Islington

Islington is its own municipal district, or borough, and lies just north of the West End and the City of London. It is vibrant, busy and full of fun.
There are lots of reasons why anyone visiting London would want to explore this part of town, its combination of residential, commercial and entertainment all in one area gives it a much more authentic feel than other more work and tourist based parts of central London.

Islington is a great place for fans of the theatre, good food, interesting architecture, sport, high octane nightlife or simply browsing antique shops. If you are serious about seeing London in its true cosmopolitan glory then you simply have to schedule a day or night out in this fantastic part of town.

Geography

Most of Islington’s main attractions lies along Upper Street, which begins at Angel Underground Station and runs in a long straight line until it reaches a big roundabout called Highbury Corner; from here you can get back on the Victoria Line at Highbury and Islington Station.
Other places of interest can be found off Upper Street, such as Essex Road and Holloway Road, but generally you should not have to stray too far from this principal road.

Theatre Pubs

While Shaftesbury Avenue in the West End is the place for the big blockbuster musicals and productions, fans of contemporary plays will want to explore Islington’s many interesting old theatre pubs, where productions are staged nightly.

A theatre pub is basically a traditional English pub with a theatre at the back, you can wonder in off the street for a pint of beer and have a look at what’s playing and buy your tickets over the bar.

Some of Britain’s most famous actors began their careers in the theatre pubs of Islington, which you can see by the many black and white photographs of famous actors at work from past productions.

The Old Red Lion Theatre Pub (418 St. John Street, London ECV1). The theatre is located upstairs but you must walk through the pub to get to it, the connection between the two really gives the place its own unique atmosphere. Contemporary plays are staged throughout the year.

The King’s Head Theatre Pub (115 Upper Street, London N1) also works to promote the best new talent available, over the years it has helped to launch the careers of such people as Hugh Grant, Steven Berkoff and Alan Rickman. Once the play ends, head back into the main bar for live music until the early hours.

The Hen and Chickens Theatre Pub (109 St Paul’s Road, London N1) is a small traditional theatre pub with bags of character. Look out for live comedy nights as well as everything from contemporary plays to Shakespeare.

Larger theatres

Upper Street is also home to the 325 seat Almeida Theatre (Almeida Street - off Upper Street - London N1). This is an internationally renowned contemporary theatre that also stages an annual festival of opera, music and theatre each summer.

Sadler’s Wells Theatre (Rosebery Avenue, London EC1R) is London’s home of contemporary and traditional dance, a place where you can see the world’s best artists perform from the comfort of a truly magnificent auditorium. Productions throughout the year range from Flamenco to Hip Hop, pre-booking usually essential.

Food & Restaurants

Those of you who think that the UK doesn’t do good food will have changed your mind by the time you reach the end of Upper Street.
Islington has too many good restaurants to list, there are pubs serving traditional and modern British food and just about every other flavour from around the world is on offer too.

However, North London’s Turkish community provides the area with a number of very good Turkish Restaurants that are all really excellent, easily some of the best Turkish food in the UK. Those of you who haven’t experienced the pleasures of sharing Mezze, should take advantage while you are here.

There are also lots of speciality food shops, including fishmongers and delicatessens as well as fantastic cheese shops around here, all waiting to be discovered by adventurous travellers like you.

Sunday between 10 am and 2 pm is also when Islington has its own Farmers Market, in William Tyndale School, just behind the Town Hall, Upper Street Islington.  This is where farmers come to sell their produce direct to customers, and a great place for some authentic British produce. Cider, preserves, honey, wine, cheese – a must for all foodies.

Nightlife

You have to see it to believe it, but London is one of the few places in the world where you can go out as easily on a Monday as you can on a Saturday. Islington is packed full of pubs, cocktail bars and nightclubs, catering for everyone from the sophisticated wine drinker to the hardcore party animal.

 
The offices around Angel are staffed mostly by young workers who rush out of worlk and straight into the surrounding pubs and restaurants, this is a fun place with lots to do but on the whole very busy. You can normally find a quieter bar if you head off Upper Street and into the surrounding backstreets where a more mellow experience awaits.

Antiques

Camden Passage (Angel Islington, London N1) is one of Britain’s most famous destinations for interior designers, collectors and amateur enthusiasts. The Arcade and its surrounding cobbled streets are packed full of small independent antique shops that you can browse around at you leisure, stopping occasionally for a coffee or spot of lunch.

Architecture

The pretty Georgian terraces that run off Upper Street and into the surrounding areas of Barnsbury and Canonbury are not unique to Islington, but the quality of the buildings themselves makes this part of London quite exceptional to visit.  A good time to take a walk around here is at dusk, as the lights come on inside the houses and display the impressive old interiors in their full glory, many of which are enhanced by the contrast of the new internal architecture and design.

Arsenal Football Club

Finally it is impossible to describe Islington without mentioning this wonderful old football club. Located in its impressive new premises on Ashburton Grove, Arsenal FC has risen to become one the most famous clubs in the world and is loved by nearly all of Islington’s residents. The old stadium, now developed into luxury apartments, can still be visited for those wishing to see its listed art deco facade and the new stadium lays just a short walk away, where you can take a tour or visit the Arsenal Museum, which tells the story of more than 100 years of sporting glory.

John HIllman