and trendy boutique shops are located in small containers. The interior is often very modern and almost sexy, so it’s nice to have a look in some containers. But Boxpark is also about art and food, which is ideal to have lunch.
Welcome to the world of chocolate
Do you like chocolate? Great, because Shoreditch has it’s own chocolate store: Dark Sugars Cocoa House. You really need to go here, even if you don’t wanna buy anything. When you’re walking by the store, you can already almost touch the chocolate. The store is full of bowls with chocolate and weird but delicious combinations. The smell is so good and you’ll definitely salivate when you’re standing in the shop. And the best thing about this? It’s located right next to some of the best pieces of street art!
Street food, trendy restaurants and hipster bars
After you’ve bought a box of chocolate, it’s time to have lunch or dinner. And Shoreditch is a good place to sit down for a drink or to eat something. The area has some cool restaurants, but you can also buy street food on the Sunday market. It also has some trendy coffee and wine bars. Last but not least: Shoreditch is also a good place to dance the night away. Go to Bounce for example, which is a ping-pong bar. That’s awesome, right?
Experience a hipster evening in the cinema
Going to the cinema in another country is not my thing. I mean, I can always go to the cinema at home, so why would I spend my precious time on my city trip or holiday? BUT, it seems that Shoreditch has some cool cinema’s where you can experience an evening on a whole other level. I didn’t do this, because I didn’t know about this when I was there, but you can watch a movie on a rooftop with some blankets and beanbags at Pillow Cinema. But you have to make an appointment and it’s only in the summer months. You can also go to Electric Cinema, where you lay on a couch under a blanket while drinking some wine, just like you’re at home. I mean: that’s pretty cool if you ask me.
Are you looking for more tips about London? Just check out this article that includes an itinerary for 48 hours in London. Do you wanna go to the United Kingdom, but have you already seen London? Go to Liverpool, which is definitely worth a visit as well!