The Regent's Park

Regent’s Park is my go-to place for walks and my regular football games on Saturday mornings. The park is absolutely beautiful all year round, with wide open spaces, well-kept paths, and stunning gardens, especially the rose garden in summer. It’s perfect for a peaceful walk, jogging, or just relaxing on a bench and people-watching. The sports fields are great and well maintained, which makes playing football there a real pleasure. There’s plenty of wildlife, too. The atmosphere is lively but never feels overcrowded, and it’s easy to find quieter corners if you want some solitude. Highly recommend Regent’s Park if you’re looking for a spot in London to enjoy nature, exercise, or just unwind.

Regent’s Park, nestled in central London, is one of the capital’s finest Royal Parks, covering roughly 410 acres of beautifully maintained landscapes that provide a welcome escape from the city’s hustle. Its vast green spaces are a standout, with wide, well-kept lawns perfect for a range of activities—whether it’s a relaxed walk, a picnic with friends, or a bit of football. The greenery, dotted with mature trees, creates a calm and inviting setting, ideal for unwinding or soaking up some fresh air. The park’s fountains add a touch of class to the scene. The Italian Gardens, in particular, feature elegant water features that catch the eye and bring a serene, almost stately vibe to the place. The gentle trickle of water against the neatly trimmed hedges makes for a peaceful spot to pause and take it all in. The floral displays are another highlight, with Queen Mary’s Gardens stealing the show. Home to over 12,000 roses and a stunning variety of seasonal flowers, the gardens are a vibrant burst of colour, from springtime tulips to autumn blooms. The flowerbeds are carefully planned and maintained, showcasing the gardeners’ skill and making it a great spot for a leisurely stroll or a few photos. Beyond the lawns, fountains, and flowers, Regent’s Park has plenty to offer. Wide paths make it easy to explore, and there’s space for everything from quiet reflection to lively gatherings. Landmarks like the Open Air Theatre and London Zoo add extra appeal, but it’s the combination of lush greenery, graceful fountains, and vivid blooms that really makes the park special. In short, Regent’s Park is a top-notch destination that balances natural beauty with urban accessibility. Its green spaces, fountains, and floral displays create a refreshing and visually striking environment, making it a must-visit for anyone looking to enjoy London’s greener side.

One of the most beautiful parks in London! 🌿 It’s close to everything, especially my university, which makes it the perfect daily spot. Everyone here is either exercising, walking, relaxing with family, or just enjoying the peaceful atmosphere. The park is spacious, clean, and full of greenery. There are also small cafés and nice seating areas. Highly recommended for a walk, a jog, or simply to unwind. 💚

A beautiful green landscape to spend a wonderfully sunny afternoon at. This park has everything one imagine for an enjoyable picnic with family. The lawns are neat and amazingly maintained. The lakes and ponds within are well maintained. There is a dedicated play area with swings, rope walks, hurdle courses etc dedicated for children's entertainment. The array if flora and fauna present there is magnificent enough to engage even a none enthusiasts interest.

My review is based on a walk around a small portion of the park, with entry from the Hanover Gate side, up to the lake boating point. After taking a guided tour of the nearby Lord's, though a visit to this otherwise famous park was not in our itinerary, but realizing that it's just a short walk from the cricket ground, we thought of having a feel if the park. It was a pleasure to see and walk around this beautiful park... an abode of nature, so well preserved, so lively with positive vibes. People of all ages seemed to enjoy this playful lovely park. With a nice open-air restaurant overlooking the lake, it offered a picture postcard setting. Wish we could cover the entire park... May be next time I will.

A fantastic place to spend many hours. There is a rose garden and a boating pond so families can enjoy it too. If you go to the north of the park you can climb Primrose hill and have a great view of London

Beautiful, peaceful escape in central London! Stunning rose gardens, open green spaces, and lakeside paths. Great for walks, picnics, or relaxing. Don’t miss Queen Mary’s Gardens or the view from Primrose Hill! Can be a bit crowded on a sunny summer day, but can’t complain ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Beautiful park with a lot of floral elements and fountains. Also a lot of space to sit down to rest and have a picnic. Only issue is that it’s a long walk if you don’t sit on the train.

Perhaps you'll miss out on some over-stimulation while visiting The Regent's Park. You won't see many dancers, won't ride any rides, can't see any guards changing. But come for the scenery and relaxation to see why this Royal Park rivals all others on the list. You'll see roses most of the year, with an explosion of scent and color during high spring. Ask you symmetry fans won't leave disappointed either, with plenty of geometric shapes to satisfy the harshest shape critics. If you bike, even though you'll walk through much of the park. you'll have several roads to explore, including going around the Queen Mary's Garden loop x infinity. After that catch some match game ball sport activity or grab a degree or two from Regent's University on-site. Why not?!? Later in the morning the zoo calls, and if you're not local, you have plenty of hotel choices nearby. Or do like us locals and stroll over from a nearby tube stop. You'll find Baker Street, Regent's, or Camden Townamong others within 15 mins or so, and of course pass plenty of food stops along the way. If you go into too much tourism-withdrawal, you remain close to the London city-center scene, all the while knowing you can escape back to serenity like the royalty did here before it was open to all us plebes. Remember they close those big golden gates at dusk, which is way too early in winter, and look out for me there next time because I'll be returning again and again and again.

Now I could type something inane like "London just wouldn't be London unless you take time to stroll through the Regent's Park." That trite statement does have the basis of truth because the park made the ideal bucolic crescendo after walking Regent's Canal and Primrose Hill in the oppressive heat this past summer. Over 400 acres of open space, it contains the city zoo, an open-air theatre, and beautifully maintained gardens, in particular, Queen Mary's Gardens smack in the middle (photo: https://bit.ly/3BlCLcs). The Broad Walk was indeed that as it allowed Jamie W., me, and hundreds of uniformed school children to enjoy the breadth of this world-class promenade (photo: https://bit.ly/3RIZPr0). So London wouldn't be London unless... RELATED - Exploring London? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/3zFACrx

Perhaps one of the most regal parks in London, it is also ginormous, and if you're like most people new to the area- or just me- you have a 99.999% chance of getting lost. Being a newborn Londoner, myself, I had only ever come here during the Winter months and only experienced it for the first time in the Spring on a sunny Easter Sunday, mere days after the lockdown restrictions were lifted. I can't say I'm surprised that everybody and their grandma- literally- had come out to enjoy the sunshine, but I had forgotten there were this many humans in the world. Thankfully, the park is spacious enough to hold thousands of people with plenty of space to spare, so don't let the cooties frighten you. It's safe to come get your daily dose of vitamin D amidst the splendor of nature. It has everything you could want in a park: Lakes, bridges, plenty of lush trees providing shade, gardens to enjoy the flowers, enormous fields- big enough to hold several different ball games at once- playgrounds, cafes, and yes, even a zoo. As with most London parks, it's gorgeous in its own right and has plenty of photo-friendly places in which to hang out with friends and family. It's also not very far from a lot of tourist attractions, including the Sherlock Holmes museum, Oxford Street, and Piccadilly Circus just a short bus ride away. And, let's not forget the large variety of restaurants and cafes just down the street. If you play your cards right, you can enjoy a day of shopping, strolling, and picnicking all in one go. Personally, I love zenning out in the more secluded areas of this park, which aren't too hard to snag during the week. The only downside here is the lack of sufficient restrooms; especially during the weekends. The queues were about a 40-minute wait when I was there, and believe me, that's an eternity when you have a full bladder and nowhere else to go for miles. The gentlemen won't have this problem, but for the ladies... come prepared.

Peaceful place to relax. No Trouble or problems. Enjoying time. Not like parks in America, People Drinking starting problems Trash everywhere, weed smell everywhere you go, violence everywhere. Don't have to worry about Mass shootings in the UK I'm retiring to this country

Wondering whether it's the right place for what you had in mind? Wonder no more. Within the Regent's Park you shall find: - The best picnic spots in town, including for small / medium family gatherings - Plenty of quiet areas to stay away from the crowds with small children - Squirrels and wildlife aplenty (don't feed them) - Buggy-friendly paved paths and a whole-a canal with kayakers and paddle boarders - An open-air theatre and cafes - Sports pitches (no drop-ins) - A zoo (actually, THE zoo) - An panoramic hill nearby (Primrose) And if you just fancy a nice walk, you are in the right place.

Very nice city park for strolling. Paved walk paths, rose garden, cafe, tennis, open air theatre, zoo. Very green. Good for cycling. Quick walk from Paddington station.

This park is a dream. If you're short on time and deciding between Hyde and Regent's, go with Regent's! It's so beautiful and filled with so many gems, like little bridges, lakes filled with ducks, swinging benches, rose gardens, and vast open spaces. I just kept on walking and kept saying "wow," even on a dreary London afternoon. There's even a boating area, a tennis court, and a zoo! I wandered for an hour and saw maybe a quarter of it, and considered myself so lucky to be able to do so. Just come for a stroll, a picnic, or some photos, and experience the serenity and gorgeousness!

A very beautiful park with a lot of open space and different areas with different characters. This was my first time to this park and I could spend a whole day here walking around seeing the different areas, people watching, and just enjoying the outdoors. If your in the city and just want a quick get away, this is a nice spot to get fresh air and sun. There are several places in the park to have a quick bite and also use the bathroom.

I came here with my bf for a stroll in the sun! I thought we might get bored after a little while, but being in the beautiful gardens with everyone around us happy and laughing or feeding squirrels, it was just delightful =) There are a couple of cafes/bars to get drinks and food, but these were busybusy on such a lovely day, with long queues. We were keen to enjoy ourselves without spending money too, so the park was perfect for us. There was a very sweet garden area which was almost an island surrounded by water. It has little bridges to cross the water and a windy path though it. We spotted a couple just sitting relaxing and cosying up which was very cute indeed. A perfect romantic spot for a sunny happy day!

I regarded Regent's park as "the Central Park" in London. It is the best park in London and that used to be royal park. There are many people picnicking on the grass, doing excise, chilling with friends, chatting on a bench, this is a best place for people watching and forget all the craziness about the country. If you do not come to the park on the late of march to early April, you are doing it wrong, for several cherry trees are in bloom. Reminder, make sure you are wearing a comfortable shoes and carrying some water and food with you, the park is so huge with very few shop.

Beautiful park and in a great location. This park is perfect to bring the family to as well. It's very open and ready to go and explore and see a couple of hidden gems here and there. The flowers around the park are simply beautiful. There are plenty of cute little ducks too!

Regents Park is a beautiful large sized Royal Park that is set in north-west of London. There is so much to do in the park from sitting or walking through the lovely gardens, visit the canal or lake that also have a heronry, waterfowl and a boating area, café, play on one of the sports pitches, London Zoo, or even take children's to one of the playgrounds. I always find Regents Park a lovely place to go and have a picnic and take in the beautiful surroundings and the lovely flowers that are in bloom in that season. I find having a picnic near the zoo area is the best as you can sit back and relax and listen to the animals from the zoo and watch people walking their dogs and children playing. You may get a friendly squirrel or two come over to try to get a sneaky bite from yourself. Also another nice spot in Regents Park is taking one of the boats on the lake. Regents Park holds many events throughout the year such as Taste of London which is all about food/restaurants that are in London to give tastings. I highly recommend to anyone that loves walking, greenery, gardens/flowers, sculptures, canals/lakes and wildlife especially friendly squirrels.

This is probably one of my favourite parks. Right in the centre of London separating Camden From Soho. It is smaller than some of the other London Parks but still worth a visit. During the winter time you can watch football and rugby, in the summertime it's cricket and rounders. It is split into The Inner Circle, London Zoo, the Playing Fields, The Boating Lake, The Outdoor Theatre, The Tennis Courts and the River of Birds. These are my own labels for the different areas. Surrounding the Park is the Outer Circle which contains embassy homes. So don't be shocked if you see a couple of armed police on guard. Finally if you get bored you can always go down and walk along Regents Canal, another hidden gem of London.

Regents Park is certainly one of my favourite parks in London, particularly because of the fact that it is really large and it is very conveniently centrally located. Some parts of the park can become a little bit full of tourists, mainly in the summer, but if you know where to go you always find a lovely quiet spot!

A group of us went boating on Regents Park boating lake to celebrate my husband's birthday this last weekend and we had one of the loveliest days in recent memory. The little cafe alongside the lake is surprisingly cheap and yummy (Pizza with chorizo, mushrooms, and onions, enough to serve 2-3 people, 6.75GBP.... not too shabby!), and the boating itself is not bad-- 6.50 per person per hour, I think-- and we all had a really, really wonderful time. It being springtime and all, there were sooooo maaaaaany baaaaaby duuuuuckies!!!! They were black and fluffy and "peep!"-y and the cutest things EVAR. That took the experience from being wonderful to being squeal-inducingly awesome. The day way made even better by the attire of our male companions. All us girls forced them to shave mutton chops into their beards/hair, and we got them straw boaters and suspenders from a fancy dress shop. They read us poetry while we daintily spun our parasols and it was pretty much the best thing in history.

The Regent's Park is so much better than any park I've visited in London. Green grass everywhere, a billion flowers and a lovely lay out makes it easy to enjoy. Lots of straight lines and flower gardens make for excellent pictures, though my iPhone was a bit underclassed. As with so many places here in London, the history is amazing and also subtle. It's called Regent's Park after it was commissioned by the (duh!) Prince Regent in 1811. John Nash was the architect, as he was for many other historic London landmarks including Trafalgar Square. What's amazing is that once in the park, you can't see any of the tall buildings - not even the BT tower. And you can't hear any of the usual street noises from the buses or lorries ("trucks" in American). Just the occasional aircraft far overhead as it turns for Heathrow or London City. It's a perfect picnic spot or just a quiet stroll. Well mapped with access from nearby Regent's Park, Baker Street and Portland Street tube stations. Facilities abound.

One of my biggest concerns when first planning my stay in London was the expense involved. By all accounts, London can be quite an expensive city... But, I quickly learned there are a number of affordable and free options for enjoying this great city--museums and parks provide a great opportunity to take in much of what London has to offer free of charge. Regent's Park is located conveniently on the boundary of Camden and Westminster near a couple different lines of public transport. The park is a spralling area with a number of different areas filled with flowers and fountains. There are also open spaces for enjoying a bit of recreation and a large pond which I had the pleasure of seeing at sunset. My one tip here would be not to sit on any of the lawn chairs... The lawn chair fairy swoops down on tourists and demands payment.

I can't even begin to express how much I loved this park. It's large and GORGEOUS! Queen Mary's Rose Garden, the ponds, all the plants and other flowers... just absolutely incredible. If you visit London, you need to visit this park! It's a great place to sit and relax and just enjoy the incredible scenery. I would love to go back next time I visit London!

If you only go to one park in London, make it Regent's Park. It is absolutely beautiful and there are many things to see and do here including the zoo, ponds and rose gardens. Its perfect as a picnic destination, and on nice days, you can see lots of people having lunch here. I actually had an Easter dinner here with friends which was followed by us falling asleep on the blankets! I was lucky enough to attend Regent's College which is located in the middle of the park next to Queen Mary's gardens. It made going to classes seem a little better when you got to spend some time there!

I always find parks situated in somewhat densely populated city centers fascinating and this is no exception. Instead of just strolling along the wide and straight paths you might be able to pretend to be a Londoner by picking up the pace, plus there's just so much to see and feel. Do check out the outdoor ping pong table located beside the tennis courts. Paddles and balls are available for your enjoyment.

Had a great picnic dinner here with my husband in late July. Weather was perfect, roses in bloom. We did a lazy picnic and ordered the picnic dinner from Paul down the street. They give you sandwiches/salad, two drinks and two delicious desserts in a cooler bag with utensils and a paper tablecloth. It was adorable and only 15 pounds! Great idea for a cheap date night. Pick up a bottle of wine to top it off. Drinking in parks in London is legal! Afterwards we walked around the gardens and had a great relaxing time. We will definitely do it again when we get our "real" picnic basket!

I envy London its beautiful parks, and while I've loved every one I've entered, Regents was probably my favorite. It was absolutely gorgeous, with plentiful greenery and lovely gardens, and a huge lake frequented by swans and ducks and geese. There were lots of places to sit, and the park was also perfect for a long stroll. The only downside I could think of was the massive amount of duck shit, but that's a minor complaint. I'm not well versed enough in park design to say why I prefer Regents to Hyde Park or the Kensington Gardens, but I do. Something about it is more elegant, expansive, and relaxing. I wish I could take it home with me and plant it in Los Angeles.

We discovered the Regent's Park by chance a few years ago on our first visit to London while walking along the Regent's Canal. It became our favourite spot in London. We like it so much that it was the main reason why we decided to have an extended stay in London when we returned to Europe for vacation earlier this year. The Regent's Canal with houseboats along the shores just along the NW edge of the park is a great place to begin the exploration. Queen Mary's Garden offers great picnic spots among the rose orchards. Amidst a vast expanse of lush green parkland is a boating lake enjoyed by both rowers and wildlife, an open air theatre and numerous cafés and concession stands. A short walk due north from the park is Primrose Hill which offers a fantastic view of the financial centre of London.

Beautiful park with a lake. Very busy in the summer. Open theatre Perfect for a picnic! Flowers, trees, plants, birds, what else do we need?! :)

Absolutely a dream park, combining wide open spaces, beautifully established trees, elegant formal gardens, lakes, a brook, a canal, wildlife and "tamelife" (many of the birds are so accustomed to people they'll let you come almost close enough to touch them), and a variety of organized activities suitable for everyone. There's even a flying trapeze school that operates in the park during the summer months every year. For a city park, this is just about as good as it gets in my estimation.

If I ever needed to propose to someone, I would totally do it in Regent's Park, right after I finish scoffing at society's expectations of gender roles. I would probably do it by the old cast-iron bandstand, next to all the weeping willows and swans. No-- I'd do it in the topiary garden, in front of one of the epic fountain-statues. No wait--I'd do it in the middle of the London Zoo, because who doesn't want a thousand monkeys and camels and giraffes to witness the most important moment on your Facebook timeline. I can't decide. Whoever I wind up marrying will just have to deal with multiple proposals, because my Instagram needs this. But even if you're not trying to propose, Regent's Park is one of the best things about living in London. Everything is always impeccably maintained, and there's space for recreational activities. I think I've spotted Quidditch games a few times. If I lived closer, I would run here everyday. Also, if I was anywhere near physically fit and motivated to run everyday, but that's another story...

Fun park for a stroll. And it's used by locals - e.g., soccer teams, etc.

Beautiful park - you don't feel like you are in the busy centre of London! Great for a wander around the lake (where you can rent pedalos). Also tennis courts for the active! The real treasure is in the inner circle - Alexandra gardens. Beautiful rose garden, lovely pond with waterfall and island, open air theatre and a nice cafe with a good menu! Looking forward to going back for a picnic!

Amazing place!!! I've been here so many times with so many people, and it's always pleasant having a walk around here. Has the lake with boats (still need to do that!), sports fields, little bridges, circular flower areas, and even the cute little London Zoo (with lemurs and giraffes!) :D

It's such a great thing to get lost in Regent's park! I try to go at times when it's not too busy, particularly if I want to have a coffee as it can be impossible (beware of turists during Spring and Summer mostly! :) Am I wrong or the squirrels are particularly friendly here?

If your ever in London - you can't miss this royal park. Its well manicured and very large enough an open space in London to relax. Anything from jogging, cycling, yoga, roller blading, walking, snuggling with your lover (don't get caught) is the activity of this park. Its got a long piece of history, but I ain't getting into that bit. They also host many festivals like the recently eco-awarness campaign, music festivals, art festivals and so on. For christmas this park will be lit up very beautifully. I remember one particular ocassion where a few of us friends headed off to the park only because it was snowing. We had such a ball, like kids playing in snow. And soaked ourselves completely. Summers are blooming as is everything in that season.

Regents Park with a stunning park to take a stroll in, it has absolutely everything, beautiful flower bed arrangements in abundance and large fields to play a game of football, lakes where you can take a rowing boat out, and it also boast the largest outdoor sports area in Central London. The Park has an open air theatre (end of May to early September), bandstands (which hold a variety of lunchtime and evening concerts), puppet shows and the almighty London Zoo is in Regents park too. The list never ends, the park also has a brilliant café/ restaurant, that being 'the Garden Café', where you can get a takeaway or a sit and dine. A road circles the whole park, with great white buildings on one side, and the park on the other, where during days and evenings you will see joggers circling the park. Two Roads do go into the park where you will find another circular road, circling the inner area, hope that makes sense, reason why I say that, is because it is a great drive. This is my favourite park in London and is for so many others.

I adore this park so much! It's large but with small pockets of things like the stunning rose garden or the entire stretch next to the lake which really make it stand out from anywhere else. The long paths lined with trees as you walk towards the inner circle are a great choice for a run or a romantic stroll. There is usually a large mix of people at all times from families to big groups of teenagers. Regardless, the vibe is always friendly and everyone is just doing their own thing. We took a big picnic here last weekend, had a large spot all to ourselves under the tree and then took an utterly satisfying nap. I can't believe I haven't been doing this every weekend! Thoroughly recommend.

One of the most beautiful park in London !! You have so many arts, flowers and squirrels !! It's really beautiful to see that plus you have the London zoo close to Camden in case after you want to pass by the market.

I love Regents Park, it so big and well looked after. It can get crowded at times, but due to its size, it's not really a problem. I love the rose garden when they're in bloom, it's the perfect picnic spot! You can also visit the sports pitches to watch people sweat, there's the Regents Park theatre and the Zoo and so many other things to see. It's such a gorgeous park, one of my favourites in London.

This place is literally a Paradise!! It's peaceful and beautiful! For those who love roses as me: you will adore Regent's park!! So many colors, smells.. you'll definitely love it!

Absolutely stunning park with beautiful trees and flowers throughout. This has got to be my favourite park in London. You can wander round for hours, it's very peaceful.

Regents park. Whats not to love. Duckies? CHECK Fish? CHECK Beautiful flowers and trees? CHECK Lovely but slightly overpriced cafe? YOU BETCHA! There's so many hidden little spots of loveliness in Regents Park Whether you're taking your dog for a walk, feeding the over-friendly possibly rabies infested squirrels or reenacting the last moments of Withnail and I, this is the place to do it! (Disclaimer: Regents Park gets incredibly muddy in winter, so stick to the paths!)

This is by far my favourite park in central London. I walk through or run here almost daily and I couldn't have been luckier in this respect. Regent's Park is a beautiful oasis of green sceneries, positioned in between the busy Marylebone and Baker Street areas and the much calmer St John's Wood. At certain locations within, it's hard to believe that you're actually so close to central London. There is always plenty to do here whatever you set your mind on. If you fancy a quiet walk there is much to enjoy including the beautiful lakes and gardens, the great variety of flowers, plenty of birds and squirrels in their natural habitat, and, if you're lucky, even creatures such as owls and foxes, particularly rare in the big city environment. The park is also famous for its sporting facilities, including many football and cricket pitches, as well as some good tennis courts near the Inner Circle. While the areas specifically set out for sports have to be booked, there is always plenty of space for a casual ball game. There are also many brilliant sites for picnicking, some well hidden from the views of passers by. Or you can simply sit on the bench and enjoy a newspaper under the occasional London sun. Whatever the expectations, it's certainly hard to remain indifferent or disappointed in this wonderful environment.

I have not been here in years, but was delighted to grace its presence on New Years Eve. This was are end destination from cycling from North West London. We took pictures in on front of the Great Black and Gold Gate and had lunch at Regents bar and kitchen after we said our goodbyes I headed off and had a gentle ride around the large lake. Even though it got quite chilly families were out,feeding pigeons and Swans. Runners were still out as well. I used to go collage near here and never knew a Royal Park was so close by. I can't wait to return and really take it all in-but in warm weather.

Do you know this amazing park? Yes for sure! From here, you will have a great point of view which able you to see the London Eye...The name is Primrose hill. You have ever seen this french movie named "Les poupées russes"? The both main characters went there to appreciate this view...So why not do the same! Other way, just have a rest in this beautiful park! You should see runners, groups, families, walkers,..and you!

Stunning space. So fresh and exciting. And anywhere where you can picnic right before the show is a hit with me!! Magical atmosphere with fairy lights, music, BBQ smells. I've seen three musicals and one Shakespeare here over 3 years and the productions themselves are amazingly cast, incredibly directed and overall some of the best shows I have ever seen. And I've seen alot!!

Such a lovely park for an afternoon stroll. So many beautiful paths and so much to see! The trees looked especially beautiful yesterday with the fall colors and sunshine. Many families walking enjoying the sights. Highly recommend!

Regent's park is brill. It's one of the more "posh" parks because it's got things like tennis courts, rose gardens, beautiful fountains, an open air theatre, and just overall absolutely beautifully kept everything- from sweet gardens to cricket grounds. It's my oasis, my escape, my love!

A beautiful park to walk through to get to work each day. Football and rugby pitches are available via some sort of booking system, but I mostly stick to the paths. The dogs are friendly, their owners not so and the park is filled with magpies. So many you run out of rhymes.

Regent's Park could get a walrus to strap on a pair of kicks and go running. Believe. Paved trails weave through vast open greens, stunning rose gardens, open air theatres, boating lakes, and even a zoo. And with all of the football, rugby and frisbee that is being played, inspiration is readily available. I'm not quite sure how a park can make running romantic, but this is certainly the case at Regent's Park. I most enjoy coming in the early mornings when I feel I'm a part of a secret runners society -- puffs of breath can be seen beckoning each fellow runner's anticipated step, and it seems that the park was built just for us. Perfect for a 6 or 8k jog, there is something amusing to stare at around every turn which makes the time fly. Just be aware of this running euphoria or before you know it, it will backfire with a nasty stress fracture from all that pavement pounding. Nothing romantic about that, now is there?

My favorite park in London. Pack a lunch and eat it here. Then, meander south-wards to exit near 221b Baker Street.

My absolute favorite park in London...yep, it's even better than the more 'iconic' Hyde Park. Elaborate gardens and wildlife and lakes and tranquil, hidden nooks all within Zone 1. If you're a tourist with limited time, forget Hyde Park...THIS is the must-see Royal Park destination.

Vast and beautiful. Lots of clean air and beautiful doggies. Very nice.