London - Known the world over as the place where east meets west, Greenwich in southeast London is a World Heritage Site that packs in some of the capital's best-loved architectural and cultural highlights, welcoming throngs of tourists every year to mingle with a thriving community.
The Royal Observatory, founded in 1675, is where the Meridian line was developed to help sailors navigate. Christopher Wren's riverside masterpiece, the Royal Hospital, once a grand home for retired seamen, is now home to the University of Greenwich.
The Queen's House was designed by Inigo Jones in the then-new Palladian style for James I's queen, Anne of Denmark. And as if that is not enough, there is still the National Maritime Museum and the Cutty Sark, the world's last surviving tea clipper.
Estate agent Jemmah Wright from the local branch of JLL describes the town centre as full of life with a cosmopolitan feel and an abundance of shops, bars and restaurants to keep both tourists and residents happy.
“House prices over the last two years have risen by 35 percent. We have seen lots of parents helping their children to buy their first home here.” Six miles from central London, Greenwich sits on a great loop of the Thames opposite the Isle of Dogs with views of Canary Wharf from the top of Greenwich Park. Westcombe Park and Charlton are to the east, with Blackheath to the south and Deptford to the west.
Thousands of new homes will give generations to come a chance to live near London's famed historic maritime quarter.
Buying Fine
Georgian terraces feature in Greenwich, and there are early Victorian villas and terraces in the Ashburnham Triangle conservation area between Greenwich High Road and Greenwich South Street, with small Victorian cottages in east Greenwich close to Maze Hill station.
Over the past two years there has been a fresh burst of building, with new apartments on the Greenwich Peninsula, home to The O2, the Emirates Air Line cable car across the Thames, and the Blackwall Tunnel.
Travel
While its roads are frequently clogged with traffic, Greenwich has good train connections. Trains to Cannon Street from Greenwich take 15 minutes. Trains from Maze Hill take a couple of minutes longer.
There are Docklands Light Railway trains straight to Canary Wharf from Greenwich and Cutty Sark for Maritime Greenwich stations.
North Greenwich Tube station on the Peninsula is on the Jubilee line and nearby is the Emirates Air Line cable car to Royal Victoria. There are regular Thames Clippers river taxi services from North Greenwich and Greenwich to Canary Wharf.
Staying power Estate agent Jemmah Wright from the local JLL branch says people fall in love with Greenwich's architecture and green spaces.
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Shops and restaurants Greenwich Market is especially busy at the weekends and chain restaurants on the busy gyratory traffic system include Bill's, Jamie's Italian, PizzaExpress, Peyton and Byrne and GBK.
Shops include Lush Designs, well-known for its unusual printed lamp shades, while Sophia & Matt sells handbags made from distinctive printed coated cotton fabrics and Paul Rhodes Bakery sells lovely bread and cakes. Local sausage maker Heap's has a shop and café in Nevada Street opposite the theatre and a new café in Creek Road.
The recently restored market is a good place to look for vintage clothing and unusual gifts, and there are now lots of street food stalls.
On Royal Hill there is a pretty row of shops that includes a florist's, a butcher's, a cheese specialist, and a fruit and vegetable store.
The Guildford Arms in Guildford Grove is reckoned to be the best local gastropub, with the advantage of a lovely garden.
Open space Greenwich Park is the most historic of London's eight Royal Parks. Home to the Royal Observatory, there is also a deer park, an impressive herbaceous border, The Queen's Orchard which is open every Saturday from 1pm to 4pm from Easter to October, and The Pavilion Café.
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There are also long walks along the Thames Path and a new ecology park on the Greenwich Peninsula.
Leisure and the arts
Greenwich has its own theatre and two cinemas: the Greenwich Picturehouse in the centre of town and the Odeon Imax on the Peninsula.
The National Maritime Museum puts on talks and lectures and family fun days and The Royal Observatory has London's only planetarium. The unveiling of Turner Prize-winning artist Richard Wright's new ceiling for the great hall in The Queen's House when it reopens in July promises to be one of London's best art events this year.
The Independent