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Set in the London Borough of Camden and nestled between Primrose Hill, Hampstead Heath, Regent's Park and Kings Cross, Camden Town is a unique neighborhood in the heart of London. Eccentric, creative and cutting edge, Camden Town is a magnet for young professionals, artists and media pioneers looking for a property to call home.

Pre 1973 Camden Town was known as a centre for farming and industry, but the NW1 neighborhood was originally a hamlet comprising of fields belonging to the 1st Earl of Camden and the neighboring Lord Southampton. The development of a residential district started in 1791, when a street plan designed to mimic that of leafy Chislehurst in Kent was implemented specifically to attract the middle classes. However, it wasn't until the opening of the Regent's Canal in 1820 and the London & Birmingham Railway in 1837 that Camden Town really cemented its status as an area of note.

Going out

Eating: Camden might be famous for its markets, bars and clubs, but it has its fair share of excellent restaurants, with new additions popping up daily. Celebrity favourite Gilgamesh, in the heart of the Stables Market, serves exciting pan Asian food in a glamorous setting, converting to a club later in the evening. Across the road, Belgo is a Camden institution known for its Belgian food and huge selection of beer, while Gordon Ramsay’s York and Albany offers modern British fare. Hundreds of food stalls fill the markets of Camden with tasty offerings, but there’s also a great cafe culture, much of which centres around Parkway. Try Falla & Mocaer for its great selection of homemade cakes and brownies.

Drinking: Life in Camden means never having to travel very far for a drink. Bars and pubs line the main high street, some particular standout features being the outdoor terrace at The Lock Tavern, live music at The Enterprise, as well as the Edinboro Castle, near Regent’s Park, which has a famous beer garden and BBQ in the summer. Proud Camden is a nightclub with a quirk: located in a former horse hospital, the VIP tables are each given their own stable. The Camden Town Brewery runs tours every Thursday and some Saturdays, and the Brewery Bar showcases its beers. The Hawley Arms is loved by locals and was one of Amy Winehouse's regular hangouts.

Local amenities

A great addition to Parkway is the Whole Foods Market supermarket, which stocks a wide variety of organic foods and natural beauty products. Particularly popular is the deli bar, where staff will make fresh juices to order.

With several market sites including Inverness Street, Camden Lock Market and Stables Market, and a packed high street, Camden isn’t short of places to shop. But for more high-end options nearby Hampstead and Primrose Hill have exclusive fashion and beauty boutiques.

There is an Odeon cinema on Parkway, and the chance to catch gigs at Koko or performances at The Roundhouse, a converted railway engine shed which now hosts the annual iTunes festival, as well as putting on excellent arts and music events all year round. There are numerous gyms and fitness centres across the borough including many chains as well as independents. Fitness First and Soho Gyms both have gyms locally, and housed within Cantelowes Gardens is one of London’s outdoor council run gyms, available to use free of charge.

Cantelowes Skatepark is widely recognised as one of the biggest and best outdoor bowls in the UK.

Camden Town has a medium sized library, which includes a specialist children’s library and learning centre.

You can travel along the historic Regents Canal as it slips quietly along the green and leafy fringes of Regents Park between Camden and Little Venice, Paddington.

Green spaces

The amazing views from the top of Primrose Hill are not to be missed, and its proximity to Camden Town makes it the first port of call for joggers, young families and dogwalkers. Many Camden residents head to nearby Regent’s Park to enjoy the boating lakes and rose gardens in summer, visit London Zoo or simply pass through it as a route to the West End.

Changing times

Plans to redevelop Hawley Wharf and surrounding areas including Stables Market will revamp the market area and provide new homes, shops and a school.

Transport

Tube: Camden Town Tube station in Zone 2 is a key interchange for four branches of the Northern line (Bank, Charing Cross,

Edgware and High Barnet). Due to the heavy footfall at the weekend, the station is only open for interchange and exit on Sunday afternoons. Chalk Farm and Mornington Crescent also serve Camden Town. The local Overground station is Camden Road.

Rail: Major stations St Pancras International, King’s Cross and Euston are all less than a 20 minute walk away.

Buses: Many bus connections all over the city serve Camden Town, including the 168 (to Old Kent Road), the 24 (to

Pimlico), the 214 (to Moorgate), the 88 (to Clapham Common), and the 134 (to North Finchley). Most night buses to north London stop in Camden Town.

Cycle: There are cycle paths to both the east and the west along the canal, and Camden is part of the route for the proposed North to South Cycle Superhighway.

Education

Camden’s state schools pride themselves on excellent teaching and a supportive environment for all, at both primary and secondary levels, including Camden School for Girls, whose former pupils include Emma Thompson and Geri Halliwell, and Haverstock School. Eleanor Palmer School, in nearby Kentish Town, is one of the most sought after primary schools in the country.