Best Shopping Malls, Outlet and Places in The Queen Elizabeth Area

"And finally on our list of the best desserts in London, it’s Borough Market. If you just can’t decide what kind of dessert you want to enjoy, the best place for variety is Borough Market. You’ll find every kind of dessert under the sun being sold here, so you can take a stroll around and really pinpoint what it is your sweet tooth is craving!"

"If you did some advance research on the food scene in London, you probably heard that we have a lot of food markets around town. Borough Market is the most famous. It’s particularly known for fresh produce, but there are literally a hundred food stalls dotted around."

"Let's not sugarcoat it — doughnuts are filthy and that’s why we love them. These bad boys at Borough Market mean business. They come with cream bursting out the sides so a napkin is essential."

"Restaurants Contemporary Global Spitalfields. The best way to describe The Kitchens in Spitalfields is as a street food market and restaurant hybrid. Launched by Nuno Mendes (of Chiltern Firehouse fame), it features up to ten rotating kiosks ranging from Flank (nose-to-tail British cooking) to Thousand Knives (Japanese small plates) and Yum Bun (steamed buns) – although we’re sold on the Insta-famous crispy shengjianbao (Shanghai’s pan-fried ‘soup dumplings’) from Dumpling Shack."

"Monday-Friday, 11am-8pm; Saturday, 11am-6pm; Sunday, 11am-5pm  Why go?. For dumplings you’ll be dreaming about for days. Launched by Nuno Mendes of London hotspot Chiltern Firehouse and nearby Taberna do Mercado, this recently-opened street food operation has, as you might expect from this savvy restauranteur, a pretty slick and streamlined feel."

"This lively east London market has an eclectic mix of stalls that will satisfy any shopper. It’s open seven days a week, so naturally it’s one of London’s busiest shopping destinations. There are antiques, clothes, jewellery - you name it, they’ve got it."

"Get up early for the best selection at Columbia Road Flower Market. A street bursting with plants, shrubs, bulbs and trees, this market in London is a must-visit for its super-colourful displays and fragrant blooms. You can also pick up gardening accessories in this east London hotspot, and make sure to take home some of the gorgeous cut-flowers on offer."

"One of the most traditional romantic places in London has to be Columbia Road’s Flower Market. Even if you’re not interested in buying flowers, the atmosphere and people will certainly romanticise the occasion. It’s a cute and quaint market, and arguably one of the more subtle romantic places around London."

"When you’re looking for a floral fix, Columbia Road Flower Market makes for a great day out. Just make sure to visit on a Sunday as it’s only open then. Best shot: take your pick from any of the colourful floral displays."

"Follow your nose to find the tasty treats on offer at the Southbank Centre Food Market, hosted in Southbank Centre Square behind the Royal Festival Hall on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and bank holiday Mondays. The rotating cast of street food vendors are specifically chosen for their dedication to delicious, sustainable and ethical food and drink. Or peruse paperbacks and hunt for hardcovers at the Southbank Centre Book Market each day under Waterloo Bridge."

"London’s South Bank has seen an explosion of development in the past decade that goes well beyond the London Eye. While the Eye is still the biggest attraction drawing families across the Thames, restaurants and a vibrant waterfront are keeping them there all afternoon. Even better, the Southbank Centre Food Market, located behind Southbank Centre, is introducing local and visiting families to cuisines from across the globe."

"A bustling market with some of the best food stalls in London, the Southbank Market is a definite must-visit for food lovers in London. It’s tucked around the back of the famous Southbank Centre, so is the perfect stop to refuel whilst exploring the area. As one of London’s best food markets, the competition to get a spot here is fierce – with the end result that the stalls are absolutely brilliant."

"Tucked between railway arches and an architectural salvage lumberyard, Bermondsey’s Maltby Street Market is a hub for those who take their food seriously. Maltby sells everything from organic vegetables to the most decadent egg waffles, and also serves as the perfect pit stop during a day out in the area—the Textile Museum and White Cube Bermondsey are within a six-minute walk. View this post on Instagram"

"Found on Bermondsey’s Ropewalk, between the railway arches and the LASSCO salvage warehouse, this heaving strip of a market started taking shape in 2009. Back then, it was just coffee kings Monmouth cupping up for a couple of hours every Saturday. Now, it’s a proper institution, and the main contender to Borough Market’s crown."

"Venture beneath the arches of London Bridge on a weekend where foodie playground Maltby Street Market comes to life. There's a fantastic range of street food sellers lined along the Ropewalk, from New York-style sandwiches at Sub Cult, to Little Bird gin cocktails and Waffle On's sweet and savoury waffles."

"Known as the place angsty teenagers, punks and creatives go to hang out, Camden Market is a must-visit in London if you want to experience an energetic and engaging counterculture. Made up of a number of adjoining markets, you’ll be able to find iconic band t-shirts, sterling silver jewellery, tattoo parlours and bespoke boutiques selling 1950s clothing and serious rock and roll attire. Camden Lock is the place to go for eating, with a huge range of street food stalls selling cuisine from all corners of the globe."

"Camden Town is home to a series of markets, encompassing an astonishingly eclectic array of goods to suit all tastes. Pick up some vintage clothes, handmade jewellery, music, or bric-a-brac. The market around Camden Lock features designers and artists, with a selection of international food vendors, too."

"Bhavi Beauty Wembley is an independent beauty spa located at the foot of London’s iconic Wembley Stadium. Right in the heart of the London Designer Outlet, they offer a sanctuary of pampering away from the bustling atmosphere of the area. Specialising in the ancient, Indian arts of threading and massages, they also provide a range of beauty treatments to help you feel both refreshed and refined."

"It’s finally time to move away from the Notting Hill / South Kensintgon area and venture towards East London. It’s a closed market which is actually made up of different streets but the whole area is known as Leadenhall Market. You can access it from different openings which converge in a central square area, the most Instagrammable spot in my opinion!"

"Leadenhall Market stood in for Diagon Alley in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. When it’s not lighting up the silver screen, this covered Victorian market in the City of London hosts pubs, shops and market stalls selling flowers, meat, cheese and fresh produce. Discover more “magical” things in Harry Potter that exist in real life."

"Calling all Harry Potter fans, the Leadenhall Market is one photography location in London you don’t want to miss. This gorgeous indoor Victorian market was the setting for Diagon Alley and the Leaky Cauldron in the famous film series. The architecture is fantastic."

"Keen to take in some unique views from London’s favourite concert venue?. If so, strap yourself in for Up at the O2 – a guided climb across the roof of the building. Although it’s totally safe, it’s sure to get your blood pumping – plus you’ll get some fab views."

"The O2 is an iconic building in North Greenwich and in 2012 Up at The O2 was added as an attraction. It literally means you climb over the top of the building. The central observation platform at the summit is 170 feet high and has some great views."

"The Royal Academy of Arts is an independent, privately funded art organization led by artists and architects. The academy's mission is to foster creating, enjoying, and appreciating visual arts in London. The Royal Academy of Arts was originally founded in 1768 through an act of King George III, who set forth for the academy the same mission it has today."

"Head to the Royal Academy of Arts to see the evolution of contemporary art unfold before your very eyes. It’s no accident that this is known as the spot for finding London’s hottest talents. The academy is led by its Royal Academicians, a group of peer-elected artists, the works of whom are displayed in their defiant exhibits."

"The Royal Academy of Arts is the first art institution in England. It was established in 1768 and since 1868 it has been based in Burlington House on Piccadilly. In 1998 it expanded to the Burlington Gardens building."

"I wonder how many of those souls queuing for hours to enter Westminster Abbey have ever broken away to venture inside this fascinating Westminster church. St Margaret’s Church Westminster is located in the churchyard of the Abbey,and is often called the ‘parish church of the House of Commons’. It is often frequented by politicians and parliamentarians, and the connection dates back to the 17th century when Puritan MPs started to worship there as they disapproved of the style of worship in Westminster Abbey."

"The parish church of Parliament is next to Westminster Abbey. Samuel Pepys got wed here and Sir Walter Raleigh is buried in the yard"

"St Helen Bishopsgate was formed originally of two medieval churches joined together. On the left is the nave of a Benedictine Nunnery, which, in the early 13th century was built onto the existing parish church. The two congregations were then separated by a solid screen (now columns)."

"St Helen’s Church in Bishopsgate is another survivor of the Great Fire, and indeed the Blitz. However, an IRA bomb blew its roof off. It originally belonged to a nunnery which was dissolved in 1538."

"This church dates from the 12th-century and managed to survive both the Great Fire of London in 1666 and the Blitz"

"Hadleigh Castle is a ruined fortification in the English county of Essex, overlooking the Thames Estuary from south of the town of Hadleigh. The romantic ruins of a royal castle overlooking the Essex marshes is the perfect place for a historical day out."