Regent's Park and Primrose Hill

John Nash laid out Regent's Park from 1811 as part of a scheme linking the Prince Regent's Carlton House to a new palace that was never built, ringing the park with stuccoed terraces that still stand. Queen Mary's Gardens in the Inner Circle hold around twelve thousand roses of some four hundred varieties, the largest collection in London, at their peak in June. The Open Air Theatre has staged plays there each summer since 1932. London Zoo occupies the northern edge, and the Regent's Canal runs along it. Primrose Hill, just north across the canal, rises to sixty-three metres and gives the view of the whole city skyline that appears in a great many films, with a protected sightline preventing building in the way.

What you actually see

• Queen Mary's Gardens - twelve thousand roses at their best in June.
• The Nash terraces - stuccoed Regency crescents ringing the park.
• The Open Air Theatre - summer productions running since 1932.
• Primrose Hill - a protected view over the whole London skyline.

When to go

June for the roses, which is the park's set piece; April to September for the Open Air Theatre. Primrose Hill works year-round and is busiest at sunset and on Bonfire Night, when it is closed for crowd control.

Honest expectations

The rose gardens peak for a few weeks and are ordinary outside them. Primrose Hill is crowded at sunset in summer and has had antisocial behaviour problems leading to overnight closures. Open Air Theatre performances go ahead in rain.

Nearby

London Zoo is in the park; Camden Market lies east along the canal.