Oh, London, the good old madness of a city where cultures, ages, and people all blend together into a magnificent cacophony of greatness. I love you ever so much. Or, at least, some parts of you that are close to my heart.
And you know what? I am not the only one.
London is the only city in the world where people state that they love every inch of it, while actually hating 90% of the Big Smoke if not more.
What’s even funnier is that these tiny little 10% are enough to make up for the 90% of inconvenience, rude people, and horrible traffic.
If this sounds weird to you – come to visit London and you will get my point as the town is mostly wretched, yet the parts you love are as dear to you as life itself.
But how can one tell which areas of London will be to one’s liking and which ones won’t? By doing research on the differences between various neighborhoods. This post is a great place to start with the say, and so is Part 1 of the series where I have covered Northern and Eastern London…
West London can be rightfully called the gem of London. Or a plethora of gems, if you will. Each of them is unique, each is pretty in its own way. Which one will shine the brightest for you? Now that, dear readers, is the real question.
The best way to categorize West London is by dividing it into 3 main categories.
The first category consists of the West end and Marylebone. This is not the heart, but it is the center and the face of London. Every single one of those photos for tourists with the red buses, famous shops, and gorgeous views was taken here.
The bars, the clubs and the colors of Soho in the West End are a delightful treat for those who love a fast life. Yes, the flashy lights can get distracting, but the atmosphere here is breathtaking. You may have never been a party animal before, but once you step your foot onto the pavement here – your instincts will take over common sense.
That noted, watch out for your wallet, because the prices here can bite much harder than you ever could.
Marylebone is West end’s calmer brother. It is a calm, urban area that’s filled with class and sheik. I even feel like this is the only part of town that literally afforded to buy silence.
Needless to say, rent is sky high in both areas, so keep that in mind while finding a perfect home.
The second category of West London is somewhat larger. It includes Notting Hill, Brook garden, Holland Park, Kensington, Madia Vale, and Hammersmith.
Life here is an adventurous tale like the one you’ve read about in the books featuring reckless pirates, brave knights, and tricky leprechauns. It’s just so very… different?
You can step outside the tube to see a street as busy as an ant house and then you’ll walk for like ten steps and boom, you are un a quiet suburban neighborhood where the biggest news is that Mrs. Patsy’s can run away.
You will see a lot of people from various countries and origins finding a home in this part of West London which is a truly remarkable sight as each and every one of them brings a piece if something unique. Street festivals, on the fly food sales, vintage stores and craft beer pubs make the life itself taste better.
The rent is still moderately expensive here, but the accommodations and the availability of public transportation make a flat here worth every penny.
Lastly, there are the suburban paradise areas like Acton, Ealing, and Chiswick. If I only had one word to describe these areas then I’d go with the word “green”. The streets are filled with standalone homes each with a garden and a backyard. The streets are wide and also green.
The place is quiet, roomy and feels like home even if you don’t live there. I don’t know why. It just does.
What’s more surprising about Ealing, Acton and Chiswick are that all three have great public transport options. It won’t take long for you to get to the center or to the financial sector from here. All in all, we are talking about one of the best places in London to start a family without getting too out of touch with the Big Smoke.
This pretty much sums up our journey through the West London, but wait, there’s more.
We haven’t covered South London yet, but rest assured, I will do so in an upcoming article. As for now, you are free to write down all of your questions and suggestions and share them on our Facebook page. If you have any insights on living in London – even better. I would love to include all of your thoughts, suggestions, and ideas into upcoming posts.
As for now – join our Facebook group and follow us on Twitter to stay updated. I would love to hear from you any time soon.
Cheers!
