Shoreditch Walks

Today I want to share A Lady in London’s free self-guided Shoreditch walks with you. This part of east London is packed with everything from street art to cool cafes, and these walking routes and maps will help you discover the best of the area.

From Shoreditch High Street to Great Eastern Street, Old Street to Rivington Street, Shoreditch is one of the best east London neighborhoods.

One of the coolest areas in the UK capital, Shoreditch is a great place to soak up the colorful murals and hip scene the East End is known for.

Whether you’re looking for a London walking tour entirely in the neighborhood or a street-art themed one that will take you through Spitalfields as well, I have self-guided Shoreditch walks that will cater to your preferences and let you explore the best of this east London neighborhood.

You can see more walks in the book London’s Hidden Walks, too. It’s perfect if you enjoy exploring the UK capital’s off-the-beaten-path areas. You can get it here.

Shoreditch Walk Route

My first Shoreditch walking tour starts at Old Street station. It has great transport links, so you can arrive by tube, train, bus, bike, or on foot from other parts of the city.

When you exit the station, walk east down Old Street towards Shoreditch High Street. On the way you’ll start to get a taste of the street art and hip bars and restaurants the area is known for.

When you reach Rufus Street, turn left and walk into Hoxton Square. This green space is surrounded by some of the most popular bars in the neighborhood.

When you’re done taking in the square, continue your Shoreditch walk by exiting east onto Old Street and continuing until you reach Shoreditch High Street.

If it’s a Sunday, you can take a detour up to the Columbia Road Flower Market, one of the best London markets (here’s a map of where you can find it).

If not, continue this most exciting of Shoreditch walks by turning right on Shoreditch High Street. Don’t miss the facade of George Dance the Elder’s 18th-century Shoreditch Church on your left as you go.

When you reach Rivington Street, turn right and walk all the way down it until you reach Great Eastern Street. Along the way you’ll pass famous street art, great bars, shops, galleries, and more.

Once at Great Eastern Street, cross over where it’s safe and walk southwest down Tabernacle Street. Continue on it until you reach Leonard Street. When you do, turn right.

Follow Leonard Street down to City Road. As you go, you’ll pass by one of the best coffee shops in London.

When you reach City Road, cross the street where it’s safe and turn left. You’ll soon find yourself at two local landmarks that are across the street from one another.

The first is Wesley’s Chapel. It’s a Georgian Methodist chapel and museum that was also once the home of the founder of Methodism, John Wesley.

Across from it is Bunhill Fields, a former burial ground. Now a public park, it’s the final resting place of notables like William Blake, Daniel Defoe, John Bunyan, and Susanna Wesley.

You can visit one or both, or continue this loveliest of Shoreditch walks by heading south down City Road and taking in the Honourable Artillery Company, a castle-like building next to Bunhill Fields.

When you reach Worship Street, turn left and walk east down it until you reach Curtain Road. You’ll see more of the area’s famous bars as you go.

Once you reach Curtain Road, turn left and walk up to Great Eastern Street. When you arrive, cross over and turn right on New Inn Yard. It has great street art, and you’ll see the best of it as you walk down to Shoreditch High Street.

When you get there, continue this most colorful of Shoreditch walks by turning left. Walk up Shoreditch High Street and take in the scene before turning right on Calvert Avenue.

Calvert Avenue will take you past great shops and cafes until you get to Arnold Circus. Surrounded by historic buildings, it has a small green space called Boundary Gardens in the middle.

Once you’ve explored the gardens, continue your Shoreditch walking tour by heading south down Club Row until you get to Redchurch Street, one of the neighborhood’s famous shopping streets.

Turn right on Redchurch Street, taking in the hip stores and cafes as you make your way back to Shoreditch High Street.

When you get there, turn left, then cross over Bethnal Green Road where it’s safe and turn left to walk down it. Passing Boxpark Shoreditch on your right, make your way to Shoreditch High Street station.

Your Shoreditch walk ends here, but you can spend more time exploring the area if you want to.

In fact, the station is a short distance from Liverpool Street station, where my self-guided Spitalfields walk starts. You can head down there and combine the two if you want to explore more.

Walk Details

Shoreditch Street Art Tour

The second of my self-guided Shoreditch walks will take you around to see some of the best street art in the East End.

My Spitalfields and Shoreditch street art tour features some of London’s most famous murals. It’s a great one to do if you like a colorful surprise around every corner.

You can see my street art tour of London blog post for the full route, video, and map.