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Battersea is a riverside district of south-west London transformed by the reinvention of its most famous landmark. Home to a great riverside park and the reborn power station, it has become one of the capital’s buzziest new destinations for shopping, dining and leisure.
Where is Battersea and how to get there
Battersea lies on the south bank of the Thames opposite Chelsea. The Northern line was extended to Battersea Power Station, and the area is also reached by rail and river bus, with Vauxhall and Clapham close by.
The power station and the park
The icon is Battersea Power Station, Giles Gilbert Scott’s vast brick temple with its four white chimneys, once derelict and now a soaring shopping, dining and entertainment destination, complete with a glass lift ride, Lift 109, up one of the chimneys for a skyline view. Beside it, riverside Battersea Park offers lakes, a Peace Pagoda, a children’s zoo and one of the loveliest stretches of the south bank.
Eating and drinking
The power station and its surroundings hold a large and growing collection of restaurants, bars and cafes, from riverside terraces to food halls, making Battersea a genuine dining destination in its own right.
Good to know
Can you go inside Battersea Power Station?
Yes. The restored Battersea Power Station is open to the public as a shopping and leisure destination, with shops, restaurants and events inside the former turbine halls. The Lift 109 experience takes visitors up one of the iconic chimneys for a panoramic view over London, with tickets booked in advance.
Where to go next
Cross the river to Chelsea, or head to Vauxhall and Clapham. Browse all our London neighbourhood guides.
