If you’re visiting the capital then you really shouldn’t miss the delights of North West London as the area has all the benefits of the city but with a more relaxed and convivial air.

Whatever you look for when you venture to new destinations you’ll find it in North West London; great restaurants, interesting attractions, family friendly fun, history and architecture, shopping, evening distractions and more.

Some of the more well known features of North West London include Regents Park [map], London Zoo [map], Abbey Road [map], Madame Tussauds [map], Camden markets [map] , Lord’s Cricket Ground [map] , and gastro pubs like The Engineer [map].

But did you know that the area is home to:

• the Magic Circle;
• one of the best vegetarian restaurants in the capital;
  
• a great little Elvis museum;
  
• the inspiration behind Sherlock Holmes;
  
• and some exciting art exhibitions.

Whether you like buzz and bustle or peace and tranquillity you’ll find them all here. This may be why several noteworthy people made their home here, including poet Keats, painter Constable, father of psychoanalysis Freud, novelist D.H. Lawrence, playwright Alan Bennett and writer/historian H.G. Wells. The area is also a favourite haunt of many celebrities and well known faces who regularly grace the pages of the entertainment magazines.

The area itself includes Regents Park, Camden Town, Hampstead, Hendon, Kilburn, Kentish Town, Mill Hill, St Johns Wood and Golders Green amongst others and for the purposes of this guide we have included attractions and distractions with an ‘NW’ postcode.

So why not find out more about the arts of Hampstead, the bohemia of Camden and the beauty of the area’s parks and open spaces with our guide to North West London.

If you want to comment on our choices or recommend somewhere, why not use our What You Recommend form to let us know.