Brixton, London: Cool things to do and see

Brixton is one of London’s coolest areas that is always vibrant, lively and so, so busy!

You will notice the difference as soon as you step out of the underground station.

This place has character. This is not your typical polished London touristy area. It’s busy, noisy and happening.

That’s not the only thing that makes Brixton unique. It has a sense of community that’s hard to find in a big city.

At  the same time it welcomes visitors with a very nice range of things to do, places to eat and a great nightlife scene.

How to get to brixton

The easiest way to get to Brixton is to take the Victoria line on the London Underground. It’s the last stop when you go south.

It may seem a bit far if you are new to the city, but in fact getting to Brixton station should  take you no more than 15 minutes from central London (from Oxford Circus Station).

Things to do in brixton

The bowie memorial

When you arrive, cross the street and the first thing you’ll see is one of the most famous pieces of street art in London – the Bowie Memorial.

David Bowie grew up in Brixton and this mural was painted by artist James Cochran back in 2013.

After his death it became a shrine. People write messages and leave flowers, photos and letters next to the wall.

Eat at the trendy brixton village

A few minutes walk from the station you’ll find two popular covered food markets – Brixton Village and Market Row. 

It’s the place to go for cafes, restaurants and food stalls with food from all over the world – Afro-Caribbean, Indian, Brazilian, Japanese, Mexican and the list goes on…

When you first arrive, you may realise it’s a bit hard to find your way around… use this map so you don’t get lost!

On your way to Brixton Village you’ll pass through another iconic Brixton market on Electric Avenue. It’s a street market with fresh produce and local shops. This is the place where you’ll get a good idea of the community vibe in Brixton.

A tip for vegans (and everyone else) – don’t miss Ms Cupcake! It’s a vegan bakery on Market Row and it’s full of surprises…

The London Vegan Meetup group runs regular walks visiting Brixton Village and other parts of Brixton. Check their meetup page for details and join a tour, it’s good fun. 

Get inspired at pop brixton

 

A post shared by Pop Brixton (@popbrixton) on Sep 30, 2017 at 4:20am PDT

This is a temporary project, so enjoy it while you can.

Pop Brixton is an alternative space for entertainment, food, independent shops and social enterprise. It’s fun to walk around and explore.

On my last visit I found a community garden among the shops and food stalls.

Right next to it there’s a “community fridge” where people leave food that others can take for free.

The place can get crowded at times, especially if there’s an event going on at Pop Box. They run all kinds of shows and workshops. Check their website for listings.

Get educated at the black cultural archives in brixton

One of London’s many unique museums, this one celebrates black heritage in Britain.

The Black Cultural Archives is one of my personal favourites that I keep returning to. The exhibitions change every few months and are always fascinating and very well curated.

Brixton is known for its Afro-Caribbean community so it seem like the ideal place for this museum.

Apart from the changing exhibitions, there are events all about black culture in Britain, from music to poetry to lectures, that you can find listed on their Facebook page.

Make something at the remakery

Makers and artists will love this place. It’s a co-operative workshop space where you can make things out of recycled waste, learn how to sew or fix your bike or maybe make some art.

Have a look at their list of workshops and sign up to whatever excites you!

See a live music show or go clubbing in brixton

 

A post shared by Brixton Jamm (@brixtonjamm) on Jul 27, 2017 at 9:32am PDT

Brixton is one of the best parts of London for music lovers.

It has a lot of clubs and a lot going on every night of the week.

At weekends, this is an ideal place to go clubbing, as the Victoria line runs 24 hours.

here’s my selection of music clubs in brixton:

Upstairs at the Ritzy – A few minutes walk from the station, this music venue is right above the Ritzy Cinema. It’s got a good range of styles, DJ nights, a lot of world music and jazz.

The Blues Kitchen – A restaurant with a large live music venue (with more locations in Shoreditch and Camden). It’s not just a Blues club, despite the name. The musical styles include a lot of soul, funk and jazz. 

Hootananny Brixton – A spacious venue for live shows and parties in many different styles from many different countries. A great place for weekend partying.

Brixton Jamm – Another good place for parties, live music and DJ club nights. Expect a lot of Hip Hop, funk, ska, bass and similar musical styles.

The Brixton Academy (aka O2 Academy Brixton) – For big rock and pop concerts in Brixton, check out the events at the Brixton Academy. It’s one of the largest and most famous music venues in London. 

Guided tours in brixton, london

As Brixton has only started to become more popular with tourists in recent year, the range of guided tours and experiences you can take is still small, but I believe it will grow soon.

You can take a private tour of Brixton with a local guide. This is the best option if you want to focus just on the things that interest you. Ask your guide for a tailor-made tour.

Music and art lovers have a lot to see in Brixton. Take the Brixton Music and Street Art Walking Tour to get to know its alternative culture scene.

You can also take a self-guided tour of Brixton, using an interactive app.

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