15 of the prettiest places in London

A visit to London is filled with plenty of big hit attractions. From trying to catch a glimpse of the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace to shopping along Oxford Street and strolling along the South Bank of the Thames you’re likely to be jostling shoulders with many other visitors to the city. A city whose nickname is The Old Smoke doesn’t inspire visions of beautifully decorated houses, all shades of pink and dreamy flower laden cafes but look and you’ll find them! I love to seek out the pretty places in London that will make you reach for your camera and whilst some may not be as secret as others (I’m looking at you Peggy Porschen Parlour) they are all equally as lovely.

From bookshops to cafes, hotels to streets these are 15 of London’s prettiest places that you can’t miss! Scroll to the bottom to find them all on a handy map as well!

1. Peggy Porschen Parlour

Peggy Porschen Parlour in pastel pink glory!

If there was one place that appears on every pretty London list then it is sure to be Peggy Porschen Parlour decorated in pretty pastel pink colours and features. You’ll likely see a queue of Instagrammers outside hungry for a picture (although they should be hungry for cake as well because the lemon, raspberry & rose layer cake I had was divine 🍰). Make sure to snap a photo outside with their ever changing seasonal decorations that adorn the windows and door.

2. Bywater Street

Pretty in pastel Bywater Street

London has a lot of lovely and colourful street by Bywater Street in Chelsea (off King’s Road) has to be the prettiest. The houses are painted all different pastel shades and if you can visit with few cars in then you’re winning! Some other colourful streets to see in London include Portobello Road & Lancaster Street in Notting Hill as well as Chalcot Square in Primrose Hill.

3. Charlotte Street Hotel

Charlotte Street Hotel

Charlotte Street Hotel fills up many an aesthetically pleasing Instagram feed and it’s not hard to see why. This beautiful hotel in Fitzrovia has a grand exterior complete with mint green awnings, tables and lampposts in a wonderful symmetry whilst the audacious orange and pink ice cream trolled in front adds a pop of kitsch and colour I bet it’s just as lovely on the inside (and with a pricetag to match I’m sure!).

4. Conduit Mews

Conduit Mews

Central London is full of beautiful tiny cobbled Mews streets that are lined by Mews houses. These were once stables that have now been converted into wonderful little houses that are full of character. Each Mews street has a different personality and Conduit Mews in Paddington have to be the most colourful as well as one of the prettiest! How many can you find?

5. Biscuiteers

Biscuiteers

Biscuiteers looks like it belongs in a colouring book rather than on a Notting Hill high street with its iconic black and white shop front. It describes itself as a biscuit boutique icing cafe where you can sit inside and enjoy a rest from exploring the surrounding neighbourhood or purchase some intricately decorated biscuits to take home as a gift.

If you need some more convincing to visit Notting Hill then check out 9 photos that prove you should spend an afternoon exploring Notting Hill.

6. Moyses Stevens

Moyses Stevens

Moyses Stevens is a flowery dream on Elizabeth Street in Belgravia. What better way is there to sell your goods than with the prettiest display on the outside of your shop! It’s very hard not to stop admire as you walk by!

7. Warren Mews

Black facade of Warren Mews

A mews street entrance like no other I am in awe of the black facade of Warren Mews. The classy black decor is draped in beautiful greenery and baskets of flowers to add a pop of colour. Hopefully you’ll be lucky enough to pass by when the cute bikes are outside for this pretty picture!

8. Colville Place

Colville Place

Wonder through the streets of Fitzrovia and you’ll find this lovely secret gem concealed between residential streets. The lampost in Colville Place makes it feel magical and almost as though walking down this paved passageway could transport you to a mystical world 🌈

9. Daunt Books

Interior of Daunt Books

Daunt Books is an elegant independent bookshop that caters especially to travel books (I enjoyed scouring the shelves for guidebooks to inspire my next travels). It’s situated near Marylebone and housed in an Edwardian building that has beautiful oak paneled features and antique fittings that are breathtaking when you step inside.

10. Neal’s Yard

Neal’s Yard

Vibrant yet peaceful Neal’s Yard is set in one of London’s busiest areas just a few minutes walk away from Covent Garden market. It’s a brightly coloured hidden gem that’s squeezed in between Shorts Gardens and Monmouth St in the Seven Dials district. In the 1970s, Nicholas Saunders began work here to turn what was a derelict yard full of rats into London’s favourite hidden spot you can visit today!

Top Tip: Monmouth Coffee Shop is at the North Western entrance to Neal’s Yard and serves my favourite coffee in London ☕️

11. Kynance Mews

Entrance to Kynance Mews

You’ll find Kynance Mews on every Insta or photo shot list for London so it had to feature on this list as well! It’s the most charming mews street in the city with a very ethereal feel to it as you stroll down the street to admire the lovely houses.

Wisteria covering Kynance Mews

Visit in Spring to see Kynance Mews covered in the wisteria that dresses London in its purple glory for a few weeks every year.

12. Les Senteurs

Another of London’s prettiest places is a shop front and Les Senteurs is always adorned in the most over the top but wonderfully delicate floral designs reflecting the seasons and celebrations throughout the year. This shop is the oldest independent perfumery in London and you can find it just around the corner from Peggy Porschen and up the road from Moyses Stevens on Elizabeth Street.

13. The pink house on St Luke’s Mews

Do you recognise this perfect pink house?

The pretty pink house (fingers crossed the 🚲 is there!) on St Luke’s Mews in Notting Hill is not only famous because it’s so cute and lovely but because it makes an appearance in a very well known British Christmas film… If you’ve seen Love Actually, you’ll recognise it as Juliet & Peter’s house in one of the most romantic (or depending on how you view it, the most creepy) film scenes there is.

14. Wilton Crescent

Wilton Crescent
Purple blooms on Wilton Crescent

London has plenty of curving crescents and I stumbled upon the gorgeous Wilton Crescent whilst out for an early morning photo walk round London. The wonderful white Ionic (I think!) columns bordering the arch of buildings is finished off so nicely with the bright purple flowers to make this street as pretty as a picture!

15. Barbara Harris – St Alban’s Grove

Barbara Harris in Kensington

I fell a little bit in love with the gorgeous Barbara Harris store in Kensington, perched on a corner of St Alban’s Grove. The cool mint green shop front contrasts nicely with the pastel pink floral display! The closest tube station is High Street Kensington and it’s super close to Kynance Mews (11) as well!

Find them for yourself…

If you’re looking for some specifically floral London locations then click the link below…

Cat x


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