Kyoto Garden, Holland Park

Holland Park doesn’t get the tourist crowds of Hyde Park or Regent’s Park, which is exactly why we send guests there. And right at its heart sits the Kyoto Garden — a genuine Japanese garden gifted to London in 1991, complete with a waterfall, koi pond, and (if you’re lucky) a peacock wandering the paths like it owns the place. It’s a small garden, so you won’t need long, but it’s the kind of spot that’s worth slowing down for rather than ticking off. Bring a book, sit by the pond, and let the rest of the park draw you in afterwards — there’s a woodland walk, an opera house that hosts summer performances, and plenty of open grass if the kids need to run. Holland Park is a short bus ride or a pleasant 20-minute walk from Cogan’s Place, and makes a good midway point on a day that starts at Westfield and ends in Kensington. Go early morning or late afternoon for the best light and the fewest people — weekend lunchtimes get understandably busy.