Camden: Enjoy a fusion of London’s culture with some memorable sporting excellence

An iconic, vibrant and colourful borough to stay in summer 2012

Camden and Covent Garden is one of Inner London’s most important boroughs, with many valued institutions in the UK calling it home.

From the British Library, which has a copy of the Magna Carta lying around, to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art – responsible for some of the finest theatrical performances in modern culture – this prestigious area of the capital needs no introduction.

Even though this area might not have too many venues to boast, the amazing transport links means that it is inexcusable to get to the events you want to see. Indeed, if you want to enjoy London in all its glory, as well as casually dipping in and out of Olympic Fever, this could be the place for you.

If the hubby loves his sport but the wife wants to immerse herself in city fashion, choose Camden. You can have a lovely morning latte with a newspaper and a glossy magazine before going and looking around the exuberant markets; salons where you can get brightly-coloured pipes placed in your hair to look eccentric and cool, not to mention the beautiful jewellery stores where you will be spoiled for choice at the array of sterling silver available

Anyone up for a spot of archery?

The main events that are going to be held in the borough of Camden is archery, meaning that many enthusiasts are going to be descending into this area in order to enjoy the sport in a brand-new way. Held at the wonderfully extravagant Lord’s Cricket Ground, many of the expert archers from around the world will even give Robin Hood a run for his money. This sport had its grand debut in the Summer Olympics during the event in 1900, some 112 years ago before the London event will be held. If this doesn’t show the prestige and historical significance of this event, what can?

It is worthwhile to note that in actuality, archery is a rare thing to see in the Olympics. Not included in the 1912 games, or the programmes from the 1924 games right through until the 1968 event, archery will make its 14th appearance as one of the sports to be contested in the London Games in 2012. If you fancy a spot of archery-related trivia, consider the fact that France has been the most active country to participate in archery, being represented 11 times out of a possible 13 in the heats. This is the most out of all 83 countries that have put forward archers during the sport’s history.

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The exhaustive list of things to do in Camden

No matter how long you are staying in Camden, you will be hard-pressed to experience all of the different attractions available in this borough, as well as in the surrounding areas.

Recommended attractions in Camden

If you are an art aficionado, you should consider visiting the extensive galleries in the borough without a shadow of a doubt. Even though the British Library might not have some of the masterpieces of modern history, seeing real-life notebooks from Leonardo Da Vinci certainly can be a defining and breathtaking moment for anybody.

Places to eat and drink

As Camden is such a large borough, expect plenty of different places to try amazing food. For example, at the Proud Kitchen you can be treated like a VIP guest and enjoy live music from DJs no matter when you visit. Including food that has been drawn from New York influences, this is the perfect hideout for over 18's of an evening once all of the Olympic events have died down.

Travelling to other Olympic stadia from Camden

Don’t forget that you don’t have to limit yourself to visiting the Lord’s Cricket Ground if you want to watch the Olympics unfold.

For example, you might consider visiting the main Olympic Park in Newham through using the Tube and bus connections that run right through this Central London borough 24 hours a day. Many attractions are in cycling and walking distance too, and there are plenty of tourist information centres that will enable you to get all of the advice you need to make the most out of the opportunities that surround you in Camden.

In line with the targets that the Council has in the area to be environmentally friendly, you should look out for the hybrid buses that are all ensuring cleaner air and happier visitors to the city. What more could you want from your London summer escape?