Shall I take you to explore Hampstead in north London? This elegant neighbourhood is known for its village atmosphere and vast, wild green spaces. It is not an area I would recommend for a first visit to London, but it is a very pleasant residential neighbourhood off the usual tourist trail and offers a completely different view of the city once you know the main sights. See my list of 10 London walks in the complete guide. On a bright, sunny day, visiting Hampstead is a wonderful experience, with a village atmosphere, several museums and parks with views. Here are 5 places to discover in Hampstead.
1 – Freud’s house
I’ll begin with a favourite. I loved visiting Freud’s house in the south of Hampstead and found the Freud family’s story fascinating. The audio guide is excellent. Freud settled in London in 1938 after fleeing Austria following its annexation by Nazi Germany. The beautiful house contains personal belongings and even his famous psychoanalytic couch. I recommend the visit if you are interested in Freud and this period of history. We went without the children, as it would not really have interested them. The museum is open from Wednesday to Sunday; check official opening times and admission prices on the Freud Museum website.
Underground: Finchley Road on the Jubilee line, followed by an 8-minute walk; Hampstead on the Northern line, followed by a 15-minute walk; or Swiss Cottage on the Jubilee line.
2 – Hampstead ‘village’
The area around Hampstead Underground station forms the heart of the neighbourhood and has a lovely village atmosphere.
High Street and Heath Street are two shopping streets. Flask Walk is lined with attractive houses and colourful front doors, as in several other London neighbourhoods. Also on Flask Walk are a lovely pub, The Flask, a good French bakery calledBoulangerie Bon Matin, a small French delicatessen and an Italian ice-cream shop,Oddono’s). The Holly Bush is another Hampstead pub and something of a local institution. Farther east, you can also visit the home of the poet John Keats.
3 – Hampstead Heath
A wild 320-hectare park
On foot from central Hampstead or directly by London Overground: alight at Hampstead Heath on the Mildmay line.
Hampstead Heath is a vast park on a hill. Whether you begin at the station or in central Hampstead, the ground becomes steeper as you head north. What surprises me most is how wild parts of the park feel. Large lawns alternate with slightly overgrown woodland — it hardly feels like London.
Parliament Hill viewpoint
As you climb, do not miss the Parliament Hill viewpoint , where you can admire London’s skyline from a distance. It is a beautiful view, although I should admit that I zoomed in quite a lot for the photograph. Primrose Hill, north of Regent’s Park, offers a similar but closer view.
Hampstead bathing ponds
Hampstead Heath is also a place where Londoners go swimming. There are three natural bathing ponds: the women’s and men’s ponds are open year-round, while the mixed pond normally opens from April to October. We even came across a separate pond for dogs. If the experience appeals to you, remember your swimming costume and check the current opening times and prices).
Kenwood House
Continue to the northern edge of Hampstead Heath, where you will find Kenwood House, a neoclassical country house. Its collection consists mainly of portraits, including works by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Gainsborough and Turner. This is not really my favourite style of painting, but the library is beautiful.
The natural surroundings and views around the house are also very pleasant. Look out for the Kenwood House viewpoint and the view towards the pond directly in front of the house. I would not call it an essential visit, but if you have walked this far, you may as well go inside. Admission is free; check the opening times).
4 – Highgate Cemetery
Papa Voyage introduced me to this place. He generally prefers English cemeteries, finding them more charming, wild and green than those in France, and Highgate Cemetery is an excellent example. If you have already walked to the north of Hampstead Heath, it is not much farther to this cemetery in neighbouring Highgate. Several famous people are buried here. I knew only a few of them, but notable graves include those of Karl Marx and Douglas Adams, author of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
On foot from Hampstead Heath or directly by Underground: alight at Archway on the Northern line.
The charm of an English cemetery: Highgate Cemetery
5 – The Hill Garden and Pergola
This pretty little garden is known for its long pergola, which flowers in spring and summer. To see it at its best, visit during wisteria season, roughly from mid-April to mid-May, or when the roses bloom in summer. Outside the flowering periods, it remains peaceful and romantic but is far less striking. I have not yet seen the pergola in all its glory, so I will leave you to imagine it.
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In short, for a shorter visit to Hampstead, I recommend the heart of the village, the Freud Museum and a walk through the southern part of Hampstead Heath. For the longer version, follow the complete itinerary above.
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Where to stay in Hampstead
- Not far from Freud’s houseis Charlotte Guest House , which offers double rooms and a quadruple room with a bathroom at reasonable prices for London.
**** When you book a hotel on Booking by following a link on my articles, it allows me to receive a small commission: it does not change the price for you and it helps me maintain the blog. So thank you very much to those who book the hotels we recommend! ****
- I also found this attractive flat, beautifully decorated and with a small balcony. It is also reasonably priced for London and lies a 10-minute walk from Archway Underground station on the Northern line. This quiet, pleasant residential area is east of Hampstead Heath. The flat has a double bedroom and a sofa bed in the sitting room.
- Read also: my accommodation suggestions in 7 London neighbourhoods.
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I hope you enjoyed exploring Hampstead through this article. For more ideas in London, see my complete guide to visiting London.
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