The Royal Parks
With Kensington Gardens and Holland Park just a brisk 10-minute walk apart, you have plenty of green space to explore. Kensington Gardens, originally part of Kensington Palace, is home to world-famous landmarks including the Albert Memorial and the Italian Gardens and you’ll find tree-lined avenues, expansive lawns and tranquil water features – perfect for escaping the hustle and bustle.
You can visit Kensington Palace itself, birthplace and childhood home of Queen Victoria and once home to Diana, Princess of Wales. A permanent exhibition explores Queen Victoria’s girlhood at the palace and includes remarkable artefacts including her dolls’ house and a scrapbook of mementoes created by her governess.
Meanwhile, Holland Park has plenty of attractions of its own. The Kyoto Garden, with its waterfall, acers, cherry trees and koi carp-filled pond, is a delightful surprise to stumble upon in the centre of the park. Originally built in 1991 to celebrate the upcoming 1992 Japan Festival in London, the garden was a gift from the city of Kyoto.
Don’t miss Opera Holland Park where from May through to August you can enjoy an evening of opera in a canopied open-air auditorium surrounded by beautiful gardens in the centre of London. This year’s season is drawing to a close, but productions included Tosca, The Barber of Seville, Pagliacci, and Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic The Yeoman of the Guard.
A statue of Queen Victoria in front of her childhood home, Kensington Palace. Image: Unsplash
The Victoria & Albert Museum. Image: Unsplash
World-Renowned Culture
South Kensington is home to some of the world’s most famous museums, and three of them are right next door to one another. The Natural History Museum and the Science Museum will delight adults and children alike, and the Victoria & Albert Museum is a must-visit for lovers of art, fashion and design. This summer, you’ll find the Taylor Swift Songbook Trail; NAOMI In Fashion; Sir Elton John and David Furnish’s photography collection, and Japan: Myths to Manga to name just a few.
On High Street Kensington, you’ll find the Design Museum in its award-winning building which is always worth exploring. This summer’s exhibitions include Barbie®: The Exhibition, and a major retrospective on the life and work of Italian designer Enzo Mari, with plenty of permanent displays to inspire and intrigue.
Take a stroll to the Serpentine Galleries on either side of the Serpentine Bridge, renowned for their year-round exhibitions of pioneering contemporary art and the annual summer Serpentine Pavilion; one of the most-visited architectural and design exhibitions in the world. This year, Korean architect Kinsuk Cho was selected to create the 23rd Serpentine Pavilion, turning the concept on its head and creating a void at the centre surrounded by five adaptable structures, inspired by traditional Korean houses.
Must-Visit Restaurants
Kensington’s culinary scene has something to suit all tastes. For a fine dining experience, Launceston Place, with its innovative modern European cuisine and intimate setting, is a personal favourite. Chef Patron Ben Murphy was named National Chef of the Year 2022 by the Craft Guild of Chefs and trained under Chef Pierre Koffmann at The Berkeley, who nurtured his inventive style of cooking.
For a more relaxed occasion, I love Famiglia Portico which has been run by the Chiavarini family for the past 60 years, and serves comforting regional specialities from the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy using organic produce sourced from founder Pino’s farm in Kent.
Serpentine Pavilion 2024, Archipelagic Void, designed by Minsuk Cho, Mass Studies. © Mass Studies. Photo: Iwan Baan. Courtesy: Serpentine.
The Natural History Museum. Image: Unsplash
Quintessential Pubs
The historic charm of Kensington’s pubs makes them a year-round draw for a relaxed evening. The Scarsdale Tavern on Edwardes Square, known for its flower-filled frontage in summer and its cosy outdoor seating area, is a local favourite.
The 150-year-old The Elephant & Castle on Holland Street is another traditional British pub with outside seating for the summer months and a fantastic selection of gin and whisky.
Cafés and Tearooms
We love our coffee in Kensington and Dāku Coffee on Kensington High Street; Café Jumo on Kensington Church Street, and Lift Coffee on Kensington Church Street are just a few of my standout spots to enjoy a perfect brew.
For those who prefer tea, Candella Tea Room on Kensington Church Street is a charming spot to enjoy a traditional afternoon tea or cream tea.
Active Pursuits
While local tennis clubs have waiting lists, you can still book courts in Holland Park. Hyde Park offers a multitude of activities including swimming in the Serpentine Lido, hiring a pedalo or a rowing boat and even horse riding (although you will need to take out membership to either the Ross Nye Stables or the Hyde Park Stables.)
For those seeking structured fitness routines, boutique gyms like 1Rebel and Pilates studio Core Kensington both on High Street Kensington, provide a great selection of classes and passes.
Whether you’re exploring its parks, visiting its museums, dining at its leading restaurants, enjoying a pint at a charming pub, or keeping fit, Kensington has so much to offer. It’s why I never left.