Shopping is great, but sometimes window-shopping is just as much fun.

A day out in London's historical Greenwich doesn't need to cost anything, if you can manage to stay out of its many eateries and watering-holes.
This weekend I enjoyed two of the free attractions of Greenwich. First, as it was May Bank Holiday, I explored the free May Fayre in the grounds of the Royal Naval College. A new Visitor Centre there has recently opened, and I can thoroughly recommend it as a starting point for your Greenwich experience. It has both indoor and garden cafe areas, as well as a wealth of information. Spurred onwards by a stiff breeze, I walked just round the corner to the Greenwich Covered Market, a market with a reputation as something of a browser's paradise with its arts & craft and bric-a-brac stalls. Most English local markets are a source of cheap and cheerful, humdrum goods - linens, housewares, fruit and veg and tatty clothing - but Greenwich Market is in the Covent Garden league. It's an excellent source of unusual and thoughtful gifts, with its hand-made jewellery, designer accessories, prints and ornaments. Most of the prices are very affordable, but anyone seeking an extra-special gift has a good chance of finding that, too. Not only are there more than 100 market traders, but they are surrounded by stylish, more pricey, shops.

On this visit, I found something I hadn't seen there before. The craft stalls still predominated, but at the Admiral Hardy end of the market were half-a-dozen extremely tempting food stalls. These offered everything from speciality teas to sushi, from Tropical mango to American blueberries and from Italian delicatessen to English sausage rolls. All looked impressively clean and well-kempt, even approaching the end of a day's busy trading. The aroma of a particular coffee gateau was almost irresistible, but I bravely stuck to my zero budget. This Market Food Court is open only at weekends and Bank Holidays, I learnt. The Admiral Hardy pub itself has recently built an extension into the courtyard which provides additional indoor seating for visitors as well as a better connection between pub and market. The extension makes an ideal all-weather complement to the open air cafe in the courtyard.

To round off a hard day's browsing,there's the third free delight of Greenwich Park, where you can easily imagine bumping into the ghosts of a whole host of historical giants. Here, you are walking in the footsteps of Tudor Royalty, Samuel Pepys, Sir John Vanbrugh and many others who contributed to the unique history of the place.

Learn more about this author, Beverley Davies.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

---

Add your voice

Know something about Best shopping locations in England?
We want to hear your view. Write now!