Islington: Trendy and in fashion for London summer rentals

For the pickiest of tourists, Islington’s fantastic culture and luxury accommodation will hit the spot

Have you ever played Monopoly and seen Angel, Islington in the light blue section? If so, have you ever thought what it would be like to stay there for the London Olympics?

Angel, in addition to other districts such as Islington Green and Canonbury, come together to form one of the largest boroughs in London – not to mention one of the most upmarket.

They’ve got restaurants serving haute cuisine, energetic young professionals dancing the night away in clubs on a weekend, and some of the rarest antiques imaginable available for you to buy in street markets, too. It isn’t all high-rise buildings made out of glass and steel, however – you shouldn’t forget that with striking Edwardian architecture and quaint buildings from bygone eras, leafy suburbs are yet another thing that Islington does well.

There’s something very British about Islington, even though they have tried to appeal to European visitors with bistro dining. There are some independent cafés who are proud to serve English breakfast to queuing Brits, and some fantastic bookshops with that unmistakable smell of print that literature lovers adore. Islington’s the perfect place to find yourself when you’re not finding sports venues!

Coming up at a summer 2012 venue near you

This leads us on nicely to the thing that everyone’s going to be waiting to see with baited breath: the Olympic events that are taking place while you are staying in London.

The Olympic Park in Newham’s got plenty of different venues such as the Velodrome and the main stadium where the athletics will unfold. Where were you when Usain Bolt broke the record for the 100m sprint in 2008? Indeed, where will you be when new records are created in 2012? If you are lucky enough to have a choice in the matter, make sure you’re in Central London and in the thick of the action!

The London Olympics website has got an abundance of information if you want to learn more about the sporting events going on around Islington. Indeed, with big screens planned to be set up throughout the capital by organisations such as the BBC, you’ll be able to be in a crowd cheering on British athletes even if you aren’t in the venue where the sport is taking place.

Best London holiday accommodation

More about Islington’s attractions, there’s a plethora of them!

Islington attractions include their fantastic dining options. Jamie Oliver’s restaurant Fifteen allows you to eat for charity, with the profits from their fantastic produce going into an apprenticeship programme that offers cooking opportunities to young people.

Meanwhile, for football enthusiasts, visiting the Emirates Stadium – the home of Arsenal – in between the matches you might be watching at Wembley Stadium can be a great idea. Even if you don’t support this team, it’s highly likely that you will have seen some of Britain’s best-loved squads play at these grounds, and seeing it for yourself will be an enviable experience!

Of course, as we mentioned earlier, one of the key districts in Islington is Angel, and an iconic attraction to visit are the Angel wings. It was designed in the early noughties by a collection of experts and has been attributed as being one of the largest pieces of artwork in public across the capital. Alternatively, you might choose to go to Compton Terrace Gardens for a picnic in the sun, and with many city dwellers flooding out of offices for their lunches during the warmer months, you’ll be sure to enjoy a really summery atmosphere.

There’s so much transport in Islington!

With London Euston just a few stops on the Underground for National Rail services that extend throughout the whole of Britain, and Kings Cross St Pancras on the Piccadilly line for international rail services into continental Europe, Islington is gratifying close to some of London’s most important train routes.

Stops such as Caledonian Road in Islington are also situated on the Piccadilly line, which offers a direct link to Heathrow Airport terminals one to five. This allows you to jump off a short-haul or a long-haul plane if you’re visiting London especially for the Olympics, and to hop on frequent tube services into Islington.

Let’s not forget the extensive bus routes that operate 24 hours a day throughout the borough, and into neighbouring boroughs. Are you planning to party in another part of Central London such as Holborn? If so, don’t despair – there will be frequent buses when you’re ready to go at 4am in the morning!