Discover this practical guide to the top 20 parks in London separated by region, to include in your trip to the most beautiful green areas in the city!
PARKS IN LONDON
London is not just a wonderful metropolis, filled with historic attractions and cutting-edge innovations. The city also has beautiful green areas that are excellent options to relax after hours of walking around. In this post, you will find a very cool selection of parks in London that are not to be missed and many of them full of history. Of course, there's no way to leave out of this list all the London's 8 Royal Parks, but we also selected 12 more parks that are not far behind in terms of natural beauty.
20 PARKS IN LONDON SEPARATED BY REGION
To make it easier to schedule your itinerary, all 20 of London's top parks have been placed on the interactive map below. This way, it will be easier to organize your day of sightseeing around the city and take the opportunity to get to know one of these beautiful green areas.
>> CENTER OF LONDON
1. 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
Read more: England: Discover London's 8 Royal Parks
2. 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
Read more: Hyde Park: Guide to Visiting London's Famous Royal Park
3. 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
Read more: London: Guide to Exploring Kensington Gardens Park
4. 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
Read more: St James's Park: The oldest royal park in London
5. HOLAND PARK
Holland Park, a public park located in the Kensington & Chelsea neighborhood. This is an elegant area in West London, famous for being home to beautiful Victorian houses, fine shops and numerous restaurants. Holland Park is much smaller than most of London's famous parks (22 hectares), but it's a cozy and serene option for those looking to relax and breathe in the fresh air. The park houses flower gardens, children's playgrounds, sports spaces, large green areas, in addition to a ecology center and the concert hall Opera Holland Park, built with part of the remains of the old mansion destroyed in World War II.
- Address: Ilchester Pl, Kensington, London W8 6LU
- Schedules: daily from 7:30am until half an hour before sunset
Read more: Holland Park and Kyoto Garden, beautiful Japanese garden in London
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
>> NORTH LONDON
6. HAMPSTEAD HEATH
Hampstead Heath is a 320-hectare public park that serves as an ecological refuge for a variety of animals and plants. Here is Parliament Hill, a hill that provides beautiful views of London; several ponds for fishing and bathing; recreational areas for practicing 16 different sports; and to the north, Kenwood House, an attraction we mentioned earlier. Musical concerts take place in the park during the summer months.
Read more: London: Discover the little explored neighborhood of Hampstead
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
Read more: London: Regent's Park and the panoramic view from Primrose Hill
8. FINSBURY PARK
Finsbury Park was originally designed and planned by Alexander McKenzie and opened in 1869. It was one of the first major London parks built in the Victorian era. Since then, Finsbury Park has undergone many changes. From the 1970s onwards, the lack of investment resulted in a dilapidated location, attracting criminals. Between 2001 and 2006, it underwent extensive restoration, offering many types of recreation to the local community. The park frequently hosts several national and international musical events. The summer events program, which includes musical events and various attractions, welcomes over 300,000 people! It has green areas, a lake, a children's play area, a Café and a space for art exhibitions. Sports facilities include soccer fields, a cycling club, a skatepark, an athletics stadium and tennis and basketball courts.
- Address: Endymion Rd, Finsbury Park, London N4 1EE, England
- Schedules: daily from 6:30 am to sunset
9. LONDON FIELDS
This park located in the Hackney neighborhood with 13 hectares that has sports and recreational facilities. Its history dates back to the 13th century and, since the 16th century, it has been known by the name of London Fields. London Fields has a cricket pitch, lido, grassed areas, BBQ area, a small BMX track, tennis courts, ping pong table and two children's play areas. The park hosts a market every Saturday, where a wide variety of producers from across the country sell hot foods, handmade jewelry, gifts, children's clothing and vintage clothing. On Sundays, London Fields Primary School is the base of the London Fields Farmers' Market and there is a craft market adjacent to the building next door.
- Address: London Fields West Side, London E8 3EU, England
- Schedules: open 24 hours a day
10. VICTORIA PARK
Created in 1845, Victoria Park is a park of about 86 hectares that has 2 Cafés, 2 playgrounds, sports facilities and a skatepark. The park is home to many artifacts and historic features and has decorative gardens and wilder natural areas as well as open lawns. The park hosts many music festivals throughout the year. Between 2011 and 2012, it underwent extensive renovation, along with the neighboring area where the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, which hosted the 2012 Olympics.
- Address: Grove Rd, London E3 5TB, England
- Schedules: daily from 7 am to sunset
11. ALEXANDRA PARK
Created in 1863, Alexandra Park has 196 acres that are home to 694 different types of plants, animals and fungi, including 212 different types of insects and 26 types of arachnids. While many plants and animals found in the park are common in London, 38 species in Alexandra Park are classified as rare or protected by law. The building known as Alexandra Palace, an entertainment and sports venue, dominates the park. In addition, the park organizes several food, craft and beer festivals, a summer festival, a fireworks festival that brings together many visitors.
- Address: Alexandra Palace Way, London N22 7AY, England
- Schedules: open 24 hours
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>> SOUTH LONDON
12. BATTERSEA PARK
Battersea Park is a large 200-acre Victorian park built between 1854 and 1870. Until 1846 it was a famous dueling site! Subsequently, in the surroundings were industrial companies, including a pottery, copper factories, lime kiln, chemical and iron factories, among others. Next to the park is the Battersea Power Station (eternalized by the album “Animals” (1977) by Pink Floyd). Currently, the park has a boardwalk along the River Thames, a large lake, many trees, children's play areas, a children's zoo, the Pump House gallery, a ceremony venue (where we were at a Google UK) and sports facilities.
- Address: London SW11 4NJ, England
- Schedules: daily from 8 am to sunset
13. BROCKWELL PARK
Brockwell Park is a large 50-hectare historic park that features ornamental ponds, flower beds, a walled herb garden and a charming 19th-century clock. Additionally, Brockwell Park contains a number of historic buildings, including Brockwell Hall (located on top of the hill inside the park) and Brockwell Lido (an art deco building is an outdoor swimming pool).
- Address: Brockwell Park, Brockwell Park Gardens, London SE24 9BJ, England
- Schedules: daily from 7:30 am to 15 minutes before sunset
14. CLAPHAM COMMON
Clapham Common is a large triangular park that has been around for almost a thousand years and has around 2,000 trees, many of which were planted before 1895! With around 90 hectares of green space, three ponds and a Victorian bandstand, the region is surrounded by grand Georgian and Victorian mansions. In addition, the park has a variety of sporting facilities, including a running track, cricket, football, rugby and local football pitches for skateboarding. A curiosity is that half of the park is within the London borough of Wandsworth, and the other half is in the borough of Lambeth.
- Address: Clapham Common, Windmill Dr, London SW4 9DE, England
- Schedules: open 24 hours a day
15. PECKHAM RYE PARK & COMMON
Peckham Rye Park and Peckham Rye Common together form 113 acres of land that include recreational green spaces, rockeries, a lake and woods. The name Peckham probably originates from "village among the hills", referring to the nearby hills of Honor Oak, Forest Hill and Telegraph Hill. The area is considered to be of great historical interest and is important for wildlife conservation. The park features the recently renovated The Round Café, two playgrounds, an outdoor fitness area, a skatepark, soccer fields and a community wildlife garden.
- Address: 34 Straker's Rd, London SE15 3UA, England
- Schedules: daily from 7:30 am to 8:30 pm
16. 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)
17. CRYSTAL PALACE PARK
Created in 1854, it is a Victorian leisure park located in the south London suburb of Crystal Palace, which surrounds the site of the former Crystal Palace exhibition building. The palace was moved from Hyde Park, London after the Great Exhibition of 1851 and rebuilt with some modifications and enlargements to form the centerpiece of the leisure precinct, before being destroyed by fire in 1936. The park features full-scale models of dinosaurs in a landscape, a maze, a skatepark, lakes and a concert area. The site is also home to the National Sports Centre, formerly a football stadium that hosted the games of the Crystal Palace FC football team from its formation in 1905 until the club was forced to relocate during the First World War. The park is also home to one of the largest open-air weekly Farmers' Markets in London, along the main avenue.
- Address: Thicket Rd, London SE19 2GA, England
- Schedules: Monday to Friday from 7:30 am to 8:30 pm | Saturday and Sunday from 9 am to 8:30 pm
18. DULWICH PARK
Created in 1890 by Lord Rosebery, Dulwich Park is a park of over 30 hectares created on former farms. Between 2004 and 2006 the park was restored to its original Victorian layout, Dulwich Park is home to a Café (the Pavilion Café), a lake and various sports facilities. There are several gardens scattered throughout the park, including the American Garden and the Dry Garden. The park is home to Dulwich Park Runners, a small running club.
- Address: College Rd, London SE21, England
- Schedules: daily from 7:30 am to 8:30 pm
>> WEST LONDON
19. 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
Read more: England: Discover London's 8 Royal Parks
20. 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
Read more: England: Discover London's 8 Royal Parks
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- England: Discover London's 8 Royal Parks
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