Lady’s Guide to the Best South East London Areas

Today I want to bring you my guide to the best south east London areas. From well-known places on the Thames to local neighborhoods in SE postcodes, there are lots of great places to discover, go out, and enjoy. I’ve spent a lot of time living and exploring here over the years, and I’ve found plenty of places to love. I can’t wait to share them with you. I’ve included an interactive map of all the neighborhoods on my list, too.

South East London Areas

There are a lot of great places in south London. Since moving to this part of the UK capital, I’ve discovered fun London neighborhoods to explore and plenty of places to eat, drink, and walk around.

But what exactly constitutes “south east London”? The phrase generally refers to the area south east of central London and the Thames. The geographical expanse covers a variety of neighborhoods, all of which have SE postcodes.

From the South Bank with its big attractions to cool places like Deptford that are favorites with the hipster crowd, this part of the city has something for everyone.

There’s always been a rivalry between north and south London, and many born-and-raised Londoners will tell you there’s a cultural divide. As an expat, I’m glad I can see the best in both halves.

I’ve also lived north, west, central, and south, so I like to think I’ve had a pretty broad experience of the city. Since buying a flat in south east London, I’ve gotten to know many of the neighborhoods here very well.

From leafy village-like enclaves to hipster hotspots, residential neighborhoods to commuter areas, they all make south east London attractive for their own reasons.

Best South East London Neighborhoods

Below you’ll find a list of my favorite places in south east London. After you’ve had a read, you can decide which parts of the area appeal to you most.

Whether you’re moving here, visiting, or just want to explore new-to-you parts of the city, you’ll find somewhere that excites you.

If you want to dig deeper into which parts of south east London fit your style best, you can read through my neighborhood guides. I’ve published a number of them and I’ve linked to them in this blog post.

Think of this as the highlight reel and those as places where you can dig deeper. I’ll add new areas as I write about them, so you can bookmark or pin this post on Pinterest for future reference.

If you need more inspiration or you want some direction for exploring a particular place, my free self-guided south east London walks can help. They’ll lead you through some of the best neighborhoods on my list.

The walks will take you around to see high streets, side streets, and hidden spots in south east London. They’ll help you get to know the areas and what makes them special.

If you want to spend a night or more here, you can book a place to stay in south east London here. There are lots of options, including hotels, apartment rentals, and other accommodation.

Brockley

First on my list of the best south east London areas is Brockley. This under-the-radar London neighborhood has lots of colorful street art murals, a fun food market, and a big park with views.

Brockley is the perfect place if you like to get away from the obvious areas and you want somewhere with a neighborhood feel. There are good restaurants, lots of green spaces, and rail connections into the city center, too.

If you want to spend some time getting to know the area in-depth, you can book a place to stay in Brockley here. There are plenty of options for accommodation.

Camberwell

Camberwell is another of my favorite places in south east London. This area is home to famous art galleries, neighborhood parks, and independent shops and cafes. If you’re artsy and you like a fun coffee shop, it’s a good place for you.

From Camberwell Green to Burgess Park and the shops and restaurants around Camberwell Church Street, there’s a lot to discover in this part of the UK capital.

Add to that Camberwell College of Arts and the beautiful houses in Denmark Hill, and there’s always something to entertain you.

If you want to spend time getting to know this part of the city, you can book a place to stay in Camberwell here. There’s a range of options to choose from.

Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace is another of the best south east London areas. This neighborhood is famous for its park full of dinosaur sculptures, great views of London, triangle of high streets, and fun neighborhood vibe.

While it’s farther away from central London than some other places on my list, the area has good train and Overground connections that make getting here and away straightforward.

If you want to spend some time getting to know the neighborhood, you can book a place to stay in Crystal Palace here. There are lots of options for accommodation.

Deptford

Next on my list of the best south east London neighborhoods is Deptford. This trendy area is known for its coffee shops, big market, and independent stores. It’s one of the coolest London neighborhoods, and it’s popular with young people.

Located right next to Greenwich on the Thames, Deptford is an ideal area if you like all things new and hip. From pubs to pop-ups and railway arches packed with restaurants, it has a lot to discover.

If you want to spend some time getting to know this area, you can book a place to stay in Deptford here. There’s a range of options to choose from.

Dulwich

If you’re looking for the most beautiful place in south east London, Dulwich is just the ticket. This village-like area is known for its picture-pretty streets, famous art gallery, prestigious boys’ school, and abundance of parks and gardens.

Dulwich is full of elegant houses and local pubs and shops, too. My free self-guided walk in Dulwich village can show you around the area and give you a feel for what it has to offer. My guide to things to do in Dulwich can help, too.

If you want to call this place home-away-from home, you can book a place to stay in Dulwich here. There’s a range of accommodation options in the area.

East Dulwich

Right next to Dulwich village, East Dulwich is another of the best south east London areas. Lordship Lane is one of the best high streets in the city, and it’s full of independent shops and restaurants.

East Dulwich also has the weekly North Cross Road Market, which is one of the best south London markets. It’s in an ideal location between leafy Dulwich and hipster Peckham, too.

If you want to spend time getting to know the area, you can book a place to stay in East Dulwich here. There’s a variety to choose from.

Elephant and Castle

Elephant and Castle has changed so much over the years that it’s one of the most transformed south east London areas. This neighborhood is full of high-rise buildings, vibrant food markets, and independent shops and restaurants.

From markets like Mercato Metropolitano to colorful cafes and a convenient tube station in the heart of the area, there’s no reason to stay away from this part of the city.

If you want to call this place home-away-from-home, you can book a place to stay in Elephant and Castle here. There’s a range of accommodation options in the neighborhood.

Forest Hill

Another of my favorite places in south east London is Forest Hill. This local neighborhood is known for everything from the Horniman Museum (and its weekly food market) to the great views of the London skyline.

Forest Hill also has fun cafes, delicious markets, and pretty gardens. The shops on and around London Road are popular, too.

If you want to spend some extra time getting to know the neighborhood, you can book a place to stay in Forest Hill here. There’s a number of options.

Greenwich

Perhaps the most famous place in south east London, Greenwich is popular with locals and visitors alike. This area is littered with maritime history and royal residences.

From Greenwich Park to the covered market and the shops and pubs by the Thames, this neighborhood has a lot going for it. And that’s to say nothing of the pretty streets and houses. My self-guided Greenwich walk will take you to some of the best.

If you want to spend enough time here to fully appreciate all it has to offer, you can book a place to stay in Greenwich here. There are plenty of options for hotels, apartment rentals, and more.

Herne Hill

Between Dulwich and Brixton, another of the best south east London areas is Herne Hill. It’s known for Herne Hill Market (one of the best Sunday markets in London), Brockwell Park, and the fun shops and restaurants around the train station.

Herne Hill has great pubs and cafes that give the area a local neighborhood feel, too. Add to that a famous velodrome (it’s one of the oldest cycling tracks in the world), and it’s a great place to explore.

If you want to spend time getting to know this part of the city, you can book a place to stay in Herne Hill here. There’s a range of options to choose from.

Kennington

Kennington is next on my list of the best places in south east London. This neighborhood is home to leafy parks and gardens, a weekly food market, independent restaurants and coffee shops, pretty residential streets, and hidden squares.

Due to its proximity to the river and its tube station, Kennington is easy to get to and ripe for exploration. It’s also near The Oval, so it’s great if you’re a cricket fan.

If you want to spend some extra time getting to know the area, you can book a place to stay in Kennington here. There are plenty of options.

London Bridge Area

Just across the river from the Tower of London, London Bridge, Borough, Bermondsey, and Southwark are packed with restaurants, pubs, nightlife, and attractions.

From Borough Market to More London, Bermondsey Street, Maltby Street Market, Flat Iron Square, and the Thames, this area is buzzing. My self-guided London Bridge walk can show you the highlights.

If you want to spend some time getting to know this part of the city in-depth, you can book a place to stay in London Bridge here. There are plenty of hotels, apartment rentals, and other accommodation here.

Nunhead

Nunhead is another of the best south east London areas. This under-the-radar neighborhood by Peckham, East Dulwich, Telegraph Hill, and Brockley is famous for its otherworldly Victorian cemetery, hip bars and pubs, and local community vibe.

Nunhead Green sits at the heart of the area, and there are independent shops and restaurants around it. The neighborhood has pretty streets and historic almshouses as well.

Nunhead Cemetery was one of London’s “Magnificent Seven” Victorian cemeteries, and it’s now a peaceful and atmospheric park. It’s worth a special trip to take a walk here.

If you want to call this area home-away-from-home, you can book a place to stay in Nunhead here. There are several options to choose from.

Peckham

Multicultural Peckham numbers among the most hipster areas in London. It’s not only one of the coolest places in the south east of the city, but also home to great parks and gardens.

Peckham is also known for its nightlife, and it has some of the best rooftop bars in south London. It also has a great creative scene and lots of independent restaurants, cafes, and pubs.

If you want to spend some extra time getting to know the neighborhood, you can book a place to stay in Peckham here. There’s a range of options for accommodation.

Rotherhithe

Right on the Thames, Rotherhithe is another of my favorite south east London neighborhoods. This historic area is known for being the site where the Mayflower ship departed London for America in 1620.

Rotherhithe is also home to great riverside scenery, heritage pubs like The Mayflower and The Angel, cultural attractions like the Brunel Museum, and pretty streets and parks.

If you want to call this area home-away-from-home for a while, you can book a place to stay in Rotherhithe here. There’s a range of spots to choose from.

South Bank

The South Bank needs no introduction. This area is home to the London Eye, Tate Modern, National Theatre, BFI Southbank, and other big attractions.

The South Bank is the ideal place if you want to see the sights, walk along the river, or go to a show or performance. There are markets, museums, and pop-ups here, too.

If you want to spend extra time getting to know this part of the city, you can book a place to stay on the South Bank here. There are great hotels in this area.

Vauxhall

Vauxhall is next on my list of the best areas in south east London. This neighborhood has unique cafes and nightlife, a hidden lavender garden, riverside walks, and quiet green spaces.

Vauxhall Park and Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens are perfect places to soak up the sun on warm days, and hidden spots like Bonnington Square are a treat to discover. This neighborhood also has cool food markets under the railway arches.

If you want to spend extra time getting to know the area, you can book a place to stay in Vauxhall here. There are plenty of options here and across the bridge in Pimlico.

Waterloo and Lambeth

Waterloo and Lambeth are also great south east London areas. Right on the river, these neighboring places are centrally located and have an abundance of restaurants, markets, museums, and shops to discover.

While Waterloo gets overshadowed by the South Bank and the giant train station, there are a lot of fun bars, restaurants, pubs, and markets here. Lower Marsh is one of my favorite streets near the Thames.

Lambeth is more residential, and it’s home to important cultural institutions like the Imperial War Museum and the Garden Museum. Lambeth Palace is here, too.

If you want to spend time getting to know these areas in-depth, you can book a place to stay in Waterloo or Lambeth here. There are lots of good hotels in these neighborhoods.

South East London Map

Best South East London Neighborhoods

I hope this blog post has helped you get a feel for the best places in south east London. There are a lot more areas to explore, too, including Catford, Eltham, Penge, Lewisham, Honor Oak Park, Sydenham, and Woolwich.

If you’re interested in other parts of the city, take a look at my guides to north London neighborhoods, central London areas, west London neighborhoods, and east London areas.

If you’re moving, my blog post about the best places to live in south London can help. And if you’re researching how to relocate to the UK, you can take a look at my guide to how to move to London. Happy exploring!

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