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Spitalfields, London — Area Guide & Where to Stay
Market stalls and old streets fill Spitalfields, a district of London's East End in Tower Hamlets, built around Commercial Street and Brick Lane.
About Spitalfields
Where to stay in Spitalfields
Each area has its own feel; here's who each one suits.
Spitalfields is a market district in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, on the inner edge of the East End. The markets set the tone. Rooms here put a visitor beside Old Spitalfields Market and Brick Lane, within easy reach of the wider East End and central London, so the district suits short, walkable stays.
If you want markets and old streets at your door, look for a room around Commercial Street. Petticoat Lane Market is close.
About Spitalfields
What are the main landmarks in Spitalfields?
Spitalfields is known above all for its markets. Old Spitalfields Market, Brick Lane Market and Petticoat Lane Market draw crowds through the week, and Brick Lane runs like a spine through the district. Bigger sights stand close by.
The Whitechapel Gallery lies a short walk away, and 30 St Mary Axe and the Tower of London rise nearby in and around the City.
What is the history of Spitalfields?
Spitalfields grew as a district of migrants. The area formed around Commercial Street and Brick Lane in the East End, drawing people from overseas over many years, and in the 19th century a large Jewish community settled here, giving the district the old nickname Little Jerusalem. The markets grew with them.
From the second half of the 20th century a Bangladeshi community settled around Brick Lane, and its shops and restaurants shaped the street into what it became within Tower Hamlets.
Where is Spitalfields?
Spitalfields lies in East London within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, formed around Commercial Street and Brick Lane in the East End.
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Updated July 2026