London is made up of distinct neighborhoods, each with its own character and style. There are reasons to visit every corner of the city, but we’ve focused on 10 of the best areas to explore, whether you’re looking for cute pubs, fancy shops, or riverside walks.
Between London’s subway system, the tube, the bus system, and an occasional taxi ride, it should be fairly easy to get to the neighborhoods.
Mayfair
This wealthy area sits between Hyde Park and the glittering West End. Mayfair is home to the city’s highest concentration of five-star hotels and some of the highest rents in London.
During the day, you can shop for bespoke suits on Savile Row, designer gear on Bond Street, or art at many of the area’s independent art galleries. At night, it’s all the members clubs, wine bars, and fancy clubs.
Ideal for: designer boutiques, elegant restaurants and art.
Puntos destacados del vecindario: Royal Academy of the Arts, Bond Street, Claridge’s, Grosvenor Square, Savile Row
Shoreditch
This lively East London chapel is packed with trendy cafes, cool bars, and old-fashioned shops and markets. It’s packed with street art and many of its former industrial warehouses are now restaurants and clubs. Old Street is known as the Silicon Roundabout for its concentration of tech startups and attracts techies from around the world. Spitalfields Market, with its stalls selling clothes, art and food, draws huge crowds on the weekend.
Great for: street art, cool bars, and vintage yarns
Puntos destacados del vecindario: Spitalfields Market, Brick Lane, Hoxton Square, Columbia Road Flower Market, Boxpark, Geffrye Museum, Rough Trade
Chelsea
This wealthy West London neighborhood hugs the north bank of the River Thames and is home to pretty squares flanked by multi-million pound houses. The main artery in the area is King’s Road, which is lined with high-end shops, cafes, and restaurants. It is booked by the Saatchi Gallery, a center for contemporary art, and Stamford Bridge, the home of Chelsea Football Club. It hosts the Chelsea Flower Show every May.
Ideal for: shopping, soccer and flowers.
Lo más destacado del vecindario: Sloane Square, Saatchi Gallery, Stamford Bridge, King’s Road, Royal Court Theatre, Cadogan Hall, Chelsea Physic Garden
Greenwich
This leafy South East London neighborhood feels like a true escape from the city. Greenwich has a rich maritime heritage and is home to the Royal Observatory, where you can traverse two hemispheres at the Prime Meridian (Zero Longitude). Every place on Earth is measured in terms of its east or west angle from this line.
Its historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and beautiful Greenwich Park was the former hunting ground of Henry VIII. Head to the top of the hill for spectacular views of the London skyline.
The covered market is packed with stalls selling antiques, art, crafts, and food.
Ideal for: panoramic city views, riverside fun, and artisan finds
Neighborhood Highlights: Royal Observatory, National Maritime Museum, Greenwich Market, Greenwich Park, Cutty Sark, O2, The Queen’s House
Southwark
This historic chapel on the south bank of the Thames is packed with cultural gems including The Tate Modern (art museum) and Shakespeare’s Globe Theater.
Borough Market attracts foodies from around the world and Maltby Street Market, with its food stalls located on railway arches, is a hit with the locals. Southwark Cathedral stands in the shadow of the Futurist Shard, the tallest building in London.
The district is home to the hipster enclaves Bermondsey, Camberwell and Peckham.
Ideal for: tasty bites from the market, riverside walks and cultural gems.
Puntos destacados del vecindario: Borough Market, Southwark Cathedral, Bermondsey Street, Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, The Shard, Tower Bridge .
Brixton
This dynamic and culturally diverse area in South London draws foodies from across the city to its historic covered market with food stalls, quirky boutiques and independent restaurants serving every global cuisine you can think of.
In another part of Brixton, you’ll find a cool art cinema, one of London’s best music venues, and tons of great bars and restaurants.
Ideal for: global cuisine, live music and street art.
Neighborhood Highlights: Ritzy Cinema, O2 Brixton Academy, Brixton Village, Black Cultural Archives
Notting Hill
Parts of Notting Hill look like something out of a movie. And that’s probably because the neighborhood is synonymous with the 1999 British movie of the same name.
The picturesque streets of the area are lined with colorful houses and its famous market (Portobello Road) is lined with stalls selling antiques, trinkets and vintage clothing. The streets come alive every August when the area hosts the second largest carnival in the world (after Rio).
Ideal for: buying antiques, filming locations, and independent cafes
Neighborhood Highlights: Notting Hill Carnival, Portobello Road Market, Electric Cinema
Camden
Colorful Camden is one of the best places in London to see live music. From the iconic Roundhouse, a converted steam engine repair shed, to countless dive bars that are home to little independent bands, this neighborhood is great.
Its street markets sell everything from jewelry to artwork to antique clothing and furniture. Stroll down the Regent’s Canal to the park of the same name, past the zoo. Or take a water bus from Camden Lock to Little Venice.
Ideal for: live music, canal walks and quirky market stalls
Neighborhood Highlights: Regent’s Canal, Roundhouse, Camden Markets, Camden Lock
Soho
Soho’s neon-lit streets are lined with record stores, cafes, trendy bars, and restaurants serving food from around the world. London’s entertainment hub, bustling day and night, is part of the glittering West End. Soho theaters show blockbuster plays and musicals.
You’ll find countless bars filled with media professionals working in the area and a thriving LGBT scene around Old Compton Street.
Ideal for: blockbuster theater shows, record stores, and global restaurants
Neighborhood Highlights: West End Theaters, Old Compton Street, Soho Square, Chinatown, Oxford Street
Kensington
This wealthy West London neighborhood is home to three of the best museums in the city: the Science Museum, the Natural History Museum and the Victoria & Albert Museum. It is protected by beautiful green spaces, Hyde Park and Holland Park, and has a main street lined with shops for shoppers of all budgets.
Consider Kensington Palace, a royal residence since the 17th century, and there are many reasons to spend a significant amount of time exploring this decaying district.
Ideal for: renowned museums, elegant pubs and walks in the park
Neighborhood Highlights: Science Museum, Natural History Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum, Design Museum, Hyde Park, Holland Park, Kensington Palace, Kensington Gardens, Royal Albert Hall, Kensington High street
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