Best Areas to Stay in London

Sipping a cup of hot tea and flipping through the pages of an Agatha Christie book on a lazy afternoon, don’t we all wish we could savor a slice of England by spending a few days in the best areas to stay in London? No doubt when one thinks the land of the British, London comes first to the mind.

A must-visit according to most travellers, London saw a record-breaking 19 million foreign tourists’ last year as per the Office for National Statistics. Home to people from over 270 nationalities who speak around 300 different languages, London is a melting pot of art, culture, food, fashion and music. A walk down the streets of London and best areas to stay in London will take you through a maze of some amazing historical sites, quaint English colonies; the world’s best parks and stadiums, great music, fish and chips and the list just goes on. Shattering the tourism records year after year, what is it about the City of Thames and Big Ben that appeals to so many people from all across the world? Let us take a look…

BEST AREAS TO STAY IN LONDON FOR SIGHTSEEING

Kensington

Did you know that London is home to over 300 museums? Wow, now that’s something to think about! So if you are taking your children for an educational as well as recreational holiday, London is the place to be! Head to Central London, this plays host to numerous museums, art galleries and historic sites. While the age-old British Museum reflects the royalty of the bygone eras, the Getty Images Gallery in the West End chronicles the adventures of contemporary times. For children, a tryst with the Cartoon Museum is a must too.

Kensington, with the famous Kensington Palace, too has numerous museums like Victoria and Albert, Natural History and Science Museums. And what’s England without some good old cricket? That’s why tourists’ flock in herds to the Lord’s Cricket Grounds, the world’s oldest cricket grounds aka the Mecca of cricket.

West End

A day trip to the Buckingham Palace in Westminster is usually part of the itinerary of most travellers. As part of this, you can visit The Queen’s Room and State Room and enjoy a cup of tea at the royal gardens. And while you are at it, pay a visit to the royal horses in their natural habitat too at the Royal Mews.

West End also has some plush theaters and popular squares and circuses (it is a circular area) like the Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus.

BEST LONDON NEIGHBOURHOODS FOR SHOPPING

Notting Hill, Waterloo and West End

After a round on The London Eye, take a stroll by the riverfront between the Waterloo Bridge and the London Eye for some pretty little trinkets, wooden toys, jewellery, candles, ceramics, clothes and Christmas decorations off the streets.

Does the name ‘Notting Hill’ ring a bell to you? Yes. The hit film starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant was shot in a serene neighbourhood with the same name. While in one of the best areas to stay in London, you can do a Notting Hill Film Tour to see the locations where the shoot happened.

Like the other areas of London, Notting Hill too has some of the best restaurants, pubs and theatres. Every Saturday, the locals go to the Farmer’s Market here for the fresh produce it offers. The Notting Hill Carnival is the second biggest carnival after Rio’s Mardi gras, and it takes place in the last week of August every year.

Another retail market known for its fresh vegetables and meat is the Borough Market located in Southwark. Yet another film trivia – did you know that the film Bridget Jones’ Baby was shot here? Well, now you do.

If you need a whiff of fresh air in the concrete jungle, London has an equal share of lung space too. Enjoy the cool breeze in breathtaking verdant spaces in the city like the Kew Gardens, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Hyde Park, Green Park or St James Park in central London, Richmond Park, or Regent Park, in West London. To enjoy a quiet afternoon by the riverside, you may head to the Richmond or Hampton Court Palace.

BEST NEIGHBOURHOODS FOR NIGHTLIFE IN LONDON

Leicester Square, Covent Garden, Shoreditch and Soho

Some of the world’s best and most famous singers are English (‘The Beatles’, George Michael and more recently, One Direction!) and watching a live gig here is a must! Who knows, you may have just seen a budding Jimi Hendrix live? Camden Town with its fair share of pubs is an excellent choice for concerts and here you can witness a large number of backpackers and travellers enjoying some good old music happening live.

If you want to let your hair down with a pint of beer in best areas to stay in London, Covent Garden, Leicester Square, and Shoreditch are the places you are looking for. London’s nightlife is incomplete without Soho, an upmarket area abuzz with bars, restaurants, world-renowned institutions and theatres.

Inspired already? Need some help planning your next trip? Reach out to our London travel expert at [email protected]