Boroughs
Boroughs are the parts of London which are responsible for managing their own roads, hospitals, schools, etc. The organisation that controls a Borough is called "Borough Council". Greater London consists of the City of London and 32 Boroughs: Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Brent, Bromley, Camden, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston upon Thames, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Newham, Redbridge, Richmond upon Thames, Southwark, Sutton, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest and Wandsworth.
We aren't going into details about each Borough, as it ought to require pages and pages. We simply tell you some information about some areas of London, to help you choose where to stay or simply to get around.
Of course, the information provided here comes from personal experience, so our feelings could not match the real situation, which in the reality, can be better or worse. Thats' why, when thinking about where to live in, it's worth doing some research before you decide where to move. The general rule to remember is the further out you live, the cheaper the rent, but this advantage may be counteracted by more expensive travel and longer travel times.
One more thing to keep in mind is that whereas cities simply have grown out from a central point, London developed differently, with a network of small villages which each expanded, originating the London of today. These smaller areas still maintain their peculiarities, shaped by their location, history and inhabitants. They are called "Villages of London", caracterised by elegant houses generally surrounded by parks. In addition, they are much more quite than downtown, with no crowds and rush-hours!
North London
Hampstead, Highgate, Archway
Hampstead and Highgate, which are divided by Hampstead Heath, are two of London's most attractive villages, still retaining much of their original village charm. There are plenty of parks, restaurants, pubs, good transport which links into the City and a lot of elegant houses, that's why life is so expensive.
Sites of interest: Hampstead Health, Fenton House, Freud Museum, Highgate Cemetery, Keats House, Kenwood, Royal Air Force Museum.
Willesden Green, Neasden, Kilburn
Cosmopolitan and cheaper areas with good transport links into CentraI London.
Finsbury Park, Turnpike Lane
Cosmopolitan areas with very reasonably priced accommodation. There are good transport links into Centrai London and exotic restaurants & shops.
Camden, Islington, Highbury
They're areas full of trendy bars and restaurants and conveniently located for commuting into the City. In addition, the famous Camden Markets are just there.
South London
Greenwich
Easily accessible by rail from Charing Cross to Greenwich or Maze Hill stations, by river from Westminster and Tower Piers to Greenwich Pier, or Docklands Light Railway, Greenwich is very popular with tourists and the reason is very easy to understand: elegant and styled buildings, lively markets and a peculiar nautical atmosphere render it an old-fashioned site, nice both to visit or to stay.
To see: Cutty Sark and Gipsy Moth, The Fan Museum, Greenwich Park, National Maritime Museum, Old Royal Observatory, Queens House, Royal Naval College
Dulwich and Wimbledon
Dulwich dates back to 967 AD when King Edgar granted the manor to one of his followers. Today, in this village you can enjoy the park, admire the smart houses or visit a famous Picture Gallery. To the west is Wimbledon, internationally famous because of its tennis championships, in spite of the fact that it has much more to offer and is a really nice place to live. There is a huge array of shops, bars, restaurants and pubs and prices are reasonable. Enjoy a promenade along the modern Broadway and the High Street up to the top of Wimbledon Hill.
To see: Dulwich Picture Gallery, Horniman Museum, Polka Theatre for Children, Southside House, Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum, Wimbledon and Putney Commons.
London's Docklands
It's an important inner city development, stretches from Tower Bridge to the Thames Barrier at Woolwich. It's caracterised by a mixture of high-tech architecture and industrial history. Chanary Wharf, the tallest building in Europe stands in its hearth, which is crossed by the Docklands Light Railway (DLR). The area is well serviced by buses and Underground trains and British Rail.
To see: Bramah Tea and Coffee Museum, Design Museum, London Dockland Visitor Centre, St. Katerine Dock.
Blackhealth
The village of Blackhealth has retained its old-fashioned atmosphere, and is a venue for fairs, football and kite flying.
To see: Ranger’s House, Eltham Palace
Southfields
It's not a bad area and offers reasonably priced flats & houseshares.
Chiswick, Richmond, Kew and environs
In south-west London, you can walk along historic houses and cross royal parks and gardens open to the public. Enjoy shopping in the elegant Richmond on Thames or having a beer in one of the typical riverside pubs. We'd strongly suggest that you spend sime time to think about living here if you don't like the crowd, but never forget that life here is quite expensive and is quite a way out from Central London.
To see: Chiswick House, Ham House, Hampton Court Palace, Hogarth's House, Kew Bridge Steam Museum, Marble Hill House, Musical Museum, Osterley Park House, Richmond Park, Royal Botanic Garden, Syon Park and Syon House,
Lewisham
In south-east London, has good transport links into the City but cannot be defined the best place to stay in London.
Brixton
It used to have a very bad reputation. Today, it's an up and coming trendy area which is not too expensive yet.
Clapham
Not serviced by the Tube, but has good links into Central London on BR. With a a lot of bars and restaurants, it attracts several Londoners, especially at night during the week-end.
Earl’s Court
In south-west London, it's very close to Central London, has good transport links, that's why it's full of hostels. It's getting more and more expensive.
Fulham, Parsons Green
Especially Fulham Road is a lively area, with its bars and restaurants and good transport links. Prices tend to remain reasonable.
West London
Shepherd’s Bush, Acton, Hammersmith
These lively areas are popular as the rent is quite reasonable and transport links to Central London are good.