Holland Park in Kensington is just one of the many green spaces London has to offer. It is a large park, covering 54 acres and is the largest park within the Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Perfect for visitors and locals alike, whether you are a stressed-out Londoner needing a relaxing lunch break or a tourist looking to see the greener side of London, Holland Park is great spot to unwind.
Here are some things to do in Holland Park, London…
Kyoto Garden Holland Park
This has to be one of the best walks in London, within this section of Holland Park Kensington. The gorgeous Japanese garden is a world away from the busy streets of the city and is a great place to wind down and simply enjoy nature. If you are lucky, you may even spot the peacocks that roam here!
The Kyoto garden is completely free to visit and is a tranquil area, with beautiful Japanese maple trees, a waterfall and pond, a lovely little bridge, and wonderful statues. Donated to Holland Park in 1991, by the Chamber of Commerce of Kyoto, the park symbolises friendship between Japan and the UK.
Formal Gardens
Holland Park also has some formal gardens, which again, are free to roam. These pretty gardens showcase beautiful flowers, trimmed hedges, intricate statues, and grand walkways, including the Dutch Garden and Iris Garden. There is also a café here to sit and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.
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Holland Park Woodland
Holland Park Gardens also have a lovely woodland section. I love that there is a bit of everything here, as I personally love both formal gardens and more wild type places! The woodland area has several paths that branch off from one another and you really do not feel like you are in London at all (which can be a nice escape sometimes).
The Design Museum
Not only does Holland Park have stunning gardens, but it is also home to the Design Museum. Exhibitions here are both paid and free, so it is worth checking prior to your visit to see what is on. There is also a lovely café with views over the park.
Sports Areas
There are also wide-open spaces in Holland Park Kensington, for sports activities such as golf, cricket, netball, a football pitch, outdoor gym, as well as several tennis courts. They have a great playground for kids to run around in too! There are also regular health walks and various activities in the park.
Holland Park Mews
Just across from the park are some lovely mews. Take a wander down the pretty lanes and you will see some really interesting houses. Of course, be mindful that people live here and not to disturb the locals. I walked down here on a quiet weekday, which I would recommend.
Holland Park Opening Times
The park is open from 7.30am until 30 minutes before dusk.
Getting to Holland Park, London
The best way to visit would be via tube (parking will be hard to find). There are several train/ tube stations close to Holland Park:
– Holland Park tube station (central line) 2 min walk, Closest to the Northern end and Kyoto garden
– High Street Kensington tube station (circle & district lines) 6 min walk, Closest to the Southern end and Design Museum
– Notting Hill Gate (central, circle & district lines) 6 min walk, North East End of the park
– Kensington (Olympia) (overground station) 8-9min walk, South West side of the park
– Shepherd’s Bush (central line & overground) 13 min walk, North West side of the park
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12 Comments
Amazing!!
Great photos and ideas of what to do. What time of year do you think would showcase it best? Can you ride bikes around it at all?
Hopefully will get to visit one day !!
Thanks 🙂 Summers always good for London parks and yes there’s a cycle path in Holland Park!
Thank you for this post – it was such a fun trip down memory lane. I love Holland Park! I spent a winter in London and lived in Hammersmith, so I was lucky enough to visit several times. I think I liked the formal gardens best. Now I think I will need to get back soon to visit the Design Museum!
I love formal gardens too!
Despite all my times in London I can’t say I’ve ever been to Holland Park. It looks like such a pretty place, London always does so well at looking after their parks and having so many green spaces even though it’s a huge city
I agree there are so many green spaces in london!
Lovely park walk idea! We were in London last weekend and sought refuge from the crowds in Hyde Park. Now I know to check out the Japanese Garden next door! It is a beautiful time to visit!
Yes definately… try going on a mon or tues 🙂
Wow, Holland Park is beautiful! It sort of reminds me of Central Park in NYC.
haha a little smaller maybe!
Lovely pictures! I love London and can’t wait to get back again someday to explore more. It seems that there are endless things to do in this city, and it looks like I’ll be putting walking around Holland Park high on my list! Thanks for all the tips 🙂
There’s always more to explore in london!