Staying in the city this summer doesn’t have to mean missing out on green spaces. Plenty of the world’s top cities have parks with fantastic facilities and attractions.
Hyde Park in London is one of the capital’s eight Royal Parks. It features the 18-foot Statue of Achilles; the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain; and Speakers’ Corner. The Serpentine Lido is available for outdoor swimming in the summer months, or you can hire pedal and row boats on the river.
Visitors to New York won’t want to miss out on Central Park. The Conservatory Garden features a 12-foot jet fountain, and you can pay your respects at the Strawberry Fields John Lennon memorial. The park is also home to the Central Park Zoo and the Chess and Checkers House.
If you’re booking accommodation in Barcelona, you should make time to visit Park Güell, which is one of Gaudi’s most famous creations. If you love the work of this architect, you have to see his home, which is now the Gaudi House Museum. The park’s Monumental Zone features many of his unique and famous sculptures. Only 400 visitors are allowed in every 30 minutes.
San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park covers more than 1,000 acres and houses a Botanical Garden that features more than 8,000 different species. The de Young Museum has an excellent collection of fine art, or you can choose to visit the many attractions in the Japanese Tea Garden, including pagodas, koi ponds, and the arched drum bridge.