Lazy Sunday in London's Market

One benefit to cutting down on the going out and boozing is that on Sunday mornings you wake up feeling refreshed and ready for adventure.

So two Sundays ago, after a cooked breakfast in bed (mmm bacon) The Boy and I jumped on the train to London Bridge for a day exploring the market life of East London.

Walking from London Bridge to Liverpool Street on a sunny Sunday morning is nothing short of perfect.

The streets are almost post-apocalyptic quiet and instead of keeping your head down in determination to get where your going, you can take your time to admire how amazing the city is. 

It wasn't long before we reached Petticoat Lane and starter meandering up through Brick Lane. To me, this part of town feels a million miles away from home in East Dulwich, and on a sunny day, with the music pumping and the smell of street food cooking and the sheer eclecticness of ethnicities, it almost feels like you're on holiday.

From Brick Lane it's not far to Columbia Road Flower Market - a small narrow street, crowded with flowers and more traditional market sellers, calling out 3 for a tenner in a cockney accents. But it's not just flowers, the road is lined with hole-in-the-wall coffee suppliers, boutique little gift stores and art shops.

Columbia Road Market

After a quick cappuccino at Campania Gastronomica, and laden with peonies and roses, it was time to battle the now thick lunchtime crowds back to Spitalfields.

When I first visited Spitalfields in 2008, it felt more like an independent market overflowing with young designers. Now however, it feels more and more like a tourist trap, designed to bring in the money and crowds.

Nevertheless, there are few nicer way to spend a sunny, lazy Sunday morning in London than strolling around the markets. Plus after a trip to Columbia Road, your dining room table will look like this...