Things You Might Not Have Done In Camden Town

Laura Reynolds
By Laura Reynolds Last edited 83 months ago
Things You Might Not Have Done In Camden Town

Think Camden Town, and visiting the markets, battling the crowds and tucking into street food comes to mind. When you've done all that, there's plenty more on offer within walking distance.

Photo: Domenico Cirillo

Visit The Jewish Museum

Five minutes walk up Parkway, in a terraced house, is The Jewish Museum, a deceptively large space which tells the stories of Jews in London and further afield. The calibre of exhibitions is extraordinary, often focusing on well-known Jewish figures ( think Judith Kerr, Amy Winehouse).

Photo: Jewish Museum

Familiarize yourself with Jewish customs at one of the world's finest collections of Judaica. Make sure you visit the Holocaust Gallery, a powerful exhibition about British-born Auschwitz survivor Leon Greenman, and check the events calendar for curator talks and tours, film screenings and more.

The Jewish Museum, Raymond Burton House, 129-131 Albert Street, NW1 7NB. Admission £7.50.

Dance a ceilidh

Morris Dancing in progress. Photo: Cecil Sharp House

On the Camden Town/Primrose Hill border sits Cecil Sharp House, a folk arts venue specialising in dance and music. Whether you want to learn to morris dance or play the fiddle — or just sit back and watch someone else do the work — check the events calendar for upcoming classes, workshops and performances.

The highlight is the Ceilidh Club every Friday night, open to dancers of all levels and bringing a taste of Scotland to London. There's also a café on site for pre-/post-performance refreshment — or for just dropping by if you're in the area and feeling peckish.

Cecil Sharp House, 2 Regent's Park Road, NW1 7AY

Brighten your day

Chalcot Crescent. Photo: dakota_boo

Wading into Primrose Hill territory, Chalcot Square Gardens and nearby Chalcot Crescent both featured in our round-up of London's most colourful streets, the residents round these parts preferring pastels to run-of-the-mill magnolia. Take a wander with your best Instagram filters at the ready.

Chalcot Crescent was used as a filming location for Paddington, stepping in for the fictional Windsor Gardens in Notting Hill.

While you're in the area, pop into the Primrose Bakery at 69 Gloucester Avenue for a sugary hit — but be aware that seating is very limited, so you may have to take your goodies home with you.

Visit a film set

Filming taking place in 2014. Photo: Simon Crubellier

Just a three minute stroll from Camden Town station is Gloucester Crescent. If the name seems familiar, it featured in 2015 film The Lady In The Van. Writer Alan Bennett really lived at 23 Gloucester Crescent, where filming took place.

Take a street art tour

Get to know the street artists of Camden better with a two-hour walking tour of their work. Visit 100 pieces of street art and graffiti and learn about the artists who created them. Tours are organised by the people behind Global Street Art, so they know their stuff.

Camden Street Art Tours, £35.

Take the Waterbus

Photo: The London Waterbus Company

Can't face the Northern line? We don't blame you. Take the Waterbus instead, and leave (or arrive at) Camden in style.

The London Waterbus Company runs between Camden Lock, London Zoo and Little Venice. If you want to board or alight at the zoo, you'll have to pay zoo admission, adding upwards of £20 to your fare. We recommend settling in for the whole route from Camden to Little Venice, a journey of around 50 minutes.

Last Updated 03 April 2017