Alexandra Park and Palace: A London Oasis with History and Activities
Alexandra Park and Palace, often referred to as Ally Pally, offer a delightful escape from the bustling city center. Nestled in north London, it combines beautiful green spaces with a historic landmark, making it a great destination for a variety of interests.
The Park:
Green Flag Award Winner: This sprawling 200-acre park boasts a variety of landscapes, including meadows, woodlands, and a boating lake. It's a perfect spot for a picnic, a leisurely stroll, or engaging in outdoor activities like frisbee or running. Family-Friendly: Playgrounds, a paddling pool (open seasonally), and a cafe with outdoor seating make it a great place to bring the kids. Panoramic Views: Ally Pally sits on a hill, offering breathtaking panoramic views of London's skyline on a clear day.
The Palace:
A Historic Landmark: The Grade II listed Alexandra Palace, nicknamed "The People's Palace," is a stunning Victorian building with a rich history. Things to Do: The Palace houses exhibitions, events, a theatre, and a restaurant. You can also enjoy the impressive architecture and explore the surrounding gardens. Mixed Reviews: While some find the Palace beautiful and interesting, others might find the interior a bit dated [Tripadvisor reviews].
Other Activities:
Alexandra Park also offers: A pitch and putt course Go Ape treetop adventure course An all-year ice rink Farmers markets (seasonal)
Things to Keep in Mind:
Getting There: The park is easily accessible by public transport, but the Palace itself is a bit of a walk uphill from the nearest station. Limited Palace Opening Hours: Double-check the opening hours of the Palace before your visit, as they can vary depending on the day and any events happening. Playground Reviews: While the park offers green space for kids to run around, some reviews mention the playground equipment itself could be improved [LondonDucklings review].
Overall:
Alexandra Park and Palace offer a lovely green escape with something for everyone. Whether you're seeking a historical adventure, a family outing, or simply a relaxing day in nature, Ally Pally has something to offer. Just be prepared for the walk uphill to the Palace and potentially limited...
Ā Ā Ā Read moreI can't stand nature. I really can't abide the countryside. It's awful. All those midges and large angry sounding animals late at night - it bothers me. And as for trapesing around some muddy path wearing wellies in the miserable wet British summertime? Overrated, I say. Give me a city break any say.
Having said that, AllyPally is my local park and the stunning view over the only city I could ever live in in Europe is (almost) unrivalled, although Greenwich might pip it to the post. I won't dwell on that, but will offer three pieces of critical feedback to chew over.
There aren't enough seats in the park for the disabled and elderly etc. The actual tarmacked and gravel paths force you to walk much further to get to the top than a crow would fly. If you're in a hurry to get to the Palace itself or the garden centre you have to cut across the grass, which leads me to Boggy grass near bottom of hill can be almost swamp-like - so don't take your White Jordan Airs even on a dry day.
Oh, nearly forgot, there's some boats at the top too somewhere. I think you can get in them and sail or float around or something. Worth a mention. I don't hate water like rivers or pools or the sea etc... Not in the way i detest the countryside. I guess I'm just indifferent to it. It doesn't particularly "float my boat", so to speak. Then again, I'm indifferent to Marmite, too.
Now, back to my beloved graffiti...
Ā Ā Ā Read moreI visited here two times to go ice skating and yesterday for Latino American festival. THE ICE RINK š§ Itās a nice big place which gives opportunity to practice your skills on ice skating The only minus I have noticed so far u have to book your visit a day earlier cause thereās lots people visiting if u came without a reservation u canāt go in AREA š³ The area inside and outside is big and enjoyable to look at. One of the things that they do sometimes is festivals like the one I went to it has lots food and dancing The hall inside changes quite a lot and last time I saw it (yesterday) had the most amazing thing a giant picture of Alexandra palace but instead of putting just a picture they found an artist that made it out of small little pics of people in the palace ( idk how to really explain it so look yourself ā¬ļø) FESTIVAL š Latino American festival was really interesting lots dancing, food and fun. Food was a bit expensive but it was worth it the Latin food that we had was delicious like really good
So this place is amazing 𤩠And if u hear about a festival happening. Donāt waste time thinking, just go. Trust me u...
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