Hoxton is a quirky and diverse district just north of Old Street tube station, close to the City and only moments away from fashionable Shoreditch.
The area has become a magnet for young creatives who are keen to shrink their commute into work and at the same time have a plethora of hip bars, restaurants, entertainment and great nightlife on their doorstep to choose from. Hoxton Square offers a vibrant and exciting mix of these, and we highly recommend a visit.
There's another side to Hoxton though as a relaxing and tranquil walk along nearby Regent's Canal will testify. Here you can enjoy the rich mix of period and modern architecture and unwind at one of the many cafés and bars along the way.
Hoxton is home to some of the UK's highest specification apartment blocks including Canaletto Tower, The Atlas Building, 250 City Road, Chronicle Tower, Lexicon and Eagle Wharf, to name just a few. In fact, it has become a mecca for cutting-edge architectural design.
The area also has a wealth of period townhouses from the Georgian and Victorian era that sit majestically alongside new, striking modern buildings. Many of these period properties have been converted into flats.
In the 1680s, there were attempts to make Hoxton a "North End" to rival the West End, but the creation of Hoxton Square and Charles Square failed to attract a surge of homebuyers. Now it is making up for lost time.
Hoxton is within walking distance of the City, Shoreditch and Clerkenwell and is an easy commute to Canary Wharf, King's Cross and the West End.
The nearest stations are Old Street on the Northern Line and Hoxton railway station on the Overground network (which has 24-hour service on the weekend). Several bus services also run through the area, many of which offer night services.
There's so much to do in Hoxton you will probably struggle to know where to start. A walk around the area both during the day and at night is an absolute must.
Hoxton has some of the best nightlife in the capital offering a mix of traditional pubs, trendy cocktails bars, buzzing nightclubs and stylish roof terraces. Other entertainment in the area includes rooftop cinemas, galleries, comedy clubs, as well as restaurants offering food from every corner of the globe.
One of the joys of living in Hoxton is being able to shop at its many quirky independent shops or in one of its bustling local markets. Hoxton Street Market is the oldest street market in Hackney and renowned for fashion, craft and its eclectic mix of food. And nearby Columbia Road is home to one of London's best-loved flower markets.
Surprisingly for somewhere so close to the City and central London, Hoxton has plenty of green space to enjoy including Shoreditch Park, which has children's play areas as well as football and rugby pitches, beach volleyball and ping pong tables. Haggerston Park has a BMX cycle track, a pond, an orchard and an outdoor gym.
Hoxton is also on the doorstep of Regent's Canal, and from here you can cycle or walk east to Hackney's Victoria Park or west to Islington, Camden Town and beyond.
You can't go far in Hoxton without seeing a cyclist so no surprise that it has some of the best cycle routes in the capital.
Virginia Primary School in Tower Hamlets is rated as "outstanding" by Ofsted, and there are three other local primaries rated as "good". There are no secondary schools in Hoxton.