Top 10 Free Things To Do and Attractions in Welwyn Garden City

"Established in 1536 by Henry VIII, Hyde Park is one of London’s largest green spaces, with more than 4,000 trees, vibrant flower gardens and a large meadow which plays host to many public concerts and celebrations. Check out the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain, enjoy a bite in the royal park’s lakeside restaurants, or rent a row boat for a leisurely paddle on the Serpentine. Here are nine secrets no one knew about Princess Diana until after her death."

"It may not be the biggest of London’s eight royal parks, but if you’re going to talk about parks in London, then Hyde Park is a pretty good place to start. Stretching from Kensington Palace to Mayfair, the park encompasses plenty of must-see spots, including the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain and the Serpentine lake."

"Hyde Park is another enormous park to explore, located right in the bustling centre of the city. The Royal Park was founded by Henry VIII in 1536 when he took the land from Westminster Abbey and used it as a hunting ground. It opened to the public in 1637 and has been popular with Londoners ever since."

"The Shard has one of the most beautiful and photogenic views over London (if you manage to go on a sunny day, unlike the one when I went and snapped the photo below). My advice for visiting The Shard is to go enjoy the view from the cocktail bar, instead of the viewing floor. As you can imagine cocktails are expensive, however they are only a couple pounds more expensive than the entry ticket to the viewing deck."

"The Shard is one of the tallest buildings in Europe and it is a popular tourist attraction as it offers a restaurant, bars and a viewing platform. So, many visitors head there to get one of best views in the city. When The Shard was completed in 2012 it was the tallest building in Europe, but it has now been knocked off the top spot by new skyscrapers built in Moscow."

"Part of London’s new modern skyline, this skyscraper is the highest in the European Union at the time of writing. It rises to 309 metres. The building is a popular tourist destination, with great views of London."

"This is one of the oldest fortresses in London, built after the Norman Conquest of England, to house the new royalty who had just moved into the country and needed a nice secure palace to live in. As such, it’s a highly defensible castle, with two defensive walls and a moat, so it feels very castle-like. It’s also the home to the English Crown Jewels and has played host to notable historical events, in particular, the executions of 112 people, including Anne Boleyn and Lady Jane Grey."

"Still working towards East London, location number seven is a classic view of Tower bridge. There are so many places to capture this epic landmark but the cobbled street and ornate lamp add a nice finishing touch to this composition. If you like to add people to your photos, then this spot is perfect as you can place someone walking along the path or even sitting on the bench looking out across the river."

"Tower Bridge is without a doubt the most famous drawbridge in the world. This alone makes it a must-see landmark when visiting London. A lot of photographs have been taken from this spot already and the pedestrian ways seem to be crowded 24/7."

"After the houses of Parliament, this bridge is London’s most well known site. There are several excellent angles to photograph this bridge from. – A very popular photo to take is traffic light trails going through the archways of the bridge."

"Hampstead Heath is a favorite for Londoners, a quiet oasis that provides the illusion of a countryside getaway within one of the world's busiest cities. This sprawling and irregularly shaped park is located north of the city center, just beyond The Regent's Park. Its best-known features are the three natural bathing ponds: one designated for males, another for females, and the third for anyone."

"For any list of the best parks in London, it’d be a crime to ignore Hampstead Heath. Closest to the Hampstead Heath overground, or the Hampstead station if you’re going via tube, here you can enjoy your sandwiches on top of Parliament Hill while taking in stunning views of London. It’s even got its very own swimming ponds should the weather be particularly nice."

"Escape to the country without leaving the city with a trip to Hampstead Heath, just a few kilometres from Central London. This wild and undulating expanse of green space spans nearly 800 acres, with woodland, playing fields, swimming ponds and meadows. Hike up Parliament Hill for unbeatable views or take a dip in the Hampstead ponds on a hot summer’s day."

"Ben Franklin’s House Ben Franklin, in London?. For sixteen years, from 1757 and 1775, Ben Franklin lived in London. This house is the only surviving house that he called home."

"In 1224 an order of the Franciscans was given a piece of land within Newgate. The area where the Friars settled was poor, as evidenced by local streets such as Stinking Lane and the Shambles. In 1306 the Franciscans commenced ‘a magnificent edifice’."

"St Pancras Old Church is located in Somers Town in central London and is thought to be the one of the oldest places of Christian worship in the country. The Church itself is on Pancras Road and was rebuilt in the Victorian era by Alexander Dick Gough who made alterations to the old site, removing the tower and adding a north side vestry. The church itself is a church of England parish in its current state but used to be a place of catholic worship, due to the fact that it could have been a place of worship as early as AD 314."

"Year Built: Unknown – possibly as early as 314 CE, but most likely 625 CE Location: Somers Town, Central London Purpose:  Church (Current Denomination – Church of England) Still Standing:  Yes. photo source: Wikimedia Commons via Pauk. While the exact origins of the St. Pancras Old Church are unknown, it is believed to be one of the oldest sites of Christian worship in England."

"Located next to St Pancras Station, and just across from the famous Kings Cross Station is St Pancras Old Church. The site is believed to be one of the oldest sites of Christian worship in England dating back to the 4th century. However, it’s not just the churches age which makes it one of the most famous churches in London."

"Consisting of low-slung red-brick terraces and fronted by a large plaza featuring an oversized statue of Sir Isaac Newton, Colin St John Wilson’s British Library building is an architectural wonder. Completed in 1997, it's home to some of the greatest treasures of the written word, including the Codex Sinaiticus (the first complete text of the New Testament), Leonardo da Vinci's notebooks and a copy of the Magna Carta (1215)."

"Visiting the British Library is one of our favourite things to do around London. This landmark of London is next door to St Pancras station. It’s been there barely twenty years, but I can’t imagine London without it."

"Also known as the Temple of Mithras, this museum is centered around the remains of an ancient Roman temple in the City of London, left from the days of Roman rule, and is one of the lesser-known free museums in the capital. Named as one of the UK’s most significant archaeological sites, the museum showcases the ancient temple and a selection of interesting Roman artefacts found during excavations, including fragments of writing-tablets which feature the first known reference to London and the earliest hand-written document in Britain."

"One of London’s quirkier and lesser-known spots is literally a blend of old and new. The London Mithraeum is a museum centred around the ruins of a Roman Temple and is located, rather oddly, underneath the shiny glass Bloomberg Buildings in the middle of the city. A visit to the Mithraeum is not just looking at old artefacts, but a full on sensory experience."

"Year Built: c.240 CE Location: Modern-day Walbrook Purpose:  Temple/sanctuary Still Standing:  No – only partial ruins remain. photo source: Wikimedia Commons. The Temple of Mithras is one of the few remnants leftover from the Roman Empire’s time in the area and is one of the oldest buildings ever discovered in London."

"This excellent branch of the Victoria & Albert Museum displays one of the best collections of childhood-related objects in the world. Kids are fascinated by the immense number of dolls, dolls’ houses through the ages, vintage board games, construction toys (Lego, Meccano), battery-powered robots and favourite toys from the 20th century, decade by decade. Action figures, teddy bears, puppets, magic lanterns and MicroMachines are among the highlights here."

"Located in a beautiful redbrick building in Bethnal Green, this museum is the largest of its kind in the world. It’s not just for kids, though – it provides a delightful, nostalgic trip back to more innocent times, with a fascinating collection of toys and games from yesteryear. The current temporary exhibition is dedicated to board games and it’s an absolute treat."

"Out in Bethnal Green, you’ll discover the free Museum of Childhood. Operated and curated by the V&A, it’s home to toys, dolls houses, and thousands of other interesting items, but a major refurbishment is aiming to turn it into a “world-leading museum of design and creativity for children and young people”."

"Hidden away at the very back of Kings Cross’ Granary Square development, past the Coal Drops Yard, Skip Garden, is a beautiful community garden created entirely of fruit, veg, flowers and plants growing in skips. It’s run by Global Generation, an educational charity that helps young people in the area; and this vegetarian café, located by the entrance, is part of the project. Although there’s some indoor seating, it’s best to visit in sunshine when lunch can be eaten on one of the many wooden tables outside, surrounded by greenery."

"They call it “an urban garden with a twist”; a blooming oasis full of wild flowers, herbs, vegetables, a tranquil orchard and even a small oak forest. Everything is made with recycled materials, and it’s run entirely by the hands of the community. The garden—which is currently hidden behind the British Library after a recent move—hosts a number of workshops and special events throughout the year."

"Restaurants Bakeries St James’s. Ole & Steen is legit-Scandi (chef-patrons Ole Kristoffersen and Steen Skallebaek already have 50 outlets back home in Denmark) but the look here is sophisticated, not simple. As for the food, think open sandwiches, blueberry swirls, cinnamon buns, an unmissable cinnamon slice and more."

"Ole & Steen are a Danish bakery that has opened up various locations around Central London. The windows and shelves of the cafe are adorned with tons of Scandinavian pastries, cakes and loaves of rye bread but what you’ll see most people scoffing is their famous cinnamon social. Their cafes have an industrial-inspired interior and are pretty spacious."

"You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. View this post on Instagram. A post shared by Ole & Steen (@oleandsteenuk)"

"The Walthamstow Pumphouse Museum sits in a Grade II listed former Victorian waste water pumping station. The museum is dedicated to chronicling the technology, transport and industrial history of the Walthamstow area. The collection houses an impressive list of transport and machinery from steam engines to workshops to original tube cars to firefighting equipment."

"Barnet Museum in London focuses on the history of Barnet with a special emphasis on the Battle of Barnet, the Barnet Fair, and the Barnet Market. With a library and reference collection on site, the Barnet Museum is one of the most comprehensive resources on the Battle of Barnet. The museum first opened its doors in 1938, and it remains in its original Georgian building."