Walking down Brick Lane feels like stepping into several different eras of London at once. This East End street stretches from Bethnal Green down to Whitechapel, and every block tells a different story about who has called this area home.

The name comes from something quite mundane – brick and tile manufacturing that started here in the 15th century. Back then, it was just Whitechapel Lane, winding through fields. Hard to imagine now when you're dodging crowds of weekend visitors and breathing in the mix of curry spices and street art spray paint.

What strikes you first is how Bangladeshi the southern stretch has become. The area was officially branded as Banglatown in 1997, and you can see Bengali script alongside English on street signs. The curry houses here aren't just tourist traps either – many have been family-run for decades, serving the local community long before food tours became a thing.

But Brick Lane isn't just about the restaurants. The street art scene is genuinely impressive, though it changes constantly. You might spot a Banksy piece one week and find it painted over the next. The walls around Shoreditch have become this rotating gallery where established artists and newcomers compete for space. Some of it's brilliant, some forgettable, but it all adds to the area's restless energy.

The contrast between old and new London hits you everywhere here. Victorian terraced houses sit next to trendy coffee shops that charge five pounds for a flat white. Former brewery buildings have been converted into markets and galleries. You can still see traces of the area's working-class past, but gentrification has definitely left its mark.

Visit Brick Lane on a Sunday morning for the best mix – the vintage markets are in full swing, the street food vendors are out, and you get a real sense of the neighborhood's diversity. The crowds can be overwhelming later in the day, especially when the weather's decent.

The whole area feels authentically messy in a way that many London neighborhoods have lost. It's not polished or particularly pretty, but there's something honest about how different communities and generations of immigrants have layered their stories onto these streets. Discover all of Brick Lane's hidden stories with our complete London audio guide – there's much more history tucked away in these corners than most visitors realize.