Discover Homestay in Angel
Trying to work out where to live in London can be a daunting task. This is especially true if you’re completely new to the city, as many of our international students often are. Below is our comprehensive area guide for students and hosts researching Angel in North London, whether you’re looking for a host family or other accommodation. Read on to find out more about Angel, including the types of homes available, safety and transport links.
Where is Angel located?
Named after an old pub on the corner of Islington High Street and Pentonville Road, The Angel Inn, Angel is a Central London location and is a significant retail and commercial area of the capital.
Angel is a small area with Islington and Barnsbury to the north, and Finsbury and Clerkenwell to the south. The neighbourhood sits within the London borough of Islington and Finsbury. It is a ‘micro-neighbourhood’ of Islington, comprising of two or three streets out and up. Regardless of its small size, it is considered one of Greater London’s 35 major centres. The Islington Tunnel of the Regent’s Canal runs at the south of the area from the east to the west. A Business Improvement District, the area receives additional funding for community improvement initiatives from local organisations. This means it is a source of constant development and innovation. This blend of old and new gives it great homestay vibes.
Angel’s postcode is N1.
What transport links does Angel offer?
Angel is situated in Zone 1, so is about as central you can get! Londoners tend not to, but most places and attractions are within walking distance; and this makes for a great way to see some sights and find your bearings in the area.
However, on a homestay, public transport becomes a lifesaver. In Angel you have plenty of options. The London Underground station is on the Northern line and a short walk to the Highbury and Islington station gives you access to the Victoria line and the Overground. You will find Kings Cross and Old Street about a 20-minute walk away.
Transport for London buses run throughout Angel and there are five docking stations for Santander Cycles in the neighbourhood.
What is there to do in Angel?
Angel is a built-up area of the capital and so there’s lots to do for students and locals without venturing out too far.
Drink in a traditional British pub
The Angel Inn that the area was originally named after doesn’t exist in its original form, but a budget chain has taken over a property just next door to where it was and opened a pub. The Islington Town House offers traditional drinks alongside cocktails and live jazz, and the Charles Lamb is the perfect quiet spot to settle in with a drink and a newspaper. The Camden Head offers free comedy shows every night of the week.
Shop for antiques
Camden Passage is a narrow car-free street full of independent shops and market stalls all selling homewares and antiques. Even guidebooks aimed at tourists list Camden Passage as a fantastic place to pick up some bargains – so nip by and have a browse!
Watch a film
Support independent cinema and nip in to the Screen on the Green! A stunning single screen cinema, it opened in 1913 so is one of Britain’s oldest ever cinemas. There’s always a selection of both mainstream and indie films being screened to choose from. You can book tickets in advance or buy them on the door.
What type of homestay accommodation is there in angel?
Angel was largely gentrified in the 1960s and so many of the residences are fairly modern by London standards, but a degree of Victorian-built homes and buildings do still remain. The older properties are primarily Victorian and Georgian townhouses set on communal squares that are popular with older people and families. The newer properties are a mixture of updated 1960s apartments, new-build flats and warehouse conversions.
Lots of Angel is commercialised and made up of shops, restaurants and offices, so you’ll find lots of properties are in commercial areas or hidden behind. The further into the wider borough you venture, the more residences you’ll find.
How safe is Angel?
Angel, much like the rest of Islington, is an upmarket neighbourhood that’s quite affluent. Those that can afford to live in Angel are well off and so crime rates are low. It’s considered a safe area to walk around. What’s more, its commercialisation means that most streets in the area are populated even throughout the night.
Levels of robbery, drug crime and other offences are low. Theft and other such crimes are in decline, which is to be expected in line with the area’s development into a higher class.
What type of Host Families live in Angel?
The commercialisation of Angel means that newer and smaller residential properties in the area are primarily let out to professionals and young people. However, students and those on lower incomes are normally priced out of the neighbourhood due to high rents.
There are plenty of families and older people living in the region who settled there prior to the gentrification of the area and it is these residents who tend to live in the older townhouses. There is a lot of opportunity here for a brilliant homestay.
Find a Homestay in Angel
If you are an international student, intern or professional looking for homestay accommodation in Angel, Islington or close by, we would love to hear from you.
Language schools near Angel
Berlitz, Bloomsbury International and Stafford House School of English are located 7-8 minutes way in Holborn. From Angel station, take the Northern line to King’s Cross St. Pancras and then the Picadilly line to Holborn station.
David Game College and The Language gallery are located 12 minutes away in Aldgate. From Angel station, take the Northern line to Moorgate and then the Metropolitan line to Aldgate station.
Kaplan international is located 8 minutes away in London Bridge. From Angel station, take the Northern line to London Bridge station.
Become a host Family
Similarly, if you have a spare room in your Angel or Islington home and are interested in hosting international students, please do get in touch with us.
