Kensington: Gardens, History and Culture

When looking for hotels in Kensington, it’s worth first deciding what you want to focus on during your stay: gardens, royal history, or art and museums. The places below offer different points of interest, from an ornamental water garden to contemporary art and interactive experiments.

Gardens and walking routes

Kensington Gardens covers 265 acres and offers a variety of wildlife habitats. These include historic grassland, riverside woodland and flowering meadows such as Buckhill Meadow. Viewed through its landscapes, the park therefore offers a range of habitats, not just formal gardens.

On the north side of Kensington Gardens is the Italian Gardens, an ornamental water garden with four main basins. The 400-metre-long South Flower Walk offers a different experience: it features specimen trees and shrubs typical of the period. The two areas can therefore be distinguished by their design: the basins of a water garden on the one hand, and a walking route with period planting on the other.

Longer routes are another option. The Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Walk is seven miles long, marked by 90 ground plaques and runs through four of the eight Royal Parks, including Kensington Gardens. Compared with the 400-metre-long South Flower Walk, it is a significantly longer route. The Peter Pan statue adds a specific date to the park’s history: it was erected beside the Long Water in 1912. J. M. Barrie donated and funded it himself.

Kensington Palace and its history

Kensington Gardens originally belonged to Kensington Palace and were once exclusive. The palace’s history also reflects a transformation: when William and Mary ascended the throne, Kensington Palace was still a small suburban villa called Nottingham House. They transformed it into a grand country residence.

A walk in the footsteps of royalty is one of the themes of the Palace Gardens at Kensington Palace. The King's State Apartments at Kensington Palace comprise lavish rooms. At the entrance to the King's State Apartments, the King's Staircase features fascinating and unexpected figures. The Albert Memorial represents splendour and remembrance. Together, these themes point to different aspects of history: the development of the palace, its rooms and the remembrance expressed by a memorial.

Art, museums and interactive experiences

Serpentine presents contemporary art at two locations in Kensington Gardens. V&A South Kensington focuses on art, design and the performing arts. No booking is required for general admission to V&A South Kensington; admission is free.

Wonderlab at the Science Museum offers a different focus. The interactive family gallery features hands-on experiments, live demonstrations and more than 50 exhibits. The cultural offerings mentioned here therefore differ not only in subject: Serpentine focuses on contemporary art, the V&A covers several areas of art and design, while Wonderlab combines interactive experiments and demonstrations.

Planning guidance

Kensington Gardens is a few minutes’ walk from Lancaster Gate, Queensway and Bayswater Underground stations. This specific route information can help when planning a visit to the park. To choose a focus, you could compare the walking routes: the South Flower Walk is 400 metres long, while the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Walk covers seven miles and passes through four Royal Parks. This can help you decide which of the garden, culture and history themes mentioned here interest you most during your stay.

For an overview of the wider trip: Kensington And Chelsea.