Romantic? Croydon? It’s not a combination of words we usually (ever?) put together.

We all know Croydon has a reputation; let’s not waste time on the same old tropes. Instead, what if I said Croydon is actually seriously romantic?

There is so much more to this place which many of us – locals, visitors, lovers, and haters alike – miss or may not know about. This borough is one of the biggest and greenest of all the London boroughs, and some of our green spaces are famous for their high-quality biodiversity, uniqueness, and wildlife rarities. But it’s not just about our gorgeous green spaces, of which there are many. Croydon is full of contradictions and when you learn what to look for, you can find moments of romance anywhere, deep in Croydon’s concrete belly as well as its wilder borderlands.

This is an invitation to look differently. To notice the beauty, romance, and softness which already exists here and find moments in your day-to-day living which might normally pass you by.

The way the dusk falls over Church Street in the evenings; how East Croydon’s dark high-rise buildings with their glowing red lights make you feel on a rainy evening waiting for the bus home… and the similar feeling you get looking out onto the expanse of rolling hills and infinite skies in Farthing Downs.

Here is an alternative guide to Romantic Croydon: some are places you can physically go to, and some are moments in time you must find for yourself.

1: An evening in Church Street

On a clear, sunny day, head to the junction where North End meets Church Street. Find the right spot between Foxtons and Barclays and watch the sun go down over the tram tracks and geometry of the old and new buildings. Wait for the old-style street lights to turn on, casting the area in pools of warm light. Wait for the sky to turn pink, then purple, then the darkest of indigos.

2: A grazing herd by Purley Way

In Roundshaw Downs, a local nature reserve next to the roaring Purley Way, trails dotted around the place will lead you to pastures where, depending on the time of year, you’ll find a herd of sweet but stubborn Sussex cattle grazing on the land.

3: An alternate universe

Croydon at night is something special, especially when the weather comes in and it’s raining or foggy. Looking up towards the hulking towers, red lights glowing ominously so far above, it feels like you’ve stepped into a futuristic universe… or into the film Blade Runner!

4: To London From Croydon

Take the tram to Coombe Lane and meander through the woods upwards towards the hills. In Addington Hills, there’s a viewpoint and gathering spot where people come together to look out to the sprawling, ever-changing city.

5: The most southern point…

…of Greater London is in Croydon. Deep in the south of Croydon – in a place so full of folklore and myth it feels tangible when you walk there on certain days – near a village called Chaldon, where the church holds a famous secret, you can find the most southern point of Greater London.

So many of us don’t realise how big the borough of Croydon actually is. From the most northern point of the borough near Crystal Palace to this most southern point, by car it would take around 45 mins (on a good day, according to Google maps). It’s almost TWELVE miles of travel. By foot, it would be around FOUR HOURS walking from one point of Croydon to the other.

Posted by anonymous guest writer Romantic Croydon (all photos courtesy of Romantic Croydon).

About Romantic Croydon: In spring 2025, Romantic Croydon was launched on Instagram as an anonymous public archive of photography of Croydon (and nearby places) with the simple aim of showing a different perspective of the place.

If you like what you see, please follow the Instagram channel on @romanticcroydon.