Finchley Road is more than a giant thoroughfare in and out of London. Scrape below the surface and you’ll discover a community with excellent shops, entertainment, restaurants and a few cultural surprises. Swiss Cottage boasts what Time Out rates as London’s best leisure centre, which is a gem in both sporting and architectural terms. Alongside Swiss Cottage library and a landscaped park – complete with a water basin with 15 metre arcs of water – this represents urban regeneration at its best.

Want the big shops but don’t want to go into central London or out to a big shopping centre? Then try Finchley Road, with its convenient range of recognised shops alongside smaller retailers, with many specialising in the finest in furniture, home ware and home décor in London. Finchley Road is a real treat for connoisseurs of Asian food with this flavoursome cuisine dominating the restaurant scene.