Kenwood House in Highgate Village

It's been about a year and a half now that I've been living in North London, and I've heard a lot of people mention "Highgate Village". Apparently, it's supposed to be one of the most beautiful neighbourhoods in London, and after taking a walk through it with a friend the other day, I can confirm that it is. It's called 'village', because  it actually used to be a small town a long long time ago, and today, even though it's ten minutes from Archway station, it actually still feels like one. Right next to Highgate Village is Kenwood House, a beautiful 17th century estate, surrounded by amazing land and garden. The rooms inside the house are beautifully decorated and there are quite a few impressive art pieces, including a self-portrait by Rembrandt, which was my personal favorite. The gardens around the house made it feel like I was out in the countryside and for an afternoon made me forget I was actually within the city of London. There is a gazebo in the house's gardens from which you can see a breathtaking view of London's skyline. We found a cute Italian bakery (there are so many cute shops and bakeries) on the high street and had a short apple cake stop. The whole day was beautiful and with a 10 minute bus ride I was able to have a breath of fresh air and forget about London's chaos.