This post provides information about Kensington Gardens and all the things there are to see and do in the area.
We'll also include details about how to get there, things to see in the area, nearby attractions, and even some of the best places to eat in the neighbourhood.
- Plan Your Visit
- Things to See and Do
- Nearby Attractions
- Places to Eat and Drink
- Best London Parks and Gardens
What is Kensington Gardens?
Once the private gardens of Kensington Palace, Kensington Gardens are now part of the Royal Parks of London and are open to the public.
Sitting adjacent to Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens is one of the most beautiful parks in the city.
Containing a palace, an art gallery, numerous statues, picturesque fountains, and two bodies of water, Kensington Gardens are a great place to explore.
Plan Your Visit
Getting to Kensington Gardens is relatively easy as it’s centrally located and its size means it is served by multiple London Underground lines.
Note: The Gardens are open only during daylight hours, so keep this in mind when planning your visit.
Underground Stations: Lancaster Gate, Queensway, Notting Hill Gate and High Street Kensington. Also walkable from Knightsbridge, although this is a bit further.
Rail Station: Paddington Station
Bus Routes: 9, 23, 49, 52, 70, 94, 148, 360, and 452
Tour Buses: Kensington Gardens is a stop on most hop-on hop-off buses like The Original Tour, Golden Tours and Big Bus Tours
Hotels: There are a number of hotels near Kensington Gardens. Check out TripAdvisor’s list of the closest ones HERE.
This section covers some of the best attractions to see in and around Kensington Gardens, including memorials, statues, art galleries, and more.
Many of these locations are included in our self-guided tour of Kensington Gardens.
See Art by Henry Moore
Henry Moore was one of England’s most renowned artists and was particularly known for his series depicting Londoners sheltering from the Blitz.
He was a master abstract sculptor and one of his pieces, The Arch 1979 - 1980, is located in Kensington Gardens.
Moore gifted the statue to the park in 1980, the piece is made of travertine marble and was restored and placed into its current position in 2021.
Kensington Palace
Built in the 17th century, Kensington Palace has been home to kings and queens ever since.
The birthplace of Queen Victoria and the former residence of Diana, Princess of Wales, the Palace has witnessed a lot of history over 300 years.
Today, the state rooms are open to the public and there’s a rotation of amazing exhibitions hosted here throughout the year.
It’s also currently home to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge so who knows, maybe you’ll get a chance to say ‘hi!’
Kensington Palace Gardens
Just outside Kensington Palace sit the stunning Palace Gardens. The Gardens are comprised of four separate parts:
The Sunken Garden
Completely replanted in white flowers in 2017 to commemorate Princess Diana, the Sunken Garden is also home to the newly created statue of the Princess, unveiled by her sons on what would have been her 60th birthday in 2021.
The Cradle Walk - An arched arbor of red-twigged lime that guests can walk through with arched viewpoints along the sides.
The Wildflower Meadow - Located to the southeast of the Palace, this part of the garden is filled with hundreds of beautiful wildflowers including poppies, campion, daisies, and countess others.
The Formal Garden - Commissioned by Queen Mary II, the gardens were redeveloped ber her sister Anne in the early 1700s into the stunning, classically English-style garden that sits here today.
This area is also home to the Orangery, an elaborate greenhouse built for Queen Anne which today is open to the public for afternoon tea.
And the best part of all of this is that the gardens are completely free to visit!
Explore the Gardens virtually with Sinead HERE!
Meet Queen Victoria
Most people think of Queen Victoria as a slightly grumpy old lady, but when she came to the throne at age 18 she was stylish and beautiful.
Thanks to her daughter, Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, Victoria’s coronation appearance is forever commemorated in Kensington Gardens with a white marble statue.
Princess Louise was a keen artist and carved the statue to commemorate her mothers’ Golden Jubilee in 1887 and today it sits just outside Kensington Palace, Victoria’s birthplace, for the public to appreciate.
Sit in the Italian Gardens
A real gem, the Italian Gardens sit at the northernmost edge of Kensington Gardens.
Designed by architect James Pennethorne in the 1860s, the fountains were built to mimic those that Queen Victoria and her husband, Prince Albert, had built at their private home on the Isle of Wight and were given as a gift from the Prince to the Queen.
Consisting of four fountains, several statues, stone urns, and stunning marble designs, the fountains are a relatively little-visited (in terms of tourism) hideaway in the city.
Explore the Serpentine Galleries
The Serpentine Galleries actually consist of two separate buildings, each one on either side of the Serpentine Bridge.
The Kensington Gardens side was the first, established in 1970 and located inside a former 1930s tea pavilion.
The Serpentine Gallery features contemporary art by both well-known and up-and-coming artists and is completely free.
Albert Memorial
Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s beloved husband of 21 years died unexpectedly in 1861 at the age of 42.
Victoria, who never recovered from the loss, commissioned a memorial dedicated to her husband, and the Albert Memorial was eventually opened in July 1872.
The memorial consists of an ornate canopy, sheltering a statue of the Prince, covered in real gold leaf (!), who is looking south, to the Royal Albert Hall and the Victoria and Albert Museum.
The entire structure is incredibly ornate with friezes, sculptures, and references to allegorical tales.
Note that on the first Sunday of each month, public tours are held which allow the public to get up close and take a great look at the detail of the frieze surrounding the base.
Walk beside the Long Water and See the Birds
Created in 1730 for Queen Caroline of Ansbach, the Long Water is the west half of the lake in Hyde Park known as the Serpentine - so it’s essentially one body of water but with two names!
The Long Water is designated a bird sanctuary and is home to many ducks, geese, and swans so is a great place to go to see wildlife.
The northern edge of the Long Walk begins at the stunning Italian Gardens and a walk along the edge will take you all the way down to the Serpentine Bridge.
During your walk, you’ll also pass by our next recommendation.
Peter Pan Statue
Everybody around the world knows Peter Pan, but when he’s not in Neverland, he lives in Kensington Gardens!
Sculpted by Sir George Frampton in 1912, the Peter Pan statue was commissioned by J. M. Barrie himself.
Barrie had, at one time, lived on nearby Bayswater Road and he stated that his stories were partly inspired by Kensington Gardens.
The placement of the statue is precise as it rests in the exact spot Peter lands in Barrie’s 1902 book The Little White Bird.
Queen Caroline's Temple
This neoclassical building was designed by William Kent, who was also responsible for the interior design of much of Kensington Palace.
It was built in 1735 for Queen Caroline, who as we have seen is responsible for most of what we are surrounded by today when we stand here.
Originally, it was intended to be just about glimpsed down one of the tree-lined avenues that led off from Kensington Palace - a somewhat hidden, slightly magical, private place for the Queen to enjoy.
If you explore it today, you may be surprised to find some graffiti, and may be even more surprised to notice that some of it dates as far back as 1821! (It seems some things don’t really change…).
It was briefly used as park keeper’s home in the 1970s but returned to its’ original state, as you see it today, in 1976.
Visit London's Pet Cemetery
Tucked away on the northern edge of Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park is the Pet Cemetery.
The cemetery dates back to the 19th century and is very well-kept. The loving messages on the tombstones can still be read today.
Although it's not open to the general public, special one-hour viewings can be arranged by contacting The Royal Parks.
But if you walk west along Bayswater Road, and look through the iron railings you can get a glimpse.
Round Pond
Created in 1730 by King George II, the Round Pond is one of the smallest, but most picturesque, bodies of water in the city.
If you take a look you will see two mushroom-type structures in the Pond.
These are the inlets for fresh water, pumped in all the way from the Italian Gardens.
The Pond is so perfectly maintained that injured swans who have been rehabilitated are released here, as this is the safest and most comfortable place for them.
It may seem strange to some to put some much effort into looking after these birds, but it’s worth pointing out that, technically, all the swans in England officially belong to the King!
Take Our Royal Kensington Tour
Want to explore Kensington Gardens but aren’t sure where to begin? Let us take you!
Our fabulous Royal Kensington Tour begins in South Kensington and will take you past world-famous Museums, the Royal Albert Hall, and the Albert Memorial followed by a stroll through the Gardens where you’ll take in the Serpentine, Kensington Palace, and the Diana Memorial Fountain.
All this while being led by one of our knowledgeable and friendly guides!
Also, note that this tour is designed to be particularly kid friendly! Find out more and book HERE.
Want to explore Kensington from your own home? Take the virtual tour with Sinead HERE.
GPS-ENABLED AUDIO TOUR VERSION
If you can't take our guided walk when it's offered, or you prefer to go it alone, then consider our GPS-led audio tour of Kensington Gardens.
Here is a sample.
Here is how it works:
- Purchase an Audio Tour
- Receive a confirmation email with all the details.
- Enjoy the tour(s).
In addition to the audio version of our Kensington Gardens Tour, we also have the following audio tours.
- Royal London (Westminster)
- Harry Potter Locations
- Jack the Ripper
- City of London
- Greenwich
- Rock N Roll London
- Oxford
- Public Bus #11 (temporarily rerouted - unavailable)
You could also visit our main London audio tours page for more samples and information.
Nearby Attractions
The following things to see are located just a short walk from Kensington Gardens.
Hyde Park
Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, Green Park, and St. James’s Park all used to be one continuous green space that was used as hunting grounds for King Henry VIII.
As time has gone on, they’ve slowly been divided and Hyde Park currently sits directly next to Kensington Gardens and in many ways, they are two halves of the same park.
Hyde Park showcases the largest part of the Serpentine and is a great place to swim or rent boats in the summer.
Less manicured than Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park has a touch of the countryside about it and is also the larger of the two spaces.
Throughout the year Hyde Park plays host to numerous events such as summertime concerts and the yearly Winter Wonderland funfair.
Explore Hyde Park virtually with Sinead HERE or read our post on things to see and do in Hyde Park.
Royal Albert Hall
Named after the ill-fated Prince Albert, the Albert Hall is a beautiful concert hall just a stone’s throw from Kensington Gardens.
Opened by Queen Victoria in 1871, the building quickly became one of the most high-profile musical venues in the country - and later, the world - hosting more than 350 events each year.
It’s possible to tour the Hall with a paid-for-guided tour but it’s completely free to walk the entirety of the outside and admire the beautiful construction, carvings, and decorations that surround it.
Diana Memorial Fountain
Just south of the banks of the serpentine lies the Diana Memorial Fountain, which in reality is more of an oval-shaped stream that was designed for visitors to be able to walk through.
Unveiled in 2004, the fountain is pieced together using 545 separate pieces of granite brought up from Cornwall.
The path the water flows through is uneven and contains cuts, elevated steps, and false rocks, along with a tranquil pool at one end - all of which are intended to symbolise parts of Diana’s life such as happiness and turmoil.
If you’re looking for a nice place to bring the family, make sure you stop by as, in the spirit of Diana’s love for children, the fountain was made for kids to enjoy!
Find out more about the fountain on our site HERE or virtually visit with Sinead HERE.
The Victoria and Albert Museum
Known to locals as the V&A, the Victoria and Albert Museum is a real record breaker. Established in 1852, the museum began as a place to permanently house numerous exhibits from Prince Albert’s Great Exhibition in 1851.
Today, it’s the world’s largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts, and design as well as owning the world’s largest collection of post-classical sculpture.
The permanent collection contains over 2.27 million objects displayed throughout 145 galleries, although the total collection now consists of over 6.5 million objects!
Natural History Museum
Established in 1881, London’s Natural History museum holds over 80 million items within its five main collections, which include botany, entomology, mineralogy, paleontology, and zoology.
In addition to a museum, the institution is also a specialised centre of taxonomy, identification, and conservation, which means this museum is still a working building.
Within the collection, there are specimens collected by Charles Darwin, electronic dinosaurs, and the skeleton of a blue whale which currently hangs from the ceiling.
With so much to see, it’s a great option for family visits as there are areas made especially for children to explore.
Science Museum
Founded in 1857, the Science Museum also took in exhibits from the Great Exhibition, particularly examples of machinery which laid the foundation for the museum today.
Contained within two large buildings, the Museum is broken up into different levels that explore separate subjects such as space, the modern world, medicine, and mathematics (just to name a few).
With hands-on exhibits and a continually changing array of activities and events, this is another good place to bring the kids!
Harrods
Perhaps the most famous department store in the world, Harrods was founded in 1834 and has been an international shopping destination ever since.
The store spans a 5-acre site and contains over one million square feet of selling space making it the largest department store in Europe.
Famous for its ever-changing and elaborate window displays, the shop has a reputation that it sells everything and with over 330 individual departments, it’s easy to see why!
Even if not spending any money, it’s always worth it to come to see the incredible window displays and have a cheeky peak inside.
TIP: For a not-too-expensive souvenir, check out the incredible Food Hall which has lots of little tasty treats you can take home without breaking the bank. Find out more about Harrod’s on our page HERE.
Knightsbridge
Knightsbridge is one of London’s most expensive neighbourhoods.
Home to Harrod’s and Harvey Nichols as well as a number of embassies and luxury apartment buildings (once home to the most expensive apartment in the world, purchased for £100 million), it’s a stunning place to explore.
A wander around will take you past flagship stores for world-famous designer brands, the barracks for the Household Cavalry, and numerous beautiful churches.
With Hyde Park on one side and Sloane Square on the other, it’s a fascinating place to browse!
Notting Hill and Portobello Market
Made famous by the film of the name, Notting Hill is one of London’s most visited - and expensive - neighbourhoods.
With beautiful architecture, colourful houses, and quirky pubs, it’s an interesting place to explore.
But what brings many people to the area is the world-famous Portobello Market!
Open every day of the week, the market spreads for blocks where you’ll find indoor shops as well as outdoor stalls, new handmade items, vintage fashion, antiques, groceries, and street food.
It’s as amazing as it is iconic!
NOTE: Some stalls are only open on Saturdays and the antique shops tend to shut early so plan accordingly! Help plan your visit by reading our post HERE.
Want to explore more? Come with us on our Notting Hill Market & Culture Tour which you can book HERE. Or visit virtually with Sinead HERE.
Places to Eat and Drink
Quick Bites to Take Away/PickNic
Casual Sit Downs
- The Churchill Arms
- Dishoom Kensington
- Maggie Jones's
- Hard Rock Cafe
- The Shed
- Zuma
- Louza
- Ffionas
- Al Basha
- Eat Tokyo
- Wagamama
Pubs
Cocktails
Area Discounts and Deals
If you plan on visiting a lot of London sites, you might want to consider a London tourist attraction discount pass, which can save you up to 55% off retail ticket prices!
Passes include fast-track entry to many popular attractions as well as discounts on shopping, dining, and theatre shows.
Here are some attractions in and around Kensington Garden that are included in some London discount passes:
- One Day Hop-on-Hop Off Bus Tour
- Kensington Palace
- Wellington Arch
- Apsley House
- The Royal Albert Hall Tour
- Museum of Brands, Packaging, and Advertising
