The Ultimate Area Guide to London: 7 Areas You Want to Live In! 2022 Edition

This Ultimate Area Guide to London will highlight 7 stunning areas – not only for their visceral beauty but the businesses, personalities and communities that reflect local living and local people and make each postcode unique.

1. St John's Wood NW8

 

St. John’s Wood remains an idyllic part of rural London. Centred in the very heart of the NW8 postcode, it remains one of the most sought-after places to live in the city. Synonymous with its stunning, vast open spaces, cobblestone streets and cosmopolitan community, it’s no wonder that it continues to attract celebrities, musicians, artists, and professionals alike from all over the globe. 

Must-see Spots 

 

An affluent district of leafy, tree-lined residential streets, it is best known for being home to Lord’s Cricket Ground, Abbey Road Studios and the iconic crosswalk made famous by The Beatles that still boasts thousands of visits from fans every year.

You’ll be a stone’s throw away from Primrose Hill, Keats House, and the iconic Hampstead Heath Ponds – a magical oasis burrowed deep in the heart of London. Upon entering the water, it’s easy to forget you’re in the middle of a bustling city. It is a dance that leaves you completely enchanted. Hidden beyond the underbrush lies a plethora of wildlife – the startling beauty of dragonflies, kingfishers, and herons. Suddenly, you come to realise that there is an entire opera unfolding around you, but you are no longer a member of the audience – you are a part of it.

 

Lifestyle

 

St John’s Wood High Street is home to a strip of upmarket fashion boutiques, cosy candle-lit restaurants, and independent sellers. Enjoy signature dishes at The Ivy, drinks at the Bellaria or a Parisian brunch at Soutine. All are guaranteed to make your heart and stomach soar. 

If you’re in need of a new winter wardrobe, you can explore our parade of luxury beauty outlets and premium homeware brands. Speak to passionate, expert owners who make you feel right at home the moment you walk through the door. If you appreciate brilliance and craftsmanship, you’ll want to shop and eat local every time.

 

Transport

 

Living in St John’s Wood, you’ll have your favourite Central London escapades right on your doorstep. From ZSL London Zoo to the trendy market stalls of Camden Town, there’s something for everyone. 

From St John’s Wood Station, you’ll have access to the Jubilee Line, letting you venture to Regents Park for a spot of open-air theatre and picturesque, postcard views that would make any dog walker envious. 

You’ll also be within cycling distance of the West End – the perfect commute for business and pleasure.

 

Education

 

There are a wide variety of private and state schools to choose from in the area, from Primary, Comprehensive and High Education. From the “outstanding” Gateway School in Capland Street to the prestigious The American School in London in Waverly Place, there are many options to accommodate your child’s unique needs.

Once a forest owned by the Knights of the Order of St. John Jerusalem (hence its name), then the hunting grounds of Henry VIII, now St. John’s Wood is one of the capital’s most cosmopolitan areas. Thankfully, fierce tree protection by the St. John’s Wood Society ensures it maintains its original charm.

 

Travel

 

St. John’s Wood Underground station is on the Jubilee line, for the City and Canary Wharf. Maida Vale station is on the Bakerloo line, with direct access to the West End.

 

Trivia

 

Famous visitors included Rodin, Tchaikovsky, Henry James, Sarah Bernhardt, Enrico Caruso, the then Prince of Wales, and a young Winston Churchill.

 

Properties

 

St John’s Wood was among the first London suburbs with lower-density villa housing and frequent avenues but fewer communal garden squares. Most of the villas have since been subdivided and replaced by small apartment blocks or terraces. This specific pattern of development has made it one of the most expensive areas of London.

The area remains particularly popular with American, European, and Chinese buyers and continues to be a perfect spot for young families. It has a diverse range of properties available, whether you are looking for stylish, low-built villas and mansions with large gardens, apartment complexes with communal leisure facilities, bespoke, contemporary luxury houses, or un-modernised properties with huge development potential – we’ll take you home.

Looking for houses for sale in St. John’s Wood? All properties can be viewed here!

 

2. Little Venice W9

 

Little Venice is one of the best places to find tranquillity, waterfront cafés and pubs, and beautiful homes in central London. The prime location, with easy travel to the West End, combined with its calming atmosphere make it a very sought after and attractive residential area. 

 

Entertainment

 

The combination of access to the canal and great shops and restaurants means that there is a variety of activities in Little Venice both on land and water. For those who enjoy being on the water, there is a great boat trip to Camden Lock. And for those who prefer land, a leisurely stroll along the canal, or a visit to The Clifton nursery, the oldest garden centre in London, are both enjoyable options. At the Canal Café Theatre, you can take in a variety of performances. We recommend NewsRevue, the world’s longest-running live comedy show. There are also some great restaurants, bars, and cafés in the area, including Warwick Castle, a traditional pub that is a popular destination for residents and celebrities. Little Venice also hosts the Canalway Cavalcade Waterways Festival every year. This vibrant event features hundreds of boats congregated in the water, bands, kids’ activities, an ale bar, delicious food and much more!

 

 Education

 

The Little Sweethearts Montessori School is a popular nursery choice in the area. For primaries, two popular choices are St. Saviour’s Church of England Primary School and St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Primary School, which are both coeducational state schools that cater to children aged 3 to11 years, and both had very impressive 2010 performance reports. The King Solomon academy nearby schools children aged three to 18 and have been given excellent reviews.

 

Travel

 

With its central location, travel to and from Little Venice is convenient. There is the Warwick Avenue Underground station, and nearby Maida Vale station, both on the Bakerloo line, and good bus services in the area. There is also the exciting option of the Waterbus service that operates from Little Venice to Regent’s Park and London Zoo.

 

Trivia

 

Although Little Venice currently refers to the entire area south of the Maida Vale, Robert Browning originally used the term Little Venice to describe the point where the Paddington Arm of the Grand Union Canal meets the Regents Canal.

 

Properties

 

Blomfield Road and Maida Avenue are where the majority of the luxurious white 17th-century stucco mansions are located. Also of note is Warwick Avenue, which is home to some very grand properties, and is conveniently close to the tube station.

Looking for Houses for Sale in Little Venice? Look no further. If you like your homes lavish, ultra-spacious and stylish, you can view all of our properties here!

 

3. Maida Vale W9

 

Perhaps most famous for its BBC recording studio, Maida Vale, an almost wholly residential district, lies to the west of Marylebone and St. John’s Wood. The southern part of Maida Vale around Paddington Basin, a junction of two canals, is known as Little Venice. The canals and their colourful houseboats have made the area hugely attractive to buyers. 

 

Entertainment 

 

There are a number of top restaurants and bars here; alternatively, take a picnic on the Hill and enjoy arguably the best view in London. If you have youngsters to entertain, London Zoo is only a short hop away in Regent’s Park.

 

Education

 

Choose from Chalcot Montessori School, Trevor Roberts Prep School and South Hampstead High School for girls.

 

Travel

 

Chalk Farm and Swiss Cottage tube stations are just to the north, and there are plenty of bus services. Otherwise, it’s a pleasant walk through Regent’s Park into the West End.

 

Trivia 

 

In the 16th century, when King Henry VIII acquired Primrose Hill as part of his hunting chase, Mother Shipton, a legendary fortune-teller, predicted that when London surrounded Primrose Hill, the streets of the city would run with blood – Fortunately for local residents, she was wrong!

 

Properties

 

White, stucco Victorian houses alongside Victorian redbrick terraces with plenty of colourful twists. Central to Primrose Hill village is Chalcot Square, with its potpourri of coloured four-floor houses around a communal grassed square. Prices remain strong around the £4 million mark

Looking for Houses for Sale in Maida Vale? Look no further, you can view all properties here! 

 

4. Primrose Hill NW1

 

Its small size and elevated views ensure exclusivity, while its popularity among media and film celebrities ensures prices and demand remain high. All this within a Regent's Park stroll of Central London.

 

Architectural highlights

 

White, stucco Victorian houses alongside Victorian redbrick terraces with plenty of colourful twists.

 

Entertainment 

 

There are a number of top restaurants and bars here; alternatively, take a picnic on the Hill and enjoy arguably the best view in London. If you have youngsters to entertain, London Zoo is only a short hop away in Regent’s Park.

 

Education

 

Choose from Chalcot Montessori School, Trevor Roberts Prep School and South Hampstead High School for girls.

 

Travel

 

Chalk Farm and Swiss Cottage tube stations are just to the north, and there are plenty of bus services. Otherwise, it’s a pleasant walk through Regent’s Park into the West End.

 

Trivia 

 

Central to Primrose Hill village is Chalcot Square, with its potpourri of coloured four-floor houses around a communal grassed square. Prices remain strong around the £4 million mark.

In the 16th century, when King Henry VIII acquired Primrose Hill as part of his hunting chase, Mother Shipton, a legendary fortune-teller, predicted that when London surrounded Primrose Hill, the streets of the city would run with blood – Fortunately for local residents, she was wrong!

You can view all of our properties here!

 

4. Belsize Park NW3

 

Down to earth, with a vibrant, village feel, Belsize Park is not quite as swanky as neighbouring Hampstead, but it is no less popular. For those seeking refuge from city stresses, some of the most famous parks in London are within easy walking distance – including Primrose Hill, Regent’s Park and Hampstead Heath. 

 

Architectural highlights 

 

The area was bombed during World War II so there is a variety of architecture ranging from classic white stucco-fronted Victorian houses to mews houses dating from the 1850s up to the 1990s.

 

Entertainment 

 

Belsize Park’s array of bars, cafes and restaurants ranging from pan-Asian, Italian and Indian to Turkish cuisine attract an eclectic mix of customers, and there are two convenient shopping streets – Haverstock Hill and Belsize Village. You can even enjoy the latest art-house film at Everyman Cinema on Haverstock Hill.

 

Education 

 

The Hall School for boys is nearby or The Rosary RC Primary School on Haverstock Hill has a good reputation as a state school.

 

Travel 

 

Choose from Belsize Park station on Haverstock Hill or Swiss Cottage. Belsize Park is one of eight London Underground stations that have a deep-level air-raid shelter underneath it.

Overground services from Finchley Road & Frognal, West Hampstead, South Hampstead and Hampstead Thameslink

Direct road links to the A41, M1, M4, M11, M25 and the North Circular road.

London City Airport by underground and DLR in less than 45 minutes

Buses, including the 46, 168 and the 268 heading into central London

 

Trivia

 

The name is derived from French bel assis meaning ‘well situated.'

 

Properties

 

Belsize Park Gardens, Belsize Avenue and Belsize Crescent, which all lead off from the village square, are highly desirable with large Victorian family houses.

If you’re looking for houses for sale in Belsize Park, you can view all of our properties here!

 

6. West Hampstead NW6

 

West Hampstead grew up as a small village, surrounded by farmland. With the arrival of the railway in the late 19th century, much of the farmland was converted into housing, and the name was changed from West End to West Hampstead – to avoid confusion with the area of central London known as the West End.

 

Architectural highlights

 

The area consists of substantial redbrick semi-detached houses, handsome Edwardian mansion blocks, tall Victorian terraces, and a mix of luxurious developments of modern apartments.

 

Smartest streets

 

The smartest streets tend to border Hampstead ‘proper’ where large, detached houses, some with up to seven bedrooms, can be found. The most desirable addresses include the leafy Crediton Hill, the hugely popular ‘Greek Roads’, or the highly regarded Aberdare Gardens and Goldhurst Terrace.

 

Who’s there?

 

Particularly famous for its high concentration of celebrity residents, Matt Lucas, Stephen Fry and Angela Griffin have all called this trendy borough home.

 

Entertainment

 

One of the greatest charms of this area is that the high street hasn’t yet been taken over by the big chains – there are still plenty of independent restaurants, bars and shops to encourage visitors to return, and local residents to stay put.

 

Education

 

For pre-school and preparatory school-age children, the Little Ark Montessori Nursery, South Hampstead Junior School, Broadhurst School and The Mulberry House School all offer excellent options, and the highly recommended Emmanuel Church of England Primary School takes children up to the age of 11.

 

Travel

 

West Hampstead has not one, but three stations: West Hampstead underground, on the Jubilee line; West Hampstead overground, with routes spanning from Richmond, through Highbury and Islington, to Stratford; and West Hampstead Thameslink, offering direct connections to the city. There are also numerous bus routes in and out of the area, making it extremely well connected. South Hampstead hosts its own London overground railway station, and Swiss Cottage and Finchley Road underground stations are nearby.

 

Trivia

 

The recording studio situated on Broadhurst Gardens in West Hampstead saw David Bowie and The Rolling Stones record early albums but became infamous as the site of The Beatles’ failed audition with Decca Records.

If you’re interested in properties in West Hampstead, you can view all of our properties here.

 

7. Mayfair W1

 

The neat square of land between Regent Street, Oxford Street, Park Lane, and Piccadilly epitomises the very best of London living. As the Monopoly board suggests, Mayfair has it all: beautiful period architecture, illustrious but peaceful squares, heaps of history, and it borders some of the very best parklands. 

 

Architectural highlights

 

Broad Georgian thoroughfares are dominated by three large squares: Grosvenor, Hanover, and Berkeley. Most of the architecture is 18th century, with much of it restored in the 19th and 20th centuries.

 

Entertainment

 

Some of London’s most stylish, celebrated and undeniably expensive establishments. Names like China Tang, Le Gavroche, Scott’s, Sketch, Le Caprice’s, Gordon Ramsay’s at Claridges and Nobu are recognised the world over.

 

Education

 

There are a handful of selective primary schools in the areas surrounding Mayfair, but local education isn’t high up on the list of Mayfair residents’ priorities.

 

Travel

 

You’re spoilt for choice. Hyde Park Corner, Piccadilly, and Green Park underground stations to the south, Marble Arch, Bond Street and Oxford Street to the north. Plus some of London’s best bus routes.

 

Trivia

 

Mayfair takes its name from the once fortnight-long May Fair, which took place here between 1684 and 1764.

If you’re interested in properties in Mayfair, you can view all of our properties here!

 

What we can do for you!

 

 Fox Gregory has been a leader in lettings and acquisitions since 1992. Since then, we have been involved with some of the finest homes in London’s premier addresses. Including St John’s Wood, Belgravia, Knightsbridge, Kensington, Regents Park, Hampstead, Primrose Hill, Little Venice, Chelsea, and Mayfair.

 

We pride ourselves on providing a personal service. Our systems and approaches meet and exceed market requirements and as we continue to develop, we believe that the collaboration of ideas and knowledge within the agency will reinforce the results we achieve for our clients. Our goal is to offer balanced and independent solutions to today’s property issues.

 

Here at FOX GREGORY, we can point you in the direction of new-build homes, properties for first-time buyers or something a little more luxurious.

 

Through various collaborations with buyers in and Hong Kong and Singapore over the past thirty years, we have built strong partnerships with independent solicitors, agents and professionals living overseas. If you’re a buyer from across the pond, the Far East, or somewhere else entirely – we’ll be here to guide you every step of the way.

 

The St John's Wood Lettings market is fiercely competitive, and it's important to know how to make your property stand out from the crowd.

 

We know looking for somewhere to live can be time-consuming and stressful. Property to rent in all of these areas don’t stay on the market long – but as a lettings only estate agent, we’re here to make your search as straightforward and easy as possible.

 

Whether you’re buying or selling, FOX GREGORY has got you covered.

 

 Contact us today on 020 7586 1500 or send us an enquiry at enquiries@foxgregory.co.uk.