Made famous by Dickens and infamous by Jack the Ripper, the East End is one of London's most hauntingly evocative neighborhoods. It may have fewer conventional tourist attractions but is rich in folk history, architectural gems, and feisty burgeoning culture. This is where you'll see trends being set by young, rakish hipsters dressed in vintage clothing mixed up with original pieces by young, local design talent. Once the focus of a large Jewish community, the area is now populated by students, creative types, and Bengali immigrants, whose influence is everywhere from innumerable curry houses to glittering sari shops to colorful street festivals. To experience the East End at its most lively, make sure you visit on the weekend -- here it's possible to shop, eat, drink, and party your way through a whole 72 hours.