Whether you’re there for a vacation or just a stopover on your way elsewhere, St. Pancras, London is a great place to spend the day. Rich with history, food, entertainment, and of course some Harry Potter landmarks, the historic train station is more than just a transit hub, but rather its own destination with numerous experiences and activities. And with luggage storage in St. Pancras and all around it, you can ditch the heavy stuff and enjoy your day.
So whether you’re in town for an hour, a meal, or a week, here are some of the best things to experience in and around St. Pancras, London.
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Before You Explore, Store Your Luggage
We’ll get to the activities in just a minute, but first, do yourself a favor and find some luggage storage in St. Pancras. A day exploring the city is fun, but if you’re towing around suitcases or heavy bags, you might feel weighed down – literally. Not to mention it’s inconvenient to try to go to a restaurant or any crowded space while wheeling a suitcase behind you.
Finding luggage storage in St. Pancras is a lot easier than you’d think. There are platforms online that are dedicated to finding you all of the luggage storage options in just about any city, with the price and details of each. Of course, there’s luggage storage in St. Pancras and Kings Cross stations, but as you’ll find by using a luggage storage website, those are typically the most expensive option. In-station luggage storage is often around $15 per day, whereas if you find a luggage storage spot outside the station, it’s usually closer to $5 a day. And there’s no shortage of options; a quick search of “luggage storage St. Pancras” brings up over 200 different locations to drop your bags so you can go have an adventure .
St. Pancras To-Do List
1) Have the Harry Potter Experience
If you’ve looked up St. Pancras, you’ve probably stumbled upon the words King’s Cross or King’s Cross Station. Ring a bell? For Harry Potter fans, it usually does. King’s Cross is the train station that’s home to platform 9 ¾, the magical platform from which the train to Hogwarts departs. Of course, you can’t actually get to platform 9 ¾ if you’re not a wizard (which most of us aren’t), but you can get to the wall that one must walk through to get there, which is iconic enough.
Conveniently, King’s Cross is one of the two main train stations in St. Pancras, but to make things even easier, it’s attached to the St. Pancras station underground. They’re just two separate buildings above ground. So even if you arrive at St. Pancras, you’re just a matter of feet from King’s Cross, where you can wander around and see the sights that young Harry and Ron and Hermione saw for the first time years ago.
If you have time and interest in taking things up a notch, you can head over to Leadenhall Market, which is the spot the Harry Potter films used for Diagon Alley. And if you want the whole shebang, you get the full Harry Potter tour at the Warner Bros Studio in London.
2) Sip on Some Bubbly at Europe’s Longest Champagne Bar
If you don’t have time (or energy) to go too far from the St. Pancras station, you’re in luck. The station itself has plenty to do, and it just so happens to be home to St. Pancras Brasserie and Champagne Bar by Searcys, the longest champagne bar on the continent. At 98 meters in length, it’s longer than a football field, so if you’re traveling with friends, there are plenty of seats for the group. It’s also located at the top floor of the station, adding a view of the entire train station and its impressive architecture to your dining experience. Between the food, the drinks, and the view, we can promise that this isn’t even comparable to your typical airport bar. Think big.
Bonus tip: if you have time and interest, the champagne bar also offers Masterclass Dinners, which include an education in England’s finest champagnes and wines along with a delicious meal.
3) Explore History at the British Library
If libraries aren’t typically your idea of fun, we recommend giving this one a shot anyway. It’s located about 10 minutes (by foot) from the train stations, and, if nothing else, at least check it out to see Jane Austin’s notebook, some lyrics written by The Beatles, and the Magna Carta. The library’s collection dates back over 3,000 years, so in terms of history, this is one spot that has it all. And if you’re overwhelmed by the 150 million books the library houses, there’s a permanent exhibit, Treasures of the British Library, to give you the highlights.
4) Enjoy Crafts and Street Food at Canopy Market
If you happen to be in St. Pancras on a weekend, you’ve hit the jackpot. Canopy Market is the ideal crafts and street food market located right inside Kings Cross station. It’s covered by a glass ceiling, so it happens rain or shine, and it’s full of local vendors selling their very best. Here, you can find crafts, art, drinks, and food, not to mention the live music to set the mood. Depending on the weekend, you might catch a showcase of sorts, like the Thai food and culture showcase being put on by the Thai embassy at the market as I write this. Whether you’re there for the food or the art or the local craft products, it’s not hard to spend hours at the market without even realizing time has passed.
5) Spend the Night in a Prison Cell
Yes, you read that right. If you find yourself in St. Pancras overnight, why stay in a hotel when you could stay in an authentic prison cell? Clink 78 is a hostel located near King’s Cross and St. Pancras stations that will offer you a very unique stay. Once a courthouse and home to hundreds of London’s prisoners, the hostel has been renovated to house travelers who are looking for something different than the norm. Of course, you can opt for a private room or a room that isn’t a former prison cell, but the prison cell experience is the most unique. The cell rooms have many of their original cell features, including the original toilet right in the room with you (though it’s covered, thankfully, and no longer in use). Additionally, what was formerly the courtroom is now a common room in the hostel, so if you’re looking for a cute photo to send to family, go sit in the judge’s chair, kick back, and relax.
However you choose to spend a day (or more!) in St. Pancras, you really can’t go wrong. The area is rife with history and excitement, and the experiences are unique – one’s you may even want to write home about. So remember to drop off your luggage at a luggage storage in St. Pancras station or nearby, and enjoy your time out on the town!
