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Camden Town / Islington, London

Camden Town / Islington, London

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Business men heading to work from King's Cross station in Camden Town / Islington.

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65 Photos of Camden Town / Islington

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Includes: Kings Cross and Farringdon.

Named in honor of the Earl of Camden and home to such notables as Charles Dickens, George Orwell, and Dylan Thomas – and more recently Orlando Bloom – Camden Town is known for its outdoor markets, alternative sensibilities, and a large student population that rarely goes to bed early.

A favorite gathering spot for left-of-center partiers and live performers of all types, Camden is also “home” to many of the city’s homeless, but it has nevertheless remained the local stomping grounds for a fairly prosperous neo-hippie residential population, especially in the areas east toward neighboring Islington and King’s Cross.

Jam-packed music venues like The Electric Ballroom and The Underworld and bumping nightclubs like The Underground and Camden Palace have openly cashed in on the student contingent after the sun sets, but Camden is just as lively during the day. In keeping with its flower child aesthetic, Camden Markets, an open-air gathering of art lovers, bric-a-brac collectors, and thrifty shoppers, draws nearly 100,000 visitors every weekend. Walking along the canal that bisects the neighborhood is a great way to explore the area, especially along the Camden Lock directly adjacent to the Markets, where tons of pubs and eateries line the surrounding blocks. Visitors should be wary at night, however, as the Lock is also a popular stomping ground for drug dealers.

Where the Camden scene runs the gamut from young professionals to goths, Islington is home to a predominantly thirty-something set that tends to be a bit more reserved, preferring chill cocktail lounges to Camden’s harder core haunts. Nevertheless, the area is also home to the Emirates Stadium in the north of the district, where the famous Arsenal Football Club plays to legions of devoted fans and where snagging a ticket on game day can be as difficult as getting in to a major rock concert.

Although they may be known primarily for an alternative, artistic, and sometimes grungy vibe, Camden Town and Islington have made a science of mixing laid-back London partying with just the right touch of wild good times.

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What to Do in Camden Town / Islington

Camino

After Work / All Types / Beer / DJ

Reviewed by Tara R.

"My Take: Deep in the heart of the wasteland that is King’s Cross nightlife, Camino’s Cruz del Rey is a sultry Spanish bar-restaurant with a courtyard ..." more

3 Varnishers Yard
The Regent Quarter, Kings Cross
London N1 9FD

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KoKo

20s / Alternative / Balcony / Club

Party Earth Review Once a historic theater, Koko is a domed behemoth of a club and live music venue that lures hordes of Camden’s hippest youth with its neon sign, brightly lit façade ... more

1a Camden High Street
London NW1 7JE

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The Big Chill House

Bar / Breakfast / British Food / DJ

Reviewed by Leighanne O.

"With its very accessible location of being right by Kings Cross, The Big Chill House is the place to go if you want to just grab a drink with your fri ..." more

257-259 Pentonville Road
London N1 9NL

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69 Colebrooke Row

20s / 30s / 40s / Bar / Bar Food / Blues

Party Earth Review It may be signless and nameless, but 69 Colebrooke Row is anything but anonymous, and offers a stylish speakeasy atmosphere steeped in Old Hollywood class. The brainchild of cocktail ... more

69 Colebrooke Row
London N1 A88

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The Rocket

20s / Acoustic / After Work / Beer

Party Earth Review Dangerously cheap beer, pub games, pop music, and sports are the calling card of The Rocket, a modest but crazy-busy pub in King’s Cross. Centrally located near several universities ... more

120 Euston Road
London, NW1 2AL

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Café Kick

20s / 30s / Brazilian / Café / Casual

Party Earth Review Right in the hippest area of Exmouth Market is Café Kick, a little eatery popular with a jovial mix of students and tourists ready to settle in on mismatched chairs, savor Spanish cuisine ... more

43 Exmouth Market
London EC1R 4QL

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The Hawley Arms

20s / 30s / 40s / Alternative Rock

Party Earth Review Dating back to the early 1900s, The Hawley Arms has seen many a face lift, the biggest in 2008 when a fire ravaged flats and shops in the area, including this classic Camden pub. Once ... more

2 Castlehaven Road Camden
London NW1 8QU

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Fabric

20s / 30s / All Types / Balcony / Club

Party Earth Review With three rooms, two main stages, and two floors spread over 25,000 square feet, Fabric is a monster of a nightclub where music is the main focus and easygoing patrons arrive in droves ... more

77a Charterhouse Street
London, EC1M 3HN

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St Pancras Station

All Ages / All Types / Breakfast

Reviewed by Tara R.

"My Take: Full disclosure: I love jetsetting, but I tend to feel guilty about my consequently catastrophic carbon footprint. Enter Eurostar. Carbon-ne ..." more

St Pancras International Station
Euston Road
London, N1C 4QP

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The Old Queen's Head

20s / 30s / Bar / Bar Food / Barbeque

Party Earth Review Rumor has it that Queen Elizabeth I granted the pub’s liquor license to none other than Sir Walter Raleigh – but incredible history aside, The Old Queen’s Head has certainly kept up ... more

44 Essex Road
Islington, London N1 8LN

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The Lexington

18 and over / 20s / 30s / 40s / Beer / DJ

Party Earth Review A creative hub of acoustic and synth, The Lexington lounge boasts an extensive collection of bourbon and U.S.-born beers and features antique gun-adorned walls that (almost literally ... more

96-98 Pentonville Road
London N1 9JB

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Camden Markets

All Ages / All Types / Bars / Free

Party Earth Review Technically composed of several adjoining independent markets, Camden Markets attract roughly a hundred thousand people every weekend, all eager to experience the area’s people, sights ... more

Chalk Farm Road/Camden High Street
Camden Town, Greater London NW1 7

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