Glorious greenery in the heart of the capital
London might be home to over eight million people, but in the midst of all the bustle lies an array of verdant and serene green spaces. From Hyde Park to Hampstead Heath, pack up your picnic and head to one of the most beautiful parks in London for an afternoon in the sunshine.
The Best Gardens to Visit in the UK
The Best Parks in London
Hampstead Heath
From wonderful walking trails to taking a dip in the bathing ponds, there is plenty to do and enjoy at Hampstead Heath. Branded ‘an island of beautiful countryside’, you’ll never get tired of visiting this thriving inner city escape.
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Richmond Park
Renowned for its unrefined woodland gardens and deer herds, Richmond Park boasts a rich history (including notable royal connections dating back to Edward’s reign in 1272), ancient trees, historic buildings and vast amounts of wildlife – the park is in fact a national nature reserve.
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Battersea Park
A grade II listed verdant Victorian green space, Wandsworth’s Battersea Park comprises 200 acres of pretty parkland, featuring fountains, sports facilities, and even a small-scale children’s zoo.
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Hyde Park
It would be wrong to omit Hyde Park from a list of London’s most beautiful and prominent green spaces. The Grade I listed 350-acre royal park is the biggest in London, renowned as the city’s ‘green lung’, and hosts an array of major annual events, from Winter Wonderland to music festivals such as British Summer Time Hyde Park. Visit the memorial to Diana, Princess of Wales, picnic in the prepossessing Rose Garden (post lockdown), or go swimming in the Serpentine Lido, which opens from June to early September.
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The Regent’s Park
Named after the Prince Regent (King George IV), The Regent’s Park comprises 395-acres of magnificent formal gardens, pathways, florals and more. From the 12,000 roses in Queen Mary’s Gardens to the beautiful Boating Lake and Open Air Theatre, there’s much more to this royal park than first meets the eye.
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Kensington Gardens
Home to the Serpentine Galleries, Kensington Palace, and just a stone’s throw from the Royal Albert Hall (depending on which part of the park you’re in of course), Kensington Gardens is well worth a visit. The 265-acre royal park even has its own volunteer-run allotment, a playground dedicated to the late Princess of Wales which the littles ones will love, and is home to the Albert Memorial in honour of Prince Albert’s death in 1861.
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Holland Park
If there’s one reason to visit Kensington’s Holland Park, its for a slice of Eastern-inspired tranquility. Take delight in the Kyoto Garden, a Japanese oasis donated by the Chamber of Commerce of Kyoto comprising serene waterfalls, Japanese trees and plants, and a pond teaming with koi carp.
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DISCOVER MORE:
The Secret Gardens in London to Visit Now / 16 Beautiful Ideas For Small Gardens And Terraces / The Best Garden Centres in London
Image: Regent’s Park, photo by Luke Stackpoole
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