Plenty to do in Hyde Park

Hyde Park is perhaps the most visited and best-loved park in London because of its wide open spaces, variety and central location. There are more than 4,000 trees, a lake, a meadow and a breath-taking rose garden. It is the largest of four Royal Parks, and is divided by the Serpentine and the Long Water. Every year, millions of Londoners and tourists visit Hyde Park to luxuriate in this beautiful green space

The Rose Garden

This is spectacular garden featuring rose planting mixed with herbaceous planting to create rich seasonal flower beds. This quiet, contemplative place attracts high numbers of tourists particularly in the summer months and are still popular throughout the year with local residents and office workers. The best time to see and smell the roses is in the summer months (when the effect on the olfactory senses are at their peak) although they continue to flower the rest of the year.

In the garden there is a grand metal pergola, and two fountains. The first one is the fountain statue of Diana the huntress sculpted by Lady Feodora Gleichen in 1899, the first female member of the Royal British society of sculptors. The second one is the boy and the dolphin fountain by Alexander Munro. Both are beautiful creation highly in tune with their surroundings

Serpentine Bar & Kitchen

The Serpentine Bar and Kitchen serves a wide variety of tasty hot meals and snacks, freshly prepared sandwiches and salads, a daily selection of cakes and puddings from the bakery and hot and cold drinks from the bar with an outdoor terrace that looks out over famous Serpentine Lake and his wildlife. You will not find a better spot to enjoy an al fresco meal or drink with plenty of tables and chairs. This gorgeous place is perfect to taste their wonderful wood-fired pizza and a cold beer on a sunny afternoon !

The Lido Bar

The Lido Bar and Cafe stands on the south side of the Serpentine, near the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain, The Lido Cafe Bar is very civilised and the restaurant is licensed for alcohol. You can enjoy a glass of white wine with your meal while overlooking the park's wonderful vista. It is very reasonably priced too. In the summer the cafe also runs a swimming kiosk next to the children's paddling pool above the cafe serving sandwiches and snacks as well as hot and cold drinks.

Sporting Activities

The Park has a long heritage of providing entertainment and activities and here is just a few of them:
· Boating on the Serpentine: there is a fleet of rowing and pedal boats which operate on the famous Serpentine and renting a pedalo is a couple of hours well spent
· The Serpentine Lido : standing next to the Lido Bar and Cafe -this is a great spot to enjoy a swim.
· Horse Riding : there is a specialist horse riding arena, or Manege, as well as two designated routes for horse riding (North Ride and South Ride). The Manege is at the end of the Sports Field next to the children's playground.

Events:

· Royal Gun Salutes : Royal Gun Salutes mark special royal occasions. On these days salutes are fired from locations in London and other authorised stations in the United Kingdom. In London, salutes are fired in Hyde Park by the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery. The number of rounds fired in a Royal Gun Salute depends on the place and occasion. The basic salute is 21 rounds. In Hyde Park an extra 20 rounds are added because it is a Royal Park.

· British Summertime Hyde Park : British Summer Time Hyde Park brings you 10 days of music & entertainment, with legendary headliners and support from today's rising stars. You can also enjoy a free day of Live music, comedy acts, outdoors cinemas, Cafes, bistros, independent food stalls and cocktail bars.

No trip to London will be complete without visiting the impressive wide, open and perfectly managed of Hyde Park.