Regent’s Park was laid out by John Nash for the Prince Regent (later George IV) in the early 19th century. The plan included a canal, villas, a circus, and a pleasure garden of staggering ambition. Much of the design was never built, but what exists — the terraces, the gardens, the park itself — remains one of London’s finest spaces.
London Zoo
London Zoo, at the northern end of Regent’s Park, opened in 1828 — making it the world’s oldest scientific zoo. Today it holds around 500 species and runs major conservation programmes. The penguin pool designed by Berthold Lubetkin in 1934 is a listed modernist masterpiece. The zoo is one of London’s most popular family attractions.
Primrose Hill
Primrose Hill, a short walk north from Regent’s Park, rises 63 metres and gives a 360-degree panoramic view of the London skyline. It is particularly dramatic at dusk. The hill is famous as a resident’s park — the streets around it are home to a disproportionate number of rock musicians, actors and writers.
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