5 Best Parks and Gardens in London (2026)

Independently ranked by our review of ratings, reviews and reputation · How we chose

By Vespera Quill, Expert in Local Experiences and Cultural Analysis · ✓ Data verified August 2026 · 7 min read

Some of the best parks and gardens in London are barely a few acres, and that's the point: This is a list for sitting still, not sightseeing. Over 86,000 Google reviews back these spaces, with ratings running from 4.5 to 4.7, so almost any of them will do for an afternoon. The real difference is what kind of quiet you're after.

Short answer: St James's Park and the Kyoto Garden both hold 4.7 stars, with St James's the far larger space (over 63,000 reviews) and famous for its resident pelicans, while the Kyoto Garden inside Holland Park is a compact Japanese-style garden with a waterfall and koi pond. Victoria Embankment Gardens and Buckingham Palace Garden both sit at 4.6, and most of these green spaces are free to enter, though the Palace garden opens to the public only in summer.

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1. St James's Park
2. Kyoto Garden
3. Victoria Embankment Ga…
4. Buckingham Palace Gard…
5. Island Gardens
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London's Parks and Gardens Compared

#	Business	Rating	Reviews	Best for
1	St James's Park	4.7 ★	63,277	A long walk with a lake and wildlife	View ›
2	Kyoto Garden	4.7 ★	13,861	A quiet Japanese-style garden	View ›
3	Victoria Embankment Gardens	4.6 ★	3,608	A quick sit-down near the Thames	View ›
4	Buckingham Palace Garden	4.6 ★	3,047	A rare look at a royal garden	View ›
5	Island Gardens	4.5 ★	2,534	River views and a walk to Greenwich	View ›

5 Best Parks and Gardens in London (2026)

The parks and gardens, one by one

#1 Overall🕑 Open 7 days

St James's Park

4.763,277 Google reviews

St James's Park is a Royal Park in central London with a central lake, resident pelicans that have lived there since 1664, level walking paths, two cafes, and views toward Buckingham Palace on one side and Whitehall on the other. It's open from early morning to midnight daily.

What people praise

Level, easy-walking paths praised for accessibility
Pelicans and other wildlife are a repeated highlight for visitors
Flowerbeds in spring called some of the best in London
Two cafes and toilets on site, useful for longer visits

Reputation scorecardrank in London

Rating4.7 / 5

Review volume63,277 · 94th

Confidencevery high

Recency5 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown79% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The largest and most-reviewed green space here by a wide margin, and the pick if you want a proper walk with wildlife rather than a quick sit-down.

Website +443000612350 Directions

London SW1A 2BJ

#2🕑 Open 7 days

Kyoto Garden

4.713,861 Google reviews

The Kyoto Garden sits inside Holland Park in west London, a Japanese-style garden opened in 1991 as a gift from the city of Kyoto, built around a tiered waterfall, a koi pond, stone lanterns, and maple trees, with peacocks from the wider park often wandering through.

What people praise

Waterfall and koi pond described as a genuinely calming focal point
Autumn maples and spring cherry blossoms both praised as standout seasons
Peacocks from Holland Park are a recurring highlight for visitors

Worth knowing

Small footprint means narrow paths that get crowded at peak times
Limited accessibility for wheelchairs on the path around the waterfall

Reputation scorecardrank in London

Rating4.7 / 5

Review volume13,861 · 83th

Confidencevery high

Recency6 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · hours

Rating breakdown77% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: Matches St James's Park on rating despite being a fraction of the size. Go early on a weekday if you want the quiet, meditative experience reviewers describe.

Website Directions

Holland Park, Holland Park Ave, London W11 4UA

#3🕑 Open 7 days

Victoria Embankment Gardens

4.63,608 Google reviews

Victoria Embankment Gardens is a small public garden running along the Thames near Villiers Street, with manicured lawns, a notable tropical border in summer, mature trees, several statues, and a bandstand that hosts events through the season. It's open daily from 8am.

What people praise

Described as intimate and calm despite sitting in a busy part of town
Benches and quiet corners praised for short breaks between sightseeing
Floral displays, especially the summer tropical border, called a highlight

Reputation scorecardrank in London

Rating4.6 / 5

Review volume3,608 · 72th

Confidencevery high

Recency3 months ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown70% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The pick if you want somewhere to sit for twenty minutes near Charing Cross without leaving central London. Small, but reviewers consistently call it a genuine escape.

Website +442076416000 Directions

Villiers St, London WC2N 6DU

#4🕑 Open 7 days

Buckingham Palace Garden

4.63,047 Google reviews

Buckingham Palace Garden is the private 39-acre garden behind Buckingham Palace, with a 3-acre lake, a 19th-century summerhouse, a long herbaceous border, and formal lawns used for royal garden parties. Public access is limited to guided tours and openings during the summer months.

What people praise

Described by visitors as one of London's best-kept secrets
Scale of the lawns and lake surprises most first-time visitors
Herbaceous border and rose garden singled out as standout features

Worth knowing

Only open to the public during limited summer dates, so plan ahead
Entry requires a paid ticket rather than free walk-in access

Reputation scorecardrank in London

Rating4.6 / 5

Review volume3,047 · 61th

Confidencevery high

Recency3 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown73% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: Worth the planning if your visit lines up with the summer opening. This is the one park on the list you genuinely cannot just wander into on a whim.

Website +442079304832 Directions

Buckingham Palace, Constitution Hill, Spur Rd, London SW1A 1AA

#5🕑 Open 7 days

Island Gardens

4.52,534 Google reviews

Island Gardens is a small riverside park in east London facing Greenwich across the Thames, with a cafe, seating, and the entrance to the historic Greenwich foot tunnel that lets you walk under the river to the other side.

What people praise

River views toward Greenwich and the Cutty Sark praised as some of the best in London
The foot tunnel to Greenwich is a genuine practical draw, not just a novelty
Cafe on site for a coffee with the view

Worth knowing

One reviewer noted the on-site toilet block was closed
Smaller and quieter than the other parks, so fewer amenities overall

Reputation scorecardrank in London

Rating4.5 / 5

Review volume2,534 · 50th

Confidencevery high

Recency4 months ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown66% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The pick if you're heading to or from Greenwich and want a scenic stop with a purpose, rather than a destination park in its own right.

Website +442073645227 Directions

Saunders Ness Rd, London E14 3PS

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Watch: 5 Best Parks and Gardens in London (2026)

How we rank

Every number on this page is computed from public Google data on the date shown, not from opinion or payment. Rating is the park or garden’s live Google star average. Review volume is how many visitors have rated it, ranked against the others on this page. Confidence weighs the rating by that volume, so a 4.7 from tens of thousands of visitors carries more weight than the same score from a few hundred.

What does it cost to visit London’s parks and gardens? (2026)

Most of the parks and gardens on this page are free to enter at any time. The one exception is Buckingham Palace Garden, which charges an entry fee and is only open to the public during limited summer dates, so check the current ticket price and opening window before planning around it.

Finding a park or garden near you

These spaces spread right across London, from St James’s Park and Victoria Embankment Gardens in the centre to the Kyoto Garden in west London, Buckingham Palace Garden just behind the palace, and Island Gardens out east facing Greenwich. Searching for parks and gardens near me? Each listing below shows the address and opening hours so you can plan the closest stop.

What to check before you go

Is the park free to enter, or does it need a ticket (as with Buckingham Palace Garden)?
What are today’s opening hours, since some vary by season?
Is there a cafe or toilets on site if I’m staying a while?
Are the paths step-free and pushchair or wheelchair friendly?
Is there a specific season, like cherry blossom or autumn colour, worth timing a visit around?

Frequently asked questions

How did you choose these parks and gardens?

We started from parks and gardens across London with a strong public Google presence, then ranked by rating, review volume, consistency, and recency. See How we rank above.

Are these rankings paid?

No. Rankings come from the public Google data in the scorecard. A business can pay to be a Featured Partner, which adds a badge and top placement, but that never changes another listing’s score or position on the underlying data.

How often is this updated?

The data carries a verified date (August 2026 on this page). We refresh listings periodically so ratings and review counts stay current.

Which of these parks and gardens are free to visit?

St James’s Park, the Kyoto Garden, Victoria Embankment Gardens, and Island Gardens are all free and open daily. Buckingham Palace Garden is the exception, ticketed and open to the public only during limited summer dates.

Which is best for a quick visit versus a longer walk?

St James’s Park suits a longer walk given its size and lake. Victoria Embankment Gardens and the Kyoto Garden are both small enough for a twenty to thirty minute stop between other plans.

The bottom line

St James’s Park is the safest all-round pick for a proper walk with wildlife and the deepest review history here, while the Kyoto Garden is worth the detour into Holland Park if a quieter, more contained space is what you’re after. Check opening dates first if Buckingham Palace Garden is the one you want.

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