We all know and love Wimbledon for its annual tennis tournament and the fun of seeing the best players in the world fight it out on the grass while we eat our strawberries and cream!
But there is another side of Wimbledon beyond the famous courts, and Wimbledon Village is well worth a visit.
Just a short walk away from the All England Club is a delightful high street and the open spaces of Wimbledon Common ready for you to explore with some great places to stay, eat and drink.
Wimbledon Village’s High Street is full of beautiful old buildings housing small shops, cafes and pubs with a wonderful country feel for somewhere still connected to central London by the tube.
It’s a very horsey place and a group of riders clip clopped through as I was there recently and they are such a common occurrence that the crossing lights even have horses on them instead of pedestrians!
At Wimbledon Village you can browse round a proper old book shop or enjoy the delights of the wonderfully stocked organic deli called Bayley and Sage or shop to your heart’s content in top boutiques such as LK Bennett, Max Mara or Matches.
The huge expanse of Wimbledon Common is great for walks and really makes you feel you are a long way from the hustle and bustle of central London.
You will feel this even more so when you come to Cannizaro House which has all the appeal of a country house hotel with a beautiful looking restaurant and sun terrace.
The staff are friendly and welcoming and the menu is dangerously tempting. They offer full hotel facilities if you want to make a weekend of it and take in the area at a more leisurely pace.
Wimbledon Village is full of great gastropubs and my favourite is the Fox and Grapes with its traditional flowery exterior and cool wood interior, with another tempting menu – unsurprising when you find out its owner is Claude Bosi, of Hibiscus fame.
Wimbledon Village is a great place to wander round, relax and enjoy yourself and you will soon see that there is more here than tennis! Click to read about the best Wimbledon restaurants.
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