Borough of Southwark

Southwark is nestled on the South Bank of the Thames, and among its luxury riverside apartments and ultra-modern offices, are some of London’s biggest icons. This area is rich in culture, architecture and entertainment, charming millions of visitors (and residents) each year. For the best scenery, criss-cross one of the bridges that straddle the river, including London Bridge, Tower Bridge and Millennium Bridge. All are a joy to stroll or drive over, thanks to sweeping views of the water, and the buildings that chart hundreds of years of the capital’s history. Read on to discover developments that are rated the best places to live in Southwark. In addition, read reviews from residents who own or rent in Southwark.

4.51
Average Location Score

Excellent

65%

Very Good

26%

Average

6%

Disappointing

1%

Very Poor

1%

Best places to live in Borough of Southwark

HomeViews Top Rated Development ranking takes into account the Star Rating and HomeViews Transparency Rating of every development in the area

High street in Southwark

Southwark attractions

Of all the landmarks, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and the Tate Modern command the most attention, and rightly so. The Globe is a magnificent, Elizabethan-esque structure, a careful rebuild of the site where the famous playwright’s creations were first performed back in the 16th century. Nowadays, you can enjoy guided tours and exhibitions, along with exceptional theatre. As for the Tate, it’s easy to spend hours in this contemporary art institution; discovering the dreamy works of Warhol, Monet and Picasso.

Southwark skyline

The Shard

Head away from the waterside, and The Shard, Europe’s tallest building, dominates the skyline. This 300-plus-metre skyscraper is a mixed bag of offices, hotel suites, and bars and restaurants. In fact, it’s the way of many of the imposing buildings here. Dedicated to both work and play, they’re comprised of company HQs, posh-nosh brasseries and classy rooftop bars.

Foodie hotspot

Southwark has emerged as a real foodie destination over the years. Just over the road from The Shard is Borough Market; London’s oldest food market, and still one of the capital’s best. Its myriad of stalls never fail to treat tastebuds, whether you’re in the mood for a harissa-soaked North African stew, or a Spanish ‘bocadillo’ stuffed with serrano ham and melty cheese. Outside, both old and new establishments pepper the streets, age-old pubs full of curiosities rubbing shoulders with elegant Italian restaurants and cosy tapas nooks. Try lively Bermondsey for a village feel and some of the best independents eateries around.

Southwark park

Transport in Southwark

Southwark’s transport links are impressive. London Bridge Railway Station makes it easy to get to cities like Cambridge and Bedford. And three London Underground stations service the area. Southwark on the Jubilee line, Borough on the Northern, and London Bridge, which has trains running on both. But with London’s best bits on your doorstep, who could blame you for staying put?

HomeViews reviewer says…
“It’s a lovely mix of old and new. The new-build waterfront homes are plentiful, but so are the curious 17th-century pubs.”

You can find out more about living in the area by reading reviews from residents. Click on the developments below to find out more about residents’ experiences and also, to discover the best places to live and rent in Southwark. Moreover, If there’s a property that you can’t see on HomeViews, you can add a new listing and leave your review here.

Reviews in Borough of Southwark

Write a Review

Excellent homes and lifestyle

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Nov 2023

The local area is full of life, stores owners are really kind , they are always helpful with customers and sometimes I feel like living in a small town within the city. The construction of the new shopping center might be a bit noisy but the developer always ingorm us on what is going on and keep the disturbance at minimum, we are all excited to see the completion of the new center!

Please review your development:

The building is really nice and maintenance really good, concierge service and assistance is excellent ( super kind and always available), the common club room is amazing and the 24h security make us feel safe even when living alone, energy performance of the flats is excellent ( thermal insulation amazing)

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

The building doesn’t have any facility for barbecue in the external garden

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

Everytime we had a request for maintenance they always reached within 2 or 3 days max

5
Facilities
5
Design
5
Location
5
Value
5
Management
User submitted image of  Elephant Central, SE1
User submitted image of  Elephant Central, SE1
User submitted image of  Elephant Central, SE1
Read all Read less

Was this review helpful?

Report

Report

Great location and security

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Nov 2023

The location is wonderful, super easy for transport in London and even other cities due to its closeness to the train station. Many great restaurants and pubs around.

Please review your development:

Great location and security, amazing views at higher floors, smart design for a pets friendly apartment, the reception are easily find on day times too. Personal I think some improvements in the maintenance’s efficiency could be really helpful. Thanks for all staff’s’ effort!

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

I do wish to know the bed’s size before I moved in. It’s not found on the website and I ended up getting a sheet that didn’t fit.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

Yes most of my requests have been responded in an average of one- two weeks.

4
Facilities
4
Design
5
Location
3
Value
3
Management
Read all Read less

Was this review helpful?

Report

Report

Nice flats

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Nov 2023

Very central and easy to access. Might not feel like the safest area at times but overall is a great location.

Please review your development:

The flats are great, modern and help comes incredibly quickly when it comes to issues with any appliances.
The building itself lacks some of the things surrounding buildings have (a gym for instance).
Common areas are often dirty.
Not allowing visitors to take the elevator is an unnecessary inconvenience.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

Nothing special, maybe more details on the surrounding area.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

Very fast, everything is taken care of within a day or two.

4
Facilities
4
Design
5
Location
4
Value
4
Management
Read all Read less

Was this review helpful?

Report

Report

Good central location, noisy and not in summer

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Nov 2023

It’s very noisy. You look out onto a construction site which is constantly being worked on. The view will disappear in a few months as it will be blocked by a building.

Please review your development:

The facilities are lacking, there should be a gym in the property included for the price, similar to other properties nearby. No aircon which makes it horrible to be inside the flat in the summer. The design of the flat is nice but it needs more storage!

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

The building site noise is very loud even on weekends.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

They tried to fix issues but still not solved. The dishwasher still does not work well.

3
Facilities
4
Design
4
Location
3
Value
3
Management
Read all Read less

Was this review helpful?

Report

Report