During my three days in London I had two amazing family friends show me some not-so-typical places in the city. After a day of seeing the touristy sights they took me out to see a different side of London. Every single time I will pick the non-touristy activities over the tourist sights and this time was no different.
Granary Square

Just a seven minute walk (.3 miles) from Kings Cross Station, Granary Square was viewed as the Kings cross underbelly until recently when developers began to renovate. Now it sports a big outdoor lounge space with picture shows in the summer and an increasing number of hip restaurants. At the beginning of my third day H, A, and I grabbed a coffee in Caravans Kings Cross. The coffee was great, and the renovated warehouse space was really cool. After coffee, we were able to walk along the canal to Camden Market.

 
Camden Market

Camden market sits along the Regent’s canal in the heart of London. This market is a labyrinth of stalls offering everything from tandoori to local made gin. During my visit we each choose a different food stall and escaped the city heat under the umbrellaed picnic tables. I really enjoyed watching the live street music performers with the canal in the back ground. After lunch we wandered around the eclectic assortment of stalls and tried some of that local made gin while searching the stalls for a must have memento. We walked past the famous Camden Lock sign before heading out on the next part of the adventure. I would return to Camden Market in a heartbeat when given the chance.

Covent Gardens and Franco Manca Pizza

Covent Gardens is another market, yet very different from Camden Market. Where Camden Market was a frenzy of movement and noise, Covent Garden takes a much more relaxed interpretation of the term market. Covent Garden is an old fruit and veggie market that has been converted into a bunch of small shops. Despite the more relaxed atmosphere there was a lot of culture and color. Just around the block you will find Franco Manca Pizza which according to the locals is the best pizza in London. It also happens to be incredibly cheap making it an immediate win in my books.

Carnaby Street and Dishoom Indian food

Something that should not have surprised me yet continued to do so was the quality and variety of curry offered in London (and the UK in general). I had heard much about Dishoom and was not disappointed. The food was AMAZING. I would eat here every week if possible. Be warned however, it is pretty pricey; although I thought it worth the investment. After stuffing my face, we wondered around Carnaby Street, even catching the end of the England vs Colombia world cup game. The strung lights painted a rainbow sky as Londoners cheered about “it’s coming home”. During Christmas time this market is also famous for the lights and decorations that fill all the windows.

Borough market

Even though I talked about Borough Market in last week’s post {how to do London like a (broke) tourist} I thought it also deserved a place on this week’s post. During my visit Borough market did not have the hurried frenzy of Camden Market nor did it have the laid-back vibe of Covent Gardens, instead Borough market offered an underground, hippie vibe if you will. Stalls upon stalls of local farmers, bakers, and more, Borough Market seemed tailored to the earth conscious London local.

The Regent’s Park

Spanning 166 ha, Regent’s Park provides a much-needed respite from the busy streets of London. The Glouchester and Cumberland Greens, the city zoo, and Primrose Hill are all found in Regent’s Park. My amazing friends took me up to the top of Primrose Hill where I was able to see London stretched out before me. It was stunning. After two incredibly busy days exploring what London had to offer I really enjoyed a lazy walk through the trees and gardens.