10 of the most amazing parks in London.

London is famous for many things: rich history, lively pubs, popular landmarks, thriving theater scene, unfriendly people dressed in black that commute for hours every day to enjoy a long day of overwork, bland food, and miserable weather, to name a few.

But stereotypes and news headlines often overshadow one of London’s greatest features: its green spaces.

During my first week living here, a tour guide mentioned that London is one of the world’s greenest cities.

That means London has more parks, gardens, and areas of natural beauty than many other cities.

Without its many parks and gardens, London would be nothing but a crowded and chaotic mess of concrete streets and tightly packed buildings.

So for any travelers in London looking to escape the crowds and pretend they’re out in the wilderness, here are 10 of the most beautiful parks in London.

10 Most Beautiful Parks in London

1. Hyde Park

This is probably the most famous London park, and it is easily accessible from the city center. Located super close to Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park barely feels like its in the city.

It is simply massive, with wide green spaces, a few ponds and fountains, a few art galleries, and plenty of space for exercising and relaxing.

Hyde Park Corner and Green Park are the two tube stations right at the entrance to the park.

2. Hampstead Heath

Hampstead Heath is one of the quietest and most spacious parks in central London.

It has its own tube station just north of the city center, so it’s super easy to get to.

Spend a few hours wandering through the green hills and forests. Every time I’ve come here there’s barely been any people, so this is the perfect place to enjoy some alone time with nature in London.

3. Richmond Park

Located about an hour west of the city center is Richmond Park. This is definitely one of the best parks in London because of its sheer size.

Richmond Park feels like 5 different parks all in one. There are lots of different landscapes including a dense forest with gnarled plants, spacious plains with tall grasses, woodland trails lined with berry bushes, and vibrant green fields dotted with full-bodied trees.

Graceful wild deer also roam the territory, adding a true sense of wilderness to the wonderfully diverse land.

The Richmond Park Tube Station connects this massive park to anywhere in Central London, so I highly recommend visiting for a day.

4. Holland Park

This is probably my favorite park in central London.

It is located in Kensington in west-central London and is close to London attractions like Notting Hill and Portobello Market.

The best part of Holland Park is the Japanese Garden that has a peaceful little waterfall and lots of interesting plants.

There are also a few peacocks wandering around Holland Park. I don’t know why they’re there or how they got there, but they’re fun to watch.

5. Regents Park

Another one of the most beautiful parks in London is Regents Park. This park is also close to central London and has its own tube station called Regents Park.

Slightly smaller than Hyde Park but no less gorgeous, Regents Park has a lovely rose garden that flourishes in the spring and summer.

6. Primrose Hill

Directly north of Regents Park is Primrose Hill, a beloved picnic spot and viewpoint among Londoners.

Primrose Hill looks over Regents Park and provides a great view of the London skyline.

Because it is a hill, it’s great for hardcore exercisers who want to do hill sprints, or for people who just want to chill on the grass and overlook the city.

7. Hampton Court Palace Gardens

Hampton Court Palace is a famous castle that housed numerous English monarchs.

It makes a super easy day trip from the city. All you have to do is hop on a train from Waterloo Station and ride west of the city center for about 30-40 minutes, and then you can spend a few hours exploring.

Because I’m always on a budget, I didn’t want to pay the entrance fee to go inside the palace; I just wanted to check it out from the outside and hang out in the massive gardens.

The Hampton Court Palace Gardens are amazing. There’s a nice riverside path, lots of colorful flower fields and trees, and a few picnic benches.

8. Burgess Park

Located in south-central London, Burgess Park is one of the biggest parks in the Southwark Borough of the city.

I used to live in this area while I was studying abroad, so Burgess Park was my favorite place to go for a run or a walk away from the city streets.

This is also a great place to come for barbeques with friends because there are a few barbecue stations and picnic tables available.

This isn’t a very touristy area of London so you won’t find as many tourists here as you would in Hyde Park, Regents Park, or Greenwich Park.

9. Southwark Park

Southwark Park is obviously also in the Southwark Borough of London.

It’s really close to the river Thames and close to Bermondsey Tube Station.

It is just another big beautiful green space, but the highlight is the annual fireworks that occur in September every year.

The fireworks are free and have lots of street food to enjoy while watching the incredible light displays in the night sky.

10. Greenwich Park

This is probably one of the most popular London parks because it is home to the  Royal Observatory, the marking of the Prime Meridian, and the clock that represents GMT (Greenwich Mean Time). 

It’s pretty interesting to see these landmarks, especially knowing that the Prime Meridian is the center of the globe in terms of longitude.

These attractions can get a bit crowded with tourists, but Greenwich Park is very big so all you have to do is wander around to find some serenity.

There are lots of sloping green hills so you can also find some wonderful views of the London skyline.

Greenwich Park has its own overground station that connects it with central London.

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So in my opinion, those are the 10 most beautiful parks in London!

So although London is notorious for its stormy weather and crowded city streets, the occasional sunny day provides the perfect opportunity to enjoy one of the many gorgeous parks and gardens.

Every green space adds a little bit of magic to the city, and they are an essential asset to the undeniable charm of London.

Are you thinking of traveling to London? Visit iVisa.com to find out if you need a visa & get your affordable travel insurance at Squaremouth Insurance.

Check out my other travel articles about London and the UK here:

6 Amazing Day Trips From London

3 Beautiful Hiking Destinations in Great Britain

14 Best Things To Do On The Isle of Mull, Scotland

London: The Ultimate Budget Travel Guide