Hyde Park

London’s Royal Parks are the perfect places to relax, exercise, provide entertainment and education, or a mix of all these cultural ingredients. They act as the green lungs of the capital by reducing urban temperatures and wind speeds, and are home to historic buildings, memorials and statues. Hyde Park is spread across 350 acres, and is arguably London’s best known. It is also a venue for major sporting and cultural events. For visitors there are a great many activities that will bring the park to life in every sense of the word. Starting with the ‘Serpentine Lake,’ there is a chance to take one of the armada of rowing and pedal boats, and set forth across the water. Also, if you like the lake so much then take a dip at the ‘Serpentine Lido’ (both activities run from spring to autumn unsurprisingly). The Serpentine Swimming Club is the oldest in the UK, and they have a tradition of taking a swim on Christmas day whatever the temperature might be! If you have a burning topic to get off your chest, then you can always do that at ‘Speakers corner,’ located at the north-east edge of the park, and has been a traditional site for public speeches since the 1800s. You will be following in the footsteps of Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin and George Orwell, if you are brave enough to get up and share your thoughts amongst strangers. Hyde Park has a specialist horse riding arena, or ménage, as well as two designated routes for horse riding (North Ride and South Ride). There is plenty of space if you prefer to sit, relax, and hear the trickling of water. Maybe the best place to do that is the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain, or the Rose Garden featuring seasonal flower beds, a grand pergola, and two ornate fountains.