Schafer - Lonely Planet Stratford & East London 2012

East London: a vibrant and fascinating part of the capital. If there was ever a time to visit, it's 2012.

This year, all eyes are firmly fixed eastwards as London hosts the 2012 Summer Olympic Games from 27 July to 12 August, and the Paralympic Games from 29 August to 9 September. A vast area of East London has been transformed into a stunning landscape combining state-of-the-art sporting facilities, world-class architecture, the latest sustainable technology and acres of sculpted parkland. For those not so excited by lycra-clad larks, the London 2012 Festival, providing a truly impressive array of cultural events, will see the city pulling out all the stops for a once-in-a-lifetime summer.

East London is a patchwork of culture, history, class and ethnicity. Settled by waves of immigrants over the years, East London boasts authentic Asian cuisine, colourful markets selling all manner of exotic ingredients and a real sense of London's multiculturalism. Cheap rents have long pulled in artistic communities, and there are scores of hidden galleries and art exhibitions in unexpected venues. Across the area, you'll also find reminders of the poverty that it was once famous for, and a grittier side to London life. But alongside this are some historical gems, such as the finely restored 16th-century Sutton House, set incongruously amid a sea of high-rises.

Home to some of the more quirky attractions the city has to offer, East London is full of lovely surprises. Take part in a Victorian school class, complete with the strictest teacher you never had, or for something more grisly, seek out Execution Dock, where they hanged Captain Kidd. Memorable dining experiences are served up in a disused power station, a completely alfresco terrace overlooking the Thames, a fish smokery and a former town hall. Have an ale in boozers where notorious gangsters once supped, or catch a show at the beautifully decrepit Wilton's, hilariously outspoken Bistrotheque, or the gloriously madcap Bethnal Green Working Men's Club.

With its fusion of cultures, East London has an easy-going atmosphere and an appetite for the new and unusual. Gritty Whitechapel offers up ever-changing art in its renowned gallery and venues hosting eclectic gigs and DJ nights. Bethnal Green's Cheshire St and Columbia Rd and Hackney's Broadway Market are full of cute boutiques, excellent pubs and trendy cafes, while Hackney Wick hides a slightly more ramshackle and altogether arty collection of eateries with new ventures emerging (sometimes all too briefly) all the time. An assortment of top-quality music festivals are held annually in Victoria Park and London Fields but look out for original and exciting pop-up venues and restaurants of all kinds.

Why I Love Stratford & East London

By Sally Schafer, Author

Nowhere else in London do you get such a richness and variety of experience as in the east. I love its cutting-edge galleries and start-up fashion boutiques, eclectic pubs and bars, trendy cafes and diverse restaurants. But also the clash of history and modernity at every turn, from perfectly preserved Victorian streets and imposing riverside warehouses to the soaring towers of the Docklands and the striking architecture of the Olympic Park. It's constantly interesting to live in this tangle of cultures a riot of colour, music and cuisine, and a cacophony of languages from all over the globe.

Regent's Canal
Helena Smith/LONELY PLANET IMAGES

Neighbourhoods at a Glance

The West End

With many of Londons premier sights, postcodes and superlative restaurants, hotels and shops, the West End should be your first port of call. Iconic sights (Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus), buildings and museums (Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, British Museum), history and nightlife (Soho), shopping, parks (St Jamess Park) and theatres, they are all here.

The City

Londons historic core is a tale of two cities: all go during the week and deserted at weekends. But there are ancient streets and spectacular architecture while history waits at every turn. St Pauls Cathedral and the Tower of London are hallmark sights.

The South Bank

The Tate Modern effect has done much to re-energise the South Bank, a must-visit area for art lovers, theatre-goers, culture hounds and iconic Thames views. Theres also a super food market, first-rate pubs, dollops of history, dashing modern architecture and a sprinkling of fine gastropubs and restaurants.

Kensington & Hyde Park

Splendidly well groomed, Kensington is one of Londons most pleasant neighbourhoods. Youll find three fine museums here: the V&A, the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum as well as excellent dining, shopping and graceful parkland.

Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields

This redeveloped area boasts top sights (Geffrye Museum, Georgian Spitalfields, White Cube Gallery), excellent markets (Exmouth, Spitalfields, Brick Lane) and a creative frisson, but truly comes alive at night.

The East End & Docklands

Anyone with an interest in multicultural London needs to visit the East End. Theres standout Asian cuisine, superlative museums, excellent pubs and markets but potentially its the Olympic Park that will entice.

Hampstead & North London

Leafy Hampstead, Primrose Hill, Islington and Highgate are splendidly upmarket, but theres also stunning wild parkland, grade-A gastropubs, markets, overgrown Victorian cemeteries and a great zoo. With top-notch nightlife, its a round-the-clock experience.

Notting Hill & West London

Portobello Market, fabulous cinemas, canal-side charms, superb pubs and clubs, swish parkland and mansions, varied shopping and ethnic eats makes Notting Hill and West London an eclectic must-see.