Visiting Public Parks Before You Die Should Be On Your Bucket List
In addition to parks within urban settings, such as Central Park in New York, there are also parks that encompass a grandeur of nature, such as Table Mountain National Park, which is located in Cape Town.
There are many things that make public parks great, including beautiful landscaping, open-air theaters, fountains, pavilions, gardens, and more. The best parks combine breathtaking landscapes with architectural and cultural attractions. Public parks are relatively new compared to the aristocracy's elaborate and extraordinary gardens, which were once exclusively reserved for them.
It was not until the 1880s that some urban planners began to advocate for the democratic idea that parks should be open to everyone, not just the wealthy. Some of the parks that Rich Report surveyed were originally private gardens before they were opened to the public, while others were originally private parks.
Jardin du Luxembourg, Paris
The Jardin du Luxembourg was created in 1612 in memory of the Boboli Gardens in the Queen's hometown of Florence. It is now one of Paris's most loved parks. French and English gardens border the park, which is divided between the Latin Quarter, Saint Germain-des-Près, and Montparnasse. Children often play with toy sailboats in the large circular basin in the middle. During the spring, when tulips and daffodils bloom, the park comes alive with more than 100 statues.
Central Park, New York City
A trip to New York City would not be complete without a visit to Central Park. The first landscaped public park in the United States, stretching from Fifth to Eighth Avenues and spanning 59th to 110th Streets in Manhattan, was planned in 1853. There are manicured lawns, ponds, boathouses, fountains, sculptures, a castle, an open-air theater, and a nature sanctuary at this park designed by Frederick Law Olmstead and Calvert Vaux.
Park Güell, Barcelona
Park Güell in Barcelona is one of the world's most iconic parks, designed by Antoni Gaudí and built between 1900 and 1914. Count Eusebi Güell originally intended it to be a gated community, but only two of the houses were built, and the Güell family instead donated it to the city. There is more than 42 acres of park, but a timed ticket is required to access the monumental part, which includes the mosaic-covered benches, the famous lizard fountain, and other highlights.
Parque Ibirapuera, São Paulo
Designed by Roberto Burle Marx and Oscar Niemeyer in 1954 to commemorate So Paulo's 400th anniversary, Parque Ibirapuera is a masterpiece of Brazilian modernist architecture. Landscape designer Burle Marx designed asymmetrical plans with free-flowing water bodies, colorful pavements, and indigenous plants that thrive in Brazil's tropical climate. It is still possible to see Niemeyer's auditorium within the park.
Hyde Park, London
In the past, Hyde Park and Green Park, along with St. James's Park, were part of King Henry VIII's hunting grounds. You might see the guards in their full regalia on horseback going to or from Buckingham Palace if you're at the right time in the Hyde Park Barracks, which house the Household Cavalry. Located on 350 acres, the Serpentine Lido offers a snack and a drink at the Lido Café Bar as well as the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain.
Bosque de Chapultepec, Mexico City
It was a sacred place for centuries to the indigenous tribes who lived in Mexico City's green heart. Today, it houses some of Mexico's finest museums, three small lakes, a botanical garden, a cultural center, monuments, fountains, a zoo, a national cemetery, and the Mexican presidential palace. Due to the presence of the Modern Art Museum, the National Anthropology Museum, and the Tamayo Museum, the first section of the park is the most popular.
Griffith Park, Los Angeles
In the United States, Griffith Park measures 4,310 acres, making it the largest municipal park. 3,000 acres of land were donated to the city by mining tycoon Colonel Griffith J. Griffith in 1896. Take an Uber up to Griffith Observatory, which offers panoramic views of the city and the Hollywood sign, unless you're up for an ambitious hike. In addition to the Los Angeles Zoo, the Greek Theater, two golf courses, a swimming pool, hiking and bridle trails, a carousel, and an outdoor train museum, the park contains Bronson Canyon, where the Batcave from the 1960s Batman TV series is located.
Villa Borghese, Rome
Located just north of Rome's Piazza del Popolo, this heart-shaped park was once part of the vast estate belonging to Cardinal Scipione Borghese, who constructed the stunning Galleria Borghese museum within the park. There are also two museums here, the Museo Nazionale di Arte Moderna and the Villa Giulia National Etruscan Museum, as well as a zoo, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre replica, a botanical garden, and rowboats to rent on a small lake. In the area surrounding the Galleria Borghese, contemporary art installations sometimes appear.
Yoyogi Park, Tokyo
Yoyogi Park in Shibuya is one of Tokyo's largest parks, with cherry blossoms in spring and a gingko forest with golden leaves in autumn. A massive torii gate marks the entrance to the Meiji Jingu Shrine, which served as the Olympic Village for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. As a gathering place for dance crews, punk rockers, and cosplayers, the park is a favorite spot for people-watching.
Singapore Botanic Gardens
Singapore's Gardens by the Bay may have more famous supertrees, but the Botanic Gardens are its first UNESCO World Heritage Site. Founded in 1859, the 60-acre garden is a haven for horticulturists and attracts botanic scholars. There are more than 60,000 orchid plants on display in the National Orchid Garden, which is the largest in the world. Also on site are remnants of a 10-acre rainforest, as well as gazebos, pavilions, and ornate bandstands from the Victorian era.
Table Mountain National Park, Cape Town
Table Mountain National Park is one of the few places in the world where you can experience the natural beauty of a national park within city limits. Despite its 85 square miles, much of this park is located within Cape Town, including the eponymous Table Mountain and the Cape of Good Hope. Although much of the park is free and open to the public, you will have to pay to see the penguins at Boulders Beach.
