Areas of London: 2012

14/12/2012

Bayswater

Bayswater is full of rows of bright white houses, neat streets, churches, good restaurants and small parks. It's not the most interesting area in London, but it's very pretty. The heart of the area is Queensway with many Chinese restaurants and shops. It's more pleasant than the neighbouring Paddington, but not as interesting as Notting Hill on the other side.

Deptford

Deptford is full of warehouses, industrial areas, council flats, railways on arched bridges and some modern buildings. It certainly is not as beautiful as the neighbouring Greenwich. There is some interesting architecture here though. Deptford High Street shows clear signs of gentrification with its cafes, pubs and ethnic restaurants. It's still mainly filled with Poundland stores, ethnic shops and diners, but there are some really cool places as well. Deptford is one of the places to look out for if you're looking for what's cool right now.

Barnes is a wealthy neighbourhood south of Hammersmith. It's mostly a quiet neighbourhood with very little going on. Rich people's private yards, cricket grounds, parks and ponds. Some of the most over-the-top expensive houses though. Some parts of the area are restricted to the public, since the rich people seem to want to keep their privacy.

Twickenham is a posh suburb in South West London. Thames runs here narrower than in Central London and its riverside is full of boat houses with fancy boats. In addition to normal rows of houses, there are some mansion-like houses. The riverside is beautiful. On the main street you can find exquisite cake shops and cafes.

Battersea

Battersea is an industrial looking district on the southbank of Thames. One of London landmarks, the Battersea Power Station, is there, as well as great Battersea Park and some nice modern buildings. There's a huge contrast with the northern neighbour Chelsea. Little bit to the south from Battersea park, there is some pretty grim council housing, that may interest people who lke brutalist architecture.

In Bermondsey the river is close. There are small canals for Thames flooding, WHARFs (ware house at river front) and balconies from one building to another. The narrow streets look really nice between the tall buildings. Bermondsey Street more towards south is a hip street with hipsters, nice cafés, art galleries etc. There is also a large number of amazing microbreweries in Bermondsey. This is probably the closest area to the city centre that can be described as cool.

Bethnal Green is a mixture of hideous council flats and nice and small parks. There are nice cafés and pubs and it's right in the heart of East London! There's also a great flowermarket! Although the appearance is a bit grim, this is one of the nicest areas in East London. It's a place of contrasts. Some of the places are really hip, while some show the reality of the poor. In a very little time the flats on the free market have become very expensive in this area.

Bloomsbury has academic air about it. A couple of London's most well-known universities are here, along with bookshops and museums. The houses look like university campuses and there are small parks here and there. Fitzrovia looks about the same. It's full of beautiful small squares and old bohemian pubs. The range in restaurants is vast and there are interesting tastes from all over the world. I cover these two areas on the same page since it's hard to tell them apart from each other.

Borough is an interesting neighbourhood south of London Bridge. It's mainly known for the market and The Shard, but there's more there. Nice pubs, churches and some interesting pieces of architecture. It's a lot nicer than the north bank on the other side of Thames. Borough can get quite busy on the weekends and especially on Fridays when business-clad people stay in the area after work.

Stockwell, at first look, looks very run-down, but once you get under its skin, there are some great little spots in there. There are Victorian town houses in a row, some coucil flats and some of the greatest pubs I've been to. It's close to Brixton's interesting pubs and restaurants so it's overshadowed easily, but at least it's a bit more quiet here.

Brixton is one of my favourite places in London. This multicultural area has Caribbean restaurants and shops, Eritrean food, market with foods from around the world, wig shops, Reggae bars, music venues and really nice pubs and bars. So what's not to like? Brixton used to be a bit rough, but it's getting nicer by the minute (although there's a danger that soon it might be even too gentrified). Above all, music is present here!

Camden Town is the rock capital of London! Bars and clubs are dedicated to rock music and there are a lot of venues, where you can catch cheap or even free live music. There are also markets, comedy clubs and shops with stuff on their fronts. There are more and more tourists all the time, so you might want to escape the High Street for more interesting places. In weekends the place can get a bit too crowded.

The eastern Rotherhithe, also known as Canada Water, is a modern area with weird buildings, parks and The Finnish church for all you Finns. There's also a gigantic Tesco near the Canada Water Station. There are also some large water basins that used to be busy and even more plentiful when London docks were still active. The western part of Rotherhithe on the other hand is quite a beautiful area with old pubs, parks and churches. It's already a bit further away from the centre and that means less crowds.

Canning Town is a modern neighbourhood in the East London. It served as a stage for some of the Olympic Games of 2012. Some of those buildings represent interesting achitecture alongside the modern skyscrapers and the DLR (lifted train) that runs here. There are few tower cranes and warehouses reminding of the dockland history. Beckton, a little way to the east from Canning Town, is a quiet neighbourhood with residential houses and a city farm. I don't know where to draw the borders between these areas, so I'm presenting them all together.

Chelsea is a really wealthy neighbourhood in the west. There aren't many interesting things here apart from a few beautiful pieces of architecture. Streets are filled with Rolls Royces and Burberry wearing people. There's a weird feeling of isolation here, where poverty seems almost absent. It's a good neighbourhood to just walk around when it's sunny out, but not particularly interesting if you're looking for nightlife or affordable restaurants.

Clapton is a really nice neighbourhood with small parks and churches. There are nice cafes and pubs as well. As the gentrification spreads out, Clapton gets more and more hipsters and trendy pubs. It's a relaxed place that is a good option for close by Hackney Central and Dalston, which may be really busy at times. Clapton seems to have taken a leap from poor neighbourhood to family friendly neighbourhood with lots of small parks and quiet streets. Nevertheless, there's lots to do even from people from elsewhere.

City of London is a tax haven in the middle of London. Suit-wearing businessmen walk around these streets in a hurry. Old bank buildings and tall skyscrapers dominate the architecture. During the evenings and weekends the streets are empty, because there aren't that many places to really spend time in unless you're working here. City is also full of historic attractions and old churches. This was the whole of London for a long time, so you can find the oldest sights here, although, many of them were destroyed in the London fire.

Relatively small area between Soho and Holborn has a lot going on from pubs and markets to theatres and shops. You can find all the little chain shops for clothes and shoes. Market place is surrounded by street artists and tourists. Catch a musical or visit the London Opera. Covent Garden is in the heart of tourists' London, so be prepared to crowds.

Dalston is one of the coolest areas of London. It's still a bit rough around the edges (in a good way) but pop-up events, street art, great restaurants, nice bars and hipsters rule Dalston. In addition to nightlife, you can find all sorts of culture events here from theatre to jazz. Streets of Dalston are filled with really nice restaurants, cafes and bars. There's bit of a lack of green areas here, but it's all made up with the amount of roof terraces, secret gardens and cool outside areas of bars.

Finsbury is a village-like area near Central London. I'm going to put Clerkenwell and Farringdon under this heading as well, because I'm not quite sure where the borders should be drawn. Finsbury is mostly in an area, where the tube doesn't go to, so it is not always found by tourists even though it's very central. This is probably the closest area to Central London where the village atmosphere prevails over rushing crowds. Especially Clerkenwell has numerous fantastic village-like streets.

Greenwich is of course the place that names the zero time zone, but there is a lot to see here as well. This village has a beautiful university campus, old magnificent ship, park with a view over London, cozy marketplace, brewery with delicious beers and nice pubs. There's a cozy atmosphere of a small village here. In the weekends the central Greenwich may be pretty crowded with tourists.

Hackney Central is one of East London's coolest areas at the moment. It offers hipsters, multicultural atmosphere, music, art, parks, good value restaurants and cinema. You can still see poverty here though. It has all you need for a great night out or for a good dinner and a drink. This is definitely one of my favourite areas in London. Hackney used to be a village of its own just outside London and you can still see that history in services and buildings.

Hackney Wick

This former industrial area is one of the most interesting areas in London right now. As you walk these streets, you can find art ateljés, some nice cafés and street art is all around. The area is constantly changing with a variety of pop-ups. This is a good place to check out what an average London hipster looks like at the moment, since many of them hang out here regularly.

Haggerston is a small area between Shoreditch, De Beauvoir Town, Dalston and Hackney Central. It's a mix of all these areas. It has definitely gotten its fair share of cool bars, pop-ups, and cafés. There are also some pleasant parks and walks. Haggerston is a somewhat typical East London area in that sense. This area has an industrial history which can be seen in the fairly bleak architecture in the area.

Hammersmith is a nice and quite upscale neighbourhood in West London. Large shopping areas and some very nice pubs. The Thames Riverside is beautiful with a fine looking green Hammersmith Bridge. The area is fairly expensive due to western location, but it has charms beyond many other neighbouring areas. The riverside is by far nicer than the areas directly next to the tube station.

Hampstead is a really nice, wealthy neighbourhood in Northern London. Houses are almost like mansions. There's one of London's largest parks, Hampstead Heath, there. In Hampstead Heath there are forests, ponds, fields and probably the best view over London. Some really great pubs as well! It has always served as a getaway from the busy streets of central London. This used to be the starting point of three small rivers of London, so there was fresh water readily available. Hampstead was also previously home to many spas.

Highbury is a pretty average London neighbourhood but it has this upscale North London feel to it. Victorian houses, nice pubs, churches and football fans. Slightly less to do here than in the neighbouring Islington, but Highbury has its moments. The atmosphere is really calm and it's easy to find quiet pubs (except when Arsenal is playing). Canonbury is in this same post, as this neighbouring area is very similar to Highbury.

Highgate is a wealthy neighbourhood on the hill. There aren't any steep hills in Central London, so this is a welcome change. Beautiful parks, tea rooms and a cemetery with some celebrities. There is adorable village mentality in Highgate village. This place feels miles away from the hustle and bustle of busy Central London. Archway to the south of Highgate is a bit more deprived area, but I'm including in this post, because it's not big enough to be an area of its own.

Holborn is a mixture of old and new. Some churches and pubs date back to the 17th century and even further. Nearby City is spreading its tentacles into Holborn so you see a lot of people in suits grabbing sandwiches from various lunch places. Holborn is also home to a variety of university students and lawyers. This is one of the best places for history lovers in London!

Old dockland area which has been transformed into futuristic business centre with skyscrapers and lifted trains. This place comes close to the image of the future in old science fiction novels. In the south side there are still some old dock buildings and nature. not much happen here during weekends, but apparently there are some attempts to make the area more lively. On weekdays the place is full of business people in suits.

Islington is a place for great nights out, good food, beautiful houses and walks. Islington is obviously a lot bigger than how I'm treating it here, but I'm focusing on the area around Angel and deal with the neighbouring areas elsewhere. Angel is like a cleaner and more middle-class version of Shoreditch. Range of different activities is vast. This area is an old theatre district and you can still see a variety of theatre productions especially on Upper Street. Many of the Labour politicians have lived in this area.

Kensington is usually divided into South Kensington, West Kensington and sometimes High Street Kensington is also considered an area on its own. I'm going to treat the whole Kensington as the same area. It's a posh neighbourhood to the west of Hyde Park. It's got some nice parks, atmospheric pubs and expensive shopping. The amount of tourists and drunken men in suits is a bit annoying, but if you look under the surface, you might find some nice places here.

Kentish Town is a village-like neighbourhood north of busy and touristic Camden Town. Kentish Town has gotten its fair share of cool, but it's not as hipstery as some of the areas in East London. There are great restaurants and bars scattered around the area and this place is a great place for a beer-lover, since good ale houses and beer shops are plentiful.

Kilburn

Kilburn is a neat suburban-looking area with rows of houses, parks and an old cemetery. So nothing particularly exciting. At least what I've found by now. This is the home of the famous Abbey Road recording studio and the famous zebra crossing in front of it.

King's Cross is London's largest railway station where you can take trains to various locations in Britain and to Europe mainland. The area around it is called Pentonville. It has a few great music venues and nice places by the Regent's Canal. At weekend evenings the place might be a bit restless because of drunken people. There are some historic buildings close by, but most of the scenery is modern.

Not the most interesting area in London. Rows of houses, railway lines and a few parks and pubs here and there. Kensal Green is a home to one of London's old cemeteries though. I'm not really familiar with this area, so I need to investigate more.

Knightsbridge is probably the wealthiest area in London. Streets are filled with expensive cars and Burberry clad snobs. Some of the buildings are really beautiful and there are some interesting museums as well. Harrods sells a lot of ridiculously expensive stuff from diamond collars for your cat to crystal swans that cost tens of thousands of pounds. Belgravia is an area with a lot of embassies and Victoria Station for trains to the south. I'm including these two areas in the same page, since it's difficult to draw borders for them.

Lambeth is right on the other side of the Thames from the Houses of Parliament. Lambeth Palace is a piece of old London right next to the Garden Museum. In the Thames riverfront there are a few modern buildings, including the MI6. Even thought Lambeth is just on the other side of the river from Westminster, the amount of tourists reduces a lot.

Suburban district north-east of Stratford looks just like any other suburb in England really. Rows of houses, a cemetery and few shops here and there. But also some nice pubs, bars and music venues. Epping forest and other nature areas are not far away either. Leytonstone has a bit more character than Layton, thanks to a number of nice pubs and bars.

Maida Vale

Maida Vale is clean, quiet and fairly wealthy neighbourhood. It does not have any immediate sights or places to visit, but there are some interesting places when you dig a bit deeper below the surace. In the tube it sounds like the recording is saying "made of ale", when the train stops there. Grand Union Canal meets Regent's Canal here.

Marylebone is a posh neighbourhood south of Regent's Park. There are a lot of touristy things to do here, but places like Madam Tussauds are hardly worth the entrance fee. There are some really good restaurants in the area, but they're not very cheap.

Mayfair is a posh shopping and administrative area between Soho and Hyde Park. Oxford Street is one of the most famous shopping streets in London. South of Oxford Street there are really overpriced boutiques and Ferraris on the streets. The area is close to all the major attractions, but for a resident, there's almost nothing worth visiting here.

Mile End is mostly a poor neighbourhood, but there are some modern new areas close to the Regent's Canal and Victoria Park. Rows of similar-looking houses, council flats and off-licenses. Stepney is in the same article, since it's difficult to draw borders for these two areas. Some parts of Mile End are still fairly rough, but it used to be worse as this brilliant song by Pulp say it: Mile End.

A suburban area near Wembley with rows of victorian town houses and a magnificent Hindu Temple and an Ikea. This is already deep in London suburbs and there's not much to experience here apart from the hindu temple.

New Cross is known for Goldsmiths University. There are nice looking pubs around, where students are having pints when they're not studying. Architecture is a mix of old and new. There's some roughness around the edges there, but art students bring lively city culture along with great cafes, bars and shops.

North Greenwich is known for enormous O2 arena, Millenium Dome. Around the venue, there are modern buildings, works of art and old industrial areas with gasworks. Area seems a bit incomplete, but I think it will be a very nice area when it's finished. This is part of the whole dockland area renovation into futuristic urban land.

Notting Hill used to be a bohemian village with artists and writers. Nowadays the place is far too expensive for them. It still maintains a nice atmosphere with its restaurants, cafés, shops and markets though. Pastel coloured houses mix neatly with street art. Most of the authenticity is gone, but it still offers some delights even for people on a budget. This has been a set for many romantic comedies, including the one with the name of the area.

This neighbourhood in South London may not look that interesting with the first glance, but it definitely has its strengths in pleasant parks, pubs and rows of Victorian houses. What makes Nunhead interesting is the fantastic old cemetery, park with the view and quiet upscale village atmosphere.

One of the largest hotel areas in London. This means lots of tourists and restaurants that don't necessarily give you your money's worth. There is also a modern office area behind the station and nearby Edgware Road is the Middle East of London. Paddington Station is obviously one of the most famous stations in London because of Paddington Bear. The combination of tourists and rich folk makes a fairly boring environment, but there are a few highlights.

Peckham looks a lot like an African neighbourhood. For a long time, there was no tube to this area, but the new overground line runs to Peckham Rye. This neighbourhood has a lot of African and Caribbean shops, restaurants and market stalls. Within a couple of years, a lot of cool cafés, pubs, bars, restaurants, book shops etc. have appeared on the streets of Peckham and Peckham has become one of the hotspots for London, where hip people want to hang out.

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