Highgate in London is like a peaceful retreat from the din and bustle of the big city. You can experience the stillness, peace and the quiet of the suburban streets as a far cry from the noisy streets elsewhere. Highgate is at the confluence of three boroughs — Camden, Islington and Haringey.
Architecture
It is the architecture of Highgate that is grand and striking with period properties line up on the leafy avenues evoking nostalgia for a proud and affluent era of carts parasols and gentry in top hats.
Affluence
It is said that everything about Highgate oozes affluence. It has clusters of Georgian town houses, woods, cutesy shops and sweeping views. Highgate also commands a lot of loyalty from its residents with a great staying power.
Lot of Greenery
Surrounded by beautiful green space, Highgate has Hampstead Heath to its west and Highgate Wood and Queen’s Wood to the east. Residents of Highgate love it for its sheer variety in architectural styles. Nowhere else you can see a fine blend of elegantly preserved Georgian town houses and mock Tudor apartment blocks and houses. It has been that those taking up residence in Highgate feel that they have moved up in social standing and are going places. There is respect for living in Highgate.
Highgate breeds many myths backed by interesting tales. One is that if the Whittington’s Stone in old Highgate is ever removed harm will befall befall on it and there will be turbulence and disaster for the neighbouring areas.
Streets
The famous streets are South Grove and Pond Square. Near to the Hampstead Heath there is Fitzroy Park where luxurious properties are camouflaged by high walls after the architects have created wonderfully striking modern homes.
Transport
Highgate offers good connections to the rest of London with buses plying from Barnet to London Bridge; Finchley to Tottenham Court Road; Muswell Hill to Swiss Cottage. The Highgate tube station is on the Northern Line.
Hampstead Heath
The Hampstead Heath is a frontier with its picturesque surroundings and great place for long walks. There are old fashioned boozers, cafes and funky boutiques on its way.
Shopping and Dining
Highgate has a good range of shops including bookshops, cafés and restaurants. Hotel chains such as Strada and Café Rouge are Highgate’s key eateries tucked away in period buildings. There is a fascination among younger people in Highgate to head down to Archway for an exciting night life.
Highgate Cemetery
There is lot of excitement about Highgate Cemetery, which many say is a spooky cemetery. It is also the resting place of Karl Marx. Unlike other fearsome cemeteries this one is beautiful with the derelict tombs covered with lush greens as if the bounteous nature wants to engulf it by vines and branches and keep it it hidden from public sight.
Real Estate
In real estate there are gorgeous flats to rent in highgate between Crouch End, Muswell Hill and the Hampstead Heath. Highgate enjoys a broad spectrum of property from the Elizabethan period to the modern day designs as seen at Highpoint. The trend is to buy period homes and properties built in the 50s and 60s and changing the facade and rendering it ultra modern. Some analysts say that the lettings market is getting busy. With demand zooming more than the supply, rates are going up.
Relatively affordable properties can be found at the Crouch End before crossing the busy Archway Road. The roads around Milton Avenue have lots of conversion flats. To the west of Archway Road some expensive two-bedroom cottages can be scouted at North Hill Avenue, Storey Road and Gaskell Road.
