Regent's Park

Regent's Park has everything an urban explorer could wish for: big open spaces, a lake to row on, spectacular gardens, ducks and swans in quantity, ideal picnic spots and alfresco theatre and music.


Once part of the ancient Forest of Middlesex, and subsequently a royal hunting forest, Regent's Park is still owned by the Crown and, including Primrose Hill to the north, covers 472 acres. This large open space has survived a tortuous history dominated by self-interest, greed and commercial need.

The story began when Henry VIII enclosed the ancient woodland for his hunting. Over the following centuries it repeatedly came under threat as monarchs and Lord Protector alike sold off leases. By the late seventeenth century it was largely let off in smallholdings and during the eighteenth century these farms supplied hay and dairy produce to most of London.


Regent's Park is the result of a remarkable coincidence of royal enlightenment, architectural theatre, peaceful times and a large tract of land becoming available. In 1811, the Prince Regent, later George IV, and his architect, John Nash, conceived and completed a Regency backbone for London stretching from St. Jame's Park up Regent Street and Portland Place to Regent's Park. After vast earth-moving activities, the park was given its undulating lawns, lake, garden and trees, all ringed by grand terrace backdrops and dotted with just eight of the 56 planned villas.


What was designed as a garden city for nobles is now the most elegant of London parks. It has been open to the public since 1835, when Regent's Canal was one of the busiest stretches of canal in Britain. Londoners flocked to visit the zoo, Inner Circle Gardens and Avenue Gardens, which W.A. Nesfield designed in 1864. Its 197 ha (487 acres) easily absorb the many Muslims strolling from the gold-domed Central Mosque, patrons of the Open Air Theatre, cricketers -- and many others besides.

Regent's Park is renowned for its excellent sports facilities. The boating lake, which has many varieties of water birds, is marvellously romantic, especially when music drifts across from the bandstand in the distance. Queen Mary's Gardens are a mass of wonderful sights and smells in summer, when visitors can enjoy Shakespeare productions at the Open Air Theatre nearby. Travel to London and visit Regent's Park. If London does not appeal to you, visit Travel Blog which introduces you to many places in the world. The travel blog writes about North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia, Oceania, and Southeast Asia. Browse by destinations or things to do, travel blog also has forum and travel deals for you -- "Purchase your Virgin Atlantic flight on Orbitz today and see for yourself how extraordinary Economy Class can be on flights to London!" quoted from the travel blog.


"Parks are the lungs of London", said William Pitt as he addressed Parliament in the 19th century. By 1850 half the population lived in cities and it was widely agreed that public spaces were needed for health and recreation. Within a few years London had established itself as one of the greenest cities in Europe. Today it has more parks and open spaces than any other city in the world.