10 Things to Do in Chelsea, London

10 Things to Do in Chelsea, London

A lot of travelers are content in leaving Chelsea to a guided walking tour and then moving right on, but there’s actually a lot to do in this affluent neighborhood than initially meets the eye.

Take your time, stroll about, and keep an eye out for all of the following attractions:

1. Shop ’til you Drop in Chelsea, London

Before I took the time in Chelsea, I had only ever really shopped in Soho and Shoreditch. The Chelsea shopping scene is vast, and (for the most part) on the very expensive side of the spectrum.

If you do have means to splurge, you’ll want to head to King’s Road and/or Cadogan Square. Royal Hospital Road is great too, especially if you like steakhouses for lunch.

by Artificial Photography – Unsplash

2. Explore the Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea, London

While on King’s Road, make some time to walk through the Saatchi Gallery on the northern side. This is Charles Saatchi’s very impressive personal art collection that is on display to the public for absolutely free.

The gallery is also known for its boozy afternoon high teas at the Galley Mess Cafe inside.

Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea – by Oxyman – Wikimedia Commons

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

OPENING HOURS: Thursday to Sunday — 11am to 6pm

ADDRESS: Duke of York’s HQ, King’s Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 4RY, United Kingdom

METRO STATION: Sloane Square

3. Roam the Chelsea Physic Garden in Chelsea, London

The Chelsea Physic Garden is one of London’s most charming green spaces, and its compact size makes it a lot less overwhelming than Hyde Park.

It was opened in 1673 as an apothecaries garden. Over 5000 different plant species were brought in to grow together.

Look out for the Tangerine Dream Cafe, another cafe doing an interesting afternoon tea time.

Chelsea Physic Garden – by Elisa.rolle – Wikimedia Commons

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

OPENING HOURS: Sunday to Friday — 11am to 6pm

ADDRESS: 66 Royal Hospital Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 4HS, United Kingdom

METRO STATION: Sloane Square

4. Visit the National Army Museum in Chelsea, London

The National Army Museum in Chelsea has only recently reopened to the public after a very lengthy, very expensive and very necessary remodeling.

Admittedly, I was only interested in visiting this museum because I had been told the skeleton of Napoleon’s actual horse resides here. To my surprise I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the five galleries; learning about British military history, battle techniques and civil war. The horse was cool too.

National Army Museum in Chelsea – by Robert Fleming – Wikimedia Commons

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

OPENING HOURS: Monday to Sunday — 10am to 5:30pm

ADDRESS: Royal Hospital Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 4HT, United Kingdom

METRO STATION: Sloane Square

5. Walk Down the Thames in Chelsea, London

The Chelsea district stretches all along the Thames River’s edge. It is the neighborhood right across from the Battersea Park, beginning down by the Chelsea Harbor and all the way up to the The Carabiniers Memorial.

The river stroll is a pleasant one. Most of it can be done via the Chelsea Embankment. This is a mile long, river-side walkway that changed the district for the better when it was unveiled in 1874. If you do want to cross over into the Battersea Park, you’ll use the Albert Bridge.

6. Admire Albert Bridge in Chelsea, London

The Albert Bridge was constructed in 1873, named after Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert. It was an architectural combination of three different bridges, and actually proved to be structurally unsound within the first few years, so suspension cables were added in the 80s.

It is the only bridge in London that never got ride of its four Victorian toll houses. By night, the Albert Bridge is the gleaming pride of Chelsea; illuminated by over 4000 LED lights.

Albert Bridge – by Duncan Harris – Wikimedia Commons

7. Revel in Some Football at Stamford Bridge in Chelsea, London

Another pride and joy for Chelsea are their football team. Their home is Stamford Bridge, close to the Chelsea harbor on the lower end of the district.

While it’s hard to guarantee a game on the day you’ll be in town, one is always welcome to visit the stadium and see where the magic happens.

Stamford Bridge in Chelsea – by Alexdeangelis86 – Wikimedia Commons

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

ADDRESS: Fulham Rd, Fulham, London SW6 1HS, United Kingdom

METRO STATION: Fullham Broadway

8. Find all the Blue Plaques in Chelsea, London

If you’ve already taken a guided walking tour through London then you’ll likely be familiar with the blue plaques.

For more than 150 years, the city has used these blue plaques as markers to commemorate significant spots around the city that were once homes or workplaces of historically significant individuals.

Chelsea has a bunch of them, having been the home town of people like Alfred Hitchcock and Oscar Wilde. You’ll also find one down on Smith Street dedicated to P L Travers who is though to have gotten her inspiration for the Banks’ house here when she created Mary Poppins.

Blue Plaques in London – by Cpottle – Wikimedia Commons

9. Collect Antiques in Chelsea, London

Affluent neighborhoods usually have easy access to all kinds of long lost antiques and forgotten trinkets. This is something Chelsea has in abundance, and the antique stores sit amongst the boutique shopping very proudly.

If you are a collector, then you’ll scouring the streets for hidden treasures. Just because it’s Chelsea doesn’t mean vendors aren’t looking to make a quick buck, don’t be scared to hustle down the prices if you feel so inclined.

10. Have a Drink at the Chelsea Harbour Bar & Terrace in Chelsea, London

The Chelsea Harbor is a charming spot on the Thames that holds a few boats used by the community on the weekends. There are a few brasseries and cocktail lounges in the bay, but the Harbor Bar and Terrace remains the “it” spot to be.

I say come for a drink, but in essence you could also come for breakfast, brunch, lunch, coffee, a late night snack… anything. They open very early and close very late.

Chelsea Harbour – by David Curran – Wikimedia Commons

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

OPENING HOURS: Monday to Sunday — 7am to 12am

ADDRESS: The Chelsea Harbour Hotel, Harbour Ave, Fulham, London SW10 0XG, United Kingdom

METRO STATION: Imperial Wharf