Greenwich park is a huge beautiful park with sprawling greenery and walking trails, perfect for…read morepicnics, taking your dog out, and just enjoying the scenery. Speaking of the scenery, Greenwich park probably has the best view of the city skyline in my opinion.

This is a gorgeous park in close proximity to the Maritime Museum. We were in the area and decided…read moreto take stroll around. There were lots of people and dogs enjoying the gorgeous day. If you make the short walk to the top, the view really is quite incredible. Very clean and worth the walk through if you're close!

"If you are not too long, I will wait here for you all my life." - The Importance of Being Earnest…read moreby Oscar Wilde Soho Square is in the heart of SOHO, Westminster, UK. There's really not much here, well err, unless you're an Anglophile and knee deep with the royals. I mean you can hang around King Charles II all day here, or I should say his likeliness in a very old statue that dates to circa 1680. Frankly, I don't know much about Charles except for the fact that he would be a fashion geek in today's world, but again we're talking 1600's fashionista, so I guess his threads and locks has lady's man written all over it. Lady Gilbert restored old Charles and placed it in the square. In fact, I found Lady Gilbert a tad bit more interesting than King Charles II. I mean she did save the old statue and placed it on a small island, on her private lake, for safe keeping. And in her dying will, she made sure Charles was placed back to Soho Square, where he stands proudly today. Smirking at all the Brits and tourists that come flocking to the square to find not much but a very old statue of King Charles II. If you're a history romantic, like I am, I guess you'll enjoy the ambiance. Finally, Between 1778 and 1801 the Square was home to the infamous White House brothel at the Manor House, 21 Soho Square. And that's what it's all about! Ta!

Since we stayed right by Soho Square during our stay in London earlier this month, we walked…read morethrough or around the square several times. It's a charming little square, with a mock market cross building in the center. There were usually some people playing ping pong or sitting on the benches around the park. Not a place you need to go out of your way to visit, but a nice enough park to walk through or sit and enjoy for a bit if you're exploring Soho.

I was walking with friends on the way to The British Museum when we cut through the most lovely…read morelittle park. It was lush and green, with lots of areas to sit and enjoy the view. It's small, but lively. Lots of people and dogs, and it seems like a happy place. It's also surrounded by some seriously attractive buildings. I wasn't able to stay long (plus it wasn't particularly warm the day I passed through) but I'd recommend it for those who have the time.

We had some time to kill before our visit to the British Museum, so we went to the nearby Russell…read moreSquare Gardens. Russell Square Gardens is a 2.5 hectare park with a central plaza and water fountain, and plenty of seating. It's a lovely park to take a stroll, people watch, or sit and read a book. However, I didn't notice any washrooms -- maybe I missed them -- but fortunately the cafe in the park, Caffè Tropea, had a washroom we could use. [Yelp collections: Europe 2024; London, England; Parks and Gardens]

From being a child this has been one of my favourite places on a summers day. Sleeping with…read morefriends, during the Richmond Festival, as a teenager..under the terrace ..we were awoken by police dogs and I hopped in my sleeping bag with a snapping one at my errm rear! On the west, rising above the river are the Terrace Gardens: these gardens were laid out in the 1880s and extended down to the River Thames some 40 years later; the broad gravel walk along the top is earlier and the view west towards Windsor has long been famous. Laid out in the 1700s, the Terrace Walk towards the end of the 20th Century was in need of upgrading. The famous View from Richmond Hill was protected by an Act of Parliament in 1902 and it was this Act which provided the catalyst for the development of the London's Arcadia project. Works carried out during Phase 1 include resurfacing and re-grading of the walk, restoration and repainting (though not repositioning) of the railings on the road side by contractors. The railings along the hedge side were restored over a six week period by prisoners on day release from Latchmere House Prison. Magnificent Lime trees have been planted to 'gap-up' the historic avenue of trees on the Terrace and at the top of Terrace Fields. Richmond Terrace Walk is listed as Grade II* in the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest The Terrace Gardens and adjacent Terrace field, overlooking the River Thames, were formerly brick works. During the 18th century various noble owners had fine houses erected, all now sadly demolished. Some features of the gardens' history remain, including the re-sited statue of the River God and an ice house set in the slope to the rear of the thatched summer house. The Terrace Gardens, Petersham Road, are famous for their seasonal bedding, shrubberies, rockery and rose garden, all set amongst fine trees and sloping lawns. Close to the main entrance in Petersham Road is a conservatory with tropical plants. To get an idea of why the landscape here is considered so special, you should pause at the top of Richmond Hill, above the pretty Terrace Gardens. Below you the Thames curls, serpent-like, amid trees casting long shadows in the silvery water. You can pick out the roof of Ham House through the greenery and, away on the horizon, Box Hill and the Surrey Hills. So celebrated is this view that they passed an act of parliament in 1904 to protect it from development - it's the only protected view in England. The legislation was the first-ever piece of environmental planning, and a plaque on the hill commemorates the passing of the act. JMW Turner painted it, and the poet Alexander Pope waxed lyrical about it, as did Sir Walter Scott, who described it in his great novel The Heart of Midlothian (1918). Petersham Meadows, periodically grazed on by herds of cattle, as they have been for centuries. That willow-fringed island to your right is Glovers Island, one of a series of picturesque islets that dot this stretch of the Thames. On the balustrade seating area (where we slept) on the top terrace is a formal pool with its modern statue of Aphrodite (affectionately known as Bulbous Betty). Take a look at the watchmans hut. Built in 1887, the Terrace Gardens Hut has survived for more than 115 years against all odds. The wooden hut represents a sophisticated and exceptionally rare architectural style Anglo-Japanese. The style was briefly current during the years of the Aesthetic Movement of the 1870s and 1880s the era of the Mikado and Walter Pater's 'Art for Art's Sake'. The modest Terrace Gardens Hut is one of the only surviving structures that can properly be described as 'Anglo-Japanese' Other features of the Terrace Gardens Hut, however, are decidedly not Japanese not surprisingly, since it was the product of an eclectic era. The tiled roof is an interesting feature; the tiles are made of a lightweight metal, possibly zinc, and are likely to have been manufactured according to a long-forgotten patented system. The diagonal tongue-and-groove panels on the door are typical of 'reformed gothic' design of the 1860s and 1870s. Remains of the wrought-iron fixings for a notice possibly enamelled that announced the purpose of the hut, are still visible on the apex of the roof. Go stroll..take a picnic..eat in the cafe..have a pint close by but don't miss it.

Terrace Gardens is an openly accessible, fairly expansive public park area close to Richmond Centre…read moreand separated only by a road from the Thames and the promenade. You will find a small café there, and large flower beds are spread over the whole area. Nice and quiet, ideal for an evening walk or to escape the bustle and noise of the city. Lovely.

From where we stayed in Notting Hill, we were a very short walk to Holland Park…read more We entered through Holland Walk and headed to the Dutch Garden first, where thousands of tulips were starting to bloom. It was a bit early in the season so the garden was not nearly as beautiful as it might have been just a week later. This year, the color theme was primarily purple and yellow and those were the tulips not fully bloomed. A garden plot with vibrant red tulips that were in full bloom was very pretty! After, we walked onto the Kyoto Garden, which was much more congested because it is a picturesque spot. There is a walking path around a pond with a key photo spot being the waterfall. The tourists queue up in one line clockwise to take photos at the waterfall. Oddly, there are some walkers that are clearly frustrated by the presence of visitors and insist on walking counter-clockwise through the visitors. We exited on Abbotsbury Road, on the opposite side of the park. It was a nice 1-2 hour excursion, a nice walk and recommend it!

When we visited London a few weeks ago, my husband and I spent a day exploring Kensington. I'm glad…read morethat that included a visit to Holland Park, a gorgeous little park in the area. The park contains a cafe, formal gardens, a playground, murals, a giant chess set, and more. We took a stroll through the park, visiting the Dutch Garden and Kyoto Garden. Kyoto Garden was the highlight of our time in the park - the tiered waterfall, koi fish, and peacocks made for some beautiful photographs. It was such a relaxing way to spend some time and stretch our legs between house tours in the neighborhood!

We hung around here for a while after the Buckingham palace visit and on the way back to the…read moreMarble Arch area. It's beutiful, has a lot of shade and nice walking/running trails. There were some interesting sights to see including a beautiful water display for a Canadian monument thanking them for their contributions to the wars. There were a lot of families and groups hanging out which was nice to see. Also interesting to see was how many couples were here and having a romantic moment. Lot of snogging going to use British parlance. ;-)

Green Park was the first park where I saw daffodils in bloom this year! The Park is northeast of…read moreBuckingham Palace and connects royalty with commercial hustle and bustle. You're basically in the King's backyard. I love all the green space in London. The walkways are wide and lined with benches and trees. During my visit on a rare sunny day, the park was filled with tourists getting some fresh air.

We walked from the London Eye to Southbank Centre for a late lunch one afternoon last month, and…read moreour path went right through Jubilee Gardens, a vibrant landscaped public park. Our kids pointed at ice cream trucks and a merry-go-round, and it took some effort to keep them on track so we could feed them actual food. We had no set plans after lunch and decided to indulge them by going back into Jubilee Gardens. We started with a ride on the carousel, which cost £4 a ticket, and required a paying adult to ride with small children. It was, at least, a pretty fun carousel, classic horses painted in extremely bright colors, and what felt like unusually high speeds. Our boys then wanted ice cream, and we took a little walking survey of the options on offer. There was a paleta stand that actually looked good, but one of our kids will only eat ice cream with chocolate. We ended up back toward the London Eye, where there were two very similar carts selling standard ice cream bars and slushies. Our six-year-old got a classic Magnum bar, while our three-year-old insisted on a blue slushie. It was a hot day and he had his shirt unbuttoned, and he walked around Jubilee Gardens sipping on that blue drink. A regular boardwalk dirtbag. The park was full of interesting sights, not least of them the Thames and the London Eye, which overlooked it all. We stayed on the promenade, but it was obvious even there that the landscaping was well done. Lots of space to walk along the river, with tons of shade from a line of tall trees. There were several street performers out doing their thing. Living statues, dance crews, singers with acoustic guitars. We apparently missed an enormous playground, but we got plenty of entertainment in the riverfront section of the park. My boys had a blast at Jubilee Gardens, and we'd all love to go back.

Cool park, right next to The Eye. Best part is a really nice and well kept playground, with lots of…read morethings to climb. My kids 3 and 8 loved it and would gladly spend the whole day here

An idyllic destination a short drive from London, Painshill Park is a great place to spend a day…read moreenjoying the beauty of the English countryside. Created by the eccentric Charles Hamilton, the park was created as a "romantic landscape". Both organized and naturalistic, the park offers many vistas, perspectives and experiences. Created with a variety of follies dotting the landscape, the park offers panoramic views and interesting scenes. Views from the Gothic Temple and the Turkish Tent are breathtaking. While exploring the man-made grotto (which is currently undergoing renovation) you can't help but be in awe of Hamilton's vision while at the same time thinking "This guy must have been totally out there to build stalactites with lathe and plaster and then cover them in pieces of crystal!". Whether walking the grounds, bringing a blanket and a book and enjoying the solitude, Painshill Park is a wonderful place to visit. Be prepared to walk, as the park is large and very hilly. It's a good climb to the top of the Tower as well. Would definitely recommend this if you need a relaxing afternoon away from the hustle and bustle of London.

A grade 1 listed park, much renovated over the last 25 years, by the trust that owns it…read more Created by Charles Hamilton ,in the mid 18th century, after his 2 (obligatory) Grand Tours, he wanted to create an idyllic natural setting, around a lake, with water diverted from the river Mole. He was very succesful in this, and created a number of follies, a Grotto, and the unusual Turkish Tent. Many of the plants are of American origin, and were just becoming fashionable at the time. It's worth remembering it's a park like setting rather than a garden like Wisley. Reasonable cafe near the entrance, and the ever present gift shop. Worth chcking their website for offers, currently free entry on Wednesdays in November, children free at weekends, and A special Santa event. The Grotto is only open at the weekends. A great place for a walk on a sunny day, great views across the lake and Surrey.