London Areas
...London Neighborhoods
About London Areas...
Before deciding what to do in London and to avoid wasting any of your valuable time, it's a good idea to find out where all the London neighborhoods are and so as you don't get lost, invest in a
map of London areas. There are many streetmaps of London which are definitely worth investing in if you are visiting London for the first time.
Central London Neighborhoods
They say that Trafalgar Square is in the very center of London which is probably why this is a favorite place for meetings, festivals and having fun.
Towering over the square is the majestic National Gallery and the iconic Nelson's Column, fountains and famous statues of lions which Londoners and visitors love to sit on.
Covent Garden & Soho
Nearby is the trendy area of Covent Garden which is also known as theatre-land.
The Royal Opera House and the many trendy shops, restaurants and street entertainers make this a very exciting area of London.
Close by is Tin Pan Alley (Denmark Street) a very famous music area of London where in the 1960s the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and the Rolling Stones recorded their albums. There are many theatres in nearby Soho which is also famous for it's cafes, clubs and restaurants.
China Town is sometimes considered part of Soho as it's just across Shaftesbury Avenue in Gerrard Street.
Only a few yards from here is the famous Leicester Square where many festivals and fairs are held. It's also famous for the top cinemas which are on the Square where many film premieres are held throughout the year.
It's also where the annual London film festival is held every October.
Bloomsbury, Oxford Street, Piccadilly
Not far from Covent Garden is the lovely London area of
Bloomsbury with many universities and places of interest such as the
British Museum.
All the wonderful high street shops and restaurants of central London can be found in Oxford Street, Regent Street, New Bond Street and Piccadilly.
As well as all the fantastic London attractions and sightseeing there are many lovely London parks.
Most popular are Regent Park, Hyde Park and Green Park and St James Park which are close to Piccadilly.
Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and the popular neighborhood of Victoria are all close by and within walking distance of Piccadilly.
Central London is also home to the city of London where the London Stock Exchange is and where millions of pounds exchanges hands in a matter of seconds. The Lord Mayors Show is definitely not to be missed!
London Areas - London Neighborhoods
WEST LONDON
This side of London is home to Kensington and the trendy areas of Notting Hill and Portobello Road. Both were made famous by the film Notting Hill. Not far away is Holland Park with it's popular school and pretty park.
Just a few yards from Kensington Gardens is the cosmopolitan area of Queensway which is full of hotels, shops, restaurants and the popular Whiteleys shopping center. Nearby are Westbourne Grove and Paddington which are also full of shops, restaurants and hotels.
Bordering Kensington are Hammersmith and Shepherds Bush which is also home to the BBV Television Studios and the newly opened Westfield Shopping Center which is the largest in Europe.
The area includes the London neighbourhoods of Westminster, Kensington, South Kensington and Chelsea which have many shops, cafes and restaurants. Nearby is Knightsbridge which is home to Harrods and Sloane Street (from which the name 'Sloane Rangers' came from) and many designer names and restaurants fill the streets.
London Areas - South London
South of the river is the trendy area of Southbank and Bankside which is full of cafes and restaurants which stretch to Tower Bridge and the tower of London.
This is home to the London Eye and art galleries such as the Tate Modern andTate Britain and theatres such as the National and Globe Theatre.
Southbank Centre has a variety of concert halls and riverside cafes and restaurants and the nearby Borough Market is one of the best markets in town.
London Areas - North London
Just north of central London is Camden which was famous for it's retro market which is sadly no more (a shopping center is on the horizon!) and quirky shops. Once an area renowned for it's Greek Cypriot community, there are still many delicious Greek bakeries and restaurants. A bit further north is Palmers Green, another very 'Greek' area of London which also includes Green Lanes with it's variety of Turkish and Greek Cypriot shops, cafes and restaurants.
The leafy suburbs of Hampstead Heath and Highgate Village contrast sharply with these colorful neighborhoods. Quaint cobbled streets, beautiful Georgian cottages and the lovely heath where Keats and Marx enjoyed a walk. Highgate Village is only 500 meters from Kenwood House, second largest private residence after Buckingham Palace.
Once known as 'grotty Islington' and now one of the more trendy sides of London, the area has re-invented itself and is full of gastropubs and the ever popular Business Design Center. Not too far away is King's Cross and St Pancras station home to the Eurostar and one of the longest champagne bars in Europe.
London Areas - East London
Canary Wharf is one of the modern centers of finance in London located on the Isle of Dogs. Full of towering glass buildings this is a highly pressurised area of London. When the day is done the many riverside pubs are full of people relaxing and chilling out after a long day at the office. London City Airport is located close by so perfct for business travelers.
East London is also famous for it's Brick Lane Festival where you can taste the famous curry and enjoy Bollywood at its best! The area is full of vintage clothes shops and upmarket bars and nearby are the lovely marekts of Smithfield and Exmouth.
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