Hyde Park London: what to do and see?

Opened to the public in 1637 and covering 142 hectares of greenery, Hyde Park is the largest park in central London and one of the 9 Royal Parks in the capital. To the west is Kensington Garden which is separated from Hyde Park by Serpentine Lake. Since these two parks are very close, Kensington is sometimes mistakenly considered to be an integral part of Hyde Park.

Bucolic, Romantic, restful, each visit is a wonder for children and adults alike.

Hyde Park and History!

Hyde Park concentrates many monuments which celebrate great historical events of the country.

 Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Walk, on the ground, plaques refer to places frequented by Lady Diana.

 

 

 

Diana Memorial Fountain, in the heart of Hyde Park, this modern Cornish granite fountain resembles an artificial stream. The memorial was inaugurated 2004 by Queen Elisabeth II.

 

 

 

 Wellington Arch, located south-east of Hyde Park, triumphal arch commissioned in 1825 by King George IV erected to celebrate British victories.

 

 

 

 

Holocaust Memorial, built in 1983, it was Britain's first monument to the victims of the Holocaust.

 

 

 

 

7 July Mémorial, in tribute to the 52 victims of the attack of July 7, 2009 in London.

 

 

 

 

Cavalry Mémorial, bronze sculpture commemorating the soldiers of the cavalry regiments killed in World War II.

 

 

 

 

Norwegian War Memorial, offered by Norway for British support during WWII.

 

 

 

 

Statue of Achilles, the largest statue in Hyde Park made up of 33 tons of bronze from cannons captured during Wellington's campaign in France.

 

 

 

Isis, bronze sculpture representing the Egyptian goddess of nature.

 

 

 

 

Mr. Statue, also known as the Green rush, represents a family and their dog.

 

 

 

 

The Bandstand, built in 1869 it is the oldest kiosk in Great Britain.

 

 

 

 

The Reformers Tree, circular mosaic marking the site of an oak burnt in the Reform League riots of 1866.

 

 

 

 

Boy and Dolphin Fountain, located in the pink garden.

 

 

 

 

The Hudson Memorial Bird Sanctuary, tribute to writer and naturalist William Hudson.

 

 

 

 

Queen Caroline Memorial, wife of King George II, she was the investigator for the creation of Serpentine Lake.

Hyde Park to rest, contemplate, read

From March to October, it is possible to rent one of the many deckchairs installed in the park for 1 hour per day and contemplate the landscape! Possibility to book your deckchair on the internet and to pay by credit card on
the site: parkdeckchairs.co.uk

 

 Rental price of a sunbed in Hyde Park

Hyde Park for athletes

Hyde Park is one of the most popular places to run in London. Very easy to access and with many entrances, Hyde Park has a walking path perfectly suited to the strides of an athlete!
There is also a football field, tennis courts, and fields for playing lawn bowling.

Hyde Park on horseback

With Rotten Row - the famous bridle path - with 5 miles of track for riders and two outdoor rides, Hyde Park is the ideal place for a horse or pony ride or even a riding lesson for adults and children.

Bathing in Hyde Park

Looking for freshness? A section of the lake delimited by buoys is fitted out for swimming. The place will enchant fans of wild swimming in clean and clear water, not chlorinated and in the middle of the local flora and fauna. Only downside, the place does not have a shower.

At the edge of the lake, a beautiful lawn to relax where you can rent deckchairs while the children play on the swing or in the sandbox. The swimming area is on the south side of the lake.

Open every day from June to August and only on weekends in May and during school holidays.
Please note: Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Prices for swimming in Hyde Park

Hyde Park by bike, rollerblading, skateboarding

Thanks to the many cycle paths in Hyde Park, biking, rollerblading or skateboarding is a snap!

7 bike rental stations (like our Parisian Velib ') are present in Hyde Park.

Hyde Park on ice skates

here is rink the largest in the UK but also the most beautiful with a pretty Victorian bandstand in its center and countless fairy lights.

The entrance fee is £ 10,50, skate rental is free. Open until 22 p.m., it is strongly recommended to book in advance as the ice rink has many fans.

Hyde Park on the water

Let yourself be tempted by the various water activities on offer on Serpentine Lake: boat or pedal boat ride. Open every day from 10 a.m. to 18 p.m. from April to November.

Prices for rowing or pedal boating in Hyde Park

From March to the end of September, the Solar shuttle solar boat ensures the transfer of passengers between the north and south shores of the lake. At 14m in length and with a capacity of 42 passengers, it is the largest all-solar passenger boat currently in service in the UK. More information : solarshuttle.co.uk

Eat in Hyde Park

The park hosts two restaurants and numerous kiosks. On the shores of Serpentine Lake, a bar restaurant offers snacks, sandwiches, salads, bakery.

Hyde Park for kids

The Knightsbridge Barracks is a fenced play area south of the park along South Carriage Drive. The play area has swings and slides.
Children will also be delighted to feed the animals near Serpentine Lake and meet the squirrels!

Hyde Park for seniors

Yes, seniors also have the right to their playground! The facilities in this area will allow them to work on their balance, strength and flexibility.

Concerts in Hyde Park

For 10 days, at the end of June, the park hosts numerous concerts featuring international artists such as Blur, Kylie Minogue, The Who…

Attend the Royal Gun Salute

Several times a year cannon fire is fired in Hyde Park to publicly salute important moments in royal life. The Gun Salute is the opportunity to discover the ceremonial uniforms of the military as well as the gun parts.

Observe Hyde Park from the heights

On the occasion of Winter Wonderland (end of November to beginning of January), take a seat aboard the observation wheel and contemplate Hyde Park at 60 meters high!

 

Discover the flora and fauna Hyde Park

In Hyde Park, you can discover a multitude of plants and trees.

The park brings together many wild birds, butterflies, ducks, geese and squirrels; and with a bit of luck you may even meet a black swan, a buzzard and Egyptian geese. And to see bats, head to dusk near the Dell and Serpentine Bridge.

 

Hyde Park photo tips

Hyde Park is the ideal place for photography lovers who can photograph the many inhabitants of the park such as geese, ducks, signs but also the adorable little shy squirrels. In the fall, wait near the chestnut trees where you can easily take beautiful shots when the last ones are at the table!

 

 

Here are some cool places that I advise you to photograph:

• Serpentine Lake
• Kensington Palace
• Arc de Wellington

Hyde Park for the originals

Hyde Park is known for its Speakers' Corner where every Sunday everyone with a message to bring to the world can expose it to the crowd. You can say anything, any way. The Speakers' Corner is in the northeastern part of the park, near Marble Arch.

When to come to Hyde Park?

Open every day from 5 a.m. to midnight

Where is Hyde Park located?

 

Metro bus Lancaster Gate, Marble Arch, Hyde Park Corner, Knightsbridge, Queensway2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 19, 22, 30, 36, 38, 52, 73, 74, 82, 137, 148, 274, 390, 414, 436