Did you know that just over one quarter of London is made up of parkland?  In fact, there are so many open green spaces to enjoy in London, we thought you might like to find out which are our top 10.

1. Greenwich Park

Greenwich Park played host to the London 2012 Olympics’ equestrian events and there can be few more picturesque views of the UK’s capital city than from the hill near the Royal Observatory. Visit the magnificent Christopher Wren-designed Flamsteed House and straddle the famous meridian line which separates the world’s eastern and western hemispheres. Close by this famous royal park, which is steeped in history, you’ll find the National Maritime Museum, the Queen’s House, the Old Royal Naval College and the Cutty Sark.

2. Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens

If it’s a nice day, then before you enter London’s magnificent Hyde Park, you should climb the inside of the Wellington Arch monument at Hyde Park Corner. In doing so you will be rewarded with superb views of this glorious park which extends as far as Notting Hill to the west. Take a leisurely meander through the park (a mere two miles across) and you will take in such eminent sights as The Serpentine and Serpentine Gallery, Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain, the Albert Memorial, Royal Albert Hall and Kensington Palace.

3. Regent’s Park

Of all the London parks, the John Nash-designed Regent’s Park is considered to be the most ordered – and one of the most elaborate too. There are plenty of attractions to explore here including: numerous rose gardens and ponds, an ornamental lake, Regent’s Canal, London Zoo and an open-air theatre (Queen Mary’s Gardens), where Shakespeare is performed during the summer season.

4. Hampstead Heath & Primrose Hill

If you like getting closer to nature then you will adore spending time at Hampstead Heath on your next London vacation. The Heath’s 320 hectares of woodlands and meadows contains around 180 bird species, 23 species of butterflies, numerous bats, grass snakes and a rich variety of flora. It’s the perfect place for a ramble, particularly if you end up on Parliament Hill, which enjoys the most expansive views of the city vista, as well as being the most popular place in London to “go fly a kite!”

5. Green Park

London’s Green Park covers 19 hectares and is bordered by Constitution Hill, Piccadilly and Queens Walk. It enjoys a far quieter setting that that of its near neighbour St James’ Park and as such, Green Park makes for a popular venue for walkers, joggers and cyclists. Deck chairs are available to hire during daylight hours from March to October and Spring is the perfect time to enjoy a picnic among the 250,000 daffodils that bloom into life during the season.

6. Richmond Park

If Green Park is the smallest of the royal parks then Richmond Park is the largest. Its attractions include 300 Red Deer and 350 fallow deer, the Isabella Plantation (an ornamental woodland garden), nine species of bats, plus foxes, rabbits, shrews, mice and voles. Oh yes, and it is a breeding ground for Stag Beetles which have a maximum lifespan of seven years. In Germany the Stag Beetle used to be associated with Thor – God of Thunder – and a myth abounds which says that if you place a Stag Beetle upon your head it will stop you getting struck by lightning. (Probably best not try it).

7. Holland Park

Holland Park is both a district and a beautiful park within The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, one of London’s wealthiest boroughs. The Park contains 22 hectares of lush gardens, the beautiful and Zen-like Kyoto Garden, a café, numerous sports facilities and several areas of woodland teeming with wildlife. Youngsters are well catered for here too, with play facilities and an Ecology Centre which runs a wildlife club for children, educational programmes and events, plus workshops for schools. If you want to spend a couple of hours away from it all, yet close to civilisation, then Holland Park makes the perfect destination for your next London vacation.

8. Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

If you haven’t visited this area of London recently, then you are in for a real treat. Work began on transforming this vast east London site in 2008 in time for the 2012 London Olympic Games and is on course to realise the legacy of the Games around 2038!

Meantime, on your next London vacation, do drop by and admire the magnificent Olympic Stadium, the striking Aquatics Centre, the award-winning Velodrome, (known as the “Pringle”) and Anish Kapoor’s not to be missed ArcelorMittal Orbit – aka the “Hubble Bubble Pipe.” Not that you could miss this vertiginous 114m spiraling red tower even if you tried to! Perhaps you’ll summon the energy to scale its dizzy heights and revel in the magnificent 360-degree views across the city of London that await you.

9. Camley Street Natural Park N1C 4PW

A secret garden? In the middle of one of London’s busiest urban hubs?

Camley Street Natural Park, run by the London Wildlife Trust offers an intimate two acres of wild meadow, woodland and water, right in the heart of London’s King’s Cross, on the banks of the Regent’s Canal. As well as seasonal plants, you’ll discover a rich haven for wildlife including bees, birds, butterflies and amphibians. It’s a great place to get away from all the hustle and bustle and “recharge your batteries.”

10. Victoria Park

Victoria Park is London’s oldest public park, having served Londoners since 1843 as a facility for leisure, relaxation and sport.

Down the years, this venue has played host to many annual festivals, shows and events and although Vicky Park” as she is affectionately known among the locals, attracts over 12 million visitors a year, she remains something of an undiscovered gem to the majority of tourists enjoying a London vacation.

This impressive 86-hectare parkland which boasts no less than 19 separate entrances, underwent redevelopment in time for the 2012 London Olympics when “Vicky” enjoyed a much needed spruce up!

Victoria Park Village which has an eclectic mix of independent local shops, plus bars, delis, cafes and restaurants is well worth a browse too.