Hackney

Hackney: One of London's Most Vibrant Areas

Hackney is one of the capital's most exciting and artistic places.

From the creative hub of Shoreditch with its bars, galleries and clubs; to the centres of international culture and cuisine in Dalston and Hackney Central; to the relaxed villages of Stoke Newington and Victoria Park, Hackney has a great deal to offer by way of entertainment, quirky shopping and relaxation.

You can eat your way around the world in high-quality, affordable restaurants. There's entertainment at a wide range of venues, from traditional East End variety house, through fringe theatre and jazz bars, to independent cinema.

Alternatively, take it easy and enjoy the peace and fresh air in the award-winning parks of London's greenest inner-city borough.

Entertainment in Hackney

If you're looking for entertainment, the Hackney Empire is becoming the Capital's major independent venue, dedicated to providing the widest range of popular culture. Prestigious companies from around the country and the world come to "the most beautiful theatre in London" (The Guardian again). Seasons include the best of British drama as well as some wonderful concerts, opera and ballet productions.

Alternatively, try the award-winning Arcola Theatre. Or if music's more your thing, there's The Vortex Jazz Club.

Shopping in Hackney

Hackney's independent shops offer a wide range of possibilities. The best places to go are:

• Stoke Newington Church Street for independent boutiques, second-hand bookshops, children's clothes shops, Saturday's organic farmers' market and specialist music shops. The street's outlets offer something for moochers and hardcore shoppers alike!
• Victoria Park Village (www.victoriaparkvillage.com) offers designer boutiques, specialist interior shops, cafes, pottery and gift shops, florists, hair and beauty salons, pubs, bars and restaurants.
• Between London Fields and Regent's Canal, Broadway Market is lined with retailers, galleries, bars and restaurants. The Saturday market sells fantastic organic cakes, fruit and veg, cheese, bread, and meat.

Parks and Fresh Air in Hackney

Visit Clissold Park for its tennis courts; animals including deer, goats and rabbits; children's playground; ponds; an organic nature garden and butterfly tunnel.

Springfield Park in the very north of the borough has a café which is perhaps one of Hackney's best kept secrets. Their breakfast has been voted one of the best in London. Housed in the beautiful grade II-listed White Lodge Mansion, it also provides a superb range of cakes and hot drinks for a winter's day, and serene views across acres of grassy parkland, ancient trees and Walthamstow Marshes.

Or if you're feeling energetic, you may like to take a dip in the London Fields Lido, London's only Olympic-sized, outdoor, heated swimming pool.