South Kensington NEIGHBORHOOD GUIDE

South Kensington is an affluent neighborhood home to some of London's best museums and cultural institutions. This is a popular spot for expats and in particular has a high concentration of French thanks to the presence of the French embassy and French schools, cafes, and restaurants. 

Huge mansions and Italianate stucco mansions make up some of the stunning residences in the area. Some of these large properties have been converted to apartments, though many still remain single-family homes. You'll find additional apartments tucked above shops and boutiques and quite a few others in renovated industrial and factory spaces – a lot of people are packed into this part of London and it's one of the densest neighbohoods in the city.

The Royal Albert Hall hosts symphony performances, opera, rock concerts, ballet, and film screening – nearly 400 performances each year in total. The fantastic Natural History Museum is also here, as is the Victoria & Albert Mueum, the largest art museum in the world with over 4.5 million items.There are various other small theaters and cultural locations to check out if you are ever in need of something to do.

There are hundreds of restaurants with South Kensington's borders offering Japanese, Thai, Middle Eastern, Turkish, Italian, Mediterranean, pizza, and pub food. And while most of the neighborhood is quiet at night, along its main roads you'll find pubs, lounges, and clubs to dance until the morning.

If retail therapy is more your calling, there are tons of shops within walking distance. There are beautiful stores of all sizes, including some shops that sell merchandise you won’t find anywhere else in the world.

One of the big draws for people moving here is nearby Hyde Park, which has many activities, festivals, classes, and fairs throughout the year.

As far as other local amenities, there are several grocery stores, farmers’ markets, quite a few fitness options, including gyms, yoga, and Pilates studios, spas, libraries, and countless bakeries and coffee shops.

South Kensington is bordered on the north by Knightsbridge, on the east by Brompton, on the south by Chelsea, and on the west by Earls Court.

Commute:
The City: 4.4 miles / 20-40 minutes by car / 20-25 minutes by transit / 30 minutes by bike
Canary Wharf: 7.5 miles / 30-60 minutes by car / 35 minutes by transit
Southwark: 5.1 miles / 25-45 minutes by car / 25-30 minutes by transit / 30-35 minutes by bike
Westminster: 2 miles / 10-20 minutes by car / 10 minutes by transit / 15 minutes by bike
Shoreditch: 5.1 miles / 25-55 minutes by car / 35-40 minutes by transit