A south-east London area with historic streets, riverside setting, and a huge royal park has been named one of the best places to live in the capital.
West Greenwich has been named among the capital’s top five places to live for 2026 by lifestyle website Simply London.
The website praised the neighbourhood for combining its maritime heritage with green spaces, independent businesses, and transport links into the heart of the capital.
It highlighted the area’s unusual mix of old and new, with large Georgian and Victorian homes sitting alongside modern riverside developments.
And at the heart of the neighbourhood is Greenwich Park, one of London’s eight Royal Parks and the oldest enclosed royal park in the capital.
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The 183-acre park rises towards the Royal Observatory, offering sweeping views across London and the River Thames.
It also contains flower gardens, a boating lake, a children’s play area and the famous Prime Meridian Line.
The park forms part of Maritime Greenwich, one of London’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which also includes the Old Royal Naval College, Queen’s House and the National Maritime Museum.
The area’s maritime past is hard to miss, with the Cutty Sark sitting beside the Thames and the historic Old Royal Naval College stretching along the riverfront.
Greenwich’s connection to royalty, seafaring and science dates back centuries. But West Greenwich is not simply a historic tourist destination.
Greenwich Market has been trading for centuries and is now home to food stalls, independent makers, vintage sellers, and creative businesses.
The surrounding streets are also packed with independent shops and boutiques.
The neighbourhood’s pubs help give it the feel of a small town rather than a London district.
Along the river and around Greenwich’s historic centre are pubs including the Trafalgar Tavern, the Gipsy Moth and the Old Brewery, while streets around Royal Hill and Greenwich Church Street offer cafés, delis, restaurants and independent businesses.
That village-like atmosphere is one of the things Simply London singled out, with weekend markets, independent shops and bankside pubs creating a sense of escape despite the neighbourhood being only around 20 minutes from central London.
Transport is another major attraction as Greenwich has rail and DLR connections, with services providing links towards London Bridge, the City and Canary Wharf.
The wider area is also connected to the Jubilee and Elizabeth lines, giving residents access to some of London’s biggest employment centres.
For those wanting to live there, however, the lifestyle comes at a price.
Simply London puts the average rental price in West Greenwich at £2,296 per month.
Official figures for the wider Greenwich borough put the average house price at £463,000 in May 2026, while average private rent reached £1,967 in June.
Nearby East Dulwich also featured on Simply London’s list, as well as Richmond-upon-Thames.
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