Going shopping in London is undoubtedly one of the reasons why many people choose the British capital as a travel destination, since in the most commercial streets of the city we find all the stores one can imagine, from the shops cheaper to the luxury stores of big brands.
Going shopping in London is very easy, you can simply go to the most famous areas, such as Regent Street and Oxford Street to stroll through the department stores as well as the best-known clothing stores, or you can go to one of the large shopping centers shopping malls in the city, if what you want is not to miss one of the shops.
Where to go shopping in London: Guide to shops
To go shopping in London you just have to walk around the city a bit, since in every corner we are going to find a store. In London we can find ourselves from several luxury department stores known all over the world, where we can find the big brands and luxury items, through the clothing and accessories stores that occupy the commercial streets of any large city in Europe, such as the most exclusive stores, even the cheapest clothing stores and clothing markets where you can buy clothes at unimaginable prices.
Clothing stores in London: Some of the clothing stores that you can find in London are: Primark, Zara, Mango, Massimo Dutti, Primark, H&M, Gap, Ted Baker, Next, Fat Face, Jane Norman, Topshop, Superdry, Uniqlo, New Look, TK Maxx, Forever 21, River Island, Dorothy Perkins, Burton, Reiss, Abercrombie & Fitch, All Saints, White Stuff…
Women’s underwear stores: La Senza, Ann Summers, Victoria’s Secret.
Tea shops: To buy tea in London I recommend the Whittards shops, very typical British shops where you will find many varieties of tea, both in bags and loose, and in addition to tea you can find cups and gift items. I also recommend that you stop by Fortnum & Mason, especially if you want to take something a little more special. In Seven Dials, next to Covent Garden, there is also a cute independent tea shop.
Chocolate shops in London: England is without a doubt the paradise of chocolate and sweets, and we only really knew that when we came to live here… to buy chocolate I recommend the Hotel Chocolat shops, or Thorntorns, which is the chocolate shop of all life in London. England. But, if you are a chocolate lover, you cannot leave London without going through Choccywoccydoodah.
Sports shops in London: If there is one thing that often surprises people when they come to London, it is how cheap branded sportswear is in England. To see what I mean, I recommend going to Lillywhites in Piccadilly Circus or one of the Sports Direct stores, you’ll find one on Oxford Street (east end towards Tottenham Court Road) and one in Camden.
Where to buy London souvenirs: To buy London souvenirs in central London you will find many souvenir and gift shops, one of the largest stores that usually attracts a lot of attention is Cool Britannia which is in Piccadilly Circus. But really, I recommend buying souvenirs and gifts at the Camden Town flea market, since here you will find them at a very good price.
Department Stores that you cannot miss: On Oxford Street we find the famous Selfridges department store, where the largest area in the world dedicated to shoes is located, being famous for its spectacular windows and for being the first department store in London. On Oxfrod Street we also find the House of Fraser, Debenhams and Marks and Spencer department stores. In times of sales it is advisable to stop by these department stores if you are looking for the best deals! In Carnaby Street we find another famous department store, located in one of the most beautiful buildings in the area: Liberty. In addition to Selfridges and Liberty, we recommend visiting Fortnum & Mason on Piccadilly Street, one of the best places to buy typical British products. And of course, we can’t forget about Harrods, London’s most famous department store located in Knightsbridge.
Where to go shopping in London: Commercial areas
When we talk about shopping in London, we must take into account the different commercial areas of the city that we mention below:
Oxford Street:
Oxford Street and Regent Street are the two most famous high streets for shopping in London. Both streets converge in Oxford Circus, being Oxford Circus at the same time the central point of Oxford Street. Oxford Street stretches from Marble Arch (west), which is Hyde Park Corner, to Tottenham Court Road (east). If we start our journey from Marble Arch towards Tottenham Court Road, this half of the street is the one that in my opinion is the most worth seeing, since it is here that we find
Selfridges, the largest department store in London. Composed of 6 floors, it has a total surface area of 6 hectares, so imagine everything you can find here! On the ground floor we find the beauty section, where we can find big makeup brands. Strolling through its different floors we can find clothes for men, women and children, and it is the ideal place if you want to find all the luxury brands such as Jimmy Choo, Hermes, Givenchy, Chanel, Alexander McQueen, Fendi among many others. In addition to luxury brands, we can also find a selection of more affordable clothing, such as clothes from Topshop and H&M.
Selfridges also boasts one of the world’s largest shoe stores, numerous restaurants and cafes. Continuing our tour along Oxford Street we come across other famous department stores such as Marks and Spencer, House of Fraser and Debenhams, where we can also find clothes from different brands. Another of the most famous stores at the west end of Oxford Street is a gigantic Primar.
On Oxford Street we also find the clothing stores Pandora, Next, Zara, Monsson, Jane Norman, Pull and Bear, HM, Gap, Disney toy stores and Toy Store, Coast, jewelers and accessories stores Swatch, Swarovski, Accesorize, Clarks, Russell and Bromley shoe stores… Niketown stands out in Oxford Circus, a multi-storey store of the famous sportswear brand Nike. Another of the most famous stores at the west end of Oxford Street is a gigantic Primark. On Oxford Street we also find the clothing stores Pandora, Next, Zara, Monsson, Jane Norman, Pull and Bear, HM, Gap, Disney toy stores and Toy Store, Coast, jewelers and accessories stores Swatch, Swarovski, Accesorize, Clarks, Russell and Bromley shoe stores… Niketown stands out in Oxford Circus, a multi-storey store of the famous sportswear brand Nike. Another of the most famous stores at the west end of Oxford Street is a gigantic Primark. On Oxford Street we also find the clothing stores Pandora, Next, Zara, Monsson, Jane Norman, Pull and Bear, HM, Gap, Disney toy stores and Toy Store, Coast, jewelers and accessories stores Swatch, Swarovski, Accesorize, Clarks, Russell and Bromley shoe stores… Niketown stands out in Oxford Circus, a multi-storey store of the famous sportswear brand Nike.
Regent Street: Regent Street is London’s other famous shopping street, converging with Oxford Street at Oxford Circus. The Hamleys toy store stands out on this street, a must if you visit London with children, and the giant Apple electronics store. In addition, on Regent Street you can find clothing stores such as Ted Baker, Zara, Mango and Anthropologie among many others…
Carnaby Street: Located between Regent Street and the Soho area, Carnaby Street is a boutique-filled street famous since the 1950s for its independent boutiques and London’s fashion hub. Although it is one street, there are several pedestrian streets full of shops and the whole area is called Carnaby Street. If it is the first time you visit London you cannot miss this area of the city. Here we come across the Liberty department store, whose exterior facade certainly deserves a photo, and whose interior deserves a visit!
In New Bond Street, a street perpendicular to Oxford Street and Piccadilly Street, you will find the most exclusive boutiques, such as Tiffany’s, Burberry or Louis Vuitton among others.
Knightsbridge: This is where we find the Harrods department store, probably the most famous in London. Around Harrods there are also many clothing stores, so it is another area that you can explore if you want to go shopping in London.
In Covent Garden, and its surroundings, in particular the Seven Dials area, you can get lost among a few more stores, such as Apple, Zara, Marks and Spencer’s, Oasis, Skecher’s…
If you want to go to a shopping center you can go to one of the two shopping centers called Westfield – there is one at Sheperd’s Bush tube stop and another (the newer and bigger one) in Stratford, or the Canary shopping center Wharf.
The best markets for shopping in London
And without a doubt, the famous London markets are one of the best options for shopping in London. You can find super cheap London souvenirs, gift items, cheap clothes, antiques, street food stalls and in each of the markets you can find different things, since each one is different. The only thing I advise you is to make sure you know what days each one is open. Some of the best markets for shopping in London are:
Portobello Road in Notting Hill on Saturdays where we can find London antiques, clothes and souvenirs.
Camden Town flea market any day of the week for the cheapest souvenirs in London and clothes, gifts and details to take to family and friends, decoration… a little of everything!
Spitalfields and Petticoat Lane market on Sundays for more antiques, lots of clothes, gift and homewares and lots of stalls.
When to go shopping in London?
Well… surely, it’s best to go in the morning during the week, when people are working… after 5 in the afternoon the streets get even more crowded, and there are shops that can sometimes be a bit overwhelming to enter (such as Primark on Oxford Street). On Oxford Street and Regent Street there will always be people, whatever the time of day, because there will always be tourists but in the morning there are a little less.
In my opinion, walking around the center of London when it’s full of people is part of what London is!