North London Area Guides

Barnsbury is an area in Islington that consists mostly of older terraces and liberal intelligentsia. Writers and journalists (even Tony Blair, before he became Prime Minister) favour this neighbourhood for its lovely Georgian homes on quiet squares, little green enclaves like Barnsbury Wood, and convenient location - Barnsbury is near the City, and approximately 15 minutes from Oxford Circus by tube.

Bounds Green is a North London suburb with comparatively large and affordable Victorian and Edwardian terraces, good transport links, and a mix of families and young professionals. It's a diverse neighbourhood with a large Greek and Turkish population (and great Cypriot groceries and restaurants). Bounds Green and next door Wood Green have long been overlooked and dismissed as less posh versions of Muswell Hill, but Bounds Green is authentic North London at its best. 

Canonbury is an area of Islington that is known for its beautiful Regency architechture, residential feel, and convenient location near Upper Street and the West End. Both young professional singles and families enjoy this area, which is brimming with arts and culture, restaurants and bars, and charming boutiques. Canonbury also enjoys excellent transport links and a very central location, particularly for City workers. 

Crouch End is villagey, family-friendly North London at its best. The area is teeming with independent coffee shops and boutiques, and there are seemingly endless options for recreation and leisure. Although just beyond reach of the tube, there are excellent bus connections, and many people live within a 25-minute walk of Finsbury Park station. 

East Finchley is a quiet and unassuming suburban North London area. More affordable than nearby Highgate, East Finchley nonetheless has a lot going for it. The area is known for its tree-lined and architecturally diverse streets, the Phoenix Cinema (London's oldest purpose-built cinema), and independent shops. There is a notable Jewish population in the area, with a Kosher supermarket and sunagogue nearby. Schools are generally good, and there is a lot of green space and recreational facilities for children in the area, which attracts many families to East Finchley. 

Traditionally a working class area with the nearby River Lea being a site of industrial and commercial use, Edmonton is quickly becoming popular with families and other first-time buyers because of the competitive property prices in the area. Edmonton is very green, and there is a wide selection of schools. It's an area to watch, as even more development and investment makes its way to this part of Enfield. 

Finchley has been an artistic and intellectual hub for centuries. It was the home of Charles Darwin, and it was also the place Harry Beck designed the original version of the Tube map. Today, Finchley continues to be popular with artists and intellectuals, but a wider range of residents now benefit from the beautiful and varied period homes, excellent transport links, and amenities of the area. 

Finsbury Park is an up and coming residential area in North London. With good transport links, the vast green space of Finsbury Park, and leafy streets of Victorian terraces, this neighbourhood is becoming increasingly popular with families and young professionals alike, who discover that the area's notoriety is a holdover from a different, pre-regeneration programme time. 

Highbury is an area of North London with a lot of character. The centre of Highbury, which is known as Highbury Barn, has retained its local shops, and therefore its village feel. With the green space of Highbury Fields, Arsenal Stadium and excellent transport links, this neighbourhood is popular with both young professionals and families.

Highgate sits on a hill overlooking London, and is one of the most desirable places to live in the world. A separate village until the late Victorian period, Highgate has retained its villagey feel, and continues to attract creatives and bohemians as it always has due to the rich cultural scene. Hampstead Heath is on your doorstep, and the area's shops, schools, and entertainment facilities are more than sufficient, but Central London is only a few minutes away. The area is popular with nearly everyone, from working couples to families to retirees. 

Holloway is a North London neighbourhood that was once best known for its women's prison, but is now the home of Arsenal football, which has come with huge regeneration for the neighbourhood. Attracting everyone from students at London Metropolitan University and young professionals looking for new build flats to families looking for a relatively affordable Victorian house, Holloway is a neighbourhood with a lot to offer. 

Vibrant, diverse, and central Hoxton is considered to be one of the fastest-improving 'City fringe' areas. Having undergone massive regeneration in the last couple of decades, after the furniture trade left the area, and the loft conversions that took its place are no longer affordable to many with prices having climbed to £1,000 per square foot. Hoxton is also a destination for many, who come from all over London to enjoy the area's cafés, pubs, restaurants, and clubs into the wee hours. 

Lower Edmonton is a very high-population density, urban environment with a multiethnic and socially mixed population. The area was established as a working-class commmuter neighbourhood in the 1870s when the Great Eastern Railway's low rates encouraged people to move out of the East End. 

Holloway is a large neighbourhood in Northern Central London which is more commonly known for being the home of Arsenal football club stadium. With the development of the stadium came lots of money pumped into the community, meaning that the area gradually became gentrified. Within this area you can find both luxury apartments and streets lined with Victorian terraced-style homes, all of which have great aesthetic appeal.

Muswell Hill is one of the most desirable places in London, having made the Sunday Times list of the 101 best places to live in Britain as one of only 5 London neighbourhoods on the list. It has a truly villagey feel, with a great sense of community, and some of the best access to green space in London. Muswell Hill also offers excellent shopping, dining, and entertainment in the area, but has good transport links into Central London for anything you don't manage to find at the Alexandra Park farmers' market. 

New Southgate lies at the junction of Barnet, Enfield, and Haringey. The area is nice, middle class and residential, and popular with families because of the access to good schools and great green space. Since 2010, there has been a big regeneration scheme called Shaping New Southgate, which has focused on regenerating the Ladderswood Way estate and adjoining industrial estate and is due for completion in 2017. 

North Finchley is a pleasant North London suburb that strikes an excellent balance of having its own local amenities, but being within a relatively quick and easy journey into Central London for everything else. With a cosmopolitan and diverse feel despite its being solidly suburban, diverse dining, shopping, and entertainment options, and serving as a both a good base for travel into and out of London, this neighbourhood ticks all the boxes for many types of people - but particularly families. 

On the leafy outer edges of London, Oakwood is a pleasant, family-orientated suburb. With good access both into and out of London, and all of the convenience of city life - like a diverse feel and a short walk to the shops - without many of the drawbacks, this neighbourhood appeals to many different kinds of people. 

Palmers Green benefits from a a strong community spirit, Edwardian homes with gardens, and an easy commute into Central London. It is home to the largest Cypriot community outside Cyprus, and is known for its community market as well as a variety of Turkish shops. Families especially are attracted to this area, seeking more space for their money than they can find in areas like Crouch End and Muswell Hill.

Pentonville is a diverse and unique area on the Northern fringe of Central London. It is situated between Barnsbury, an area in Islington that consists of writers and journalists, lovely Georgian homes on quiet squares, little green enclaves like Barnsbury Wood, and convenient location - and Clerkenwell, a trendy neighbourhood with no shortage of ancient pubs and chic new coffee shops and everything in-between. Pentonville itself has been one of the neighbourhoods in this area with less caché over the years, but has improved. 

South Tottenham is a diverse, well-connected North London suburb. The general area tends to get bad press, with several crime-related stories, and several wards in the area do have above-average crime according to the Met Police. However, the area is up-and-coming, with dedicated regeneration efforts and an influx of people priced out of now-gentrified areas like Hackney, and the window of time where property in this area will remain a relative bargain is closing fast. 

Good access to green space, transport links, and schools have made Southgate an attractive area for families and young professionals alike. A suburban area with the feel of being a distinct town, Southgate has an abundance of great restaurants and things to do, and is full of attractive Thirties buildings. 

Stamford Hill is a prime North London suburb that is known for its large ultra-Orthodox Jewish community. The area has large, spacious Victorian and Edwardian terraces, and it is bordered by vast parks including Springfield and Clissold Parks. The area's Orthodox community has shaped the area in a lot of ways, from having more synagogues in one square mile than in London combined, numerous Kosher eateries, and several excellent schools - including Jewish schools. 

Stoke Newington, like many areas of outer London, has undergone a lot of rapid change in recent years. Once an area that was considered to be a bit rough, it has now benefitted from regeneration that has seen independent shops, bars, famers markets, and boutiques coming to the area. Fortunately, these gains have not come at the expense of the area's local character, or its diversity - it is still known for a long stretch of Turkish restaurants running along the High Street. 

Tottenham is an area of North London that's overdue for, but also expecting, some major improvement. The area benefits from some excellent amenities - good transport, green space, good schools, diversity, and relatively affordable property - but has for a couple of decades faced some issues, more recently including the area's involvement in the 2011 riots. However, Tottenham is currently undergoing massive regeneration efforts, and it should not be overlooked - residents are increasingly excited about the ways Tottenham is expected to improve in the coming years. 

Tottenham Hale is part of an area of North London that's overdue for, but also expecting, some major improvement. The area benefits from some excellent amenities - good transport, green space, good schools, diversity, and relatively affordable property - but has for a couple of decades faced some issues, more recently including the area's involvement in the 2011 riots. However, the greater Tottenham area is currently undergoing massive regeneration efforts, and it should not be overlooked - residents are increasingly excited about the ways it is expected to improve in the coming years. 

Totteridge is a village on the northern fringe of London that has benefitted from the capital's green belt. It feels like the countryside, despite being a relatively well-connected suburb that's located about 10 miles from Central London. Attracting people who could choose to live anywhere - including business magnates and top footballers, and their families - Totteridge has more than its fair share of charm. 

Upper Edmonton is an exceptionally multicultural part of North London, with established communities of Afro-Caribbean, Black African, Albanian, Bangladeshi, Chinese, Greek, Portuguese, Pakistani, Somali, and Turkish residents. Though it's far enough from Charing Cross to be considered a suburb, Upper Edmonton has a very urban feel despite its access to the River Lea and green space. The Edmonton area is considered by many to be one to watch, as there is a great deal of investment in new housing and regeneration in the area to add to the area's current amenities. 

Wood Green, an area identified by the London Plan as one of Greater London’s metropolitan centres, is considered by many to be an up-and-coming area. While some have been dissuaded by the safety reputation of the neighbourhood, which has some gang-related crime trouble, others known it mainly as a prime shopping centre with a busy high street, close to attractions like Ally Pally and Alexandra Park.

Woodside Park is a lovely, green area of North London with a countryside feel that doesn't sacrifice the amenities of Life in ondon, including having a Tube station for easy travel into central London. The area is popular with families, and has long a well-established Jewish community. Woodside Park is idyllic, safe, and offers a range of property types, making in an attractive place for anyone to live.