There is no better way to describe Richmond than as a "village". Both because of its distance from the rest of the city and because of the surrounding greenery, Richmond has its own separate identity, far from the downsides of a bustling city. The picturesque Richmond Park is about 1000 hectares and is full of wildlife. Like all villages Richmond has a vast array of shops and supermarkets. Housing consists mainly in two-storey detached town houses with gardens and their own parking facilities. It is advisable to have a car and there is plenty of traffic. If you take the tube, travel time from the centre of London is about 30-45 minutes. There is also a mainline train station.