The Royal Parks

The Royal Parks are a group of historic public parks across central and inner London that were originally part of royal hunting grounds and palace estates. They include major green spaces such as Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Regent’s Park, Richmond Park, Bushy Park, St James’s Park, Green Park and Greenwich Park.

These parks offer a range of landscapes and facilities - formal gardens, large open lawns, lakes, sporting facilities, protected woodlands and historic monuments. Key visitor experiences include boating on the Serpentine in Hyde Park, picnicking and deer viewing in Richmond Park, and city views from Primrose Hill.

Many parks also host organized events, concerts and seasonal activities, and several contain cultural attractions such as Kensington Palace and the Royal Observatory.

Most of the parks were former royal hunting grounds or palace gardens that were gradually opened to the public from the 17th century onward. They have been managed under various public bodies and are now looked after to conserve both historic landscape features and recreational value.

The Royal Parks are distributed across central and inner London, forming large green corridors and areas of open space within the metropolitan area and providing easy access from central London neighbourhoods.

• Deer in Richmond Park: Richmond Park is renowned for its resident herds of red and fallow deer that roam relatively freely across the park's open spaces.
• Zoo and views: Regent's Park contains the Zoological Society of London's London Zoo; Primrose Hill provides one of the best panoramic views of central London.

What to See #

• Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens: Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens - central London parks linked by the Serpentine lake and home to formal gardens, Speakers' Corner and Kensington Palace grounds.
• Richmond Park: Richmond Park - a large enclosed royal park known for free-roaming herds of red and fallow deer and extensive woodland and grassland.
• Regent's Park & Primrose Hill: Regent's Park and Primrose Hill - combines formal rose gardens, sports areas and London Zoo, with Primrose Hill offering panoramic city views.
• St James's Park & The Green Park: St James's Park and The Green Park - historic parks adjacent to Buckingham Palace featuring formal beds, a central lake and processional routes.
• Bushy Park & Greenwich Park: Bushy Park and Greenwich Park - Bushy Park lies near Hampton Court and has deer and wetland habitats; Greenwich Park contains the Royal Observatory and a high hill with views across the Thames.