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Hampstead & Highgate

Hampstead and Highgate sit on the hills of North London above the city — the air is cleaner, the streets are leafier, and the village character that both retain feels genuinely different to central London. The Heath connects them.

Hampstead Heath

790 acres of ancient woodland, ponds and open grassland, free to enter every day. Parliament Hill at the southern end gives one of the best panoramic views of central London — about 40 minutes' walk from Hampstead station through the heath. The swimming ponds (men's, women's and mixed) are open in summer for wild swimming — one of London's most unusual free experiences.

Kenwood House

A neoclassical mansion on the northern edge of the Heath, free to enter, holding an exceptional art collection donated to the nation — Rembrandt's self-portrait, a Vermeer, works by Turner and Reynolds among others. The grounds, café and the view across the south Heath make it worth a specific visit beyond just passing through.

Hampstead Village

Flask Walk, Well Walk and the lanes around the High Street retain an Edwardian and earlier village character — independent bookshops, gallery cafes and restaurants that feel different from anywhere in central London. Ideal for a late morning browse after the Heath walk.

Highgate Cemetery

One of London's great Victorian Gothic cemeteries — Karl Marx, George Eliot and Douglas Adams are buried in the Eastern Cemetery (self-guided entry around £5). The Western Cemetery is the more atmospheric half and requires a guided tour (book in advance).

Getting There

Hampstead station (Northern line) for the village and southern Heath. Highgate station (Northern line) for Highgate Cemetery and the northern sections.

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