Lady’s Beautiful Guide to Hampstead, London

Today I want to share my guide to Hampstead, London. As an American in London, one of the first things I learned about fitting in is that self deprecation goes a lot farther than self aggrandizement, and what is unsaid is often more important than what’s stated aloud. It’s all about understatement in Britain.

This phenomenon extends beyond human interaction, revealing itself in the city’s neighborhoods as well. The best example of this is Hampstead, an unassuming little village in north London.

Hampstead, London

Hampstead is one of London’s most beautiful neighborhoods, not because it has movie star looks—although plenty of movie stars live here—but because of its subtle charm.

There are no major landmarks here, no big tourist attractions. It’s just a quiet local corner of the city that happens to be lovely despite its lack of showing off.

Living in Hampstead

I lived in Hampstead for years, never growing tired of exploring its narrow cobbled streets. I peeled back the layers of hedges and history to discover its colorful houses, traditional pubs, and voracious gardens.

I wrote extensively about the neighborhood in my first years in the city, from my explorations in Hampstead Heath to the flats I had when I lived in Hampstead village. If you want to read more, you can use the search box on the blog to search for “Hampstead” and find all my posts about the area.

How to Get Here

If you want to explore in person, it’s easy to get here. Hampstead station is on the Northern line of the London Underground, so you can take the tube right to the heart of the village.

There are also buses like the 46 that come from central London areas including Clerkenwell and Paddington.

And if you’re arriving by Overground, Hampstead Heath is the stop you’re after. It’s in pretty South End Green.

Hampstead Neighborhood

The best place to start a day in Hampstead is on the high street, just outside the tube station.

It’s full of high-end boutiques and little cafes, with small passageways leading off it like so many roads less traveled. There’s even an outdoor crepe vendor and a coffee shop in an old red phone box.

Delis like Melrose and Morgan have great picnic supplies for summer feasts on Hampstead Heath, one of London’s best parks, and cafes like Gail’s and Ginger & White are the perfect spots for coffee and cake.

Running perpendicular to Hampstead High Street is Heath Street, where you’ll find more shops and restaurants in Hampstead. Highlights include Louis Patisserie, a traditional Hungarian bakery, and Jin Kichi, one of my favorite Japanese restaurants in London.

Coming off the high street is Flask Walk, a short pedestrianized street overflowing with eclectic antiques, bright flowers, and restaurant tables. It’s so sweet I want to give it a hug.

Side Streets

But it’s only when I get off the main streets that Hampstead’s charm fully reveals itself. Old stone staircases lead up to out-of-the-way pubs like the Holly Bush, making me feel like I’ve stumbled upon something nobody’s ever found before.

Tiny churches fill the interstices between brightly colored doors, and the grays of historic tombstones show their shades under overgrown vines in the local cemetery.

Down Well Walk, one of the neighborhood’s most beloved streets, are more pubs like The Wells. It has great picnic tables for sunny days. Just off Well Walk are places like the Burgh House Cafe, which has pretty garden tables.

And New End is home to the Duke of Hamilton pub, a local favorite I once helped save from demolition.

Hampstead Walk

If you want to see more of this London neighborhood, you can go on my self-guided walk in Hampstead. It will take you around the side streets and show you the best of the area.

Museums in Hampstead

It’s not just streets, though. Hampstead has its share of small museums, and they’re worth visiting.

Fenton House

Fenton House is one of Hampstead’s many little museums. This National Trust property in London is tucked away down a tree-lined walk.

Fenton House is a 17th-century merchant’s house with a collection of porcelain figurines and musical instruments inside. Outside there’s a beautiful walled garden that’s beautiful in spring and summer.

Around the museum are thick walls with velvet red roses kissing their bricks, and homes with stately names like the Admiral’s House.

Burgh House

Burgh House is another neighborhood gem. This historic Queen Anne house on New End Square is home to the Hampstead Museum.

Its permanent collection explores the history and development of Hampstead and has lots of exhibits with interesting facts and memorabilia.

The aforementioned Burgh House Cafe is worth a trip in the warmer months, too. Its outdoor tables are pure garden bliss.

2 Willow Road

2 Willow Road is another of Hampstead’s great museums. This was the home of celebrated Modernist architect Erno Goldfinger. Designed by him and built in 1939, the house is filled with period art and furniture.

2 Willow Road is a great place for architecture lovers to get a feel for how Goldfinger used space and see the design elements he incorporated into his home.

Kenwood House

Another museum in Hampstead is Kenwood House, an English Heritage site in London.

Built in the 17th century, it served as the residence of the Earls of Mansfield in the 18th and 19th centuries. Kenwood House’s Robert Adam interiors feature paintings by Vermeer, Turner, Rembrandt, and other famous artists.

The home was a film location for the movie Notting Hill, and it also has a good cafe with lots of outdoor seating.

Freud Museum

Down towards Belsize Park, the Freud Museum is set in the former home of Sigmund Freud, founder of psychoanalysis.

Freud lived in the house during the final year of his life, and this Hampstead museum features his famous psychoanalytic couch and other personal effects.

Keats House Museum

Near South End Green, the Keats House Museum is where Romantic poet John Keats lived and wrote his famous poem “Ode to a Nightingale”.

You can tour this Regency villa and see exhibits and original manuscripts that tell the story of the poet’s life and tragic death at the age of 25.

Markets

Hampstead has its share of markets, too. Set down a narrow passage off Heath Street, the Hampstead Antique & Craft Emporium is a labyrinth of little shops selling all kinds of collectibles and gifts.

It’s a great place to come, browse the wares, and pick up something unique to take home. With over 30 traders offering antiques, toys, jewelry, furniture, clothing, and ceramics, you’re bound to find something you like.

The Hill Garden and Pergola

Another great place to explore is the secret Hill Garden and Pergola in Hampstead. This gem has everything from a raised walkway with flower-draped pergolas to a reflecting pond.

The brainchild of Lord Leverhulme, it was built in 1906 by famous landscape architect Thomas Mawson. It’s one of the most beautiful places in London, and is worth seeking out when you’re in the area.

Hampstead Heath

Beyond the neighborhood lies the wild terrain of Hampstead Heath, where there are miles of walking paths. This part of London feels like it’s out in the countryside.

Kenwood House sits within its borders, and the famous Hampstead Heath bathing ponds fill up in the summer with people out to take a swim.

Expansive views of London reward those willing to climb Parliament Hill, too. But the views are understated, the distance dwarfing the City skyscrapers and making St. Paul’s Cathedral look like a tiny toy. Because Hampstead knows how to do subtle, and that’s what makes it lovely.

Hampstead

I hope you’ve enjoyed this guide to Hampstead, London. It’s one of my favorite places in the UK capital, and I’m sure if you visit you’ll love it as much as I do.

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