London (Fodor's 2012) - Fodor's [74]
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Getting Oriented | Top Attractions | Worth Noting
Updated by Jack Jewers
London becomes noticeably calmer and greener as you head north from Oxford Street. From the civilized shopping streets of Marylebone, through the well-tended parks of Regent’s Park and Primrose Hill up to the open spaces of Hampstead Heath and the handsome Georgian streets of Hampstead itself, this area will provide a taste of how laid-back (moneyed) Londoners can be.
The Regent’s Park area is the showcase for some of the most aristocratic architecture in the world, thanks to the “terraces” and town houses of John Nash, 19th-century design whiz. They provide the setting for some splendid sights, which range from Keats House to—Strawberry Beatles Forever!—Abbey Road, the favorite studio of the Fab Four. Northwards lies Hampstead, which continues its historic tradition of providing a haven for literati and some of the most stunning town-house architecture in England (think any Merchant Ivory film) while Primrose Hill is home to models and movie stars. Excellent bookshops, contemporary boutiques, and cozy cafés line tree-shaded blocks abuzz with locals: you won’t find any souvenir stands here.
The residential areas hereabouts are usually considered “leafy” and therefore highly desirable by the garden-loving British. Hampstead Heath is a huge swath of countryside in the city, offering spectacular views. At the northern end is Kenwood House, a Georgian villa with a remarkable art collection that includes Vermeer’s unforgettable Guitar Player. To the west of the Heath are the charming streets of Hampstead itself. Here you will find Fenton House, a Georgian town house with a period walled garden, and the Freud Museum, the last home of the founder of psychiatry.
A walk down Haverstock Hill will bring you to Primrose Hill, a manicured green park boasting yet another city panorama. The adjoining “village” of the same name has several fashionable boutiques and restaurants popular with actors, musicians, and celebs (Madonna bought her first London house here). To the east of Primrose Hill is lively Camden Market, a magnet for dedicated followers of fashion. The Jewish Museum traces the history of the Jewish community in Britain.
At the bottom of Primrose Hill is the London Zoo, at the northern end of Regent’s Park. From here a westward detour will take you to Lord’s Cricket Ground & Museum, and continuing south toward Queen Mary’s Garden will take you past the Open-Air Theatre. Leaving the park on the southern end is to return to the busy urban center. The southeastern exit is near two of London’s traditional tourist destinations, the Sherlock Holmes Museum and Madame Tussauds. The park’s southwestern exit takes you onto handsome Portland Place. To the west of this street lies stylish Marylebone High Street and, just north of Oxford Street, the magnificent Wallace Collection, London’s prime repository of 18th-century French art and artifacts.
GETTING ORIENTED
TOP REASONS TO GO
Strawberry Beatles Forever: No. 3 Abbey Road is the beloved Beatles building, Abbey Road Studios, in front of which is the most famous zebra-crossing in the world.
Elegant Regency-era Architecture: Which is grander—John Nash’s Grecian-templelike Cumberland Terrace, found on Chester Road, or his Chester Place extravaganza?
Keats House: Stroll through the very garden that inspired the great Romantic to write “Ode to a Nightingale.”
Wallace Collection: This 18th-century mansion’s impressive art collection includes Fragonard’s best 18th-century frolic, The Swing.
Marylebone High Street: Although it’s just north of frenetic Oxford Street, you’ll feel a whole world away as you wander by