I've found a quaint rental within walking distance of the Brixton tube. The price is right...$1,200 for the week, sleeps all 6 of us in actual beds, not inflatables or pull-out sofas. I have also found a couple of good places in Canary Wharf, running roughly $1,500 for the week for very nice, modern apartments. I know these are two very different areas...is there anything I should consider about transportation to/from these two areas? For instance, if we want to catch an early train from central London for a day trip, or we get on the tube in the morning, will we one area be more challenging than another, or are they comparable as far as ease and time? We will be in London mainly weekdays, as we arrive early Sunday morning and depart for Paris Saturday afternoon. Thank you!
Posted by
London, United Kingdom
135 posts
Hi from London
The two areas are very different. Brixton is an 'inner suburb', very multicultural, bustling and mainly Victorian buildings. Canary Wharf is a modern (1980 onwards) financial centre, with an increasing a number of quite expensive apartment blocks, all built round the historic old London docks i.e. Thames-side (but downstream from the historic centre). Brixton's travel advantage is that it is on the Victoria line underground and therefore provides a short and direct link to many of London's main railway termini. Canary Wharf is on the Jubilee Line which also has direct links into the centre, but the journey is a little longer and some termini will require a change to get to them. It also has the Docklands Light Railway serving it, but that serves mainly locals and commuters rather than tourist destinations, generally. Also Canary Wharf will be quiet at the weekends, whereas Brixton will be busy. So - two quite different options!
Posted by
Basingstoke, England
98 posts
I think you are right in saying they are different areas, in fact it might be difficult to find two more dissimilar places.
I think the answers to your questions will depend on the preconceptions or prejudices of the respondents. I would say that in Canary Wharf you will be surrounded by bleak modern architecture and workers in city firms and the like. That would be the very last place on earth I would like to stay.
Brixton is a bit different and is lively with a multicultural vibe, street markets and is now a very expensive place to buy property. It might not be everyone's first choice but it might depend on the age and makeup of your party. If choosing between the two it would definitely be Brixton although it certainly used to be an area with some crime problems.
Neither are far from main line stations. I think it would depend where you wanted to take your excursions. Brixton isn't far from Waterloo which serves Hampshire Dorset and Wiltshire which opens up Salisbury, Stonehenge and the South Coast.
Posted by
London
233 posts
I work in Canary Wharf and have to say I really like it. It's very clean and modern and there are lovely shops and restaurants all around. It's very safe and easy to get in and out. If you're getting the Jubilee line, the Canary Wharf station is massive and very busy with people pouring into the Wharf so you should be alright getting out and back towards London. Do know there's a very unwritten code of queuing by the doors...its one of the very few underground stations where this happens - take your turn like everyone else!
As Emma says, on Sunday mornings the Jubilee line has been running only back and forth to Waterloo due to works going on up the line. You can still get around; you'll just have to plan appropriately. On a normal day you can get to Westminster in about 10-15 minutes.
You'll also be just a couple of stops from London Bridge, so you can pop over to Borough Market for a nice foodie walk around on Thursday or Friday before it gets ridiculously busy.
There's a nice branch of the Museum of London located nearby as well.
Where exactly are the places you're considering in CW?