Hampstead attracts visitors for its Heath, its views and its literary associations — but the village repays closer attention. Beyond the obvious landmarks, there are follies, gardens, secret paths and historic interiors that most Londoners have never seen.
1. The Hill Garden and Pergola
One of the great hidden gardens of London, the Pergola on North End Way was built in the early 1900s by Lord Leverhulme — a raised, wisteria-covered walkway above a formal garden, completely free to enter and largely unknown even to regular visitors of the Heath. Visit in late May for the wisteria, or in autumn for the foliage.
2. Fenton House
This 17th-century National Trust merchant's house near the top of Hampstead Grove contains one of the most significant collections of early keyboard instruments in the world. The walled garden is exceptional in summer, and the house itself feels entirely unchanged from 300 years ago.
3. Well Walk
Hampstead's reputation as a spa town rests on Well Walk, where the chalybeate spring once drew wealthy Georgians in search of cures. The street retains its original character — lined with 18th-century houses, it's one of the most beautiful in London and almost always quiet.
4. The Freemasons Arms Back Bar
The front of the Freemasons Arms is busy and tourist-facing; the back bar is one of the most comfortable pub spaces in Hampstead — dark wood, real ales, and a quieter atmosphere that rewards those who explore beyond the main entrance.
5. The Viaduct Pond
On the eastern side of the Heath, the ornamental Viaduct Pond is one of the most peaceful spots on the whole 320 acres. Named for the small bridge that crosses it, the pond is surrounded by willows and ancient oaks, and is far less visited than the swimming ponds to the north.
6. Burgh House
A Queen Anne house in New End Square, Burgh House has served as a community arts centre since 1979. The basement café (the Buttery) is excellent and undervisited; exhibitions change regularly and entry is free.
7. The Flask Walk Passageway
At the northern end of Flask Walk, a narrow passageway leads through to Well Walk — easy to miss, but offering a view of the backs of Georgian houses that feels like stepping behind a stage set.
8. Keats Grove
The house where John Keats lived from 1818 to 1820 — and wrote Ode to a Nightingale in the garden — is now a museum. Small, quietly curated and free to enter, it contains original manuscripts and letters that are genuinely moving for anyone who knows the poems.
9. Sandy Heath
The northernmost section of the Heath, past the Kenwood car park, is wilder and less visited than the southern sections. Sandy Heath — named for its sandy soil, unusual for the area — feels more like proper countryside than a city park.
10. The Old Bull and Bush
At the top of North End Way, the Old Bull and Bush has been a pub since at least the 17th century. The garden is one of the largest of any London pub, and on a summer evening — or a winter afternoon by the fire — it remains exactly what a Hampstead pub should be.