Whether you just want to get a little London souvenir or you’re actually going on a bit of a shopping spree, the city will have you satisfied with its wide variety of shops.

You can visit some of Europe’s largest department stores or small independent street stalls - or anything in between. In this article we’ll go through the most well-known shops, shopping areas, and street markets in the city.

Shops and department stores

London is known for its large department stores and historical shops, many of which are hundreds of years old.

Harrods

Harrods is the British luxury department store par excellence. Expect seven floors of luxury brands and Harrods-exclusive merchandise. Many tourists go visit this store just for the sake of seeing it. Some of Harrod’s most popular sells are small in-house brand souvenirs, like teddy bears, handbags, and tea mugs.

Fortnum & Masons

This is another one of London’s upmarket department stores, famous for its high-quality and often fancy foods. Famously, Fortnum & Masons is the official tea supplier for the British royal family.

Liberty

Liberty’s, yet another famous London luxury department store, is famous for its floral print fabrics and fanciful homeware designs. Historically, the store has a reputation for championing emerging British artists and designers. Many visitors go to Liberty even just to enjoy the view of the iconic wood-beamed Tudor building.

Streets and areas

Like any city, London has its shopping areas and hubs, where you can find all the major shops and department stores.

Oxford Street

Oxford Street is perhaps the most famous shopping street in London, where the largest and most popular department stores can be found (think Zara, Primark, UNIQLO, H&M, and other well-known shops).

Regent Street

Crossing Oxford Street at Oxford Circus, Regent Street is another major retail area with large single-brand stores.

Piccadilly Circus

Piccadilly Circus is a large intersection in Central London mostly known for its prominence as a tourist sight. However, it is also a bustling area surrounded by large shops and department stores of all kinds.

Bond Street

Here you can find many of the city’s boutiques and high-end stores, with luxury brands such as Tiffany, Prada, Chanel, Versace, and Louis Vuitton.

Markets

London is also known for its many markets, both street markets specialising in a specific area (food, antiques, vintage clothing, etc.) or charming covered markets.

Portobello Road Market

Portobello Road Market is the biggest antiques street market in the world. Located along Portobello Road, in London’s Notting Hill area, you’ll find hundreds of stalls selling all sorts of collectibles, bric-a-brac, vintage clothing, and antique furniture.

Camden Lock

The Camden Lock, also known as Camden Market, is one of the city’s most famous markets, with a mix of stores and street stalls that sell original craft and handmade goods along with vintage clothing. The Camden Lock is also famous for its world-wide variety of street foods.

Covent Garden Market

This is one of the historical covered markets of London. Housed in an iron and glass building, Covent Garden Market sells a variety of products such as handmade soaps, to ceramics, vintage jewellery, and hand-knitted items.

Borough Market

Borough Market is London’s most atmospheric food market, as well as being one of the city’s oldest of its kind. Here, you can find dozens of stalls selling specialty foods, spices, fresh-baked breads and cakes, and all kinds of gourmet dishes from all over the world.

Brick Lane Market

This one is not actually a single market, but rather the collective name used to refer to all the street markets in and around Brick Lane - most of them vintage. The range of items sold here is extremely varied, and the market is a local favourite for bargain hunters and collectors. Expect to find retro memorabilia, vintage clothing, jewellery, taxidermy, old maps and typewriters.