London is a dynamic capital that sways with the times and can change its scenes quicker than the National Theatre. With the old being pushed out to make room for the new, pockets of hip culture are popping up throughout the city. While seeing staple attractions such as the Somerset House and British Museum are musts, you can’t pass up the opportunity to book a vacation apartment and witness the cultural growth of one of London’s upstart neighbourhoods. 

Looking across Trafalgar Square past one of the four lions that lie beneath Nelson's Column – surely among the most clambered-over creatures on earth! geograph.org.uk CC: Chris Downer

Peckham

This south London suburb has recently been the resting ground for many West Africans. The verve of the main street is thanks to an eccentric amalgam of foreign cultures that allow passersby to culture hop from country to country without leaving the street. The new home of so many immigrants sews the neighbourhood with patches of hyper authenticity that create a diverse landscape. If you’re in need of a natural respite, take refuge in the obscurity of the Peckham Rye Park and Common. The park contains footballs fields, outdoor gyms, a bowling green, Japanese Gardens, lake, and a surprisingly robust parakeet community. 

The Oval, Peckham Rye Park. Wikimedia Commons: Danny Robinson

Deptford & New Cross

The wave of gentrification has curled and come down artsy on the once blue collar neighbourhood. This entertainment industry is still at a crossroads between staying loyal to traditional patrons and adapting the new. This tug-of-war of identity creates some unique attractions such as the Deptford Marke Yard, a bohemian marketplace and art space operating around an out-of-service train carriage inside an old rail yard. The Laban Theatre - with its’ entirely glass veneer - is an intimate setting to watch a premier contemporary dance show. 

Deptford Creek and the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. geograph.org.uk CC: Mike Quinn

Homerton and Clapton

What used to be home to the notorious ‘murder mile,’ is now home to weekly markets that bring the neighbourhood residents together to purchase everything from black soap to vegan treats for the food-conscious gastronome. This resurrected hood also boasts the reclaimed Chat’s Palace - the once library. Now Chats is a cultural centre that provides workshops, kids programmes, and concerts. Its claim to fame is the Toe Rag Studios which is famous for recording the White Stripes’ album Elephant. 

Chat's Palace is an arts and community centre housed in a former public library built 1912-1913 to the designs of architect Edwin Cooper. geograph.org.uk CC:  Julian Osley

Leyton & Leytonstone

L&L is a family-oriented millennial haven. These adjacent neighbourhoods are less crowded than surrounded areas dealing with cultural rebirth. The cultural centre, All You Read Is Love, is a reflection of the new ethos of L&L. What may have started off as an independent bookstore is now a hotbed for an exchange of ideas and art. The two Danish siblings who founded the shop still make all their food fresh, offer viewings of classic films, and shows on the right occasion. 

Photo: All You Read is Love

London’s ever-changing cultural landscape will give travelers a taste of ephemera before it all gets washed away and reborn again. 

What's your favorite London neighbourhood?