What to Do in Hyde Park

As many attractions as London has, the green side of the capital deserves some attention. Not many people know, but London is one of the greenest capital cities in the world, with green spaces large and small dotted about the place.

And, undoubtedly, Hyde Park is one of the very best. Covering a vast area and full of things to see and do, it’s somewhere you won’t want to miss on your visit to London. Like Central Park in New York, it’s an attraction in and of itself. And, best of all, you’re ideally placed with one of Montcalm’s London Paddington hotel deals to make the most of it.

Boat on the Serpentine

Hyde Park, as large as it is, is almost bisected by the Serpentine Lake. Running straight across the park, the lake is the perfect place to grab one of the boats on offer and enjoy some lazy summer boating.

There are traditional rowboats available if you want to feel like a well-to-do Victorian fun goer or pedal boats if you don’t feel like exerting yourself too much. It’s the perfect location to paddle out, pick up oars and relax. You may also spot some of the many species of wild bird that call the lake area home, so you might want to come prepared and bring some fodder for them as well. And, if you get tired, you’re only a quick walk from Montcalm spa near Paddington.

Visit the Two art Galleries On-Site

Unlike most parks, where you might find some broken play equipment or a rundown pavilion, Hyde Park sports two art galleries.

Created as a peaceful, off-the-beaten-track refuge for lovers of modern art, the two Serpentine Galleries are impressive in their own right. Featuring beautiful Victorian architecture, the galleries are all about contemporary, cutting-edge art and you may very well see sculptures and installations here and there about Hyde Park. So if you see a vast, bizarre structure in the middle of the park, you’ll know that it’s part of Hyde Park’s storied tradition of playing host to artists and designers.

The two galleries alone are worth a trip to Hyde Park, and you should seek them out. The best news? If you’re staying at one of our hotels near Paddington Station London, you’re right on top of these glorious galleries.

Kensington Palace and Gardens

Right down at the southern end of Hyde Park, you’ll find the stunning Kensington Palace. It’s almost enough alone to justify grabbing one of the many Montcalm London Paddington hotel deals.

A favourite haunt of Queen Victoria – she met and married her beloved Prince Albert there – the palace and its attendant gardens are a beautiful sight and a great place to sit and appreciate the Victorian gorgeousness of the surroundings.

While there, you might notice a huge, exquisitely made tower, and that’s the famous Albert Memorial. The Albert Memorial is one of the most stunning outcrops of Queen Victoria’s grief, and there’s a reason it dominates the immediate area. Right in the centre you’ll find a gold relief sculpture of Albert, ever youthful and surveying the park.