Garden state

An ideal pit-stop for a picnic in the middle of the city, Hyde Park is next door to Sainsbury. Don’t worry about carrying a food hamper—the Serpentine Bar & Kitchen located within the park serves sandwiches and a full-fledged lunch buffet. Start out in the morning and wrap up before dark; this makes for a perfect day outdoors. While weekends attract more loungers, the Park never seems crowded because of its huge acreage. Lounge about under a garden umbrella and read a book, or upload your travel photos on social media. In case you’d rather plonk yourself in a less popular bower, consider heading instead for St. Duncan’s church gardens near Cannon Street in the east, the Pergola and Hill gardens just overlooking west Hampstead Heath, and the Roof Garden in Kensington replete with a stream, flamingos et al.