Kensington feels like a million miles away from the busy streets of Central London but it really isn’t that far at all. It’s home to 3 incredible museums, markets, parks and the home of Kensington Palace. And with its grand Victorian Townhouses and back street mews, it’s a great area of London to explore.
Shop along Kensington High Street
Kensington High Street is great for shopping and there is something for everyone! There are lots of high street stores as well as designer stores and independent shops and what I love most is that they are all located in the old and beautiful buildings that line Kensington High Street.
Wander around Kensington Gardens
Hyde Park covers a huge section of Central London but the Western section is actually Kensington Gardens and in my opinion this is the nicest part of the park.
Kensington Gardens has a range of little gardens within it, memorials like the Albert Memorial, cycling tracks, walking paths, ponds and of course Kensington Palace!
Located within Kensington Gardens are the Serpentine Galleries, each connected by a bridge over the Serpentine Lake. If you’re into contemporary art, then this is definitely for you.
Spot pretty pastel streets all over Notting Hill
An Insta-dream, Notting Hill is home to several quiet streets teeming with pretty pastel houses that run in multicolour terraces.
A great way to get accustomed to this super-cute area is to strolling from street to street taking in the unique architecture – and maybe grab a few “for the ‘gram”, if time allows.
Be sure not to miss Ledbury Road, Farmer Street, Kensington Park Road and Hillgate Street.
Snap London’s most flowery pub at The Churchill Arm
Many simply stop by to check out the impressive flower display that covers the exterior. Aptly described as “flower-bedecked” by the management and rumoured to spend up to £25,000 a year on their unique floral displays.
Inside, lies a charming boozer that oozes personality and some true British pride, with plenty of Churchill memorabilia to boot (his grandparents famously drank here – or so the story goes!) Grab a crafty pint and a stool and see where the night takes you.
Find a Bargain at Portobello Road Market
Saturday’s it is home to Portobello Road Market, a very famous London market.
The street stalls sell an array of things including second hand clothing and antiques, perfect if you want to find a bargain, plus lots of different food stalls and even if you don’t want to shop it is still worth visiting.
Be warned that when the main market is on Saturday’s the street and surrounding streets do get very busy and I advise you to be wary of pick pocketer’s.
Alternatively if you visit Sunday-Friday the antiques market is not on but there are smaller markets in the area and the independent shops that line the road are open so this is a great time to visit too.
Visit the Unique Leighton House Museum
The former home of Victorian artist Lord Frederic Leighton, it is the only purpose-built studio house which is open to visitors. Which is lucky for us as inside you will find a remarkable interior, including the golden-domed Arab Hall. Queen Victoria was a visitor to the house and the period features of the time can still be seen today.
The museum holds collections from Victorian artists including paintings, drawings and sculptures by Leighton. Wander around the immediate area which is surrounded by further studio houses for a feel of how the art community existed in Leighton’s time.
Get cultural at the Victoria and Albert Museum
If art and design is your thing, so too is the V&A Museum in South Kensington. Collections of dresses and clothing, ceramics, photographs, paintings and so much more are available to view completely free of charge.
Whilst the items themselves are certainly worthy of a few pictures, so too is the exterior of the building. Step outside of the V&A into The John Madejski Garden, grab a coffee and relax by the pool as you take in your surroundings.
If you’re travelling with children in the summer, this is a great spot for them as they can paddle in the pool whilst you kick back, completely free. Equally as enchanting is the Courtyard, completely modern and a cool place to grab a few pictures.
Experiment at the Science Museum
The Science Museum is one of the best museums in London for children and adults alike. Free to enter, you’ll be amused for hours as you wander around the highly interactive galleries, watching science come to life before your very eyes!
If you’re looking for a weird or wonderful present for someone, or even a new gadget for yourself, you have to check out the gift shops. Due to their close proximity, the Science Museum and Natural History Museum make for a fun, easy and free day out in London.
See a performance at the Royal Albert Hall
Another beautiful, unique building in South Kensington is The Royal Albert Hall. Opened in 1871 by Queen Victoria, this distinctive grade I building is elegant both inside and out.
Since opening, some of the world’s leading performers and artists have graced its stage and today it also hosts various big events in the British calendar such as awards evenings, concerts, opera, ballet and sports to name just a few!
If you’re not looking to splurge on an evening out but still want to see the Hall in all its stylish glory, you can book onto one of their tours online for a small fee and uncover some of the interesting secrets held behind the curtains – this place is seriously Instagram worthy!
Or, why not check out what’s on and pop down – you might see a celebrity, or a hundred!
Walk with dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum
One of the most beautiful buildings in London, the Natural History Museum is a firm favourite with visitors of all ages.
Over 80 million items are on display for your viewing and educational pleasure, including dinosaur and mammal skeletons, creepy crawlies and fossils to name but a few!
The NHS allows you to step into the shoes of the likes of Charles Darwin and David Attenborough and explore the wonder of the natural world in an interactive and interesting way.
The Earth Galleries, accessible via an escalator which takes you high up into the heavens through the planet earth, provides an earthquake simulator and an exciting insight into the power of mother nature.
The NHS is also free to enter and has so much to see and do for children and adults alike.
Spot the Royals at Kensington Palace
A stunning royal residence within Kensington Gardens, Kensington Palace is home to many royals including William and Kate, and Harry and Meghan.
Adults can visit and tour the palace for under £20 and that includes entry to their incredibly interesting exhibitions about the Royal Family.
The gift shop is a must if you’re looking to take home a quintessentially British gift and, better still, you don’t need to pay the admission fee to pop into the shop!
If you did want to splurge, you can book afternoon tea in the Pavilion, which is opposite the Sunken Garden: location of Harry and Meghan’s engagement announcement.
This really is a bucket list kind of thing, as you can’t have afternoon tea at any other royal residence in London.
Walk around Holland Park
Another park to visit in Kensington is Holland Park and if you are a visitor to London and want to feel like a local, Holland Park is a great place to walk around to do this.
The Park is surrounded by streets lined with grand Victorian Townhouses and once inside there is a nice wooded area to walk around as well as big sections of grass where on the weekend local teams play sport.
It’s a great place to walk around with a coffee in hand on a weekend morning I find.