Hyde Park

What to expect

Hyde Park is a Royal Park of about 140 hectares, taken by Henry VIII from Westminster Abbey in 1536 as a hunting ground and opened to the public by Charles I in 1637. The Crystal Palace stood on its south side for the 1851 Great Exhibition. The Serpentine, a lake formed by damming the River Westbourne, is the park's centrepiece, and the Serpentine Lido on its south bank has been open since 1930.

The park is free and open-air, large enough to get lost in. You can walk the paths, visit the Diana Memorial Fountain, a ring of flowing water opened in 2004, or watch the riders on Rotten Row. In the north-east corner near Marble Arch, Speakers' Corner has been a place for free speech since 1872. In winter the park hosts the Winter Wonderland festival.

Don't miss

• The Serpentine lake
• Diana Memorial Fountain
• Speakers' Corner near Marble Arch
• Rotten Row riding track
• The Serpentine Lido

Tips for your visit

• Walk from Hyde Park Corner to Kensington Gardens for a long green route across the city.
• Look in at Speakers' Corner if you want to hear public debate.
• Bring a picnic and spend a while by the Serpentine.
• Combine it with Kensington Palace, which is on the western side of the park.