Holiday Cottages In Greater London

Greater London has around 45 self-catering homes on selfcatering.co.uk, from riverside flats in leafy Richmond to apartments near the City and the South Bank. These are city boltholes for sightseeing, theatre and the great museums rather than country cottages, and around 20 of them welcome dogs while a handful come with a hot tub.

Best areas and neighbourhoods in Greater London

Self-catering in London means choosing a neighbourhood rather than a resort: the riverside towns of the south-west for green space and quiet, or the central and eastern districts for nightlife and the sights on the doorstep. The capital's homes are scattered widely across its boroughs, so it pays to pick an area that matches the trip.

• Richmond: a smart riverside town in the south-west, by the great royal park and Kew Gardens
• Kingston upon Thames and Hampton Court: Thames-side bases in the far south-west near Henry VIII's palace
• Blackheath and Deptford: village-like districts in the south-east, a short walk from Greenwich and its park
• Farringdon: a lively, well-connected base on the northern edge of the City
• Hackney: a fashionable East End district known for its markets, parks and food
• Cubitt Town: on the Isle of Dogs, in the shadow of the Canary Wharf towers
• Chingford and Edmonton: north London suburbs on the edge of Epping Forest and the Lee valley
• North Acton and Greenhill: west and north-west bases handy for the Underground into the centre
• Kenley and Leaves Green: leafy southern fringes near the Surrey border
• Foots Cray and North Woolwich: south-eastern and riverside districts toward the Thames estuary

The south-western riverside is the calmest, greenest choice, while central and east London put the theatres, markets and late nights nearest to hand.

London's parks and riverside

London is one of the greenest capitals in the world, and even a city break here comes with space to breathe. Kensington Gardens runs into Hyde Park at the heart of the West End, a great expanse of lawn, water and avenue, while in the south-west the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew spread their world-famous glasshouses and arboretum along the Thames near Richmond. The river itself is the city's other great open space, walkable for miles along the South Bank and out through Greenwich, Richmond and Kingston, where the towpaths and riverside pubs give a slower side to the capital. Many of the self-catering homes here are chosen precisely for that mix: a green, riverside base within easy reach of the centre by train or Underground.

Things to do in Greater London

London's sights need little introduction. The London Eye turns over the Thames beside the South Bank, the Tower of London guards its crown jewels by the river, and St. Paul's Cathedral and The Shard mark the City skyline. The museums are among the finest anywhere and most are free: The British Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Science Museum, the Tate Modern and The National Gallery could each fill a day. Families head for London Zoo in Regent's Park or out to Chessington World of Adventures Resort on the southern edge of the city, while Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the riverside palaces add greener days. With theatre, markets and music on top, the problem is fitting it all in.

When to visit Greater London

London is a year-round city and there is no wrong time to come. Late spring and early summer are arguably the loveliest, when the parks and the Thames-side gardens are in full leaf and the days are long. July and August are warmest and busiest, with the widest choice of events but the highest prices and the fullest attractions. Autumn brings colour to the royal parks and thinner crowds, while winter has its own draw: the museums and theatres are at their best, and the festive lights and markets fill the centre from late November. Midweek stays are usually quieter and better value than weekends.

Dog-friendly and hot-tub homes in Greater London

More than 20 of the cottages in Greater London take dogs, and nine have a hot tub. Browse the dog-friendly cottages to narrow your search.

Getting to Greater London

London is the most connected city in the country. Six airports serve it, Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, City and Southend, with fast rail links from each into the centre. The motorway network converges on the orbital M25, and mainline rail runs to every corner of Britain from the city's terminus stations, with the Eurostar to Paris and Brussels from St Pancras. Within Greater London the Underground, Overground, Elizabeth line and buses make a car unnecessary, and most self-catering homes are within a short walk of a station.

Useful links

• Visit London
• Greater London Authority
• The Royal Parks
• Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Greater London is the administrative region and ceremonial county that covers the United Kingdom's capital, a vast urban area of around 1,570 square kilometres straddling the River Thames in the south-east of England. It is made up of the City of London and thirty-two boroughs, and is by far the most populous region in the country, home to some nine million people drawn from every corner of the world.

The Thames is the city's defining feature, winding from the south-west at Richmond and Kingston through the centre and out east toward the estuary, its banks lined with palaces, parks and the towers of the City and Canary Wharf. For all its size London is remarkably green, with great royal parks such as Hyde Park, Regent's Park and Richmond Park, the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, and a fringe of woodland and common at Hampstead Heath, Epping Forest and the Surrey border. Beyond the centre the capital is a patchwork of distinct neighbourhoods, each with its own high street, market and character.

London has been a city for two thousand years, founded by the Romans as Londinium, rebuilt after the Great Fire of 1666, and grown through empire and trade into one of the world's great capitals. Its cathedrals, castles and museums hold layers of that history, from the Tower of London to St Paul's, while its theatres, galleries and restaurants keep it among the most visited cities on earth. Few places pack so much into so small a span.