Portobello Market or Camden Market?
 

First of all let me say that I realize it is incredibly early to be thinking about planning for a trip to London next June, but as I am an elementary teacher, I have to take advantage of thinking of leisurely things while I can! (we start back next week)

On one day during the trip I wanted to go to an open air market with the kids. After watching "Notting Hill" twice (for Hugh Grant, not for the market scenes :), I had originally planned on the Portobello Market. However, a couple of travel guides and Fodorite Lori say Camden Market is great, too, especially for teens. (My son will be 15 and my daughter 10). Would one be better than another? More questions to follow.....
Thanks so much.

I was not that impressed with Camden Market and wished that we had gone to Portobello Road instead.
What I really liked was getting up early and going to Bermondsey! Now that is fun!

Depends what you're looking for. For more upmarket antiques I'd opt for Portobello or Camden Passage (the latter is in Islington not in Camden).

For shopping with teens I'd opt for Camden Market.

For a start they'll surely get a kick out of some of the outlandish clothes people are wearing. Secondly there are some great areas selling very funky fashion which are really popular with teens. They also have some great vintage clothing stalls. In the halls they have some much classier stalls selling a really wide range of art and craft and gift items which all my guests have always enjoyed browsing.

Then further back towards the Stables are some fun places selling cheaper stuff, second hand stuff and larger stuff such as furniture.

Lastly upstairs in the old horse hospital you have some antique stalls.

It's a great range and you have lots of cheap food stalls too plus some nicer cafes and restaurants.

Many visitors just don't get past the grungy and dull areas nearer the Tube and leave feeling disappointed and for others it just isn't their thing, which is cool.

But for teenagers I think Camden Market would be best.

Portobello is far better quality, and something completely different. It's quality (upmarket bracante) antiques. Camden is new trash.

PS There are some great threads on this topic that aren't too old, you should be able to find them with a search on "Camden Market". In one I have tried to give a much more detailed description of the kinds of things you can find it Camden.

I do like Portobello and enjoy it to stroll through and take in the atmosphere but it seldom has much I want to buy whereas Camden (to me) seems to offer a better range.

i recommend camden with the kids but go only if you are more open minded and not bothered by the following:

- getting offered drugs (not at all intimidating)
- somewhat dirty places
- alternative/outlandish people
- drunk punk-rockers (harmless but big mouths)

It really is a great place but you should be able to tolerate the above or you will HATE it.

A lot of visitors go here and you will not feel unsafe just maybe a bit different than what you are used to.

I'm going to London next week and our plan is to do a few markets - Columbia Rd Flower Market, Spitalfields, Camden (not my choice) and Portobello Rd.... so watch for my trip report sometime mid-September. The only one I've been to thus far is Portobello Rd, which I enjoyed because I also like the neighbourhood. I'm hoping I can zip my sister in and out of Camden in less than 2 hours....

Taggie, if you do the zipping in and out thing for Camden, do take the time to at least get far enough in that you see more than just the gothic/ student clothes and jewellery shops near the Tube.

The kids will definitely enjoy the Camden markets more than Portobello. But there's no reason you can't do both...Portobello on Saturday and Camden on Sunday. Get there as early as you can in either case to avoid the biggest crowds.

Of the times I've visited Camden, I've seen plenty of outlandishly dressed/alternative types but have never been offered drugs. Must have (gratefully) aged out of that look.

Here are a couple of the threads Kavey posted to about Camden. Excellent descriptions.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34443854

and

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34447317

My personal favorites for a Sunday morning are Spitalfields, Columbia Road, and Petticoat/Brick Lane. If you've been scared off of Camden, it would be a reasonable alternative for your kids. Some of the funkiness but less of the grunginess.

Kavey, do they still sell the Amber jewelry there? We saw so much when we were there, and of course, once we were home, I was sorry I didn't buy any:)

Hi Kavey - I did read your other post (actually printed it) on getting "deep" enough into Camden, so that's what I'm aiming for.
Thanks for the heads up!

taggie---Some trivia that may add some interest to your London's markets visit: Spitafields Market is the last stop on the Jack The Ripper London Walk Tour. His/her last victim was found there as back then the Spita Fields were the outskirts of town. The name Spita Fields comes from a medieval hospital for tuberculosis that used to be on the spot where today's market is (spit-spita-hospital). It looked like an interesting place to visit, the tour guide explained that the place is a bustling market with food, vegetables, flowers, etc. Certainly quite the contrast.

Scarlett yes they do!! I was there with NanB and her kids not that long ago and I was eyeing up some nice orange and green amber set in silver... it was gorgeous! I didn't buy any either though!

What was the item you fell for? Was it set in silver too?

If I'm lacking inspiration on gifts I often look in the two or three storey hall area as there are some lovely items in there. Original art and craft, jewellery etc. I like giving more unique gifts than the normal toiletries from the same old places or some crappy photo frame or such!

Taggie, I hope you enjoy it. There is a lot of new stuff, as MKingdom so nicely indicates, but it's not all trash.

The thing I like about Camden which other markets don't have is that it has something to appeal to different groups - students and budget shoppers, goths, those looking for new, vintage and ethnic clothing and home furnishing items, high quality crafts and jewellery (the Batik shop is still a favourite of mine) and the old antiques at the back where another Fodorite found a great bargain on a Quimper plate. She knows her Quimper so I'm confident it was the genuine article. She has shopped in London often and said it would have been a lot more expensive in Portobello or Islington.

Both markets sound great- maybe we could do one Sat. and the other Sunday.
I know my fashion-conscious daughter would thoroughly enjoy looking at all of the garb and vintage clothes at Camden Market, but the comment about being offered drugs there bothers me. Would that occur to the kids if they were with me? They would freak I believe- they are both very naive.

Yes, it was amber set in silver. I love the color so I liked most everything I saw :)

"being offered drugs there bothers me. Would that occur to the kids if they were with me? They would freak I believe- they are both very naive. "

From previous postings I believe that one of your children is in their mid-teens? I'm sure they're not nearly as naive as you (like to) think they are. They've run various anti-drug campaigns in America including the infamous "Don't Do Drugs" pencil, which changes its stance to "Do Drugs" overnight.

Drugs vendors aren't wholly stupid. They are unlikely to approach kids walking around with their mother and tend to focus on locals of a certain age and background.

I doubt you'll even have to worry about witnessing this and a simple No Thanks will deal with any offers if they are made.

If your kids are regular teens they'll have an awareness of drugs without being desperate to buy some on holiday behind mum's back!

m_k2, Yes, he is probably more aware of certain situations than I give him credit for and I would hope that he would be able to use his head and act/react accordingly. My daughter will have just turned 10, though, and a drug offer situation is not something I would like to have her encounter yet. I know this can happen anywhere, but what I was getting at is if this happens more often there than not, maybe a different market would be a better choice. I hope not, though, because it sounds wonderful!

Kavey is so on target. walkinaround's comments were a bit alarmist. At 11 my daughter was oblivious to anything drug oriented (ie, head shops) and I suspect she'd be less oblivious at 13 but still not interested. We've visited the Camden markets 3 times in the last two years and have never been offered drugs.

Spitalfields, Brick and Petticoat Lanes have a good share of retro, vinrage and 2nd hand clothing as well if you choose to make that your destination.

M_kingdom, at least as advertised here, has no children and is an enthusiastic US basher so his/her/its comments should be ignored.

No way to guarantee it for you but I'd be VERY surprised if a 10 year old with mum was offered anything.

I'd certainly not pass up the market just because of that though you could warn her in advance that any crowded public place that is a magnet for students is bound to have a few characters that are doing things they oughtn't and that if anyone approaches her she must simply say No thanks and move towards you.

Thanks Kavey, et. al. for the positive comments and suggestions for Camden Market. m_k2 thanks for the information about the more upscale Portobello Market. In this and other replies I have read, your tone can be a bit harsh, but you do take the time to give suggestions and advice. I'll take the good with the bad :)

Damn it! - am I doing something wrong? - I've probably been to Camden Market a dozen times over the years and never once been offered drugs. Do't believe I'm being mistaken for a copper either. I feel slighted!

More seriously KandKsmom i think your children will both be far happier if you take them to Camden rather than Portobello. However - you light prefer getting up early and doing Portobello yourself for some indulgent, what's that US-phrase?- "Me-time."

If you can arrange to do both in that matter I'd say that would be the ideal - if only one then Camden undoubtedly.

Dr D.

Drug pushers by their very nature try to remain inconspicuous - they don't want to be caught!

They would never ever approach children with their parent(s), they want to make a sale, not risk getting caught! I think you are all being rather alarmist, children are all very streetwise these days (but I think they always were) and can (usually) make informed decisions about such matters.

i don't think i was being alarmist. These things do not bother me and as I said, i love to visit camden and the diversity and urban edgy-ness are its main attraction.

in reality, a lot of americans...especially from non-urban environments may be put off by it. that's all i'm saying.

here are the raw facts:
as you walk from the camden tube station and approach the canal, there are a lot of drug dealers who will be saying "marijuana, hash, etc" to you as you pass. that's the extent of it. it's not pushy, not intimidating at all and nothing to worry about. they don't stop you nor do you even have to answer.

you will also see bongs for sale and other equipment and alot of clothing with pro-drug slogans. again, no problem at all...just some people freak out over this stuff.

i know this area very well and this is just how it is. maybe the others approached from the other direction or perhaps didn't even notice.

i just wanted to give a mother the facts so she can make her own judgement and not be surprised, or worse, be freaked out about it and cause it to ruin her day.

would i bring kids here...yes. there is really nothing to worry about and everything will be completely safe. i'm sorry if it was interpreted as alarmist but i was just stating the facts.

WIth 15 and 10 year old, I would opt for Camden. When you are finished, take a ride in a canal boat.

Again, Kavey has excellent insight.

walkinaround, Your second post was much less alarmist than your first. However, I'd suggest the following is your opinion and not a fact:

>in reality, a lot of americans...especially from non-urban environments may be put off by it.<

I live in a very small US town and managed not to go apopletic in Camden on a Sunday morning with a preteen. It's not all Mayberry you know.

Well for me, markets are fun and always different, even in France I never raise expectations, but I bought a beautiful pristine Victorian blouse in Camden, and in Portobello, a pair of French binoculars that are gold relief design.

Same here, Dr DoGood! No one ever offered me drugs :(
I have no good drug stories to tell~

Shoot, no one offered me a toke, though once long ago in San Fransisco when I was only walking down the street.
You are safe in the Camden Market!!!

Cigale, LOL, we feel so left out :)

Another small market is at Covent Garden. There are jewelry kiosks, antique silver, handmade crafts. It might be fun for a couple of hours exploration and definitely safe!

KandKsmom was interested in what (presumably) KandK would like.

And I've yet to meet any 10 or 15 year old, however street smart or innocent, who got particularly interested in Portobello Road (though I've met lots well brought-up enough to disguise their boredom)

Camden Lock, OTOH, caters for a spectacularly wide range of tastes (yes, indeed, including exotic botany).

Even the pickiest, London-based, 15 yo (and believe me, on the few occasions they can be amputated from their mobiles, ipods or Xboxes, no animal species is pickier than a London 15 yo) can find something at Camden Lock to stop them, at least for 0.2 secs, yammering on about how BOOORING everything is.

My favorite markets on weekends are either Spitalfields on Sunday morning or Greenwich (both Satuday & Sunday) Spitalfields is fun-- lots of street fashion, but not as sleazy as Camden. Greenwich might be fun because it is a great Sunday trip anyway-- the Tea Clipper and Observatory are interesting for teens...its a lovely town, and taking a boat down the Thames is lovely. The market there is good, and not too too big. (I mean, why go to London with the kids, and not find ways to cram al little culture into them along with the fun of shopping?

Both are really mixed markets, with a wide range of things that might entertain you and the kids.

Having been to both Portobello Road and Camden Markets last June, I would definitely vote for Camden markets. I bought my three teenage girls jewellery from there and it was a big hit. They saw our photos of the punks, Jamaicans and interesting street frontages and want to go there. You'll love it because it's a bit different.

obx...i think i said "a lot" not "all".

Boy, I never expected to get such a response from this question! :) Can't wait to see what comes up in the coming year with the other inquiries that I will have. Thanks everyone for all of the advice. All of your opinions are welcomed. By reading through them I am able to decipher what applies to our family's situation and can make good decisions about our trip, I hope. Camden Market it is- I can't wait. I just ask that you all don't buy up all of the good merchandise before we get there! :) Thanks again.

Obxgirl are you in the UK? Can you drop me an email? :D

Good website:

http://www.londontourist.org/markets.html

I can't say that I share the enthusiasm for the London markets. If I was short for time I'd skip them entirely.

It seemed to me that most of the merchandise could be found at a yardsale, Walmart or whatever the equivalent 5 and dime store where you are. It was mostly practical cheap mass-produced items and knick-knacks.

I'd much rather spend time in London shops if I was looking to buy something unique.

kakalena

Kakalena
I'd agree with you that the markets have a lof of cheap and mass produced stuff.
There are also LOTS of small stall holders who hand make their craft and clothes and that's the stuff that pulls me. It's stuff you couldn't just pick up in the local shopping centre.
That said, I'm not big on having to do all the "must do" sights, I enjoy browsing in places like markets, especially when it allows me to see some stranger segments of the local population!
:D