As some of the most affluent real estate in the world, Kensington is home to international and British upwardly mobile alike, including none other than Prince William, Princess Kate and little George. Sitting at the base of a rolling grassy hill in Kensington Gardens, Kensington Palace benevolently guards over the this high-rent district, overseeing summertime picnics and uniformed schoolchildren chattering in French to their au pairs on the way home. The sparkling white-stone façades of the buildings line the spotless pavement, littered with only freshly-painted Bentleys and the occasional gleaming Rolls Royce.
Despite the setting, Kensington boasts many key London spots that won’t burst your bank. Foremost, Kensington Palace’s backyard, or Kensington Gardens, offers a grassy reprieve from the cosmopolitan landscape. Stroll the designated trail for must-see sites including the classic Peter Pan statue, a tribute to the park that inspired J.M. Barrie’s famous books by the same name. Other notable points include the Albert Memorial and the Serpentine Gallery, world-renowned for its contributions to contemporary art. The Serpentine Gallery held legendary showings of modern artists like icon Andy Warhol and the provocative Damien Hurst.
By far (arguably), the most noteworthy sites that call Kensington home are the incomparable Natural History Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum. This is not an understatement. I don’t care if you hate museums or only have two days to spend in London on short European holiday–spend them here. These two gargantuan edifices hold some of the greatest British treasures ever to be, ahem, given to the former British empire. The treasures held in these museums’ walls will give you better insight to the British culture past and present than wandering around the city for a week. And like all museums in London–they’re free.
Perhaps even better than its intricate, breathtaking architecture are the millions of years worth of animal skeletons and taxidermies inside. The dinosaur exhibit alone makes you feel as if you’re living in Jurassic Park. Naturally, this scientific adventure is recommended for children, but the adults-only ‘Lates by MasterCard,’ which offers an after-hours peek at the museum, allows visitors to walk less crowded halls and to enjoy drinks and food under an enormous Wooly Mammoth skeleton. Steps away, the Victoria and Albert Museum ushers visitors through a comprehensive tour of Britain’s glittering history of architecture, fashion, jewelry, and design. The variety is mesmerizing and transports you through hundreds of years of Anglo-life.
When you fancy a bite to eat after that time-travel, wander up to Kensington High-Street. Filled with the essential shops like its two-storey TopShop, the finest Boots in London, and of course, Argos, Kensington High Street can give any shopper their fix. For cheap fare, check out the Whole Foods second-floor eatery that has a myriad of worldly flavors and along the way, shamelessly sample some of the local tastes from vendors in the supermarket.
For a more relaxed atmosphere and similarly inexpensive prices, the un-missable Churchill Arms lies a little further up the road heading towards Notting Hill. Showered in hanging baskets of greenery and English botanics, Churchill Arms appears to be the perfect English Rose of a pub, but serves up the twist of authentic Thai cuisine. If you’re still craving some traditional English eats, head back towards Kensington Gardens for the little gem of a pub behind Queens Gate called the Queens Arms. English fish and chips done right and a great pint of hard cider will satisfy while you settle in to the ebb and flow of blokes jabbering at the bar after a long day of work.
For more drinks later into the night, stop by one of the Imperial College bars for a few rowdy pints with football-loving (that would be soccer for you Yankees) university kids. In Notting Hill, join the coolest uni (university) students at Notting Hill Arts Club for discounted price entrance on Wednesday nights. Some of the stars of the television show Skins have been known to drop in for night right out of the show; i.e. don’t forget your skinny jeans and black eyeliner. To savor more grown-up going-out, Kensington-Style, scamper over to Boujis in your best Louboutins. I mean, you wouldn’t want to be caught in anything less than designer if you ran into the paparazzi snapping shots of the royals partying here.
On your way home, cross the Holland Road, the subject of more than one Mumford & Sons songs and the birthplace of Freddie Mercury’s Bohemian Rhapsody. And if you can, catch a show at famous Royal Albert Music Hall, opened in 1871 by Queen Victoria, which has held everything from BBC symphonies, Eric Clapton concerts, and the 2012 Titanic 3D premiere. Getting lost in the museums, going out in style, or listening to Britain’s finest music, Kensington can’t be missed when visiting London.
