The Open Guide to London: the free London guide

• View all pages in Locale South Kensington

Home of several museums (including the Science Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum and Natural History Museum), Imperial College, the Royal Albert Hall and Pierino's. Also home to a massive European population, particular Italians and French, with a large French college and the French embassy. Speaking of which, there are tens of other embassies throughout the area.

South Kensington is part of the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, so it is very clean and home to a large number of wealthy people. However, it is also immensely popular with [tourists]? and those new to London, since there are many hotels and B&Bs, and there is quick access to central London from the tube station and via buses.

South Kensington is a rather undefined area bounded loosely by Brompton to the east, Chelsea to the south, Earl's Court to the west and Kensington High Street and Hyde Park (or more accurately, Kensington Gardens to the north.

The focal point is at South Kensington station where there are a large number of shops, restaurants and cafes, with particular usefulness for tourists. There is also a smaller centre at Gloucester Road.

The main routes through South Kensingon are the A4 Cromwell Road and the [Old Brompton Road]? east-to-west. [Fulham Road]? probably counts too although whether it's in South Ken or Chelsea is debatable.

There aren't many supermarkets in South Kensington. [Tesco Express]? appears in South Kensington (Old Brompton Road) and on Gloucester Road (24hr) but is comparatively expensive; for larger scale shopping you need Sainsbury's (24hr exc. weekends) on the Cromwell Road, a few hundred metres west from Gloucester Road (where there is a more expensive but higher quality [Waitrose]?).

Tube

Travel into or out of London is easy with the Circle, District and Piccadilly lines serving South Kensington and Gloucester Road stations. Heathrow is about an hour away direct on the Piccadilly line, and Piccadilly Circus is only about 15 minutes away. King's Cross is about 30 minutes.

Buses

• [Bus Route 14]? is the main route running to Tottenham Court Road via Shaftesbury Avenue, Piccadilly Circus, Hyde Park Corner and Knightsbridge. It is an excellent way to get into the West End especially now thanks to the congestion charge. It also heads outwards to Fulham and Putney. Runs 24 hours.
• [Bus Route 414]? mirrors Route 14 to Hyde Park Corner and then runs up Park Lane to Marble Arch and Edgware Road.
• Bus Route 74 does the same but at Marble Arch it runs to Baker Street instead. It provides an easy way of getting to the London Zoo in Regent's Park with a simple change to [Bus Route 274]? at any stop along [Gloucester Place]?.
• [Bus Route 49]? runs to Shepherd's Bush, [Olympia]? and Kensington High Street in the north and Chelsea, Battersea Park and Clapham Junction in the south.
• [Bus Route 70]? runs to the Royal Albert Hall and then to Kensington High Street, continuing to Notting Hill Gate, Portobello Road and Ladbroke Grove.
• [Bus Route C1]? is a smaller minibus route serving local needs, serving [Old Brompton Road]? and Earl's Court to the west and Knightsbridge, Sloane Square and Victoria to the east.
• [Bus Route 345]? runs to Clapham Junction and then serves various destinations in South London. Runs 24 hours.
• Last but not least, [Bus Route 360]? runs from the Royal Albert Hall and South Kensington to Pimlico (including the Tate Britain), Vauxhall, running to the Elephant and Castle.

At night, South Kensington is served by the 24-hour routes mentioned above (14 & 345) as well as the N74 (same as 74 but extended to [Roehampton]?) and N97 (Trafalgar Square via Piccadilly Circus & Hyde Park Corner to Earl's Court, [West Brompton]? & Hammersmith).