Where: London SW1
What: The smallest of London's royal parks, green park covers an area of 53 acres. King Henry the VIII (1509 - 47) set aside this area as parkland but it was not until almost 150 years later, under King Charles II (1660 - 85), that green park became a royal park. In the 18th century ballooning, fireworks and duels were popular attractions.
Named Green Park for its lack of colorful flowers, this large grassy area with its beautifully large mature trees is a wonderful spot to relax and find peace and quiet. It is said that Handel wrote the music for the Royal Fireworks that were held here to celebrate the Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748 in green park.
Green Park is a stately place, with a fine central avenue and informal groups of trees, amongst which the valley of the former river Tyburn can just be detected. There is also an avenue that runs along the eastern edge of the park that is named Queen’s Walk after George II’s wife Caroline. The avenue centres on Sir Aston Webb's 1901 round-point in front of Buckingham Palace. The fine iron gateway on the Piccadilly side is that of old Devonshire House.
Its central location makes it a nice spot to escape the crowds of the shoping and dining that surround the park and just and relax.
Nearest underground station: Green Park or Hyde Park Corner
Website: royalparks.gov.uk