What is the Camden Market in London?

Quick answer: Camden Market is a huge collection of markets beside the Regent's Canal in Camden Town, north London. It began on 30 March 1974 as a small crafts market with just 16 stalls and today has more than 1,000 places to shop, eat and drink, from vintage fashion and independent designers to street food from around the world. It is open every day from 10am to 6pm (except Christmas Day) and is free to enter.

Camden Market is not one market but several, spread around Camden Lock and Chalk Farm Road: Camden Lock Market by the canal, the cobbled Stables Market with its horse statues and old railway arches, the covered Market Hall, and newer areas such as Buck Street Market and Hawley Wharf. It is one of London's best-loved attractions, drawing around a quarter of a million visitors a week.

It is also our home. 98 Types Studio has a poster stall inside Market Hall, on the Lower Floor at Stall 3, where you can browse our movie, music, sport and London prints in person. Our Camden Market illustration poster and Camden Town Market photography print are two of the most popular souvenirs we sell.

What day is Camden Market open?

Quick answer: Camden Market is open every day of the week, Monday to Sunday, from 10am to 6pm. It closes only on Christmas Day. Many bars, restaurants and music venues inside the market stay open later into the evening.

Unlike some London markets that only trade on certain days, Camden has been open seven days a week for years, so you can fit it into any day of your trip. Our poster stall, 98 Types Studio in Market Hall (Lower Floor, Stall 3), keeps the same hours: every day, 10am to 6pm.

Why is Camden Market famous?

Quick answer: Camden Market is famous for its alternative culture, its music history and its huge mix of independent stalls. It grew up alongside the punk, goth and indie scenes, sits next to legendary music venues and pubs, was a favourite haunt of Amy Winehouse, and today offers more than 1,000 places to shop, eat and drink beside the Regent's Canal.

• Music: the Roundhouse, the Electric Ballroom and Dingwalls hosted legendary gigs, and pubs like The Dublin Castle and The Good Mixer launched bands from Madness to the Britpop era.
• Amy Winehouse: Camden was her neighbourhood. There is a statue of her in the Stables Market, and The Hawley Arms was her favourite local. Fans love our Amy Winehouse Back to Black and Valerie song lyric prints.
• Fashion: punks, goths, mods and ravers have shopped here for decades, and it is still one of the best places in London for vintage and alternative clothing.
• Street food: dishes from all over the world, cooked in front of you, a few steps from the canal.
• Independent makers: artists, designers and small studios, including ours, sell work you won't find on the high street.

Is it worth going to Camden Market?

Quick answer: yes. Camden Market is one of London's most memorable free attractions: entry costs nothing, it is open every day, and in a couple of hours you can shop for vintage and independent design, eat street food from around the world, walk along the Regent's Canal and see where some of Britain's most famous music was made.

It is especially worth it if you like music, fashion, food or unusual souvenirs. If you prefer quiet shopping, go on a weekday morning. Allow at least two to three hours, and combine it with a walk to Primrose Hill or along the canal to Little Venice.

What day is best to go to Camden Market?

Quick answer: for a calmer visit, go on a weekday morning, ideally Tuesday to Thursday soon after 10am, when you can browse the stalls and grab street food without the crowds. For the full Camden atmosphere, with buskers, packed food stalls and the busiest crowds, go at the weekend, especially on Saturday. Sunday afternoons are among the busiest times of the week.

• Weekday mornings: the quietest time. Best for shopping, photos and chatting to stallholders.
• Weekday afternoons: livelier, but still comfortable. Good for a late lunch by the canal.
• Saturday: Camden at its liveliest. Expect queues at the popular food stalls and busy walkways.
• Sunday: busy all day. On the busiest weekend afternoons, Camden Town station can be exit-only or very crowded, so Chalk Farm station is a good alternative.

Whatever day you choose, the market is open from 10am to 6pm, although some bars, restaurants and venues stay open later.

How expensive is Camden Market?

Quick answer: Camden Market is free to enter, and you can spend as little or as much as you like. Street food dishes are typically around £8 to £15, a drink from about £4 to £8, and souvenirs range from a few pounds upwards. At 98 Types, posters start from £3, with buy 3, get 1 free.

A few money-saving tips:

• Walk around before you buy. Many stalls sell similar things, and prices vary.
• Eat by the canal. Buy street food and find a spot near Camden Lock instead of sitting in a restaurant.
• Look for multi-buy deals. Many stallholders, including us, offer discounts when you buy more than one item.
• Pay by card or phone. Almost every stall accepts contactless payments.

Is Camden Market cash only?

Quick answer: no. Camden Market is not cash only: the vast majority of stalls, food traders and shops accept card and contactless payments, including Apple Pay and Google Pay. A few small traders may prefer cash, so it is still handy to carry a little, but you can easily visit without any.

Which is better, Borough Market or Camden Market?

Quick answer: it depends on what you want. Borough Market, by London Bridge, is London's oldest food market and the best choice for foodies: cheese, bread, produce and gourmet street food. Camden Market is the best choice for shopping, vintage fashion, music history and alternative culture, with lots of street food too. Many visitors do both on different days.

If you visit Borough Market, don't miss two historic pubs nearby: The Market Porter, which appeared in a Harry Potter film, and The George Inn, London's only surviving galleried coaching inn. Both are part of our 98 London Pubs Art Gallery.

Which is better, Camden or Portobello market?

Quick answer: Camden Market is better for alternative fashion, music culture, street food and a lively atmosphere every day of the week. Portobello Road Market in Notting Hill is better for antiques, vintage finds and pretty pastel streets, and is at its best on a Saturday, when the antiques market is in full swing. Portobello's street market is closed on Sundays, while Camden is open every day.

• Portobello Road: the UK's largest antiques market, plus vintage clothes, food and bric-a-brac. Usually Monday to Wednesday 9am–6pm, Thursday 9am–1pm, Friday and Saturday 9am–7pm; antiques on Fridays and Saturdays.
• Camden Market: 1,000+ places to shop, eat and drink, open every day 10am–6pm, with a younger, alternative feel.

Visiting Notting Hill? Take home our Portobello Road illustration or Notting Hill map print, and stop for a drink at The Churchill Arms, London's most photographed pub, or The Ladbroke Arms.

Camden's music and pub history

Camden is one of the most important places in British music history. The Roundhouse hosted legendary gigs from the 1960s, the punk and indie scenes grew up in its pubs, and Amy Winehouse made Camden her home: there is a statue of her in the Stables Market. Many of the pubs that made that history are still open, and we have turned them into posters:

Explore every pub in our collection, from Camden to Greenwich, on our interactive London Pub Map, and plan your own Camden pub crawl.

How to get to Camden Market

• Tube: Camden Town and Chalk Farm stations, both on the Northern line, are a few minutes' walk from the market.
• Overground: Camden Road station is about a 10-minute walk away.
• On foot: one of the nicest ways to arrive is along the Regent's Canal towpath, from King's Cross or from Little Venice via Regent's Park.
• Finding us: head into Market Hall, between Camden Lock Market and the Stables Market, and go down to the Lower Floor. 98 Types is Stall 3.

Take Camden and London home

Looking for a souvenir that is more personal than a fridge magnet? Our London prints are designed in our Camden studio and start from £3:

London landmarks

London street maps

Browse everything in our London posters collection, our London street maps and our London pub posters, or read our guide to where to buy posters in London.

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