London’s vast expanse extends over a 607 square mile radius. As arguably the oldest remaining civilized city in the world, London’s beauty lies both in its architecture, as well as its untamed grassy areas. In addition to its cosmopolitan appeal, London has numerous natural oases to walk, picnic, or to simply take in fresh air.
The city’s posh borough of Kensington and Chelsea is home to the neighboring urban respites, Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. Centrally-located, you can’t miss Hyde Park’s famous Grand Entrance near Apsley House, which ushers you in with massive Ionic columns. As you shuffle through, Hyde Park pours seamlessly into its western corner Kensington Gardens, where you can enjoy lunch on a small hill overlooking Prince William and Princess Kate’s home, Kensington Palace.
The four-part park, including Green Park and St. James’ Park (adjacent to Buckingham Palace), offers an easy-to-follow trail, featuring well-known attractions such as J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan statue in Kensington Gardens and the Princess Diana and Holocaust Memorials. Bring a book to read by the duck pond at the Peter Pan statue and watch children blissfully climb up the beloved character in the place that inspired the famous book’s prequel Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens.
Richmond Park in southwest London is the largest of its Royal Parks and a favorite among cyclists. For this reason, Richmond was the site of the 2012 London Olympics’ Men and Women’s Cycling competitions. Wildlife enthusiasts also revere this huge nature reserve for the abundance of deer that roam the property. The park’s Holly Lodge, built on Hill Farm, offers a fun environmental learning exhibit for people of all ages. Richmond’s sprawling landscape also houses The Royal Botanical Gardens, often referred to as Kew Gardens. These breathtaking glasshouses hold the largest collection of living plants and should not be missed.
Back in Central London, you may fancy a walk along the Thames River by Embankment. From this vantage point, you can see classic views of Big Ben and the London Eye. Enjoy the scenery along the length of the river in a boat ride to Greenwich. There you can straddle the Greenwich Meridian atop the picturesque hill of the Royal Observatory. For another lesser-observed viewpoint of the Thames, cross the bridge to the Tate Modern Museum. On a raw and overcast London day, you can almost imagine yourself in the opening scenes of Harry Potter: Half-Blood Prince when they the filmed the bridge for the Death Eater attack. Whether you’re on a jog in one of its lovely parks or turn off a main road to a corner of unsung beauty, London’s vistas won’t disappoint.
