When we talk about all the spaces and places you have to visit the city of London we cannot miss markets. This is because they constitute some of the most distinctive landmarks of the capital of England. Perhaps this is nothing new, but it is worth highlighting.
Although each of them stands out for something in particular, one of the most popular and that we want to talk about in this particular case is the Borough Market. Not only is it one of the best places in the city to try both new and familiar dishes, but it is also the market, or market, oldest across the city and one of the most famous in the UK.
It is located in the heart of London and is a special place to lose yourself, in a good way. You can visit its different sectors, corridors, outdoor spaces, depending on what your tastes are. The best thing is that, as it has open and closed spaces, it is ideal to visit at any time of the year and regardless of the weather.
Photo by Hulki Okan Tabak en Unsplash
In its beginnings, approximately thousand years ago, it was just another neighborhood market, in fact its name means that, “ borough ” refers to the neighborhood, to the neighborhood. However, with the passage of time it gained greater prominence as it began to incorporate more articles and products. It currently has more than 100 stalls where you can find fish, cheeses, different types of meats, beers and more.
The Borough Market is the quintessential place to go and try a delicious plate of food or go shopping for fresh produce that you can prepare with your own hands. In fact, it tends to be visited frequently by several chefs.
What we found at the Borough Market
Already for more than a thousand years that this market is dedicated to the purchase and sale of products and livestock, so much so that it is difficult to establish an exact date of its emergence, but it is believed that for In the year 1014 farmers and merchants used to meet who wanted to sell their goods. Despite this, it should be noted that it was not always located in the same place, but has been moving, and even had a time when it was closed due to all the traffic that was generated by its cause.
Just as the location has changed, the design of the building has also undergone different modifications. The place where it is located today was designed in 1851, undergoing a reform a few decades ago, in 2001.
Borough Market is divided into three large areas where we can find food to eat there or to take away in the various restaurants and cafes, stalls where you can buy ingredients to cook in our own homes, plant and flower stands, and plenty to go around.
Photo by Hulki Okan Tabak en Unsplash
These three main areas in which this iconic market is divided are:
- Three Crown Square: in this sector of the Borough Market you will find the largest producers and traders in the entire complex;
- Green Market: < In this area of the oldest market in the capital of England are the smallest producers and traders specialized in specific articles. It is the recommended sector to get fresh food, fruits and vegetables;
- Borough Market Kitchen: it is here where the street food merchants are found street. It is one of the recommended places to find the best not only of English cuisine, but of British cuisine in general.
What used to be a neighborhood market ended up becoming a world-renowned one, currently considered a gourmet space and where you can find ingredients from different parts of the world.
When to visit the Borough Market
This historic and contemporary market is one of the places you cannot miss at your next visit to the city of London and, therefore, it is important that you have as much information as possible when visiting it. One of the key things to be able to visit a site without problems is, of course, knowing the hours in which the public is allowed in.
This is a space that can be visited throughout the year and, due to the great diversity of areas it has, it doesn’t matter what the weather is because there will always be something to explore. The only thing to keep in mind is that the hours are not the same throughout the week, but they change depending on the days. Opening hours tend to coincide every day of the week, but the closing time changes depending on the day.
From Monday to Friday the market’s opening hours are at ten in the morning, while on Saturday it welcomes the public from 8 in the morning and the next day, Sunday, it goes back to ten o’clock in the morning. The closing time, for its part, remains from Monday to Thursday, this being 5 in the afternoon, while on Friday it closes one hour later, at 6pm or 6pm. The < strong> On Saturdays it returns to the closing time of 5 o’clock and, finally, on Sunday, the market closes its doors at two in the afternoon, or 14 hours.
Something important to keep in mind is that, although the market is open every day, not all traders are there 7 days a week.
How to get to Borough Market
The Borough Market is located at 8 Southwark Street, London, SE1 1TL, very close to the renowned London Bridge, just under the railway bridge between Southwark Cathedral and Borough Street High Street.
This market is a favorite place for people who reside there in London and others who come from different parts of the world to visit the capital of England and this is one of the places in the city that they do not want, or they can lose. That is why it is not uncommon for it to be a site that can be accessed by different means, which makes visiting it even more tempting.
One of the best options to get around London is to use public transport. So, if you use this means to get to the Borough Market, you should know that you have the following options:
- You can travel by metro, and in that case the closest stations to the complex are London Bridge, Borough and Southwark.
- If the transport you choose to get there is the train, you have to keep in mind that the closest station is London Bridge and you will have about four minutes, on foot, to Get to the stall facilities.
- A third option to get to the historic market using local public transport is using bus. Here, what you should note is that the routes that bring you here are 43, 141, 149 and 521.
Of course you can also reach this typical market of the London scene in other ways. Among these are the bicycle, for which there are exclusive spaces where you can leave it and also, another option, is a private vehicle. In case you decide on this last option, it is necessary to take into account that the parking spaces are close to the market, not in the same complex.
Recommendations to keep in mind when visiting the Borough Market
The Borough Market is a place that in a typical year is usually visited by more than four and a half million people, who come to try everything it has to offer, whether to eat or if to buy things to prepare them in their own homes. It is also visited by people who are not necessarily interested in food, but are looking to get to know one of the most attractive places in the city.
Taking into account the preponderance of this place, and that it is one of the not unmissable places in London, we believe it is pertinent to make a series of recommendations so that you keep in mind when you visit or even when you are organizing your plans. Anyway, it is likely that getting carried away by the smells and colors of the food you find there is inevitable and that makes it even better.
Next, we leave you a list of a series of things that can help you make your visit to the Borough Market even better:
- Visiting time: touring the entire market can take between 3 and 4 hours, but a lot will depend on the number of people who visit it that day and can take up to five hours. This can help you organize your schedule for the day, in relation to other sites that you also want to visit.
- Smoke-free space: within the Borough Market facilities you cannot smoke as it is a cigarette-free space.
- Seasonal food and drinks: the gastronomic offer that the market offers during the 12 months of the year is incredible, but it is important to note that at certain times you can find dishes and drinks that are specifically related to the date. For example, if you visit it at Christmas it would not be uncommon for you to find cream punches on your tour.
- Free entry: if you are looking for free activities to do in London, the walk through the Borough Market is something you cannot miss since entry is free every day of the week and at all times.
- It does not have parking: the market does not have its own parking, so if you decide to visit in a private vehicle you will have to leave it in one of the parking lots that are in the surroundings.
- You can go with dogs: if you want to visit the market with your dog companion, you can. In this case you have to remember that it is necessary that you always have it in your arms or that you carry it on a strap and you may not be able to enter some shops that are within the market.
- Guided tours: Borough Market does not run guided tours or food tours, but those who want to take a group tour can contact the market people and they will provide information such as the best times to visit and literary recommendations.
We hope that all these recommendations and information will help you to enjoy your experience of visiting one of the most important gastronomic markets in the United Kingdom to the fullest and that you can get the best out of it. Undoubtedly, one of the places in London that you cannot miss and that you can take advantage of at any time of the year, and under any weather.
