Do you love green areas, flowers and well-kept landscapes? So, don't forget to include a tour of London's 8 Royal Parks in your itinerary. Most of them are concentrated in the city center and have very interesting attractions. Check out what to find in each of them!
THE 8 ROYAL PARKS OF LONDON
To facilitate the organization of your itinerary around London (we have a very nice post very detailed on the blog – What to do in London – Complete itinerary of 5 days or more), we've placed London's 8 Royal Parks on the interactive map below. This way, it will be easier for you to include these beautiful parks in your itinerary around the city! Next, we will give details about each of them.
1. HYDE PARK
Hyde Park is one of London's most famous parks. It was established by Henry VIII in 1536, when the king took the land from Westminster Abbey and started using it as a hunting ground. The site was only opened to the public in 1637, making it one of the most popular parks in the city. The venue has become an important point of expression and debate for Londoners. At the end of the 20th century, it was used for free rock concerts, with groups such as Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones and Queen. Today, it still hosts the annual Hyde Park Winter Wonderland event when it hosts a big event to celebrate the holidays. A curiosity is that he joins the Kensington Gardens, as the parks are separated by the Serpentine and The Long Water lakes.
- Address: Hyde Park, London W2 2UH, England
- Schedules: daily from 5 am to midnight
- How to get:
- Subway: the closest stations are
- The Lancaster Gate and the Marble Arch, served by Central Line
- the seasons Hyde Park Corner and Knightsbridge, served by Piccadilly Line
- Bus: check out all the bus lines that run around the park
- North: C2, 6, 7, 10, 16, 19, 23, 36, 52, 73, 82, 98, 113, 274, 390, 414
- South: 2, 36, 137, 148, 159, 436
- West: 9, 10, 14, 19, 22, 52, 74, 94, 148, 414
- East: 8.15, 23, 30, 38,274
Read more: Hyde Park: Guide to Visiting London's Famous Royal Park
2. KENSINGTON GARDENS
Kensington Gardens is a park of 111 hectares, which is adjacent to the famous Hyde Park and was originally part of it. In 1728, Kensington Gardens was separated from the rest of Hyde Park at the request of Queen Caroline, with the aim of being a landscaped garden, with elegant features such as a round pond (Round Pond), shaped avenues and manicured flower gardens. Inside the park is the Kensington Palace, where Prince William, Duchess Kate and their children live. In addition, the Serpentine art galleries, the Italian Gardens and a wide variety of statues and monuments are also located within the park.
- Address: London W2 2UH, England
- Schedules: daily from 6 am until dusk
- How to get:
- Subway: the closest stations are
- The Lancaster Gate and queensway, attended by Central Line (red)
- The bayswater, served by District Line (green)
- The High Street Kensington, served by circle line (yellow) and District Line (green)
- The Notting Hill Gate, served by Central Line (red), circle line (yellow) and District Line (green)
- Bus: the bus lines that circulate around the park are 9, 10, 27, 28, 31, 49, 52, 70, 94, 148, 274, 360 and 390
- Subway: the closest stations are
Read more: London: Guide to Exploring Kensington Gardens Park
3. RICHMOND PARK
Richmond Park is a huge 955 hectare park created by King Charles I during the 17th century as a deer park (there are still many of them to this day). It is the largest of London's royal parks and is of enormous importance nationally and internationally due to its importance for wildlife conservation. The site is more than a park, it is a nature reserve, an area of conservation and scientific interest. It houses ancient trees and a variety of rare species, including fungi, birds, beetles, bats, grasses and wildflowers. Inside the park is the White Lodge, former royal residence, which is now the Royal Ballet School. They are also found in the surroundings of the park the Pembroke Lodge, the former 19th-century residence of Prime Minister John Russell and his grandson, the famous philosopher Bertrand Russell.
- Address: 3230 Macdonald Ave, Richmond, CA 94804, England
- Schedules: the pedestrian entrance is open 24 hours a day, except during the months of september and november when the gate is open from 7:30 am to 8 pm
- How to get:
- Subway: Richmond station served by District Line (green) then take bus 371 or 65 into Petersham
- Bus: the lines that circulate in the surroundings are 190, 391, 419 and R68
- North: 33, 337 and 485
- South: 85/N85, 265, K3
- East: 72 and 493
- West: 65 and 371
ECONOMY IN LONDON: ACTIVITY CARDS
For those who want to do many things and visit many paid places in London, the suggestion is to purchase one of the cards that give you direct access to attractions and ride the tourist bus, saving a lot! O THE LONDON PASS is the most famous of them. The card can be purchased in versions of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 10 days. It entitles you to admission to over 60 of London's top attractions and 1 day tour on the hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus. In addition, the card offers more than 20 exclusive special offers at some of the city's shops and restaurants. See the full list of included attractions in this link. Price: from £69.
Read more: What to do in London – Complete itinerary of 5 days or more
4. BUSHY PARK
With about 445 hectares and located close to the Hampton Court Palace, Bushy Park is famous for its mix of canals, lakes, gardens and herds of deer. There are also many birds, including woodpeckers and hawks. Some of the park's highlights are the Diana font, made of bronze, and the Upper Lodge Water Gardens. Bushy Park is home to the Teddington Rugby Club, the Teddington Hockey Club, and four cricket clubs. A curiosity is that during World War II, part of Bushy Park became the US air base, Camp Griffiss, and it was from here that General Eisenhower planned the D-Day landing.
- Address: Hampton Ct Rd, Hampton TW12 2EJ, England
- Schedules: the pedestrian entrance is open 24 hours a day, except during the months of september and november when the gate is open from 8:00 to 22:30 from monday to friday
- How to get:
- Train: from Waterloo to Teddington/Hampton Wick/Hampton Court and a further 10 minutes walk into the park via Sandy Lane Gates
- Bus: the lines that run through the park are 111, 216, 411, 481, X26 and R68
5. ST JAMES'S PARK
Opened in 1603, St James's Park is a 23-hectare park located in the westminster, where British royalty and important government buildings are concentrated. The park is bordered by Buckingham Palace, along the famous route The Mall which leads to the palace and is the scene of many royal events, and along Rua da royal cavalry, where the British cavalry change of guard takes place. St James's Park has many green areas and a large lake that divides the park into two parts. One of the highlights of the park is the blue bridge (blue bridge). It is a low-arch concrete bridge and was installed in 1957, the third to be placed on the same site. It is possible to have spectacular views of the Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and even from London Eye, London's Ferris wheel!
- Address: London SW1A 2BJ, England
- Schedules: daily from 5 am to midnight
- How to get:
- Subway: the closest stations are
- St. James's Park: served by District Line and circle line
- Charing Cross: served by Northern line and Bakerloo Line
- Westminster: served by Jubilee Line ,District Line and circle line
- Green Park: served by Piccadilly Line, Victoria Line and Jubilee Line
- Victoria: served by Victoria Line, District Line and circle line
- Bus: the bus lines that run in the surroundings are: 3, 11, 12, 24, 29, 53, 77a, 88, 91, 148, 159, 211 and 453
- Subway: the closest stations are
Read more: St James's Park: The oldest royal park in London
6. GREEN PARK
The Green Park is a small park, of about 16 hectares, next to the Buckingham Palace. It is believed that the wife of King Charles II in the 17th century asked for all the flowers in the park to be removed after she saw a woman picking flowers there. For this reason, to this day the park does not have flowers, only trees and shrubs. Although it has no flower beds, it becomes quite colorful in spring, when around half a million daffodil bulbs bloom there. Autumn is another charming season, when orange and yellow leaves dominate the park. Next to Green Park is the Spencer House, home of Princess Diana's family and nearby is also Clarence House, where Prince Charles lives with his second wife Camila.
- Address: London SW1A 1AA, England
- Schedules: 24 hours a day
- How to get:
- Subway: the closest stations and lines to the park are
- Green Park: served by Jubilee Line (Grey), Piccadilly Line (navy blue) and Victoria Line (light blue)
- Hyde Park Corner: served by Piccadilly Line (Navy blue)
- Bus: the bus lines that run around the park are 2, 8, 9, 14, 16, 19, 22, 36, 38, 52, 73, 82, 148, and 436
- Subway: the closest stations and lines to the park are
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7. THE REGENT'S PARK & PRIMROSE HILL
Regent's Park is one of London's royal public parks. Designed by John Nash, the park covers an area of 395 acres and includes the beautiful Queen Mary Gardens that are made up of more than 12,000 roses of 400 different varieties. With excellent sporting facilities covering nearly 100 hectares, it includes the largest outdoor sports area in central London. The park is also home to an open-air theatre, beautiful gardens, the London Zoo, Primrose Hill (which offers beautiful views of London) and over 100 species of wild birds.
- Address: Chester Rd, London NW1 4NR, England
- Schedules: daily from 5 am to 4:30 pm
- How to get:
- Subway: the closest stations to the park are
- Regent's Park: Bakerloo Line (brown)
- Great Portland Street: circle line (Yellow), Hammersmith & City Line (pink and Metropolitan Line (purple)
- Baker Street: circle line (Yellow), Hammersmith & City Line (pink), Metropolitan Line (purple), Bakerloo Line (brown), Jubilee Line (Grey)
- Camden Town: Northern Line (black)
- Mornington Crescent: Northern Line (black)
- St. John's Wood: Jubilee Line (Grey)
- Bus: the lines that circulate in the surroundings are 2, 13, 18, 27, 30, 74, 82, 113, 139, 189, 274, 453, C2
- Subway: the closest stations to the park are
Read more: London: Regent's Park and the panoramic view from Primrose Hill
8. GREENWICH PARK
One of London's most iconic parks, Greenwich Park is considered the most historic of all the Royal Parks. There are 74 hectares of wide and delicious green areas for a picnic. Always busy, the place still hosts various types of cultural and leisure activities periodically. Inside the park, the one next to it are museums and the Royal Greenwich Observatory, famous observatory through which the Greenwich Meridian passes, which marks the longitude 0º00′, dividing the world into West and East.
- Address: Greenwich, London SE10 8QY, England
- Schedules: from 6 am (closure varies throughout the year between 18:00 and 21:30)
- How to get:
- By subway: Season North Greenwich at Jubilee Line (Grey)
- Through the air: Emirates Air Line Cable Car
- Underwater: Through the pedestrian walkway (Greenwich Foot Tunnel) which is in a tunnel that passes under the River Thames
- By bus-boat: take a boat ride on the Thames (check out prices and hours)
- By surface train (DLR): Cutty Sark Station for Maritime Greenwich
- By bus: the lines that run around the park are 53, 54, 108, 129, 177, 180, 188, 199, 286, 202, 380 and 386
Read more: London: What to do in the neighborhood of Greenwich
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Read more about London:
- What to do in London – Complete itinerary of 5 days or more
- 20 historic mansions in London
- 10 Historical War Museums in London
- 45 places to see London from above (attractions and restaurants)
- 15 amazing attractions to see on a day trip from London
- Westminster: 13 Attractions in the Area of British Royals in London
