Kensington, London

Located within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Kensington is one of the most affluent and densely-populated districts in London. The district’s name was derived from an Anglo-Saxon term ‘Kenesignetun’ which means ‘Kenesigne’s land or meadows’.

Together with its south neighbor, Chelsea, Kensington is highly regarded as one of London’s most affluent areas. The district hosts numerous expensive streets and garden squares including Earls Terrace, Edwardes Square, The Phillimores and Wycombe Square.

Three major railway stations serve the residents of the district, namely, Kensington High Street, Gloucester Road and South Kensington. You can also easily travel from Kensington to the neighbouring districts through a number of local bus services.

Kensington High Street

The vibrant life in the district is centered around Kensington High Street, the district’s major commercial centre. With the wide array of shops in Kensington High Street, it is no wonder that it was hailed as the second best shopping street in London in 2005. South Kensington also features a wide variety of small shops. The street also became a major shopping destination in the district because of its proximity to South Kensington tube station. Being the southern tip of Exhibition Road, the area also hosts museums and educational institutions.

Despite its affluence, the district also boasts of an alive and vibrant cultural scene. One of the most visited cultural landmarks in the area is the iconic Royal Albert Hall, where a variety of incredible musical performances are held. The Royal Albert Hall served as a national memorial to Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s deceased husband. It also houses the Albert Memorial, a Gothic Revival-inspired statue of the Prince in his seat. Kensington Palace also continues to attract crowds of visitors, tourists and guests, being an official royal residence. Tourists and travelers can also visit the Serpentine Gallery hosting a number of musical and educational events. The Serpentine Gallery is also surrounded by the Kensington Garden that can certainly provide guests with a relaxing nature-oriented experience. You can also bring your children to the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground. Inspired by the author of Peter Pan, the playground is highly recommended for kids. It features a huge wooden pirate ship as its major attraction.

This affluent district also serves as host to one of the world’s best museums – the National History Museum. The greatest attraction in the National History Museum is its life-sized dinosaur displays. It also hosts daily science discussions that talk about climate change, biodiversity, evolution, space travel and other relevant and interesting scientific topics. The National History Museum also features the Darwin Centre featuring a collection of relevant materials about the theory of evolution.

Being a high-class area, Kensington also hosts numerous prestigious educational institutions such as Royal College of Music, Imperial College – London, Heythrop College, Royal College of Art and Kensington and Chelsea College. The area also features a wide variety of restaurants serving different cuisines. Some of the most popular restaurants in the area are Zaika’s Restaurant, a Michellin-starred Indian restaurant, Kensington Place which started out as one of London’s first brasseries and Black and Blue Steakhouse offering great steaks and burgers.

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