London Neighbourhoods
London is a city of villages. Each neighbourhood has its own character, its own high street and its own reasons to visit. What to see, where to eat and who each area suits.
London is often described as a city of villages. It grew by absorbing dozens of towns and hamlets, and many of them still have their own character, high street and history. Knowing the neighbourhoods helps you plan your days so you are not criss-crossing the city, and it makes choosing where to stay much easier.
Our guides cover the central areas most visitors know, such as Westminster, Soho and Covent Garden, as well as neighbourhoods further out that are well worth the journey, from Greenwich and Richmond to Brixton and Hampstead. For advice on where to base yourself, see the best areas to stay in London.
58 guides in this section.
Central London
Westminster
Parliament, the Abbey and the quieter streets behind them.
Soho
Food, theatres and a history that never sat still.
Covent Garden
The market, the street performers and Seven Dials.
Mayfair and St James's
Galleries, tailors and old-fashioned shops.
Marylebone
A village high street a short walk from Oxford Street.
Bloomsbury
Garden squares, bookshops and the British Museum.
King's Cross
Canal-side squares and a remarkable transformation.
The City of London
Roman walls, Wren churches and empty weekend streets.
Photos in this list: photographer and licence for each image are listed on our image credits page.
South and West London
The South Bank
The riverside walk, from the London Eye to Tate Modern and the Globe.
Borough and Bermondsey
Markets, warehouses and one of London's oldest churches.
South Kensington
The museum quarter and the Royal Albert Hall.
Chelsea
The King's Road, the Physic Garden and the river.
Notting Hill
Portobello Road, pastel houses and the carnival.
Brixton
The market, the arcades and a proud Caribbean history.
Richmond
Riverside pubs, a famous view and deer in the park.
Photos in this list: photographer and licence for each image are listed on our image credits page.
North, East and South-East London
Camden Town
The market, the canal and the live music.
Shoreditch
Street art, Brick Lane and East London nights.
Hampstead
A hilltop village beside the heath.
Islington
Upper Street, antiques and the canal.
Greenwich
Maritime history, the meridian and a view over the city.
Canary Wharf
Glass towers, docks and a museum about them.
Stratford
The Olympic Park, Westfield and a growing arts quarter.
Photos in this list: photographer and licence for each image are listed on our image credits page.
More of London
Leicester Square and Theatreland
The ticket booth, the premieres, and where not to eat.
The Isle of Dogs
A loop of the river, a foot tunnel, and the best view of Greenwich.
Clerkenwell
A medieval gate, an Italian church and a lot of design studios.
Fitzrovia
Literary pubs and good restaurants, minutes from Oxford Street.
Peckham
A car park with a view, and a very good food street.
Dalston and Stoke Newington
Turkish food, late bars, and a cemetery left to the foxes.
Hackney and London Fields
A heated outdoor pool, a Saturday market and the canal.
Whitechapel and the East End
Markets, a free gallery, and the history people come looking for.
Wimbledon Village and Town
A village on a hill, a town below, and the tennis between them.
Highgate and Crouch End
A hilltop village, a cemetery and a walk through the woods.
Battersea and Nine Elms
A rebuilt power station, a park, and a lot of new glass.
Pimlico and Victoria
Stucco terraces, a national gallery, and a very busy station.
Southwark and Bankside
Tate Modern, the Globe, the market, and a galleried coaching inn.
Wapping and Rotherhithe
Riverside pubs, Brunel's tunnel, and a path almost nobody walks.
Paddington and Bayswater
Where the Heathrow trains land, and what is actually nearby.
Earl's Court and West Brompton
Cheaper beds a few stops from the museums.
Walthamstow
A very long market, a free Morris gallery, and wetlands.
Ealing and West London
Film studios, parks, and a fast line into the centre.
Photos in this list: photographer and licence for each image are listed on our image credits page.
South of the river
Tooting
Two covered markets, a lido, and very good cheap food.
Balham and Streatham
Commons, an ice rink, and high streets that still work.
Herne Hill and Dulwich
The world's first purpose-built public gallery, and a lido.
Deptford and New Cross
A real market street, and cheap drinking to go with it.
Crystal Palace and Forest Hill
Antique shops, a pub triangle, and concrete dinosaurs below.
Kingston and Surbiton
A market town inside London, with boats to Hampton Court.
Photos in this list: photographer and licence for each image are listed on our image credits page.
West and north
Hammersmith and Barnes
The best riverside pub walk in London, start to finish.
Chiswick and Kew
A Georgian high street, and Kew across the bridge.
Southall
Sweets, cloth, and the best-value food in London.
Wembley
A stadium, an arena, an outlet mall and a marble temple.
Twickenham and the Richmond Riverside
Rugby, river pubs, and the only view protected by Act of Parliament.
St John's Wood and Maida Vale
Abbey Road, Lord's and the canal, all within a mile.
Angel and Finsbury Park
An antiques passage, a comedy circuit, and a very large park.
Kentish Town and Archway
Music venues, a lido, and the climb up to Highgate.
Photos in this list: photographer and licence for each image are listed on our image credits page.
Corners with their own character
Seven Dials and Neal's Yard
Six faces on a seven-street sundial, and a painted courtyard.
Eel Pie Island, Twickenham
A private island that opens twice a year, and once had a blues club.
Hackney Wick and Fish Island
Warehouses, breweries and studios between the canal and the park.
Greenwich or Richmond for a Day Out?
One has the maritime history, the other has deer and a better walk.
Photos in this list: photographer and licence for each image are listed on our image credits page.