Thames Ditton is a suburban village by and on the River Thames, in the Elmbridge borough of Surrey, England. It has a large inhabited island in the river but is otherwise on the southern bank, its centre located 12.2 miles (19.6 km) southwest of Charing Cross in central London, and is a short distance outside the Greater London area. Its clustered village centre and shopping area on a winding High Street is surrounded by housing, schools and sports areas. Its riverside is situated opposite the Thames Path and Hampton Court Palace Gardens and golf course in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Its most commercial area is spread throughout its conservation area and contains restaurants, cafés, shops and businesses. The village is within the Greater London Urban Area as defined by the