St James's Park

Lonely Planet review

This is one of the smallest but most gorgeous of London's parks. It has brilliant views of the London Eye, Westminster, St James's Palace, Carlton Terrace and Horse Guards Parade, and the view of Buckingham Palace from the footbridge spanning St James's Park Lake is the best you'll find (get those cameras out).

The central lake is full of different types of ducks, geese, swans and general fowl. Rocks on its southern side serve as a rest stop for pelicans (fed at 15:00 daily). Some of the technicolour flowerbeds were modelled on John Nash's original 'floriferous' beds of mixed shrubs, flowers and trees, and elderly squirrel feeders congregate under the trees daily, with bags of nuts and bread. Spring and summer days see Londoners and tourists alike sunbathing, picnicking and generally enjoying the sunshine, though sometimes in annoyingly large numbers. Nearby the popular cafe & restaurant Inn the Park stands the National Police Memorial, one column of marble and another of glass. Conceived by film director Michael (Death Wish) Winner and designed by architect Norman Foster and artist Per Arnoldi, it pays tribute to 1600 'bobbies' who have lost their lives in the line of duty.