Looking to discover London’s best parks and wide open spaces?
One of the nicest things to do in London, especially in summer, is exploring the many beautiful parks, which make London one of the world’s greenest cities. Wonderful for long walks, these spacious areas are the ideal escape from the city’s hustle and bustle, and most also have good cafés for relaxing and offering lunch, or just a coffee break.
Located close to many of our favourite luxury apartments and town houses to rent in London, these parks offer the finest green spaces to take in the city at its very finest, from manicured rose gardens to city-wide panoramic views.
Also, during the summer, visitors can enjoy a picnic outdoors and often various sports as well, while there is plenty for those of all ages to explore, including some of the finest zoos, playgrounds and more.
Here are our recommended favourites:
Hampstead Heath
This is an enormous and beautiful park in north-west London, with stunning views and perfect for those who enjoy very long walks. Moreover, to one side of the park, an area known as Parliament Fields enjoys a 60m long open-air swimming pool, which is heated in the winter. The swimming pool is open all year, and facilities here include changing rooms with warm showers. There is also a sauna available during the winter.
Another lovely place to visit is Kenwood House, a beautiful former stately home located in a quiet and tranquil area in the middle of the Heath, and visitors can go both inside to see the interior of the home. There is also a café and a terrace with tables and chairs for relaxing outside, a lovely spot to stop to relax while walking around the Heath.
Golders Hill Park, near the Heath, is also worth a visit, especially with young children. Golders Hill Park Zoo is a small zoo that is home to a number of exotic mammals and birds. Located near a children’s play area, the zoo is open to visitors every day and is a great day out for all the family.
Hampstead Village
Hampstead village, also close to the heath, is worth a walk past some beautiful historic homes, and plenty of shops, pubs and restaurants. Known for its literary heritage, including everyone from Robert Louis Stevenson to John Keats, who felt this area was ‘home’. From the perfect houses to the array of treats on offer in various shop windows, we can certainly agree.
One Instagram-worthy spot is Flask Walk, a pedestrian alleyway just off the main street, which offers a good pub, cafés, boutiques and a bookshop.
Visitors to Hampstead also enjoy looking at Burgh House, a Grade 1 listed Queen Anne house built in 1704. Today, Burgh House is an independent, self-funding charity and offers an interesting space for art, history and events, where visitors can discover the rich heritage of Hampstead, with a collection of paintings, and there is also a diverse programme of cultural events including exhibitions, talks, concerts, and workshops.
Primrose Hill
Located just south of Hampstead Heath and Belsize Park, it is well worth a walk down to the pretty village of Primrose Hill, filled with endless Victorian houses in every colour. With many shops, cafés, and plenty of quaint pubs where you can relax in the sunshine, here you will also find a lovely park.
With far-reaching views of the city across to as far as the other side of the River Thames and many of the main London landmarks, our top tip is to head up the main hill without looking back, in order to have the most special surprise of this wonderful view as you reach the top! Fantastic for sunsets, find your perfect spot to relax and soak up the atmosphere with nibbles from the local delis.
Primrose Hill is just a short walk to the much larger Regents Park, including London Zoo, which is close to the south entrances of Primrose Hill.
Regents Park
Regents Park is also a large and beautiful park for long walks, with two cafés where you can stop and relax with a coffee and/or lunch. There is an inner circle in the park with lawns and beautiful gardens all year round. Renowned architect, John Nash, designed the park in the 1810s, and it spans 197 hectares (487 acres), packed with beautiful manicured gardens and sprawling green fields.
Alongside the stunning formal gardens, there is also a large boating lake, as well as numerous playgrounds, and one of the largest outdoor sports fields in central London.
Also very popular is the large Open Air Theatre with a stage for plays, comedies and musicals during the summer months. It is relatively easy walk from here down to the shops in Marylebone village, with a great selection of shops and restaurants, and even down to Oxford Street with its many of the main London shops, making this the ideal spot to relax just outside central London.
The London Zoo is located at the top of Regents Park, and definitely worth a visit with children.
Hyde Park
First established in 1637, Hyde Park is a wonderful large space in the heart of the city and a hub of activity, hosting concerts, sporting events, and the renowned Speakers’ Corner, where individuals can freely express their views, as well as the hugely popular Winter Wonderland with its endless fairground rides and stalls.
Home to the 40-acre lake known as The Serpentine, boating on the Serpentine Lake is popular all year round, when visitors can also hire a boat (pedalo or row boat) to enjoy Hyde Park from the water.
Alternatively, the south side of the Serpentine Lake, visitors can also play a game of tennis and/or just relax in the park with a picnic, while The Serpentine Lido Café here offers the ideal setting to drink and dine while relaxing in the park, and a Lido Roof Terrace which is open from the end of April to the beginning of September.
It is also great for those looking just for a long quiet walk, or relaxing in a deck chair on a sunny day. For anyone looking for large green spaces in London, Hyde Park is just a short walk away from Marble Arch in the north-east, while the Royal Albert Hall, Sloane Street and the Kings Road are located on the south side.
Holland Park
This is a smaller public park, also with a lot of other attractions – with walking paths, beautiful gardens, as well other attractions. In particular, there is an open-air theatre, and opera in the summer months, and there is also an impressive art museum. The park also has an interesting history with a Jacobean mansion, Holland House, and a Jacobean mansion, which became a hub of political and literary activity, including Disraeli and Lord Byron amongst others.
Amongst the 55 acres of Holland Park, there is a Japanese-style Kyoto Gardens with a bridge and a waterfall, and a must-see for those in the area. You may even spot a peacock or two…
There is also a popular children’s playground in the park which includes extensive climbing equipment, a see-saw and swings, and even a fenced in play area for younger children.
In the summer, it’s the perfect place to enjoy a picnic, relax and spend some leisure time reading a book. A must-visit is the open-air Holland Park Theatre, which hosts the annual Opera Holland Park festival each summer. The park is also within an easy walk to Kensington High Street, and up to the popular Portobello Road in Notting Hill.
Richmond Park
Located in the south-west of the capital, Richmond Park is the largest of the Royal Parks with around 2,500 acres of rolling hills, ancient woods and hundreds of deer roaming freely across the vast green spaces.
The origins of the park can be traced back to 1625, when Charles I brought his court to nearby Richmond Palace to escape the plague sweeping through London, and turned the landscape into a hunting park, filled with red and fallow deer.
Within the park, visitors can admire the Palladian splendour of White Lodge and Pembroke Lodge, the childhood home to the philosopher Bertrand Russell. Around the perimeter, there is the Tamsin Trail – a scenic route of just over 7 miles and popular with joggers and hikers.
The park also has a number of cafés and kiosks available for light lunches and coffees. A historic Georgian mansion, Pembroke Lodge, offers tearooms overlooking the picturesque gardens, with sweeping views over the Thames Valley.
Battersea Park
Nestled along the south bank of the River Thames, this park spans 200 acres and is packed with activities for all the family. Opened in 1858, this large park offers plenty of play areas, as well as taking in the views from the high rope treetop trail at Go Ape Battersea.
From Battersea Park, you can enjoy Thames River views, an art gallery (The Pump House) and a zoo. Children will also love boats/pedalos on the landscaped boating lake, with views of the gardens. The children’s adventure playground is also superb, with plenty of original and imaginatively-built features — including climbing structures and slides, and challenges for children aged 5+, and there is a separate area for younger children too.
In the zoo, you will find wallabies, lemurs, meerkats and emus, to name just a few. Visitors can take in the magnificent fountains, admire the Peace Pagoda and rent boats on the lake in the summer.
Luxury apartments to rent in London
Suffolk Street Townhouse, SW1 – 10 guests, 5 bedrooms
This elegant townhouse for rent is part of a hotel located on a quiet street close to Trafalgar Square, and within easy reach of Regents Street, St James’s Park, and Mayfair. The hotel’s elegant façade spans four floors of a landmark building designed by John Nash, known for Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square. The townhouse has its own entrance and can be rented as a whole with five bedrooms, or as 2, 3, or 4 bedroom apartments.
The interiors have been updated in a contemporary English style, blending modern living with hotel amenities. The ground floor includes a spacious, well-lit kitchen equipped with a dining room that seats eight, featuring a large marble fireplace. On the first floor, the Drawing Room, designed in blues and reds, has floor-to-ceiling windows with balconies and two original fireplaces. The pale wooden floors and original artworks create an airy atmosphere, while each bedroom has an en-suite bathroom and unique design details.
Little Venice Penthouse, W9 – 8 guests, 4 bedrooms
Located in the desirable Little Venice area, close to Regents’ Canal and just one tube stop from Paddington station, this top-floor apartment (accessible by lift) is part of a Regency townhouse and offers views of a private garden that guests can use.
The apartment features an open-plan living and dining area that connects to a spacious, quiet terrace. There are two additional terraces, one off the living area and another off a bedroom. The living space includes two sofas and a vintage rug, and the kitchen is equipped with modern appliances and a breakfast bar. Adjacent to the living room is a study area, while those driving areound the city can benefit from a secure parking space in the underground car park.
Henry’s Townhouse, W1 – 14 guests, 7 bedrooms
Located just a short walk from London’s West End and Hyde Park, this 7-bedroom townhouse provides an ideal home away from home for families, friends, events, extended stays, or corporate gatherings. Once the residence of Jane Austen’s brother Henry, the property has been renovated. Its interiors feature fabrics, artwork, and antique furnishings, blending historic charm with modern conveniences.
This London townhouse features seven en-suite bedrooms across four floors. Each room, inspired by the Austen family, offers guests a charming retreat. Guests can start their day at Monsieur Halavant’s Pantry, while in the evening, this space transforms into a venue for private dinners and celebrations. Additional spaces include the Carriage Snug and a terrace, for evening aperitifs, as well as Jane’s Sitting Room, for afternoon tea, pre-dinner gatherings, or watching a film.
Looking for the perfect place to stay in the capital? From modern penthouse apartments to central town houses, discover all that this city has to offer in our full collection of London properties to rent.
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