Holland Park is one of London's most elegant and diverse green spaces — 22.5 hectares of formal gardens, woodland walks, and the justly famous Kyoto Garden, a Japanese-style garden gifted by the Chamber of Commerce of Kyoto in 1991. You'll find peacocks wandering the grounds, a cricket pitch, tennis courts, and the remains of Holland House, a 17th-century mansion that gives the park its name. It's less manicured than Hyde Park and more varied than Kensington Gardens — the kind of place where you can spend an entire afternoon and still not see everything.
A Japanese garden with waterfall and koi, peacocks roaming freely, and opera among ruins — all in one of London's most beloved 22-hectare green spaces.
Go before 10am on weekends to enjoy the Kyoto Garden's waterfall and pond in near-silence — by midday it gets crowded with photographers and families.
London's most elegant park, with a Japanese twist
Holland Park is the kind of place that makes you forget you're in one of the busiest cities in Europe. The star attraction is undoubtedly the Kyoto Garden — a beautifully crafted Japanese garden with a cascading waterfall, koi-filled pond, and stone lanterns that look like they've been there for centuries (they haven't, but who's counting). It's small enough to walk around in a few minutes, but most people linger far longer. Go early on a weekend morning if you want it to yourself — by midday, especially in summer, it gets busy with photographers and families.
Beyond the Kyoto Garden, there's plenty to explore: the Dutch Garden with its formal flower beds, the woodland walks that feel surprisingly wild for central London, and the ruins of Holland House, which now serve as an open-air opera venue in summer. The peacocks that roam freely around the park are a beloved fixture — keep an eye on your snacks. There's also a cricket pitch, tennis courts, and a café near the entrance if you need a break. With 15,000+ reviews averaging 4.7 stars, this isn't a secret — but it's large enough that you can always find a quiet corner.