Lady’s Free Self-Guided Paddington Walk in London

Today I want to share another of my free self-guided London walking tours with you. This one is a Paddington walk through some of the most beautiful mews and side streets in the UK capital. If you enjoy getting off the beaten path and discovering the city’s hidden lanes, this route is for you. I’ve included a map and all the details about the distance and how long it takes as well.

Paddington Walk

Paddington is often an overlooked part of London. Many people think of it as a place to catch a train from area’s famous station. But there’s a lot more to it than just the tracks (and the cute statue of Paddington bear).

In truth, Paddington is worth a special trip. Situated on the northern border of Hyde Park, the neighborhood is known for its mews.

These pretty streets are packed with colorful houses and paved with cobblestones. Their gardens add color and their details lend charm.

My favorite thing to do in Paddington is walk around and take in these secret lanes. Today I want to share the best of them with you in this London walk.

Self-Guided London Walking Tours

If you want to explore beyond Paddington, I’ve also published walks in nearby areas like Notting Hill, Hyde Park, Marylebone, and Mayfair. My Little Venice walk also goes through Paddington Basin, so you can combine the two if you want a longer walk.

If you’re interested in more, I’ve created lots of free self-guided London walks and pulled them all together in my London walking tours blog post and my London walking map.

There are additional walks in the book London’s Hidden Walks as well. You can get it here. There are more ideas in my London walking books post, too.

If you’re looking for a guided tour, you can see options and book one here. They’re great ways to see the area with an experienced local.

Paddington Walk

My self-guided Paddington walk will take you from the station to the pretty streets of the neighborhood. Along the way you’ll discover everything from mews houses to leafy squares and hidden stables.

The route of this London walking tour goes by lots of places to eat and drink, so you can stop to get a meal, snack, or tea if you need a break. It also goes by the stylish Grand Hotel Bellevue London if you want to stay in the area. You can book a room here.

The Route

This loveliest of Paddington walking tours starts at Paddington station. It’s on several lines of the London Underground, the Elizabeth Line, and main line rail routes, so it’s easy to get to by train.

There are also plenty of local buses that serve the area, or you can arrive on foot, by bike, or on a scooter from Hyde Park or other parts of central and west London.

Whatever way you choose to arrive, you can visit the Paddington bear statue before exiting the station on Praed Street. Depending where you exit, you’ll either turn right or left to get to London Street.

From London Street it’s a quick left to go through the archway that leads into London Mews. This place will give you a taste of the hidden side streets to come.

After exploring London Mews, continue your Paddington walk by exiting back onto London Street and turning left.

Take your first left into Norfolk Square and admire the long rows of white facades with their black trim as you walk past the green space on your right.

When you reach the end, turn left on Norfolk Place and walk up to Praed Mews.

Before you turn into the mews, you’ll spot the Frontline Club across the street. It’s one of my top picks for places to eat near London’s train stations, and it’s a good spot for a meal if you’re hungry.

Whether you eat or not, turn left to get into Praed Mews. You can spend time taking in the white facades, then return to Norfolk Place and turn right.

After walking a few streets down, you’ll come to Southwick Mews. Continue your Paddington walk by turning left to go through the archway, then take some time to admire the colorful doors and facades.

When you’re done exploring, exit the mews through the archway, turn right on Norfolk Place, then take a left on Norfolk Square. You can walk down the opposite side from the one you came along earlier. This time you’ll pass by the Grand Hotel Bellevue London.

When you reach the end of Norfolk Square, turn left on London Road. Pop into Norfolk Square Mews on your left as you make your way down to Sussex Gardens. When you get there, turn right and walk the short distance to Talbot Square.

You can walk past Talbot Square or take a loop around it to see the elegant facades. Either way, continue straight on Sussex Gardens until you reach Spring Street.

Turn right there, then take your first left through the archway to get into Conduit Mews. Follow Conduit Mews as it curves around, and take in the colorful facades as you go.

When you reach Craven Road, continue your Paddington walking tour by crossing over and walking through the archway across from Conduit Mews. It will lead you into Chilworth Mews, where you’ll find more colorful houses. You can admire them as you walk down to the end.

When you reach the archway, go through, cross over Chilworth Street, and head straight through the arch on the other side. It will take you into Eastbourne Mews, where you’ll see mews houses on your left and modern buildings on your right.

Walk down to the end of Eastbourne Mews, then turn left on Cleveland Terrace. Walk down it, popping into Westbourne Terrace Mews on your right to see its colorful facades as you make your way to Gloucester Mews West.

When you reach Gloucester Mews West, turn left and walk all the way down it. You’ll take in both classic and modern mews houses as you go.

At the end, continue your Paddington walk by heading through the archway, crossing over Chilworth Street, and going straight through the archway slightly to the left across the street. You’ll now be in Upbrook Mews.

Walk down Upbrook Mews, taking in the classic facades and gardens before making your way through the archway to Craven Road.

Once there, turn left, then take a right into Smallbrook Mews. Spend some time taking in the traditional facades, then exit back onto Craven Road.

Cross the street and head straight into the entrance to Gloucester Mews. This one has lots of colorful houses to take in as you make your way to the arch at the end.

Once you go through the archway, turn left on Chilworth Street and walk down to Devonshire Terrace. Turn left on Devonshire Terrace, taking in the facades, columns, and gardens as you go.

When you reach Craven Hill Mews, continue your Paddington walk by turning right and taking some time to admire its unique facades with their rounded doorways and windows.

Back on Devonshire Terrace, turn right, then turn left on Craven Road. Walk a short distance before turning right through the archway that leads to Brook Mews North.

Walk all the way down it, following it past the modern buildings as it curves around at the end.

When you reach Craven Terrace, cross over and enter Lancaster Mews. This one does a big loop, so you can walk around it to take in the pretty houses and the view of the church steeple before heading back out onto Craven Terrace.

Turn right on Craven Terrace and keep straight as the street name changes to Lancaster Gate. You’ll be able to admire the elegant facades on either side as you make your way to Bayswater Road and Hyde Park.

When you reach Bayswater Road, turn left and walk down it. If you want to, you can go into Hyde Park and explore the Italian Gardens and the Serpentine.

If not, continue your Paddington walking tour by heading down Bayswater Road past the Lancaster Gate tube station. When you reach Brook Street, turn left and walk up towards Sussex Square.

Once there, turn right on Stanhope Terrace, then take a quick right onto the curving part of Hyde Park Gardens Mews. Spend some time taking in the classic facades, then exit back the way you came on Stanhope Terrace.

Turn left on Stanhope Terrace, then right on Sussex Square. As you go around the green space, you might spot a blue plaque dedicated to Winston Churchill on your right.

Follow Sussex Square as it curves around to the left, then exit the square onto Bathurst Street. Walk along it until you reach Sussex Mews West. You can go through the archway on your left to see the mews, which has beautiful houses.

When you’re done exploring, continue your Paddington walk by exiting back out onto Bathurst Street, crossing over it, and walking straight through the arch on the other side. It will take you into Bathurst Mews, one of the most famous streets in the area.

Bathurst Mews is known for being home to Hyde Park Stables, and you might see horses while you’re here. Even if you don’t, you can follow the mews as it curves around and take in the colorful doors and pretty front gardens.

Walk all the way down to the end and exit out the archway that leads to Sussex Place. When you reach Sussex Place, cross over and go straight through the archway that leads into Radnor Mews.

You’ll find more pretty houses here, and you can admire them as you make your way to the other end.

When you reach Radnor Place, continue your Paddington walk by turning left. Cross over Sussex Gardens and keep straight as the street’s name changes to Norfolk Place. Walk all the way up to Praed Street and turn left.

You’ll be right by St Mary’s Hospital and the Alexander Fleming Museum now. You can go inside if you want to. This free museum is dedicated to the life and work of Sir Alexander Fleming, a Scottish scientist who’s best known for his discovery of penicillin.

Inside you can see Fleming’s laboratory, which has been restored to its 1928 condition. You can also explore the story of his life and the discovery and development of penicillin.

Whether you visit the museum or not, continue your Paddington walk by heading down Praed Street to Paddington Station.

Your self-guided Paddington walking tour ends where it began. You can pick up the tube, a train, a bus, a bike, or a scooter here, or spend more time exploring the area.

Map and Details of the Paddington Walk in London

Paddington Walking Tour

I hope you’ve enjoyed this Paddington walk and that it’s inspired you to get out and explore London’s hidden mews and leafy squares. This local area is worth discovering, and I’m sure you’ll love it as much as I do when you visit.

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