Things to do in Liverpool Street

Liverpool Street’s skyscrapers may not be the tallest in the world, but they are definitely the most stylish.

The Gherkin

Take 30 St Mary Axe, better known as the Gherkin. Clad entirely in glass, this Norman Foster designed building offers over 500,000 square feet of the trendiest and most environmentally friendly office space.

Opened in 2004, the Gherkin is 41 storeys and 180 metres tall, won the RIBA Sterling Prize for Architecture, and is worth about £600 million! Current tenants include Standard Life and Swiss Re.

But the building is not open to the public. You’ll have to score an invite if you want to visit its 40th-floor bar to soak up panoramic views of the city.

Or you can apply to join the exclusive private members’ club that operates from the 38th (which houses the club lounge) and 39th floors (where Searcys runs a members-only restaurant).

Annual fees are £750, with benefits including priority restaurant bookings 15% of restaurant food, and heavily discounted space hire.

The Scalpel

The Scalpel is the latest in brilliant skyscraper architecture. Completed in 2018, this Kohn Pedersen Fox designed building is 190 metres (or 38 storeys) tall. It is complete with 22 energy saving lifts, has 396 bike parking spaces and even has PV cells on the roof. It will largely be used for office space, though over 10,000 square feet have been allocated to restaurants, cafes and bars. A number of floors are already let to W. R. Berkley, Axis and Decus.

But The Scalpel is all about the knife-edged architecture that make it the sleekest and most fashionable office space in the city.

Located just to the east of Liverpool Street station, Spitalfields Market is one of the finest surviving Victorian market halls in London.

Themed markets are held every day of the week in the central event space, surrounded by over 50 permanent shops.

Whether you are after a great breakfast, bargain from a market stall, or the latest fashion, Spitalfields is a must-see.

There has been a market at Spitalfieds since King Charles II granted John Balch a Royal Charter to hold a market on Spital Square in 1682. Thereafter the neighbourhood grew in popularity with weavers and artisans coming from the Irish and Polish communities in particular.

The 110 market stalls offer wares such as flowers, ladies fashion, posters and prints, art, records, jewellery, 5-minute massages, children’s toys and food and drink. General markets are held on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays, with Antiques and Collectibles on Thursdays and Fashion on Fridays. A rolling programme of jewellery, vintage and record markets are held on Saturdays.

The surrounding shops include high-end fashion emporia (including Hackett, Barbour and Agnes B), arts and crafts (we recommend Lomography), interior design (such as ‘The Lollipop Shoppe’) and food and drink (with owner-operated outlets such as Sweet Basil and Café Caribbean and favourite chains including Wagamama, Fire and Stone and The Real Greek).

Continue past the market to take a look at the iconic Christ Church Spitalfields, built between 1714 and 1729 to a design by Nicholas Hawksmoor.

where? Spitalfields Market is found between Lamb and Brushfield Street, three minutes' walk to the north east of Liverpool Street underground and railway station.

when? 9am to 3pm, 7 days a week. Trading on the market stalls doesn't really get going until 11am.

£$€¥ Free.

Established in 1694, the Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom, responsible for printing banknotes and setting interest rates.

Its history is told at the Bank of England Museum, a 1,000 square metre attraction five minutes from Bank station.

Exhibitions include:

• a reconstruction of an 18th century banking hall;
• the history of the banknote (which has recently been updated to co-incide with the Bank of England's launch of the new polymer £5 note);
• the modern economy (which teaches you about the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee and why they are so important);
• the ‘Gold Display’ (where visitors can handle a real 13 kilogram bar of bullion, worth about £400,000);
• an explanation as to why the Bank is often called the Old Lady of Threadneedle Street (after the ghost of Sarah Whitehead, said to haunt the Bank's garden); and
• a small area devoted to Kenneth Greene's Wild in the Willows, and its connection with the Bank of England!

This is a really child-friendly attraction. There are activity sheets for children of all ages, puzzles and challenges for them to complete (including opening a bank vault), and lots of other interactive displays. There are also lovely gold-bullion pins handed out to all those who complete their activity sheets!

Finally, don't forget to visit our page on other East London children's attractions.

where? Bartholomew Lane, London EC2R 8AH. Closest tube: Liverpool Street.

when? Monday to Fried, 10 and 5 pm. Last entry 4.30pm. Closed Weekends and Bank Holidays.

£$€¥ Free.

Founded in around 1080 as the London headquarters of the Archbishop of Canterbury, St Mary-le-Bow has had a fascinating history.

It survived three collapses before being completely destroyed by the 1666 Great Fire of London.

The church was freshly designed by Sir Christopher Wren, only to be destroyed again during the blitz on London during the Second World War.

St Mary-le-Bow is best known for its famous church bells. They are fabled to have been heard by Dick Whittington in 1392, persuading him to return to London where he would later become Lord Mayor. They are mentioned in the nursery rhyme 'Oranges and Lemons':

"I do not know, says the Great Bell of Bow".

In order to call yourself a true Cockney, you need to be born within earshot of the Bow Bells.

The Church's 40-metre tower houses 12 bells, the largest of which has a diameter of 61 inches. The chapel itself is light and airy. Visitors must not miss St Mary's crypt, which has been in continuing use since 1080.

These days the atmospheric crypt is home to an excellent restaurant: the Cafe Below. Serving British and European cuisine such as ginger and chilli lamb with cumin roast squash, yoghurt and mizuma (for £14), the Cafe Below gets great reviews. It also serves breakfast from 7.30 am and bakes fantastic bread.