A perfect day in Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens London

Recently I walked around Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens London, while visiting my parents who live in London. I was struck by how much fun it can be to be a tourist in your own backyard.

You get to see familiar places that you probably wouldn’t spend much time in, unless you happen to be showing a visiting friend around. In this guide on things to do in Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park, I’ll share with you some of the most beautiful spots in the two adjoining parks in the heart of London.

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The Rose Garden in Hyde Park

Let’s start our walk at Hyde Park Corner where there’s a convenient tube stop. Just inside the park gates we’ll find the Hyde Park Rose Garden. This beautiful area is enclosed by yew hedges, filled with shrub roses and herbaceous borders.

Many people don’t even realise it’s there as they walk along the broad path from the Queen Elizabeth gates towards the Serpentine. The climbing roses are trained along chains between the pillars, surrounding the central statue of a boy with dolphin. You can find a quiet benches to sit and enjoy the bees buzzing among the lavender.

The circular rose garden gives way to another garden with a fountain of Diana the huntress. You can hear the tinkling of water from the fountain reflecting in the pool below. Beyond there are arched arbours covered with roses and clematis, as well as teardrop shaped beds filled with colourful begonias and seasonal planting.

A little further you may come across areas of wildflowers, that create a meadow of yellow and white daisies. It’s more reminiscent of Alpine pastures than a London park, creating a haven for bees and insects.

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The Serpentine Bar and Kitchen

Our walk brings us to the eastern end of the Serpentine lake, created by Queen Caroline in 1728. It followed the fashion of the time for creating landscapes that followed nature. This was a break from the formal gardens of the past.

The Serpentine now forms the hub for much of the activity in the park. For a quieter spot for a picnic there are plenty of grassy spots under the trees on the north side.

If you’re in need of a coffee let’s stop at the Serpentine Bar and Kitchen. Patrick Gwynne’s glass sided restaurant floats over the edge of the water.

It provides a great vantage point to watch the swans, geese and other wildfowl. There’s plenty of seating both indoor and outside but it’s also very popular, so you need to find a table before you order.

The service is divided into three areas, a cafe selling cakes, sandwiches and drinks to take out or eat at the tables, and a hot food section that sells pub style food that will be brought to your table. View the menus here.

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Boating on the Serpentine

This part of the Serpentine is popular with families, who love to watch the geese, ducks and swans that congregate here.

We could also go boating from here on bright blue pedal boats, or rowing boats that are lined up on the pontoon. A little further along the northern shore are the old Victorian boat houses that were used for pleasure boating in the past.

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A detour to Speaker’s corner

If you fancy a detour from the Serpentine, we could walk up to Speaker’s Corner which is on the north-east corner of the park close to Marble Arch. This area is designated for anyone to freely make a speech on any topic so long as it’s lawful. Impromptu orators stand on ladders or plastic crates to draw a crowd of curious onlookers.

Serpentine Sackler Gallery

We’ll continue our walk to the Serpentine Sackler Gallery beside West Carriage Drive. This is the only road that cuts through the park.

The gallery is located in an old gunpowder store and features work by leading and emerging contemporary artists. Luckily entry is free, so it’s always interesting to pop in an see what’s on.

When I visited there was an exhibition A Series of Utterly Improbable, Yet Extraordinary Renditions by Arthur Jafa. Jafa is an acclaimed US film-maker whose photography and video installations examine black life and culture.

Magazine Restaurant

Next door to the Serpentine Sackler Gallery is the sinuous building designed by Zaha Hadid housing the Magazine Restaurant. This is more of an elegant gourmet destination than a gallery cafe.

If you’re ready for lunch this could be a great choice, although it’s the sort of place to relax and enjoy the food rather than a place for a quick bite on the go. That said, they do serve everything from coffee and cakes, through brunch, lunch, and afternoon tea with cocktails. In the evening the restaurant is mainly used for private events.

The Lido Cafe

If you prefer a refreshment stop that’s a bit more informal, we might cross the bridge to the Lido Café on the south side of the Serpentine. It’s set in a beautiful old pavilion overlooking the water. There is some indoor seating and lots more outside when the weather is fine. You need to order at the counter and then hot dishes will be brought to you. 

Beside the Lido cafe is the entrance to the Serpentine Lido itself. This enclosed area is surrounded by trees with a grassy sunbathing area and children’s’ paddling pool.

There’s also a playground and access across a footbridge to a stretch of the Serpentine that’s designated for open water swimming. This could be a great option if you have children and want an enclosed and more private place to relax with them. 

Princess Diana Memorial Fountain

Now we’ve crossed the bridge to the south side of the Serpentine, let’s take a while to enjoy the Diana Memorial Fountain. It’s a loop of water that’s great for for kids of all ages to dabble in.

Created from Cornish granite, the fountain was opened in 2004 as a memorial to the People’s Princess. I think she would have smiled to see all the children enjoying a paddle in the flowing water.

The fountain wells up from the highest point, creating a water table from which it flows in both directions. It runs over ridges and cascades, through channels with bubbling jets until it reaches the calm pool at the bottom.

The Serpentine Gallery

Crossing West Carriage Drive we’re now in Kensington Gardens and pass by the Serpentine Gallery. Opened in 1970 in a Victorian pavilion, it showcases contemporary art and architecture.

The Gallery is free and hosts exhibitions of well known contemporary artists like the Grayson Perry exhibition that was on when I visited.

Beside the gallery is a striking pavilion designed by Smiljan Radić which is open for summer refreshments as an outdoor cafe – serving tea, coffee, cakes and a few snacks which you can have at seats around the pavilion. It’s a stylish place for a quick refreshment stop when the weather is fine. 

Kensington Palace

As we walk west through Kensington Gardens, the round pond and Kensington Palace come into sight. The palace was created by Christopher Wren, the architect of St Paul’s Cathedral for King William and Queen Mary in 1689 and is now the residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as it was for Princess Diana before her death.

Inside you’ll find the lavishly decorated galleries that were created for King William III and the apartments of King George I, as well as an exhibition about Queen Victoria who grew up at Kensington Palace.

The special exhibition of Princess Diana’s dresses: Diana Her Fashion Story includes the outfits by top designers that she wore to public appearances. The exhibition is proving popular so it’s best to book your tickets online in advance. If you go: Adults £15.50 Children under 16 free (prices for online advance booking)

Princess Diana Memorial Gardens

We could easily spend the whole afternoon at Kensington Palace, but it’s worth making time to see the beautiful sunken garden which has been transformed into a White Garden to mark the 20th anniversary of Princess Diana’s death.

The garden that Diana loved has been planted with white roses, daisies and lilies around the reflective pool in the centre and is designed to be viewed from the surrounding path, as you can’t go down into the sunken garden itself.

Tea at the Orangery at Kensington Palace

For an elegant end to our afternoon let’s stop at The Orangery, which was designed for Queen Anne as a place of relaxation and entertainment for the court. The light and airy room is now a restaurant and an oh-so-English place to treat yourself to afternoon tea and feel that you too could be a princess in London.

Afternoon tea includes finger sandwiches of smoked salmon or egg and cress, scones with clotted cream and jam and tea cakes served on a traditional cake stand. This is certainly one of the most beautiful locations in London to experience the English afternoon tea tradition.

Our walk around the park comes to an end for today although there are a few more things you may want to see. I hope you’ve enjoyed a local’s view of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens with me, it’s just one of the beautiful green spaces in London.

You may also enjoy: My complete guide to Kensington Gardens and Palace in London

Transport to Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens

Underground stations: the closest to Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens are;

• Hyde Park South side: Knights bridge, Hyde Park Corner
• Hyde Park North Side: Marble Arch, Lancaster Gate, Notting Hill Gate
• Kensington Gardens: High St Kensington

Public cycles for hire: Santander cycles are available around London and in the park – there are stands close to the Serpentine Sackler Gallery and Princess Diana fountain, as well as at park entrances on the south side of the park. More information on bike locations and how to hire here.

Parking: There is limited parking on either side of the Serpentine Bridge including disabled parking – more information on costs and locations here. However as other transport options are so easy it is recommended you use these rather that bring your car for a less stressful experience.

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This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com

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