Acton

Acton is located in West London next to Charing Cross

What It's Good For: A wide range of pubs and restaurants from different cultures.
Main Attractions: 'The Windmill', the last independent family run free house in Acton.
What It's Famous For: The birthplace of rock legends The Who.
Fascinating Fact: Acton has more train stations than any other area of London.

Aldwych

Aldwych is a place and road in the City of Westminster bordering the City of London.

What It's Good For: It is just a short walk from the Thames, with Covent Garden close to the west and Fleet Street to the east.
Main Attractions: The Indian High Commission, Australia House, Aldwych and Novello theatres, BBC's Bush House and the London School of Economics.
What It's Famous For: Aldwych has been a home to London theatre since the street was first built at the turn of the twentieth century.
Fascinating Fact: In 1929, Bush House was declared the most expensive building in the world, valued at £2million.

Bayswater

Bayswater is one of London's most cosmopolitan areas, with one of the densest hotel populations in the city.

What It's Good For: Hotels, Apartments, Hyde Park, Georgian architecture.
Main Attractions: Whiteley's Shopping Centre, Marble Arch, Hyde Park, Opus Dei UK headquarters.
What It's Famous For: Opened in 1885, Whiteley's was the city's first department store.
Fascinating Fact: Whiteley's had the dubious distinction of being Adolf Hitler's favourite London building.

Belgravia

Situated between Knightsbridge and Chelsea, Belgravia is one of London's most exclusive areas.

What It's Good For: London's most expensive and desirable properties, famous faces reportedly residing in the area are Chelsea football club owner Roman Abramovich, Lady Thatcher and the Duke of Kent.
Main Attractions: Row upon row of glorious period houses, pristine squares, exclusive shops, restaurants and attractive pubs.
What It's Famous For: Aside from being very pricey indeed, Belgravia is also the past home of composers Chopin and Mozart, and former James Bond actors Sean Connery and Roger Moore.
Fascinating Fact: No. 180 Ebury Street is where Mozart wrote his very first symphony at the age of eight.

Bloomsbury

What It's Good For: Beautiful Georgian houses, grassy squares and one of the most cultural areas of London.
Main Attractions: The British Museum, the University of London's Senate House, renowned bookshop Dillon's.
What It's Famous For: Bloomsbury was the centre of activity for the famous Bloomsbury Group, a collection of writers, poets and philosophers who caused great controversy throughout the middle of the twentieth century with their bohemian lifestyle.
Fascinating Fact: Founded in 1852, Bloomsbury's famous Great Ormond Street Hospital is recognised as having provided one of the first medical facilities catering specifically for children.

Camberwell

Camberwell is a busy, multicultural district located south of the River Thames in the London Borough of Southwark.

What It's Good For: With several colleges and galleries, Camberwell is home to many arty student types, so you can be sure of a host of pubs and exhibitions to keep everyone entertained.
Main Attractions: South London Gallery, King's College Hospital, Camberwell Green, Camberwell Arts Festival.
What It's Famous For: The South London Gallery has exhibited the work of many a well-known artist, including Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin.
Fascinating Fact: Camberwell has achieved a mention on the silver screen thanks to the film Withnail and I, in which the character Danny the dealer invents a creation he dubs the 'Camberwell carrot'.

Camden Town

Camden Town is one of London's trendier areas, located just north of Regent's Park.

What It's Good For: Camden Markets attract in excess of 100,000 visitors every weekend.
Main Attractions: As well as the market, the Regent's Canal offers barge trips around the area, taking passengers as far as London Zoo. Other attractions include the Roundhouse Theatre and the Camden Catacombs.
What It's Famous For: Culture. With the crowded market, historic music venues and some of London's most popular and trendy entertainment, Camden Town is a much loved corner of London for many.
Fascinating Fact: Literary giants Charles Dickens, George Orwell and Dylan Thomas have all resided in Camden Town, while Frankenstein novelist Mary Shelley was born here.

Canary Wharf

What It's Good For: Canary Wharf is one of the city's most modern and exciting places, and as such you can find most things here, from shops and restaurants to cinemas, hotels and parks.
Main Attractions: Imposing skyscrapers, endless shopping and fabulous eateries. Its status as one of the main business hubs in the city is an attraction in itself.
What It's Famous For: The idea behind Canary Wharf was to create business, and this is the dominant feature of the area, with some of London's tallest buildings housing the offices of international businesses and financial institutions.
Fascinating Fact: Canary Wharf's One Canada Square is the tallest building in the UK.

Charing Cross

Charing Cross is located at the junction of the Strand and Whitehall by Trafalgar Square, in between Embankment and Covent Garden.

What It's Good For: The transport links are excellent, with Charing Cross station just a short journey from Victoria, Euston and Waterloo, as well as a short hop over to the tourist hub of Westminster.
Main Attractions: Charing Cross is just a short walk from the sights of Trafalgar Square and the many attractions of The Strand.
What It's Famous For: The most noteworthy function of Charing Cross is of great geographical significance. All distances to and from London are measured from Charing Cross, which is regarded as being the central point of London.
Fascinating Fact: Charing Cross takes its name from the funeral procession of Queen Eleanor of Castile. Upon her death in 1290, King Edward I decreed that a memorial cross would be installed at each stop on the procession, the last of which was the manor of Charing.

Chelsea

What It's Good For:Chelsea is widely regarded as the epitome of cool, with famous faces such as The Rolling Stones, Bob Marley and Kylie Minogue all rumoured to have lived there. It is known to be a favoured haunt of Princes William and Harry, an observation that has further enhanced its reputation.
Main Attractions:The King's Road is one of London's most fashionable shopping areas, while the Royal Hospital is home to the famous Chelsea Pensioners.
What It's Famous For:The prestigious Chelsea Flower Show is one of London's premier events. Arguably the most famous horticultural event in the world, it attracts 157,000 visitors each year.
Fascinating Fact:Chelsea Flower Show controversially banned garden gnomes in 1990, causing much consternation among gardeners and leading to sightings of several covert gnomes hiding among the foliage of exhibitions showcased by the more rebellious entrants.

Chiswick

Chiswick is an enchanting, affluent district of London situated on the outskirts of the West side of the city.

What It's Good For: Chiswick is surrounded by beautiful parks, greens and open spaces overlooked by handsome Edwardian and Victorian homes. It is a haven of tranquility that remains within easy reach of the lively city centre.
Main Attractions: The St. Nicholas church provides the central point of the community, while local landmarks include one of the most famous Thames crossings, Hammersmith Bridge. The renowned Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew are also located near Chiswick.
What It's Famous For: Chiswick's Fuller's Brewery, famous for the popular Fuller's Pride ale, has been brewing beer for around 350 years.
Fascinating Fact: The University Boat Race, contested annually between the rowing crews of Oxford and Cambridge universities, has its finish line at Chiswick Bridge.

City

What It's Good For: In a word; money. London is seen as one of the leading lights of the financial world, with over 320,000 financial sector employees working in the City. Many law firms also have their offices here.
Main Attractions: One of the most instantly recognisable features of the London skyline is the dominating structure at 30 St. Mary Axe, more commonly known as 'The Gherkin'. The City is also home to the Barbican Centre, Museum of London and the bustling Smithfield meat market.
What It's Famous For: Skyscrapers. As well as 'The Gherkin', there are various other inventively designed buildings enjoying curious nicknames, among them 'The Walkie Talkie', 'The Helter Skelter' and 'The Cheese Grater'. The recent recession has also made the City the target of much public chagrin.
Fascinating Fact: The City is colloquially referred to as 'The Square Mile', a name derived from the area it supposedly covers. In fact, The City covers a little more than this, spanning 1.08 square miles.

Clerkenwell

A fascinating area just to the north of The City, Clerkenwell is an alluring mix of scruffy old character and trendy new vibrancy.

What It's Good For: Quiet and fashionable, Clerkenwell is acknowledged by many as boasting some of the best restaurants in London.
Main Attractions: Hatton Garden is the centre of the UK jewellery trade, with nearly three hundred businesses and fifty-five shops showcasing all sorts of desirable trinkets, while Sadler's Wells is an esteemed theatre and modern dance venue.
What It's Famous For: The Marx Memorial Library hints at the area's historical flirtations with political radicalism. It is rumoured that Lenin and Stalin first met when the latter was visiting Clerkenwell in 1903.
Fascinating Fact: The Eagle on Farringdon Road is reported to be the first example of a gastropub in London.

Covent Garden

What It's Good For: The area boasts many high quality attractions as well as a plethora of enjoyable pubs and restaurants, some of which enjoy a status as listed buildings.
Main Attractions: The Covent Garden Piazza, Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London Transport Museum, Royal Opera House and St. Paul's Church are all excellent, but the most unique feature of Covent Garden is its street performers. Covent Garden is the only place that licences them, so this is the only place in London where they are permitted to perform.
What It's Famous For: The most well-known feature of Covent Garden does not actually exist there anymore. The former fruit and vegetable market operated in the central Piazza until its relocation in 1974.
Fascinating Fact: The first Punch and Judy Show was performed under the portico of St Paul's in Covent Garden in 1662.

Croydon

What It's Good For: Croydon is seen as one of the main transport links between London and the south coast, and the town does boast an excellent tram network to ferry you around.
Main Attractions: The Whitgift Centre makes up the main part of Croydon's shopping area and Fairfield Halls host both BBC recordings and established music acts, while the Battle of Britain monument provides a moment of quiet reflection.
What It's Famous For: Croydon's BRIT school, whilst not automatically associated with the area, is well known on the grounds that it can count musical acts such as Leona Lewis, Katie Melua and Amy Winehouse among its alumni.
Fascinating Fact: The poet Sir John Betjeman composed two poems about Croydon, entitled 'Croydon' and 'Love in a Valley'.

Docklands

What It's Good For: The Docklands offer an attractive riverside setting, populated by quaint, welcoming pubs and towering, luxurious hotels, all easily reached by the convenient Docklands Light Railway (DLR), which links to many London Underground stations including Canary Wharf.
Main Attractions: The ExCel exhibition centre puts on many important and impressive events that attract visitors from far and wide, while the Museum of London Docklands provides an insight into the history of the River Thames.
What It's Famous For: Docklands used to be part of the Port of London, which was once the largest port in the world.
Fascinating Fact: Docklands has had its own symphony orchestra, called Docklands Sinfonia, since January 2009.

Ealing

Often referred to as the 'Queen of the Suburbs', Ealing is a bustling, cosmopolitan pocket of the capital and well worth a visit.

What It's Good For: Ealing boasts a high standard of local theatre, cinema, comedy and music, as well as a popular farmer's market, all easily accessible by tube, rail or road.
Main Attractions: A remarkable amount of annual festivals take place in Ealing, including celebrations of beer, blues, comedy, opera and jazz. Ealing's film studios are the oldest working studios in the world.
What It's Famous For: The celebrated Ealing Comedies, produced here in the 1940's and 50's. More recently, Simon Pegg 'rom-zom-com' Shaun of the Dead and the rehashed St. Trinian's franchise were both shot there.
Fascinating Fact: Away from film, the studios have also provided the backdrop to music videos by bands such as Coldplay, Blur and Franz Ferdinand.

Earls Court

What It's Good For: The area is popular with tourists from all over the world as it is populated with a wide variety of hotels, from guesthouses to large chain hotels, as well as smart designer boutique hotels that charge a fraction of West End prices.
Main Attractions: The Earls Court and Olympia Exhibition Centres are the main draw of Earls Court, but in the event that the programmes there do not take your fancy, attractions such as Kensington Gardens, the Royal Albert Hall, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the National History Museum are all within easy reach.
What It's Famous For: Whilst these days the Exhibition Centre mainly plays host to music concerts, some of its shows are very well known indeed, such as Crufts and the long-running Ideal Home Show.
Fascinating Fact: Earls Court's Troubador coffee house has hosted concerts from new musical talent since 1954. Previously unknown acts like Jimi Hendrix, Elvis Costello and Bob Dylan have all taken to the stage there.

Euston

Euston is London's sixth busiest rail station.

What It's Good For: Heading North. With services operating regularly to Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow and Watford Junction across four different train operators, Euston is always extremely busy.
Main Attractions: Whilst there are no real attractions per se in Euston itself, the station is within easy walking distance of the more entertaining Bloomsbury and Kings Cross.
What It's Famous For: Whilst there is no doubting its functionality, following its 1960's rebuilding project, poor old Euston is regarded by many commentators as being one of the least attractive buildings in London.
Fascinating Fact: Built in 1837, Euston was London's first inter-city railway station.

Finchley

Sitting right on the outskirts of North London, where the Northern Line separates to head for either Mill Hill or High Barnet, Finchley is an enjoyable little town to stay in for those looking to stay a little further away from the hubbub of the city centre.

What It's Good For: Finchley is quite a large town, boasting three town squares, so with so many options available you will never be short of things to do here.
Main Attractions: The Spaniard's Inn is four hundred years old, and legend has it that notorious highwayman Dick Turpin was born here. Regular drinkers at the Inn were reported to include John Constable, William Blake and Lord Byron. A rich source of Jewish history can be found at the Jewish Museum and the Jewish Military Museum.
What It's Famous For: French sculptor Emile Guillaime's work La Delivrance was purchased by Lord Rothermere in 1920 and presented to Finchley council, who placed it at the entrance to the local recreation ground. A clue as to its most striking feature can be deciphered using the local nickname for the statue - 'The Naked Lady'.
Fascinating Fact: From 1959 to 1992, the MP for the Finchley constituency was Margaret Thatcher.

Gatwick

The site of London's second largest airport, Gatwick is also the 28th busiest airport in the world.

What It's Good For: The obvious answer is travel, with Easyjet and British Airways accounting for a quarter of Gatwick Airport flights.
Main Attractions: The airport. Chances are that Gatwick is not your final destination, so once you are off the plane you will probably not be hanging around.
What It's Famous For: Again, the airport, which in the course of catering for around thirty-five million passengers each year has become quite well known.
Fascinating Fact: Gatwick operated as a Royal Air Force base during World War II, and was officially recognised as London's second largest airport in 1953.

Greenwich

What It's Good For: Excellent views across the Thames, strolling through the beautiful Greenwich Park and visiting the collection of interesting national museums.
Main Attractions: The National Maritime Museum, Greenwich Palace, the Queen's House, the Rangers House, the Royal Observatory and the magnificent O2 Arena.
What It's Famous For: The architectural vision of Sir Christopher Wren (the designer of St Paul's Cathedral in central London), the birthplace of the Royal Navy and the location of Britain's largest painting, The Painted Hall.
Fascinating Fact: Greenwich is home to the Cutty Sark, the last remaining tea clipper in existence.

Hammersmith

What It's Good For: Many top comedy and musical acts include dates at the Hammersmith Apollo in their tour schedule. Hammersmith is also a major transport link in London, as evidenced by the existence of a Hammersmith and City tube line.
Main Attractions: The Hammersmith Broadway shopping centre and the Apollo Theatre are the two main draws. Of architectural interest is Ralph Erskine's 'The Ark', a vast office building designed in the shape of a boat.
What It's Famous For: Hammersmith is rumoured to be home to a particularly high concentration of celebrities, including Lily Allen, Hugh Grant, Daniel Radcliffe and Bill Bailey.
Fascinating Fact: One of the oldest surviving pubs in Britain, The Dove, is located here, and is thought to be the location where 'Rule Britannia' was composed by Thomas Arne.

Hampstead

The concept of London being made up of a series of villages is illustrated no better than in this delightful North London suburb.

What It's Good For: Hampstead Heath has become notorious over the years for certain night time activities, but in the day it is known as a great place for a family day out, with many sports and games facilities available.
Main attractions: Camden Arts Centre, the outdoor summer concerts at Kenwood House, the Admiral's House (supposedly used as the model for the house belonging to Admiral Boom in the film 'Mary Poppins) and the magnificent Fenton House.
What It's Famous For: Hampstead has a long standing reputation as a centre for literary activity and the intelligentsia. Past residents are said to include Agatha Christie, John Constable and Sigmund Freud.
Fascinating Fact: One of the best views of central London can be found from the top of the Heath's Parliament Hill, where attractions such as the London Eye, 'The Gherkin' and St. Paul's Cathedral are all visible.

Haymarket

Located in the City of Westminster, Haymarket is a historic street that joins Pall Mall to Piccadilly Circus.

What It's Good For: Haymarket is well known for housing two of London's premier theatres.
Main Attractions: The two illustrious 19th century theatres, Her Majesty's Theatre still hosts musical shows, while the Theatre Royal was first constructed in 1720, before being replaced by a creation from architect John Nash in 1820.
What It's Famous For: Most people know Haymarket because of its theatrical reputation, with many top actors taking to its stages over the years.
Fascinating Fact: On April 15th, 1984, the much-loved comedian Tommy Cooper tragically suffered a fatal heart attack on live television during a performance at Her Majesty's Theatre.

Heathrow Airport

What It's Good For: Obviously, given its size, the choice of airlines and destinations at Heathrow is extensive. A total of ninety airlines fly customers to more 186 locations. It also accounts for around a quarter of a million jobs in the UK.
Main Attractions: Evidently, the last thing you will be doing in an airport is sightseeing. However, Terminal Five, opened in 2008, is noteworthy for the many mishaps and perceived bungling that surrounded the first two weeks of its operation.
What It's Famous For: Throughout the noughties, Heathrow held a steady position as the third busiest airport in the world, jumping to second with the opening of Terminal Five. However, the 2010 volcanic ash clouds emanating from Iceland have seen Heathrow suffer a fall in the rankings, sinking to fourth.
Fascinating Fact: Heathrow may not be the world's busiest in terms of total traffic, but it can boast the highest volume of international passengers.

Highbury

Situated just north of the fashionable Islington area, Highbury is quite an enjoyable place to spend a day, with many green spaces and attractive buildings creating a pleasant atmosphere.

What It's Good For: Since the football stadium relocated, the site has become a desirable residential area, whilst still maintaining all the pubs and restaurants that previously catered for sports fans.
Main Attractions: Arsenal football club's Emirates Stadium stands on the edge of Highbury, accompanied by the club museum. The area also contains the sprawling, 29-acre Highbury Fields, an ideal location for a family day out, as well as the Highbury Clock Tower, an impressive structure built to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Queen Victoria's reign.
What It's Famous For: Highbury is known to many as the home of Arsenal football club, whose Highbury stadium stood from 1913 until 2006, when the club moved and the stadium was converted into flats.
Fascinating Fact:Highbury's Arsenal tube station is the only one named directly after a football club.

Holborn

The district of Holborn is situated centrally in London, near busy areas such as Kings Cross and the Bank of England.

What It's Good For: The site of many London legal landmarks. Also, Holborn tube station is an excellent transport link traversing both the Central and Piccadilly lines.
Main Attractions: The Royal Courts of Justice, the famous barrister residence at the Inns of Court and the London School of Economics. A particular highlight is the Hunterian Museum in the Royal College of Surgeons, featuring pickled exhibits of human remains and the skeletons of midgets and giants.
What It's Famous For: Given its main attractions, it is fair to say that the area is most noted as a legal hub in London. Holborn Bar was also previously designated as the gateway into the City.
Fascinating Fact: The 'l' and 'r' in Holborn are both silent, with the correct pronunciation given as something along the lines of 'hoe bun'.

Hounslow

What It's Good For: Due to its close proximity to Heathrow Airport, Hounslow is full of convenient and comfortable hotels that serve as an excellent base.
Main Attractions: The British Airways Archive offers an interesting insight, while just outside Hounslow in neighbouring Feltham lies Hounslow Urban Farm, the largest city farm in London and a great family day out.
What It's Famous For: Hounslow Heath has in the past been a favoured haunt for highwaymen and has served as a military base for Oliver Cromwell.
Fascinating Fact: Reportedly, over 120 languages are spoken in the borough of Hounslow.

Hoxton

What It's Good For: Since its emergence as a fashionable place to be seen in the early nineties, Hoxton has acquired many cutting edge bars, clubs, gastropubs, restaurants, music venues and arts centres.
Main Attractions: The Grade II listed Victorian building at Hoxton Hall regularly showcases work from young, up and coming artists, while the Grade I listed Geffrye Museum exhibits an history of middle class home interiors.
What It's Famous For: Previous creative personalities to have set trends in Hoxton include Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin and Alexander McQueen.
Fascinating Fact: The creativity of Hoxton's population has spawned a popular style of haircut, dubbed 'the Hoxton Fin'.

Hyde Park

What It's Good For: Situated next to the 275 acre Kensington Gardens, there is green space in abundance here, as well as the beautiful Serpentine, where visitors can rent pedal boats.
Main Attractions: The much talked about Diana Memorial Fountain is located here, as is a commemorative monument to those who died in the 7/7 bombings. Speaker's Corner is also a popular attraction, where anyone is allowed to stand and give speeches on whatever they like, providing they do not use obscene language.
What It's Famous For: The park has over the years played host to protests from the Suffragettes, the Reform League and the Stop the War Coalition. Famous concerts have been performed here, notably a particularly memorable show from rock band Queen in 1976, and the 2005 Live 8 concert.
Fascinating Fact: If you combine Hyde Park and neighbouring Kensington Gardens, the two together cover a larger area than the entire principality of Monaco.

Islington

What It's Good For: A thriving music and arts scene, as well as a whole host of delightful street markets throughout the week.
Main Attractions: Sadler's Wells Dance Theatre is a world-renowned venue for international dance, showcasing a wide range of dance styles.
What It's Famous For: Islington these days is known as being home to the central figures of the New Labour movement as well as being a spiritual home to most of Britain's left-wing political thinkers.
Fascinating Fact: The Granita restaurant in Islington was the scene of the now famous meeting between Tony Blair and Gordon Brown in 1994, following the death of the then Labour leader John Smith. The two men are said to have used the meeting to decide who would be Prime Minister and who would be Chancellor if the Labour Party won the next election.

Kensington

What It's Good For: The museums of South Kensington, very expensive things, its close proximity to Hyde Park.
Main Attractions: Kensington High Street, Kensington Palace, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, Kensington Roof Gardens, the Royal Albert Hall.
What It's Famous For: Kensington Palace has been the home to many kings and queens and was the birthplace of Queen Victoria.
Fascinating Fact: In 2004, 18-19 Kensington Palace was bought by Indian businessman Lakshmi Mittal for a whopping £57million!

Kilburn

With its mixture of elegant stuccoed Regency villas, Victorian stock-brick terraces, mansion flats of the 1890s, post-1945 council blocks, small-scale industry and eclectic variety shops, Kilburn is one of the most diverse and interesting areas in the city.

What It's Good For: In the High Road, the fish shops, public houses, small factories and shops selling exotic vegetables and saris reflect the successive waves of immigrants that have given Kilburn its distinctly cosmopolitan flavour. Due to a large Irish population, there are a number of good Irish pubs here.
Main Attractions: The Grade II listed Gaumont State Cinema, now owned by an Evangelical church, and the church at St. Augustine's, which was the third largest place of worship in London (after St. Paul's Cathedral and Westminster Abbey) at the time of its construction.
What It's Famous For: The Tricycle Theatre is known for staging many thought provoking productions, some of which have made it to the West End and even New York.
Fascinating Fact: In the 18th century, the 'medicinal waters' of the Kilburn Wells were marketed as a surefire cure for stomach ailments.

Kings Cross

What It's Good For: Going places. The Kings Cross St. Pancras tube station traverses six lines, while nearby St. Pancras International takes passengers to the south of England. Most will recognise it as the starting point for the Eurostar service to Paris.
Main Attractions: Great strides have been taken to ensure the station functions as more than just a waiting area for passengers, with an £800million refurbishment project adding many shops and attractions to keep people entertained. The nearby British Library is home to many interesting historical documents, including the Magna Carta.
What It's Famous For: The Harry Potter books by Joanne Rowling feature the fictional platform 9 and three quarters, located at Kings Cross. There is a display in homage to this present in the location specified by the books, complete with partially disappeared shopping trolley.
Fascinating Fact: The fastest Eurostar journey between Paris and London was achieved on September 4th 2007, and took 2 hours, 3 minutes and 39 seconds.

Knightsbridge

Knightsbridge is one of London's most exclusive residential areas, containing some of the most expensive real estate you will find on the planet

What It's Good For: As you would expect, illustrious stores and luxury hotels are the order of the day.
Main Attractions: Exclusive high street store Harrods, the fiendishly expensive fashion found on Sloane Street, Park Tower Casino
What It's Famous For: Being one of the priciest streets in the world.
Fascinating Fact: The first escalator in England was opened at Harrods in 1898.

Lancaster Gate

This mid-19th century housing development consists of two long terraces situated on either side of a great square.

What It's Good For: If you want to stay within five minutes walk from the beautiful Hyde Park, then Lancaster Gate is for you. The street actually used to be called Upper Hyde Park Gardens.
Main Attractions: Aside from Hyde Park, the attractions of nearby Kensington are not far away. Lancaster Gate itself mainly comprises hotels, embassies and residential properties.
What It's Famous For: The name Lancaster Gate has most often appeared in the media in reference to the former headquarters of the Football Association, which operated there until 2009.
Fascinating Fact: Lancaster Gate tube station is one of only twenty in the whole 270-strong network not to feature an escalator.

Leicester Square

What It's Good For: Some of the UK's largest cinemas are situated here, and with several radio stations and MTV having their headquarters nearby, the place is a veritable media hotbed.
Main Attractions: Major cinemas include the Odeon Leicester Square, Empire and Vue West End, while the TKTS booth is the place to find cut price tickets to your favourite shows.
What It's Famous For: Major film premieres frequently take place here, with crowds of expectant fans lining the red carpet a regular sight.
Fascinating Fact: The shortest distance between any London tube stations is 0.16 miles, between Leicester Square and Covent Garden. It would in fact be quicker to walk this journey.

Little Venice

Little Venice, its name coined by former resident Robert Browning, offers an oasis of leafy calm just minutes from the city centre.

What It's Good For: Whilst not exactly like the Italian city which gives it its name, Little Venice is interspersed with a succession of waterways, each lined with quaint cafes and restaurants.
Main Attractions: Whilst not possessing any stand out attractions, the main draw for visitors to Little Venice is its relaxed atmosphere and tranquil surroundings.
What It's Famous For: A large part of the area's reputation is down to its interesting moniker. In recognition of his contribution, Robert Browning has a pool named after him nearby.
Fascinating Fact: Visitors can catch a barge down the canal towards London Zoo and Camden Town.

Liverpool Street

The third busiest rail station in London after Victoria and Waterloo, Liverpool Street is always a hive of activity.

What It's Good For: As the Monopoly board will tell you, Liverpool Street is a big fish in London's transport network; the tube station is London's fifth busiest and the rail network operates to the South East.
Main Attractions: There are no attractions as such, Liverpool Street is simply a very functional area to be in if you are travelling.
What It's Famous For: In 2009, the station was the venue for two rather spontaneous events, with 350 people performing a three minute dance for a T-Mobile advert and around 800 Michael Jackson fans gathering in tribute to the singer.
Fascinating Fact: The Andaz Hotel enjoys the unique distinction of being situated right on top of the railway station.

London Bridge

What It's Good For: Aside from the obvious river crossing convenience, the London Bridge Experience is ideal for an exciting family visit.
Main Attractions: The bridge is of course an attraction in itself, but also close by is the famous Monument to the Great Fire of London.
What It's Famous For: In 1014, a dispute between King Ethelred the Unready and the Danes resulted in the bridge being taken down to prevent anyone crossing. These events inspired the popular nursery rhyme 'London Bridge is Falling Down'.
Fascinating Fact: Until the construction of Westminster Bridge in 1749, London Bridge was the only crossing point available for the River Thames in London.

London City Airport

What It's Good For: The airport serves mainly business travellers, with flights serving important business destinations such as Zurich, Frankfurt and Paris. For winter sports enthusiasts, the airport offers many flights to premier skiing hotspots such as Geneva and Milan.
Main Attractions: Of all the London airports, London City is most conveniently located, hence its appeal for business people.
What It's Famous For: London City airport is the only one of the five airports with 'London' in their name to actually be located in the city itself.
Fascinating Fact: Expansion to the airport has been heavily challenged by the local campaign group called Fight the Flights, who feel that doing so would increase carbon emissions and noise pollution in the city.

Maida Vale

This affluent residential district is a beautiful haven sandwiched in between the busier St John's Wood and Kilburn.

What It's Good For: The peace and quiet afforded to those who care to stroll along the barge-lined canal is a blessing for those who want a break from the city buzz.
Main Attractions: The idyllic Regent's Canal runs alongside Maida Vale, while the iconic Lord's Cricket Ground is just a short distance away.
What It's Famous For: Notable figures who grew up in Maida Vale include actress Joan Collins and celebrated codebreaker Alan Turing.
Fascinating Fact: The late Radio 1 DJ John Peel conducted his legendary Peel Sessions in a studio in Maida Vale.

Marble Arch

What It's Good For: Being admired from afar. The arch's location in the middle of a traffic island makes access a challenge, but it is a worthy piece of history and the surrounding area is awash with attractions.
Main Attractions: The Speaker's Corner area of Hyde Park is literally across the road, while the arch is on the junction of three historic streets, Oxford Street, Park Lane and Edgware Road.
What It's Famous For: It is widely known that Marble Arch was originally constructed as the entrance archway to Buckingham Palace. However, with the Palace extensions in 1840, the arch was deemed surplus to requirements and moved to its present location.
Fascinating Fact: The three rooms inside the arch served as a police station until 1950.

Marylebone

A charming community at the heart of London, in Marylebone you are as likely to find quaint local businesses as you are chic fashion boutiques.

What It's Good For: If you are not a fan of the more tourist-oriented areas of London, then Marylebone is ideal, with almost no concessions made to tourists and consequently a fantastic community atmosphere.
Main Attractions: The iconic Madame Tussaud's waxwork museum is located just on the northern border of Marylebone.
What It's Famous For: One of London's most historic flats is located in Marylebone; the flat at 34, Montagu Place was bought by Ringo Starr and lived in by Paul McCartney, Jimi Hendrix and John Lennon.
Fascinating Fact: Such was the level of his unpopularity, Gordon Brown has become the only Prime Minister never to be honoured with a Madame Tussaud's waxwork.

Mayfair

What It's Good For: If there is one thing you are guaranteed in Mayfair, it is luxury.
Main Attractions:The bespoke tailoring of Savile Row, the smart outlets of Bond Street, the glorious Burlington Arcade and many more of London's most expensive boutiques.
What It's Famous For: Some of London's top hotels are found in Mayfair, among them The Ritz, The Dorchester, The Connaught and the famous afternoon tea at Claridge's. Michel Roux Jr's multiple Michelin-starred restaurant Le Gavroche is also here.
Fascinating Fact: Prince Philip's stag night took place at The Dorchester.

Muswell Hill

Muswell Hill is a quiet suburb of North London situated in the London Borough of Haringey.

What It's Good For:Travelling by bus. Muswell Hill's position atop a hill means it is not served by any rail or tube lines.
Main Attractions: The only familiar landmark in Muswell Hill is the Alexandra Palace, affectionately known as the 'Ally Pally' and the venue for many big London events.
What It's Famous For: Acts such as Blur, The Stone Roses and Paul Weller have played at Alexandra Palace, while the venue hosts the annual PDC World Darts Championship.
Fascinating Fact: Muswell Hill achieved a mention in the 1982 top five hit 'Driving in My Car', by celebrated Camden Town band Madness.

Notting Hill

What It's Good For: Portobello Market is a great place to shop for antiques, fresh fruit and vegetables and second hand goods.
Main Attractions: The mile-long Portobello Market is one of the busiest and best in Europe, while the annual Notting Hill Carnival is one of the most iconic London events.
What It's Famous For: The 1999 Richard Curtis romantic comedy, starring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts.
Fascinating Fact: Whilst Notting Hill is naturally the film most associated with the area, several other iconic pieces of cinema used Notting Hill as a location, such as The Italian Job, Withnail and I and Quadrophenia.

Oxford Circus

Oxford Circus is one of London's busiest crossroads, situated in the heart of the West End at the junction of Regent Street and Oxford Street.

What It's Good For: Being a crossroads, Oxford Circus is not far away from the action in all directions, with Marylebone to the north, Soho to the east, Mayfair to the west and Piccadilly and Leicester Square to the south.
Main Attractions: Oxford Circus is at the very heart of the West End. Exciting attractions are all around you.
What It's Famous For: Many large fashion outlets have stores on Oxford Circus, including Nike, Topshop and H&M.
Fascinating Fact: To help ease the flow of pedestrian traffic in this very busy area, a new 'diagonal' crossing, allowing people to cross the road in all directions, was opened in 2009, costing £5million.

Paddington

What It's Good For Paddington is great for reliable budget accommodation.
Main Attractions The train station is itself rather notable as one of Isambard Kingdom Brunel's finest architectural feats, while Hyde Park is a short distance away.
What It's Famous For Children's author Michael Bond's iconic Paddington Bear stories have sold over thirty-five million copies and have been translated into more than forty languages.
Fascinating Fact The non-stop Heathrow Express runs from Heathrow to Paddington 150 times every day.

Park Lane

Steeped in glamour, luxury and exclusivity, the mile-long Park Lane is one of Mayfair's most famous and expensive streets.

What It's Good For: A number of fabulous five-star hotels stand on Park Lane overlooking Hyde Park
Main Attractions: The street itself is the attraction, with the top hotels and jaw-dropping sports car showrooms lining the pavements.
What It's Famous For: The famous hotels here include the Dorchester, the Four Seasons and the Grosvenor House Hotel.
Fascinating Fact: The basement of the Grosvenor House Hotel was once home to a championship-winning ice hockey team. The Grosvenor House Canadians attracted up to 1,500 fans as they won the English League in 1934.

Piccadilly Circus

With five major streets converging on one another, Piccadilly Circus is a popular, busy location at the heart of London.

What It's Good For: As one of London's most iconic destinations, Piccadilly Circus attracts some of the biggest and most fashionable names in retail to the square.
Main Attractions: The dazzling neon signs are a dominant feature of night time London, while the famous Statue of Eros fountain is located here.
What It's Famous For: The area is so packed that it has given rise to the popular English expression 'it's like Piccadilly Circus', used to describe any busy or crowded area, while it is said that if a person stands there long enough they will eventually bump into everyone they know.
Fascinating Fact: The oldest of the eye-catching illuminated signs on show is the one for electronics company Sanyo, which was installed in the late 1980's. However, longest-standing company presence among the signs is Coca-Cola, who have had a sign there since 1955.

Pimlico

Pimlico is primarily a residential area south of Victoria that has been considerably smartened up in recent years

What It's Good For: Pimlico is a very attractive area of London, housing several pleasant garden squares and examples of splendid Regency architecture.
Main Attractions: The Tate Britain Gallery fronts The Thames and is now home to a fine collection of British art from 1500 to the present day including a vast collection of work by Turner
What It's Famous For: The 1949 Ealing comedy Passport to Pimlico sees post-war Pimlico involved in a bizarre set of circumstances that temporarily see the area becoming part of Burgundy.
Fascinating Fact: Sir Winston Churchill has a blue plaque at his old Pimlico home of 33, Ecclestone Square.

Putney

Putney is located in south-west London and is renowned for its beautiful riverside scenery, excellent shopping and vibrant nightlife

What It's Good For: Due to its close proximity to the Thames, Putney is a keen rowing stronghold, with some twenty clubs in the area.
Main Attractions: Putney is just over the river from Earls Court, Chelsea and Kensington, with the Earls Court and Olympia Exhibition Centres particularly close by.
What It's Famous For: Putney Bridge is the starting point for the traditional Oxford and Cambridge boat race.
Fascinating Fact: Well known for his superstitions, five-time Wimbledon tennis champion Bjorn Borg would always insist on arriving at the championships over Hammersmith Bridge, never Putney Bridge.

Regents Park

Designed in the 19th century by renowned architect John Nash, Regent's Park is one of London's most spectacular creations.

What It's Good For: The park's size and attractions render it a perfect spot for a family day out, with enough entertaining distractions and eateries to keep everyone happy.
Main Attractions: The always entertaining London Zoo is found here, while the park also features an open-air theatre, ornate bandstand, large boating lake and 100-acre sports field.
What It's Famous For: The park was originally used by Henry VIII as a hunting ground.
Fascinating Fact: The Regent's Park rose gardens display over 30,000 roses.

Richmond Upon Thames

Richmond-upon-Thames is one of the loveliest of London's outer boroughs, boasting an ancient pedigree and a long royal association.

What It's Good For: The view from the top of the hill at Richmond Terrace is one of the finest in London, taking in much of the Thames as well as St. Paul's Cathedral.
Main Attractions: Richmond Park is the largest of London's Royal Parks, and is home to free roaming red and fallow deer. Kew Gardens are also part of the borough.
What It's Famous For: The home of English rugby is found in the Richmond district of Twickenham.
Fascinating Fact: Richmond-upon-Thames is the only London borough to contain districts on both sides of the river.

Russell Square

Bloomsbury's Russell Square is the largest and grandest of London's Georgian squares

What It's Good For: The area is a haven of tranquility, with its relaxing ambiance and attractive floor-level fountain.
Main Attractions: The British Museum, the beautiful four-star Hotel Russell and the main buildings of the University of London.
What It's Famous For: Russell Square was one of the locations affected by the 2005 7/7 bombings, with one of the explosions occurring on a tube train bound for Russell Square station from Kings Cross St. Pancras.
Fascinating Fact: Russell Square was added to the English Heritage 'Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Greater London' in 1988.

Shoreditch

Since the mid 1990s, Shoreditch, like its neighbour Hoxton, has become a hugely fashionable and popular part of London.

What It's Good For: The high price of office space and real estate in the West End has resulted in many trendy clubs, bars and restaurants choosing to set up in Shoreditch instead.
Main Attractions: Shoreditch's close proximity to the City is a plus, while its artsy scene is what attracts many of its residents in the first place.
What It's Famous For: One of the more infamous observations made about Shoreditch is that it is home to London's highest concentration of strip clubs.
Fascinating Fact: In 2008, archaeologists excavated part of 'The Theatre', which is purported to be the site of early performances of Shakespeare's plays, such as Romeo and Juliet and Henry V.

Soho

What It's Good For: The nightlife in Soho is widely regarded as some of the best that London has to offer.
Main Attractions: The unique atmosphere of Chinatown, the famous Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club and popular nightspots such as Madame Jojo's and the Punk Club
What It's Famous For: Jimi Hendrix performed his last ever concert at 46, Frith Street in Soho.
Fascinating Fact: A small room above what is now Bar Italia was the place where John Logie Baird first demonstrated his new invention, the television, in 1926.

South Kensington

South Kensington is one of London's more exclusive districts, sandwiched between its wealthy neighbours of Knightsbridge and Chelsea.

What It's Good For: Most people regard South Kensington highly because of its many museums, and with its many academic institutions it is seen as one of London's great cultural centres.
Main Attractions: the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, Imperial College London, the Royal College of Music
What It's Famous For: Aside from all of the above, South Kensington is often referred to as the French Quarter, with the area inviting a significant French presence with locations such as the Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle and the French Institute.
Fascinating Fact: The Victoria and Albert Museum was the first in the world to collect photographs as art, beginning in 1856.

Southwark

Located on the south side of the Thames, Southwark is London's most historic borough, comprising five action-packed districts.

What It's Good For: Recent years have seen a complete resurgence south of the Thames, which has allowed Southwark to become one of the tourist hotspots of London.
Main Attractions: The London Eye, the Tate Modern, the Millennium footbridge, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, the Rose Theatre, London Dungeon, the London Bridge Experience, the Imperial War Museum, the Golden Hinde.
What It's Famous For: Look no further than the list of attractions above, with historic sites such as the Globe, the Dungeons and the Tate Modern rendering Southwark a must-visit.
Fascinating Fact: The London Eye was in fact only originally intended to remain in London for five years, but such is its popularity that it is going to be around for at least another twenty.

St James

The haunt of princes, aristocracy, statesmen and 'The Establishment', St. James's is just south of Piccadilly.

What It's Good For: The area is home to many specialist shops, such as Berry Bros, the fine hat makers James Lock & Son and Rudd, a fine wine merchant whose cellars are reputedly the largest in London.
Main Attractions: The magnificent St James's Park begins just over the road from Buckingham Palace, and hosts many royal events such as the Trooping the Colour ceremony. The Mall is the finishing point of the London Marathon.
What It's Famous For: The numerous gentlemen's clubs that line St James's Street and Pall Mall are well-known as places where affairs of state are discussed and foreign policies are secretly debated.
Fascinating Fact: In 2001, St James Park tube station was one of three to experience a new fragrance called 'Madeleine', designed with the aim of making the underground smell nicer. The idea was scrapped one day later after passengers complained it was making them feel sick.

St Johns Wood

St. John's Wood is a leafy and affluent residential area of London, situated just north of Baker Street.

What It's Good For: St. John's Wood is a relatively quiet, unassuming area that holds several historic gems and is situated conveniently for the West End whilst managing to remain free of noise.
Main Attractions: The home of English cricket, Lord's, is found here, and it is also home to the prestigious King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery.
What It's Famous For: The most famous building in St. John's Wood is undoubtedly the Abbey Road Studios, known to millions worldwide as the place where The Beatles recorded their historic album of the same name.
Fascinating Fact: St. John's Wood is the only tube station in the entire London Underground network that contains no letters from the word 'mackerel'.

St Pancras

St. Pancras functions as the gateway to Northern Europe and is one of the busiest train stations around.

What It's Good For: Whilst St. Pancras was originally a medieval parish covering a fairly large area, these days it refers just to the great train station that serves so many travellers each year.
Main Attractions: The station has undergone an £800million refurbishment, meaning there is a fair bit to see and do whilst you wait for your train.
What It's Famous For: It is mostly associated with the Eurostar services to Paris and Brussels, indeed for many people a wait at St. Pancras signals the beginning of an exciting holiday.
Fascinating Fact: In 1967, a campaign led by the poet Sir John Betjeman saved St. Pancras from a planned demolition, and managed to reverse the decision to such an extent that the building was certified as protected and awarded a Grade I listing.

Stratford

What It's Good For: The main hub of activity for the London 2012 is situated in Stratford, with the new Olympic Stadium the most eye-catching feature.
Main Attractions: Aside from all the Olympics-based excitement, the Stratford Centre is excellent for shopping, while the Theatre Royal is a well respected venue.
What It's Famous For: Most recently is has come into public consciousness as the chosen site for the Olympic Games, with many speculating as to what will happen to area once the Games close.
Fascinating Fact: The updated Stratford International station is said to be large enough to accommodate the equivalent of three Queen Mary II cruise ships.

The Strand

The Strand is the major thoroughfare that runs east from Trafalgar Square to join Fleet Street, which marks the boundary of the City of London.

What It's Good For: The Strand plays host to a mix of upmarket theatres, hotels and shops, and the architecture is a sight to behold.
Main Attractions: The magnificent Savoy Hotel is found on The Strand, whilst famous theatres include the Adelphi, the Savoy and the Vaudeville Theatre.
What It's Famous For: The Strand is London's main southern artery from the City to the West End, and as such is frequently thronged with vehicles and pedestrians.
Fascinating Fact: The Dog and Duck tavern on The Strand is reported to be the meeting place of the Gunpowder Plot conspirators.

Tower Bridge

One of the most famous bridges in the world, the iconic Tower Bridge is one of London's most notable landmarks.

What It's Good For: The high-level walkways offer stunning views of London across the Thames, while the bridge remains an important thoroughfare for traffic in central London.
Main Attractions: The bridge is of course a premier attraction in its own right, while it takes its name from the nearby Tower of London.
What It's Famous For: Much of Tower Bridge's fame can probably be attributed to its impressive structure, it is the grandest of all the Thames crossings and its domineering presence on the London skyline, particularly at night, renders it impossible to ignore.
Fascinating Fact: In 2003, the bridge was used for a publicity stunt by the notorious 'Fathers 4 Justice' group, when campaigner David Crick scaled the tower crane near the bridge and caused widespread traffic delays for five days.

Tower Hill

Offering superb views of Tower Bridge and the Tower of London, Tower Hill also enjoys its own slice of history.

What It's Good For: The aforementioned views are a real high point, while the close proximity of the hill also offers easy access to the Tower of London and Tower Bridge themselves.
Main Attractions: Plaques on the hill list notable London public figures who have met their end at the hands of the executioner in times gone by.
What It's Famous For: Whilst many of London's most high profile condemned were put to death in the Tower of London, many more were executed on a public scaffold atop Tower Hill.
Fascinating Fact: Perhaps the most grisly execution seen on Tower Hill was the 1381 beheading of Archbishop of Canterbury Simon Sudbury, who was set upon by angry mob who administered his fate.

Trafalgar Square

At the heart of London and packed full of fantastic attractions, Trafalgar Square is rich in history and provides a solid platform for new artistic performances.

What It's Good For: Trafalgar Square is often the venue for political demonstrations and the screening of live sports events, such as football and rugby World Cup matches involving England and cricket's Ashes series.
Main Attractions: Nelson's Column, the Fourth Plinth art project, the National Gallery, St Martin-in-the-fields.
What It's Famous For: Nelson's Column is the standout attraction and the main reason the square is famous. Of course the square also owes its name in part to the monument, which was intended to commemorate victory over Napoleon at the Battle of Trafalgar, in which Nelson himself was mortally wounded.
Fascinating Fact: Should he have triumphed in World War II, one of Adolf Hitler's many schemes was to have Nelson's Column dismantled and reassembled in Berlin.

Vauxhall

Located just over the river from Buckingham Palace and a short walk from the London Eye, Vauxhall is a great area to base yourself in for your stay in the capital.

What It's Good For: Just a few stops away from Victoria, St James Park and Green Park, Vauxhall is one of a growing number of convenient and pleasant areas to the south of the Thames.
Main Attractions: The Brit Oval cricket ground, the quaint Vauxhall City Farm, St. Peter's Church and the Archbishop of Canterbury's residence at Lambeth Palace. The headquarters of MI6 are also found by Vauxhall Bridge.
What It's Famous For: It is where the motoring company of the same name was originally set up.
Fascinating Fact: Over the last few years, Vauxhall has developed into a thriving gay scene, which has become so popular with clubbers that Vauxhall is now seen as a viable alternative to Soho, earning it the nickname 'Voho'.

Victoria

What It's Good For: Victoria's transport links are excellent, with bustling coach, underground and rail stations all operating.
Main Attractions: Nearby attractions include Buckingham Palace, Green Park and St. James's Park, while Westminster is not a million miles away either.
What It's Famous For: The Palace is one of Britain's most visited attractions, enjoying the attention of swarms of tourists every day. The famous Changing of the Guard ceremony is one of the great English traditions.
Fascinating Fact: Outside Victoria station there stands a replica of Big Ben, known as 'Little Ben'. A gift from the French, it is permanently set one hour ahead of GMT.

Waterloo

Home to London's busiest rail station, Waterloo offers many of its own attractions and is perfectly positioned in the middle of the city.

What It's Good For: Whilst Waterloo no longer caters for the Eurostar service, it serves by far the highest number of passengers of any London station, serving over 88 million people annually.
Main Attractions: The London Eye, London Aquarium, the Old Vic Theatre. Westminster is just a short walk over Westminster Bridge.
What It's Famous For: The Kinks' 1967 hit 'Waterloo Sunset' mentions Waterloo station on numerous occasions, and is widely claimed to be one of the best songs about London of all time.
Fascinating Fact: After choosing Waterloo as the original location for the Eurostar service, Tony Blair received an angry letter from French Minister Florent Longuepée, who claimed that it would be upsetting for French tourists to be reminded of Napoleon's greatest defeat.

Wembley

What It's Good For: Home to two legendary venues contained within a relatively small area, Wembley is a popular destination, served by three tube stations and three overground rail stations.
Main Attractions: Wembley Stadium is the home of the England football team, and has seen many amazing matches over the years, while leading lights from the world of music and comedy are regularly found at Wembley Arena.
What It's Famous For: Arguably Wembley's most famous sporting day was way back in 1966, with England's 4-2 victory over West Germany securing them the World Cup. Fans also witnessed the first ever World Cup final hat trick from Geoff Hurst.
Fascinating Fact: The 1985 Live Aid concert was attended by 72,000 people at Wembley Stadium, with the combined world concerts witnessed by an estimated two billion people on television.

West End

What It's Good For: In many ways, the West End represents everything people love about London, with outstanding theatre and shopping found among the bright lights and excitement that contributes a great deal toward London's iconic status worldwide.
Main Attractions: The many areas of the West End are full of fantastic ways to entertain and amuse yourself at all times of day, among them Soho, Bloomsbury, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus, Covent Garden and Mayfair.
What It's Famous For: The West End will always be most closely associated with its theatres, with a seemingly endless list of famous venues to be found, including the London Palladium, the Palace Theatre and Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.
Fascinating Fact: The 100 Club on Oxford Street is the oldest live music venue in London.

West Hampstead

West Hampstead is a quiet, attractive district situated in the North West of London.

What It's Good For: With the central West End Lane home to a variety shops and eateries, the area has a pleasant village atmosphere.
Main Attractions: It is well served by the London Underground, with both the Metropolitan and Jubilee lines running nearby. As such, its relaxing, peaceful ambiance makes it a popular day retreat for Londoners.
What It's Famous For: One of the most famous mistakes in the history of music. In 1962, the local Decca Studios declined the opportunity to take on an up and coming band called The Beatles, on the grounds that "we don't like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out".
Fascinating Fact: West Hampstead actually began life as a small farming settlement called West End, but was renamed towards the end of the 1800's to avoid confusion with the famous theatrical area of central London.

West Kensington

Located in in the west of London, away from the busier Kensington and sharing more with neighbouring Earls Court, West Kensington is a beautiful corner of the city.

What It's Good For: Whilst the area may lack the wealth and shopping of Kensington and the fabulous museums of South Kensington, it is a down-to-earth and homely place offering a range of pleasant attractions.
Main Attractions: The main attraction is the Olympia Exhibition Centre, while West Kensington also boasts a diverse array of small shops, fun pubs and multicultural restaurants.
What It's Famous For: The Queens Club, which hosts the annual pre-Wimbledon grass court tennis event, in recent years warming up stars such as Andy Roddick, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray.
Fascinating Fact: American tennis ace Andy Roddick set a world record at the Queen's Club for the fastest recorded serve, smashing a 153mph effort past Thailand's Paradorn Srichaphan.

Westminster

What It's Good For: Westminster really does hold the highest concentration of landmarks out of any London district.
Main Attractions: The Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Parliament Square, 10, Downing Street, Cabinet War Rooms, Trafalgar Square, the Tate Britain, the National Gallery.
What It's Famous For: Mainly it is the landmarks that give Westminster its fame. The many historic events that have happened and laws that have been passed in the Houses of Parliament, the coronations taking place in Westminster Abbey and the Prime Ministers that have resided in Number 10 all contribute to its reputation.
Fascinating Fact:Westminster Bridge is painted green to match the benches in the Houses of Parliament.

Wimbledon

What It's Good For: Given that it hosts one of the most famous tournaments on the planet, it is safe to say that tennis is what Wimbledon is best for.
Main Attractions: The All England Tennis Club is the most famous thing about Wimbledon.
What It's Famous For: The area has played host to the United Kingdom's Grand Slam tennis tournament since 1877, and since then all of the most famous names in the game have at some point set foot on the Wimbledon courts. Wimbledon Common is also home of the fictional environmentally-conscious creatures The Wombles.
Fascinating Fact: The Wimbledon tennis finals must by law be shown in full on terrestrial television.