Monument Tour
Hype Park features several prominent memorials, and visiting them can make for an excellent walking tour of the grounds. The most prominent is the Diana Memorial, erected in 2004 in honor of the late Princess Diana. Others include the July 7 memorial to the London bombings of 2005, the Marble Arch that originally stood in front of Buckingham Palace, the Queen Elizabeth Gates erected by Elizabeth II, and a Holocaust Memorial just to the east of the Serpentine River.
Boat Rides
The Serpentine River is actually an artificial lake built in the heart of Hyde Park. From April until October, the Boat House on the northern side rents rowboats and paddle boats. It makes an extremely pleasant way to tour the length of the park, especially on London's rare hot days when the water can be especially inviting.
Hype Park features several prominent memorials, and visiting them can make for an excellent walking tour of the grounds. The most prominent is the Diana Memorial, erected in 2004 in honor of the late Princess Diana. Others include the July 7 memorial to the London bombings of 2005, the Marble Arch that originally stood in front of Buckingham Palace, the Queen Elizabeth Gates erected by Elizabeth II, and a Holocaust Memorial just to the east of the Serpentine River.
Boat Rides
The Serpentine River is actually an artificial lake built in the heart of Hyde Park. From April until October, the Boat House on the northern side rents rowboats and paddle boats. It makes an extremely pleasant way to tour the length of the park, especially on London's rare hot days when the water can be especially inviting.
Speaker's Corner
Since 1872, the northeast corner of Hyde Park has been set aside for the practice of free speech. Anyone can stand in Speaker's Corner and talk about any topic, provided there's no obscenity or scuffling with fellow speakers. Other London parks have similar sites, but Hyde Park's is the most notable: speakers there have included Karl Marx, George Orwell and William Morris.
Rotten Row
Rotten Row runs along the south side of Hyde Park and originally served as a bridle trail where the upper class could ride their horses. The title derives from "route du roi," the French term for "king's row." You can still ride horses there, and members of the Household Cavalry use it as an exercise facility from time to time.
Sports
South of the Serpentine sits a series of six tennis courts open to the public. The area also contains a bowling green, and the Serpentine itself allows daily public swimming in the summer. Playgrounds for children are located nearby, as well as near the Edinburgh Gate on the north side of the park.
Since 1872, the northeast corner of Hyde Park has been set aside for the practice of free speech. Anyone can stand in Speaker's Corner and talk about any topic, provided there's no obscenity or scuffling with fellow speakers. Other London parks have similar sites, but Hyde Park's is the most notable: speakers there have included Karl Marx, George Orwell and William Morris.
Rotten Row
Rotten Row runs along the south side of Hyde Park and originally served as a bridle trail where the upper class could ride their horses. The title derives from "route du roi," the French term for "king's row." You can still ride horses there, and members of the Household Cavalry use it as an exercise facility from time to time.
Sports
South of the Serpentine sits a series of six tennis courts open to the public. The area also contains a bowling green, and the Serpentine itself allows daily public swimming in the summer. Playgrounds for children are located nearby, as well as near the Edinburgh Gate on the north side of the park.
