A Long Weekend in East London
East London is where I go when I want a city break that still feels like real life. I base myself at Adagio Stratford, a cheap studio with its own little kitchen right on the edge of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, and let the weekend run slow: the park on foot and by bike, ABBA Voyage one evening, a farmers market at the weekend, and dinners cooked in rather than out.
Stratford is one of the best connected corners of London, on the Elizabeth line, the Jubilee, the DLR, the Overground and national rail, so you can be here from almost any airport or station without a car. Here is a long weekend in East London that costs a lot less than you would think. You can read my full Adagio Stratford review for the numbers.
Your East London Itinerary at a Glance
- Day 1 Day 1: Arrive in East Village
- Day 2 Day 2: The Olympic Park and ABBA
- Day 3 Day 3: A market, Victoria Park and home
Where to Stay in East London
Adagio Stratford London
Home for the weekend is Adagio Stratford, a four star aparthotel with a proper little kitchen, tucked inside East Village on the edge of the Olympic Park.
BookWhat to Do in East London
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
Start with the parkland the 2012 Games left behind.
A swim at the London Aquatics Centre
The London Aquatics Centre, the Zaha Hadid building with the great wave of a roof, is open to the public.
ABBA Voyage
Book ABBA Voyage at the ABBA Arena by Pudding Mill Lane, one stop or a good walk from the studio.
BookThe Victoria Park cycle loop
Borrow a bike and do my favourite loop: out through East Village, across the Olympic Park and over the bridge into Victoria Park, then back, barely touching a road you did not want.
Where to Eat in East London
Cook in on the first night
The kitchen is the reason to book this place, so use it.
Where to Shop in East London
Westfield Stratford City
Stock the studio kitchen at Westfield Stratford City, a couple of minutes walk away, then wander the older Stratford Shopping Centre next door, still loud with market vendors who were here long before Westfield arrived.
Stoke Newington Farmers' Market
Stoke Newington Farmers' Market in Hackney is the easy weekend one to reach from Stratford, a short hop across East London for growers, bakers and a proper Saturday crowd.
Walthamstow Farmers' Market
Walthamstow Farmers' Market sits at the top of the High Street, home to the longest street market in Europe, with growers and bakers from just outside the city.
Islington Farmers' Market
If you fancy going a little further in, Islington Farmers' Market at Chapel Market is one of London's original farmers markets and a good option whatever the weather.
The refill store in East Village
Fill a jar at the little refill store in East Village on your way through, the kind of low waste shopping that is still rare this cheap and this central.
How to Get to East London
Trains to Stratford
Stratford is one of the best connected corners of London: the Elizabeth line, the Jubilee, the DLR, the Overground and national rail all stop here, so you can arrive from almost any airport or station without a car.
Your Day by Day East London Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in East Village
Getting to Stratford, settling into the studio, and stocking the kitchen for a quiet first night in.
Trains to Stratford
Stratford is one of the best connected corners of London: the Elizabeth line, the Jubilee, the DLR, the Overground and national rail all stop here, so you can arrive from almost any airport or station without a car. Walk out of the station and East Village is right in front of you.
Adagio Stratford London
Home for the weekend is Adagio Stratford, a four star aparthotel with a proper little kitchen, tucked inside East Village on the edge of the Olympic Park. It is the cheapest studio with its own kitchen I have found in this part of London, which is the whole point of coming here.
Westfield Stratford City
Stock the studio kitchen at Westfield Stratford City, a couple of minutes walk away, then wander the older Stratford Shopping Centre next door, still loud with market vendors who were here long before Westfield arrived.
Cook in on the first night
The kitchen is the reason to book this place, so use it. A quiet first night in the studio, dinner cooked from what you carried home, feet up. This is how you keep a London weekend cheap.
Day 2: The Olympic Park and ABBA
The parkland the Games left behind by day, and the show everyone tells you to see by night.
See the full day-by-day itinerary.
This is your only free pass. A free account gives you 3.
Day 3: A market, Victoria Park and home
A weekend farmers market, my favourite cycle loop, and a slow finish before the train.