Hampstead

HAMPSTEAD

Hampstead, one of the most beautiful neighbourhoods, is arguably London’s prettiest village and with plenty of celebrity status, the area bursts with charm and charisma. Narrow cobbled streets, layers of history, colourful houses, traditional pubs, and garden splendour. Village charm, and the vast open beauty of Hampstead Heath with its bathing ponds, along with some of London’s finest schools, entices well-heeled families to live here. Wealthy top professionals from city bankers, creatives, actors and musicians to entrepreneurs flock to call Hampstead, home. A magnet for artistic and intellectual elites such as the actor Richard Burton, writer Aldous Huxley, poet John Keats and artist John Constable – they all fell in love with Hampstead, and resided here. Anyone lucky enough to land in Hampstead tends to stay.

Sitting only four miles north of Central London, Hampstead feels like you’re miles away from the bustling metropolitan city. The neighbourhood boasts Georgian houses, pretty period cottages in the winding streets around the High Street, and large Victorian houses, and Edwardian mansion, with many converted into flats. Among the historic streets, are a number of pioneering modern houses and developments too. The shops in Hampstead village spread out from the tube station, up and down the High Street into Rosslyn Hill. There streets are full of high-end boutiques, trendy cafes and restaurants, delis, patisseries, eclectic antiques, flower shops and picturesque stone churches.   Fashion brands include Jigsaw, Hobs, Whistles, and Nicole Farhi and chain restaurants from Wagamama, Café Rouge and Caroluccio’s to Gail’s found home here. Japanese restaurant Jin Kichi is popular with the locals and has a London-wide reputation. The picturesque pub Holly Bush, and The Flask and the The Wells Tavern for gastro pub splendour are a must. The Hampstead Community Market off the High Street has a butcher, greengrocer and fishmonger, adds to the village vibe.

The real jewel in Hampstead’s crown is the heath – about 800 wild acres of countryside, in the middle of the city. Famous for its outdoor swimming, there are three outdoor Bathing Ponds, one for women, one for men, and a mixed one. The highlight of the park is the panoramic view of the city you get from Parliament Hill. And one hidden gem within the heath, is The Hill Garden and Pergola, an exquisitely beautiful garden. Hampstead picturesque all seasons, with wisteria clad buildings in April, and trees full of pink blossom to autumnal stunning red leaves everywhere. Fenton House is a gorgeous example of 17^th century grandeur to soak up, and Keats House Musuem for anyone interested in romantic literature, even Sigmund Freud has his own museum here, where he too resided. The breathtakingly beautiful Burgh House, in the heart of the village is a Grade-1 listed Queen Anne house, and a stunning art and museum space.  There’s plenty of local arts and entertainment on offer too, with the Pentameters Theatre, a long-standing fringe theatre, and the original Everyman Cinema.  For families looking to live here, there’s a wide choice of popular state schools and private such as Devonshire House, Heathside or  North Bridge House.

Hampstead is incredibly well connected, the tube station is on the Northern line with trains to the West End and the City. There’s also the Overground with trains to West Hampstead for the Jubilee line and Highbury & Islington for the Victoria line.