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East London has so much going on that you can happily save yourself a lengthy stint on the Tube without compromising on shopping, eating, street art or in fact, anything. If you plan to explore the area fully, I’d highly recommend visiting East London on a Sunday.
EAST LONDON ESSENTIALS
Copy of Lonely Planet London
Getting to London: Trainline / Busbud
Getting around: Tube / Bus / Overground
Where to stay: Booking.com / Hostelworld
Activities: GetYourGuide
From blooming flower markets to vibey outdoor markets, there are countless things to do in East London on Sundays. I’m going to run them in this blog to my favourite area of London, England.
Read next: a complete guide to travelling the UK on a budget
How to spend a Sunday in East London
Not visiting East London on a Sunday? Grab a coffee, skip Columbia Road Flower Market and follow along anyway.
10am – breakfast
Start your Sunday in East London with a delicious feed.
Foodies are in for a win around East London. Trade on Commerical Street is one of my
11am – Columbia Road Flower Market
One of the best (and busiest) things to do in East London on a Sunday
Traders call out ‘
Getting to Columbia Road Flower Market: the nearest train station is Hoxton Overground but lots of buses drop at the end of the road.
Explore Brick Lane Market
Just a 15-minute walk from Columbia Road you’ll find one of the most multicultural, vibrant and exciting areas of the city – Brick Lane. If you want shops, galleries, artisan coffee, record stores or craft beers, you’ll find it here whatever day of the week.
However, one of the best things to do in East London on a Sunday is head to Brick Lane Market. It will be booming with street performers and bright and beautiful bric-a-brac, furniture and fashion. You can also tuck into world cuisine at the Boiler House Food Hall.
Explore the Sunday markets with a guide & taste dishes from 40 regions of the world with an Exotic East End food tour.
Lunch in East London
For a quick and delicious feed if you didn’t already indulge at the market, get yourself to Brick Lane Beigel Bake. This place is no-frills, straight-up taste. I mean, just look at that salt beef! It’ll only set you back £4.80, too.
2pm – see the street art
Join a Free Tours by Foot walking tour at
Saying that, if you fancy just wandering and finding the art by yourself, I’ve got you. Here’s a Brick Lane street art guide.
Feeling arty? Tour the street art and paint your own mural with GetYourGuide.
4pm – make new pals at Spitalfields City Farm
Another thing to do in East London on a Sunday is chill out at Spitalfields City Farm where pigs play and donkeys are bound to become your best friends. It’s free – but if you do want to spend money you can pick up some fresh farm produce.
The farm closes at 4.30pm on Sundays.
4.30pm – explore an indoor market
Take a break from your Sunday in East London by catching your breath over coffee or browsing the shops at either Old Spitalfields Market (pictured) or BOXPARK. Both are a 5-minute walk from Brick Lane.
- Old Spitalfields Market – a lovely bright and airy indoor market known for its clothes, jewellery and accessories, plus lots of food and coffee shops.
- BOXPARK – a retail and dining space made from giant recycled shipping containers. I like the Gift Box store for quirky and kitsch goodies and Soft Serve Society for their heart-attack-inducing freak shakes.
Dinner in East London
There are so many places to eat around
We tried black dahl, lamb samosas, paneer tikka and fried okra (with a garlic naan and a carafe of wine because obviously). Dinner and drinks for two came to £40.
Mix it up – if you like the idea of trying an Indian brunch, head here in the morning and order the big Bombay breakfast or the bacon naan.
Drinks in East London
Again, you’re spoiled for choice. When it comes to nightlife, East London has warehouse raves that blast house music ’til the morning as well as cosy pubs with craft beers and film nights. I like:
- The Book Club – at this Shoreditch pub you’ll find ping pong tables, pub quizzes, movie sessions and club nights.
- The Owl and Pussycat – go here for a cosy, vintage feel plus pub grub and an extensive cocktail and wine list.
- All Star Lanes – why not sink some beers and some bowling balls at this retro hang out?
Where to stay in East London
End your Sunday in East London by staying at one of the area’s many hostels or hotels. I would suggest:
Park Villa Hostel – a perfect hostel for those that don’t usually love hostels! This boutique hostel in a refurbished Georgian townhouse has a kitchenette, lounge & TV room, and breakfast from £3. Book from £26 a night.
Wombats City Hostel – a friendly home-from-home hostel with 24-hour reception and a free welcome drink. Book from £25 a night.
Affordable hotel – Point A London Liverpool Street have affordable rooms just a moment from Liverpool Street. Book from £65 a night.
Getting to East London
Stanstead: Super easy – hop on a 45-minute Stanstead Express train to Liverpool Street station and you’ll be right in the thick of the area.
Gatwick: Catch a train to Victoria station then the Tube across London (total journey time 1 hour).
Heathrow: Catch the Piccadilly line from the airport to Holborn and change to the Central line until Liverpool Street (total journey time 1 hour).
Use Trainline to book airport trains. For a budget option, book a bus on busbud.
I hope you have a better idea of how to spend a Sunday in East London. If you have any questions or if there’s anything else you’d recommend, let me know in the comments.
Thanks for reading!
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Check out my other London posts:
- 23 iconic London streets for your bucket list
- Free things to do in Greenwich
- Camden travel guide
- Camden street art guide
- Best London food markets
- The 5 colourful streets in London you NEED to visit
- Self-guided Shoreditch street art tour
- How to spend a day in Notting Hill
- Top Instagrammable
plac es in London
See you next time for more adventures,
Rose
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I’ve yet to explore East London and I’d love to see this area next time I’m in town! All these markets and restaurants sound amazing!
It’s such a cool area – let me know when you go and I’ll come up with some more tips!
Thanks for reading, Dana! That’s what I love about London – it’s so diverse. That’s a really good shout – I’ve never actually been there but maybe I need to add a ‘parks’ section to this guide, too!
Thanks for including our street art tour!