With all the best bits of city living within easy reach - and the heart of the capital just half an hour away - Enfield also surprises and delights with a bunch of lovely green spaces and stately homes. 

Enfield is around 10 miles north of the heart of the capital. It is located within the London Borough of Enfield and shares a border with the counties of Hertfordshire and Essex. London's orbital motorway, the M25, is just minutes from Enfield, which means that travelling to nearby destinations is a doddle when you rent a car. 

Staying in Enfield, consider seeing the town's attractions. Start right in the middle of town, visiting Enfield Market Square, which comes to life every Thursday, Friday and Saturday with a popular market. The first market charter was granted more than 700 years ago and it's easy to evoke scenes of the past here when you take in some of the architecturally-important buildings that dot the square. Also at the centre of Enfield is Town Park, where swans glide gracefully on the river and picnicking groups make the most of summer sunshine. 

Forty Hall and its sublime grounds, just a few minutes by road north of the town centre, are open to visitors. There are formal gardens, lakes, picnic lawns and a café, as well as museum exhibits in the hall. On the eastern borders of the borough is Lee Valley Regional Park - a 10,000-acre ribbon of natural environment for Londoners and visitors to enjoy. To the west is Trent County Park, another haven for wildlife and nature lovers.

Arranging car rental in advance will save you money and secure your preferred vehicle. Use TravelSupermarket's search tool to compare prices and to book, and then collect your hire car at a convenient location in the downtown area of Enfield. 

The Lee Valley stretches north, well beyond the confines of Enfield, and it hosts a number of ways to have a great time. Gear yourself up for a heap of fun at the Lee Valley White Water Centre, which was a host venue for the London 2012 Olympic Games. Here you can have a go at canoeing, kayaking and white-water rafting. It takes only 15 minutes to drive to this adrenaline-inducing attraction. 

Central London is a major draw to many visitors and there are so many things to do and places to see. One of the world's greatest cities is captured at a variety of angles by camera-wielding tourists: the circular motion of the London Eye; the tower of Big Ben; the twin structures of Tower Bridge; the dancing fountains in Trafalgar Square; the meandering River Thames - littered around these icons are museums, galleries, restaurants, cafés, department stores, markets and much more besides. 

If military history is your thing, don't miss the opportunity to visit the Royal Air Force Museum London, an easy 30-minute drive from Enfield. On the site of the former Hendon Aerodrome, this enchanting museum shows off fighter jets and a range of other exhibits, as well as providing plenty of interactive displays to keep young minds absorbed. 

Half an hour north west of Enfield by road is the historic and appealing town of St Albans, where the Verulamium Museum unearths the area's Roman legacy.