Where To Find London’s Prettiest Streets
While London might be known for its grand architecture, there’s another, hidden side to the city that’s begging to be explored – if you know where to look, that is.
Tucked away behind the rows of tall, Victorian townhouses lining the leafy boulevards, you’ll find London’s prettiest streets: the mews. Originally constructed as service lanes, these narrow, cobblestoned mews streets once provided a back entrance to the mansions of wealthy families and also housed stables for their horses.
They may have humble origins, but today, London’s charming mews streets offer a taste of village life in one of the world’s most bustling cities.
[related_articles]38131[/related_articles]St. Luke’s Mews
Nearest underground station: Westbourne Park
If you’re a romantic comedy fan, St. Luke’s Mews in Notting Hill might look familiar. That’s because it was Keira Knightley’s home in Love Actually and the location really is an ideal backdrop. Its pastel-hued homes prove irresistible to every Instagrammer that walks by, and it’s now one of the most iconic streets in all of London.
Even after you’ve finished wandering through St. Luke’s Mews, it’s not time to part with the romance just yet. Head on over to Farm Girl Café on nearby Portobello Road for one of their signature rose lattes, infused with rosewater and finished with a scattering of rose petals. The only thing that’s missing is a declaration of love (preferably written on giant cards).
Warren Mews
Nearest underground station: Great Portland Street
Just a stone’s throw from Regent’s Park and busy Euston Road, you’ll find the tranquil Warren Mews. If you weren’t looking for it, you just might miss it, so keep your eye out for the low passageway cut through one of the bordering buildings on Warren Street.
The entrance is Insta-worthy enough, but step through into the mews beyond and you’ll instantly be transported back in time. There’s a delightful community atmosphere reminiscent of days gone by. Wander through and stop to pat the dogs playing in the lane and greet the locals laughing with one another on their doorsteps.
Kynace Mews
Nearest underground station: Gloucester Road
Arguably the prettiest mews street in all of London, Kynace Mews is hidden away between a pair of stone archways off Gloucester Road in Kensington. One of the most striking features of this mews is how green it is – whole walls of blooming wisteria cling to the brick façades, potted plants border both edges of the lane and colourful blooms spill down from the balconies above.
Wander a little further down and you’ll come across a secret staircase. Follow it up and you’ll find yourself in the fragrant back garden of Kensington’s Christ Church. Settle down on one of the picnic benches and enjoy a picnic among the sweet-smelling lavender bushes.
[related_articles]27412, 27770, 23824[/related_articles]Bathurst Mews
Nearest underground station: Paddington
Bathurst Mews, located just around the corner from busy Paddington Station, is a mews with a difference. Here you’ll find the only mews in London still functioning as a working stable, with Hyde Park Stables operating out of it. While you’re here, saddle up and take a horse-riding lesson around Hyde Park and the Serpentine Lake. Oh, how very English.
Surrounding the stables are rows of quaint and colourful houses, lining the long, curved street. Because most mews houses don’t have back gardens, if you wander through in the late afternoon, you’ll often see the locals sitting out the front at their picnic tables, sipping wine and having a good old yarn.
Sussex Mews West
Nearest underground station: Lancaster Gate
If you continue all the way to the end of Bathurst Mews and pass under the archway, you’ll find yourself starting directly into Sussex Mews West, one of the tiniest in London. Have a peek down this gorgeous cul-de-sac and be prepared to feast your eyes on one of the most charming properties in the entire city.
At the end of the lane, you’ll spot the most delightful manor-style home, the kind that you could easily imagine sitting perfectly in the green English countryside. #housegoals
Holland Park Mews
Nearest underground station: Holland Park
Although not as well known as Kensington or Notting Hill, the neighbourhood of Holland Park is just as grand and luxurious; a hint that there are delightful mews streets to be found. Among the rows of imposing, white stucco mansions on the north end of Abbotsbury Road, you’ll see a telltale stone archway leading to a quiet, cosy alley with its own entirely different character.
Holland Park Mews has a slightly different feel to the other mews streets. Here, many of the quaint homes have external staircases leading up to the second story. Everywhere you look there are pops of colour: from the vibrantly painted doors, to the lush creepers spilling over the wrought-iron balconies, to the red, potted geraniums lining the steps.
(All photos: author’s own. Follow Rachel on Instagram here.)
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