What to do from the Jubilee Line – Northbound

Tourists often come to London for the sightseeing, shopping, dining – and rightfully so. They often, however miss out on beautiful landmarks and sites in less obvious places. This is why we have created our own bespoke for guide through our London: using the Jubilee underground line as a template. You can catch it in St John’s Wood, less than 10 min walk from the hotel. Let’s start from the North End.

Wembley Park

Wembley Park

When you think of Wembley, you almost always picture the Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena. These obvious landmarks are home to many historic sporting and cultural events. Wembley Arena is London’s second-largest indoor arena after The O2.  When first built in 1934 it was called Empire Pool and included a large swimming pool. Even though now it is primarily known to host concerts, in the past it was the center for the Olympics, especially in the 40’s and 50’s. Wembley Stadium on the other hand is the largest of its kind in the UK, and can host up to 90,000 people.

Besides the two great halls, the The London Designer Outlet is found in Wembley Park as well. Here you can find a great range of high street and commercial brands, outlet stores, great food and beverage options and a cinema. It is right opposite the Stadium.

Fun Fact about Wembley: Wembley is one of the most ethnically diverse areas in London, and has a large Indian population that make up nearly 50% of Wembley.

Neasden

The Neasden Temple

Even though in the Past, Neasden was named “the loneliest village in London”, this is no longer a valid statement. After the 1920’s Neasden received a lot of exposure thanks to the British Empire Exhibition of 1924-5, and it’s significance to London agriculture. A notable Neasdian is Twiggy, perhaps the most famous model in the late 60’s. In more recent history, Neasden became the home of the biggest Hindu temple outside India: the Neasden Temple. This beautiful India house is a work of art in itself and an incredible testimony to modern and traditional oriental architecture. Built with the finest Bulgarian, Italian and Indian marble, this temple is the 1st traditional Hindu temple in Europe. Its splendor doesn’t fail to fascinate both from the inside and outside.

Brent Reservoir

Neasden is also home to the Brent Reservoir, which interestingly enough is man made. The reservoir is a beautiful and large area on which it is possible to do summer (sailing, rowing and cycling) and winter sports (like ice skating). It is also a site of Special Scientific Interest.

In Neasden you can also find Paddock, a war room that were alternative to the famous Churchill Cabinet War Rooms. Constructed in total secrecy in 1939, they were almost never used during the war, then promptly abandoned. Even though there is much public interest in some of the urban legends and mysteries surrounding these bunkers, it is only open on Open House London weekend.

Dollis Hill

    Dollis Hill is an incredibly significant area for England’s History and Literature. For example Mark Twain, a celebrated author, spent a lot of time in Dollis Hill and wrote about it too. Historically, the Post Office Research Station in Dollis Hill played a tremendous part in the Second World War, as the code-breaking computer used at Bletchley Park was built here.

Kilburn

Kilburn Grange Park

Kilburn is becoming a very trendy area in North West London, with many celebrity residents like Lily Allen, Kate Moss and the late A. A. Milne. There are many things to do and see and is just a brisk bus ride away from our hotel. The main road to see is the Kilburn High Road, on which you can shop and dine at, and it’ll take you straight to the stunning Kilburn Grange Park. On the road you will find the popular art deco cinema ‘Gaumont State Cinema’. When it was built in 1937, it was the biggest of its kind, seating around 4,000.

On the same road you’ll also find the Tricycle Theater that was built there in 1980. It is an Art Center with season exhibitions, galleries, a cinema and of course as the name suggests: a theater.

The Kilburn skyline is mainly Gothic, and its gem is the St. Augustine’s Kilburn, sometimes affectionately referred to as The Cathedral of North London”. The church was once the third largest place of worship in London and still remains a significant site. Because Kilburn has such a religious history, it has a large Catholic and Irish population.

West Hampstead

West Hampstead

The charm of West Hampstead isn’t difficult to find. West End Green and West End Lane look much different than the rest of North West London. The Victorian red-brick architecture and the vibrant cafe culture radiate and make it an incredible area for an afternoon about, resembling a quasi south European town. It’s great to just stroll around and stop in the small shops and cafes. 

For your visit we recommend the busy Farmers Market that runs every Saturday near the ThamesLink Station. You can find many knick knacks, jewelry, organic products. 

Note that Hampstead Village and Hampstead Heath are not far from there, less than 30 minute walk, up the hill, but it is worth the effort!

Finchley Road

Freud Museum

Even though the Jubilee stations are in close proximity of themselves, and many points of interest overlap, you’ll find that the culture, scenery and the general feel of each area are different.

The main attraction in Finchley Road is the renowned Freud Museum London. The building is a the home of the late ‘father of psychology’, which was turned into a museum. You can see the original psychoanalytic couch, participate in educational events, and learn more about the foundations of today’s psychology and what we understand about ourselves. It is an incredible testimonial to Sigmund Freud.

Swiss Cottage

Swiss Cottage

The name of this area, despite the myths, gets it’s name from a 1804 inn called the Swiss Tavern. Swiss Cottage is a buzzing stop where you will find lots of tiny shops with food from all around the world but also a large Public Library. If you are more into movie, there is an Odeon there too.

 

Image credits: Wembley –Dgeezer , Neasden – Herry, Kilburn – Mariosp

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