Is Leadenhall Market London A Unique And Astonishing Place?

Updated: Aug 29, 2019 @ 10:14 AM

leadenham market london interior
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Yes, yes, and yes! Leadenhall market London is an extremely beautiful and unique covered shopping market in the financial district. It is quite the popular destination for Harry Potter fans who know it better as Diagon Alley or one of the entrances to the Leaky Cauldron. For the few of us left who are not die-hard fans, it is still in my humble opinion an unrivalled beauty that deserves to be seen on any visit to London. The architecture is stunning and when you’re lucky enough to see it while the sun is shining, you get to really appreciate its colourful facets.

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is leadenhall market london astonishing
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Check out the roof of Leadenhall. It is insanely gorgeous.

I’m sorry it took us this long to visit the fabulous Leadenhall market London. We have visited London at least ten times together, and in my solo travel days, definitely over thirty. Truth be told, if we could afford to live there, it would be the number one choice for both of us. I, more than Federico realize that the dream would be crushed if it became a reality.

Leadenhall market is located smack dab in the middle of the center of the city. This elegant market is popular with locals to purchase their fresh flowers, fruit, cheese and meat. It is also an ideal place to see the businessmen and women in proper attire having a bit of lunch during their office breaks. It’s association with the Harry Potter franchise also makes it a popular destination for the fans of the series.

Leadenhall market London: Coolness

leadenhall market lines out the door
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You can see lines out the door at most of the eateries at Leadenhall market. during lunch time. We came back after the rush had died down also.

Leadenhall Market:

Leadenhall market London is a Victorian stunner that actually dates back to the 14th century, so it is one of the oldest in the country. It used to be a meat, poultry and game market. The Great Fire of London which happened in 1666 basically destroyed much of the structure and it fell into hardship. In 1881, an architect by the name of Sir Horace Jones (whose job was to revamp and rebuild London) designed the market to feature cobbled flooring and ornate roofing effectively turning it into a tourist destination. Here is a video about Leadenhall market London that does more justice than any picture :-).

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side view barbour store leadenhall market
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Leadenhall market shops. One of the numerous walkways into the market. It is one of the top places to be in London during working hours for the financial savvy.

Leadenhall market,  being in the financial district means that the place is extremely crowded during working hours with men and women in smart suits having what would be considered an obscene amount of beer in the U.S during their lunch breaks. We went at such a time and couldn’t find a place without insanely long waits which is a pet peeve for Federico.

In addition to the Leadenhall market restaurants and cafes, there are some upscale shops like Barbour, Jaeger Outlet and Waterstones bookshop. Eateries included Tortilla (British version of Chipotle) , Chop’d where you get to put together your own salad and the Lamb Tavern, a typical English pub. We couldn’t even get through the door for how many people were outside.

The Pen Shop Leadenhall Market:
leadenhall market london pen store
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One of the film locations London spot. This pen store has been there for over 150 years. It looked so cool in there.

 

food at slug and lettuce close to the gherkin London
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We ate at the Slug and Lettuce, one of a really nice restaurant chain close to the Gherkin. Great food.

 

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burrito at slug and lettuce London
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The burrito with pulled pork was really good, albeit a bit on the smaller side when compared to the big appetizers :-).

Walking around and checking out the market, we really enjoyed the skinny alleyways, the amazing roof – a mixture of greens, cream and maroon colors, not to mention the beautiful wrought iron works. It was designated as a Grade II building in 1972 for its special architectural and historic interest.

Best London attractions close to Leadenhall Market:

  • The Gerkin
  • The Monument
  • London Bridge
  • Borough Market
  • Tower Bridge

From Leadenhall market, it’s just a 2 minute walk to 30 St. Mary Axe to see the appropriately named Gherkin building. Following the installed street signs, we actually walked from Leadenhall market to the Monument (commemorating the great fire. No, we did not climb the 311 stairs to the top, beautiful view not withstanding.

Gherkin London
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The Gherkin in London. Would you call it anything else?

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monument London.
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The monument. Less than a 10 minute walk from Leadenhall market London. A really long climb up. 5 pound fee for the privilege.

A bit of further walk from Leadenhall market London will bring you to London Bridge itself and you can admire the Tower Bridge from there. Keep walking and you will come to Borough market, one of my favorite places to get a bite for cheap. This is an amazing way to spend a day in London on your own agenda.

By the time you see the above places, you’ll be ready to head back to your hotel or grab a pint at the pub. The kids would definitely be ready for some rest. So, to answer the question. Yes, Leadenhall market London is an amazing place that is worthy of a visit. Since you’re in London, I would advise carrying a light raincoat at all times since the weather changes drastically and it’s much easier than carrying an umbrella.

me london bridge
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Me on London Bridge…and no.. It wasn’t falling down :-).

 

view of tower bridge from London bridge
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A little cold weather wasn’t stopping tourists from enjoying their ferry ride.

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Leadenhall Market London Address:

Gracechurch St, London EC3V 1LT, UK

Leadenhall market Hours:

Open: 10AM-6PM (technically open 24 hours but the stores close then)

How to get to Leadenhall Market:

Tube station: Monument. We took the bus no. 344 towards Liverpool street. Go here to plan your transport route in London.

To plan your own London visit, you can check out fares and hotels here.

Pin it for later:

Leadenhall market London #HarrypotterLondon #cauldronalley #markets #london #england
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Leadenhall market London #visitlondon #leadenhallmarket #freshmarket #marketslondon #cauldronalley #londonguide #harrypotter
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Have you ever visited  Leadenhall market London? What did you think of it? Would you recommend it as a must see even for non Harry Potter fans? If not, is London a place you would like to visit?

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43 thoughts on “Is Leadenhall Market London A Unique And Astonishing Place?”

    • Yes they certainly do. Such a diverse place to find your tribe :-). We certainly did have a great time and can’t wait to go back. Thanks for the comment.

      Reply
    • You are so right about pictures not being able to do it justice :-). It is so beautiful, at least to me. Glad you agree and would recommend it as a need to visit spot. The roof is amazing :-).

      Reply
  1. Kemkem, London is such a great city, I loved living there, but like you said, it is just too expensive. I don’t remember visiting this particular market, I will have to check it out next time I go to London. My son is currently doing a Masters at Imperial College in London, I must arrange to visit him soon 🙂

    Reply
    • It’s great that you’re still close to the city and can visit with your son at the same time. Win-win situation that is. Time for a visit..haha! I suppose if it weren’t so expensive, it would be even more crowded than now. Insane that you can stand in Knightsbridge for 2 minutes and get whiplash from seeing so many exotic cars. The Rolls is almost like a taxi for how many you see 🙂 :-).

      Reply
  2. Every time I read your raves about London it moves up my Bucket List a few more places. Makes me feel like saying, “Damn the expense!” And I hadn’t even heard of Leadenhall Market (obviously not a Harry Potter follower) which is absolutely beautiful. Your photos are terrific as always and I loved the colors. Looks like another place to add to the ever growing list! Anita

    Reply
    • I feel you. We always end up saying just that! Check out this video view l found to get a better idea of the intricate work and beauty of this place which l think l will add to the post. I know you guys would really enjoy it very much. Combine that with the first class galleries in the city and it’s hard to get bored. I’m glad it’s moved up your bucket list..prepare for some more images from the museum :-). https://www.eyerevolution.co.uk/virtual-tours/leadenhall-market/

      Reply
    • As a Harry Potter fan, you’ll definitely geek out on the place then. I just might look up the movies just to see. I think you’ll enjoy London.

      Reply
  3. I’ve been there, the last time was in 1998. Most of my relatives live in England and my aunt and uncle (now deceased) lived in London so I visited many times over the years, though England really isn’t my first choice to travel to. Just more of a duty. Like the pub food though. Cheaper than restaurants. My all time favorite tourist trap in London is … the London Dungeon. Fun times. I’m still wearing a t-shirt I bought there in 1989!

    Reply
    • No matter how many times l go, I love it even more and can picture myself living there 6 months out of the year :-). Would skip the winter but can power through it if there was no choice..haha! We had a hard time finding cheap pub food this time around. Just 2 years ago, fish and chips at the pub was about 8-9 pounds. The cheapest this time around at the same places are 14-15 pounds which is quite a jump so we were a bit disappointed. Have yet to do the dungeon. I am a big chicken and can’t bring myself to actually go. Vintage tee..hahah!

      Reply
  4. I’ve never been and this has me wanderlusting right now!! I’m sure that pictures doesn’t do it justice.

    Reply
  5. Indeed a beautiful place! I am sure my wife would enjoy it even more than I would, since she’s also a huge Harry Potter fan. The food looked great as well – it would well be worth the wait in line for something as nice as that! I also like that it seems that all places there are cosy and each with its own style, making it even more enjoyable.

    Reply
    • The food was really incredible. I’m so glad we chose it as we now know how good it is and we can visit some of their other places. For sure you guys would enjoy it as Harry Potter fans. You’re right, all the places are cosy and if you could go at one of the less busy times, it would be fun. The colors are so intense and pretty.

      Reply
    • I think the Pen store was my favorite as well. I love old pens and it was fun window shopping there, plus the colors were so vibrant. Thanks for reading.

      Reply
  6. London isnt at the top of my travel list but I am sure its an interesting place to visit. I am loving the building structure.

    Reply
  7. I’ll be in London later on this month andn visiting Leandenhall and Burough Market are on my list. I didn’t have time to visit either one of them when I was there last summer. Your pictures have me really excited.

    Reply
  8. I have to admit London doesn’t interest me much. I went there many years ago and it was ho hum for me…that was about 25 years ago now and I know there’s some really cool modern architecture that has gone up since then. I’d like the beer and Indian food…. but otherwise just doesn’t excite me much. Spanky on the other hand has always wanted to go. I guess we’ll go one of these days…
    I’m a big Harry Potter fan. If anything I’d like to visit in England it’s all the castles. THAT excites me.

    Frank (bbqboy)

    Reply
    • Go figure. I would have bet Spanky would be the Harry Potter fan :-). Hey, no worries. I actually like the fact that tastes vary. I feel like that about Amsterdam. Federico has been at least 3 times and he would go again. Me?..nah! Once was more than enough and people rave about that city. I do like the architecture in the Financial district, some are really out there. Haha! You do have to go one of these days for Spanky’s sake.

      Reply
    • Oh thank heavens :-). I thought my radar was off..haha! I have tried getting Fede into like edge of violence futuristic movies like Underworld but no go!

      Reply
  9. You were in London! Lovely to know you were close by 😂. Shameful I know but never been to Leadenhall or Borough! Thanks for flagging them up.

    Reply
    • We were certainly close by :-). Once again we said..we want to live here and sighed ;-). That is shameful..haha! You need to rectify that right away Missy!!! :-).

      Reply

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