Hyde Park, London (must see)
Hyde Park鈥攐ne of London鈥檚 most sprawling green lungs鈥攊s a royal playground with a rebellious streak. If these trees could talk, they鈥檇 probably start with Speakers鈥� Corner, nestled near Marble Arch on the park鈥檚 northeastern edge. Here, since the mid-1800s, the loud, the proud, and the opinionated have stood on soapboxes to air their views to anyone within earshot鈥攐n everything except Her Majesty. Even Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin, and George Orwell had a go. It鈥檚 pretty much like Twitter, but with pigeons and fewer hashtags.
But the roots of public outcry in this spot stretch further back, way back, to the nearby Tyburn Gallows, where from 1196 to 1783, over 50,000 souls were executed. Each was granted a final mic-drop moment: some begged forgiveness, others declared their innocence, and a few went full Yelp review on the authorities. Public hangings were such an event, they sold tickets. Macabre? Absolutely. But the spirit of bold speech lives on鈥攎inus the noose, thankfully.
Just trot west and you鈥檒l hit Rotten Row, once the height of royal commuting convenience and Britain鈥檚 first lit street. In the 1690s, William III had 300 gas lamps installed here to light his way and keep the muggers at bay. And no, "Rotten" doesn鈥檛 mean decayed鈥攊t鈥檚 a wonky take on the French 鈥淩oute du Roi,鈥� which means King鈥檚 Road. Tr猫s chic鈥� in a smoky, horsey sort of way.
Now, if you like your history with a side of drama, say hello to Apsley House, the proud home of the first Duke of Wellington after he gave Napoleon the ultimate time-out at Waterloo. Officially, it鈥檚 149 Piccadilly, but thanks to its prime location, it鈥檚 affectionately known as Number 1, London. And rumor has it, even if you scribble just that on an envelope, your letter will find its way there.
At the park鈥檚 heart is the Serpentine, a dreamy stretch of water perfect for swan-watching, selfies, or, if you鈥檙e feeling brave, a chilly Christmas swim. The Serpentine Swimming Club hosts the Peter Pan Cup each year鈥攁n event organized by the "Peter Pan" author, J.M. Barrie himself, in 1904.
Tip:
Grab a map or rent a bike if you're directionally challenged. And don鈥檛 forget your camera鈥擧yde Park is a living, leafy legend.
But the roots of public outcry in this spot stretch further back, way back, to the nearby Tyburn Gallows, where from 1196 to 1783, over 50,000 souls were executed. Each was granted a final mic-drop moment: some begged forgiveness, others declared their innocence, and a few went full Yelp review on the authorities. Public hangings were such an event, they sold tickets. Macabre? Absolutely. But the spirit of bold speech lives on鈥攎inus the noose, thankfully.
Just trot west and you鈥檒l hit Rotten Row, once the height of royal commuting convenience and Britain鈥檚 first lit street. In the 1690s, William III had 300 gas lamps installed here to light his way and keep the muggers at bay. And no, "Rotten" doesn鈥檛 mean decayed鈥攊t鈥檚 a wonky take on the French 鈥淩oute du Roi,鈥� which means King鈥檚 Road. Tr猫s chic鈥� in a smoky, horsey sort of way.
Now, if you like your history with a side of drama, say hello to Apsley House, the proud home of the first Duke of Wellington after he gave Napoleon the ultimate time-out at Waterloo. Officially, it鈥檚 149 Piccadilly, but thanks to its prime location, it鈥檚 affectionately known as Number 1, London. And rumor has it, even if you scribble just that on an envelope, your letter will find its way there.
At the park鈥檚 heart is the Serpentine, a dreamy stretch of water perfect for swan-watching, selfies, or, if you鈥檙e feeling brave, a chilly Christmas swim. The Serpentine Swimming Club hosts the Peter Pan Cup each year鈥攁n event organized by the "Peter Pan" author, J.M. Barrie himself, in 1904.
Tip:
Grab a map or rent a bike if you're directionally challenged. And don鈥檛 forget your camera鈥擧yde Park is a living, leafy legend.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in London. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "黑料吃瓜网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Hyde Park on Map
Sight Name: Hyde Park
Sight Location: London, England (See walking tours in London)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: London, England (See walking tours in London)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in London, England
Create Your Own Walk in London
Creating your own self-guided walk in London is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Charles Dickens Tour
Imagine a world without Dickens. No Oliver Twist, no Ebenezer Scrooge, no brooding orphans wandering foggy streets with suspiciously eloquent vocabularies. Tough to picture, right? That鈥檚 because Charles Dickens didn鈥檛 just leave a mark on literature鈥攈e practically steamrolled through it in a horse-drawn carriage. Recognized as the undisputed heavyweight of Victorian storytelling, he... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.5 Km or 2.8 Miles
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.5 Km or 2.8 Miles
Harry Potter Walking Tour I
The Harry Potter phenomenon began with author J.K. Rowling, who famously dreamed up the series while delayed on a train from Manchester to London. With the release of Harry Potter and the Philosopher鈥檚 Stone in 1997, the literary world changed forever. Across seven books, readers followed Harry鈥檚 evolution from an orphaned schoolboy at Hogwarts to a brave young wizard confronting evil... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles
Harry Potter Walking Tour II
The Harry Potter movies and London go together like Butterbeer and a cold winter night at Hogsmeade. While much of the magical world was brought to life with computer-generated images and studio sets, quite a few iconic scenes were filmed right in the heart of the British capital, transforming ordinary city spots into wizarding landmarks. Here's a look at six more London locations where the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.1 Km or 2.5 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.1 Km or 2.5 Miles
Bridges of London
Around thirty bridges span the Thames river in London, each with its own story. Our self-guided walk takes you to see nine such historical structures located in the heart of the city, starting from the storied Westminster Bridge and ending at the iconic Tower Bridge.
The latter has stood over the River Thames in London since 1894 and is one of the finest, most recognizable bridges in the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.2 Km or 3.2 Miles
The latter has stood over the River Thames in London since 1894 and is one of the finest, most recognizable bridges in the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.2 Km or 3.2 Miles
Kensington/Knightsbridge Walking Tour
Situated just below Hyde Park, Knightsbridge and South Kensington are two adjacent neighborhoods with grand Victorian homes and leafy garden squares. Home to London鈥檚 most expensive homes, Knightsbridge has some of the highest density of millionaires in the world. This is clearly reflected in the selection of stores & restaurants in the area, including the famous Harvey Nichols and Harrods... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.5 Km or 2.8 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.5 Km or 2.8 Miles
London's Historic Pubs Walk
If there鈥檚 any more iconic symbol for London than Big Ben or the London Eye, then it must be the traditional English pub. And London sure is full of them, dating from pre-Victorian times to just about five minutes ago.
With so much history surrounding London there is no shortage of historic pubs to choose from. Whether you fancy half-timbered, rambling watering holes or small but perfectly... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.6 Km or 3.5 Miles
With so much history surrounding London there is no shortage of historic pubs to choose from. Whether you fancy half-timbered, rambling watering holes or small but perfectly... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.6 Km or 3.5 Miles
Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip
London Souvenirs: 18 Distinctively British Products for Travelers
Most visitors to London consider shopping as part of their must-do London experience. From street markets to Victorian arcades to snobbish Sloane Square to busy Oxford Street, there are a host of shops selling items which typically represent this vibrant city. Whether you are shopping for souvenirs...