A new study reveals that staying in contact with nature while living in a city centre can help to reduce a wide range of conditions, including loneliness, depression and insomnia.

But are people losing touch with their local green spaces now that restrictions have eased, and is this issue particularly prevalent in the city of London?

With this in mind, London-based property developers, Essential Living, have travelled the tube map to pick out all of the top parks and peaceful spaces across our bustling capital city, to determine the best boroughs to live in to get access to green areas.

Greenwich Park – Greenwich

This expansive green space located in the heart of the borough of Greenwich provides all the peacefulness you would want from a park, whilst still giving you stunning city views, with the skyscraping Canary Wharf situated just across the river.

Aside from the acres of green fields, Greenwich Park also offers visitors plenty to see and do. Feel closer to nature with the Wilderness Deer Park or get away from the world entirely at The Royal Observatory Greenwich – both located within this vast park.

An afternoon spent in Greenwich Park would not be complete without taking a look at the Prime Meridian. This historic landmark is a geographic reference to the longitudinal line that runs directly through Greenwich, marking the earth’s eastern and western hemispheres – every place in the world is measured by its distance from this line.

If that were not enough, then the National Maritime Museum, which explores British naval history through engaging exhibits and interactive games, is also situated just outside the park – giving the good people of Greenwich plenty of active options.

Hyde Park – Kensington

Covering an area of 350 acres, Hyde Park is the largest in a run of four royal parks located in central London. This huge green space offers a host of ways to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, including boating and swimming in the Serpentine Lido, picnicking by the playground or simply relaxing in the Rose Garden.

This peaceful park is also home to the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain, which was opened in 2004 by Her Majesty, the Queen, to honour the memory of the late princess.

There are many more iconic locations within Hyde Park, including the historical Speaker’s Corner which hosts speakers every Sunday and has previously played host to radical thinkers such as George Orwell and Karl Marx.

Plus, every summer, part of the park transforms into a fabulous festival site by putting on the British Summer Time Festival, which in 2022 is being graced by such legendary artists as Duran Duran, Elton John and Pearl Jam.

This vast park is accessible from almost every corner of London, with the northeasterly Hyde Park Corner giving access to Mayfair and Marylebone, while the Queen Elizabeth Gate to the southeast of the park provides access to Belgravia and Buckingham Palace. Hyde Park is also accessible from the areas of Paddington to the northwest and Kensington-based landmarks such as the Imperial College London and the Royal Albert Hall to the southwest of the site.

Kensington Gardens – Kensington

Situated just to the west of Hyde Park, separated only by the West Carriage Drive, this expansive and peaceful green space is a day out in itself with 265 acres of open space, offering plenty to see and do.

Unsurprisingly given the site’s name, this royal park functions as the gardens to the Kensington Palace, with the entirety of the gardens and parts of the palace open to the public.

There are several attractions here for Royal lovers, including the Queen Victoria Statue, the Albert Memorial and many more. There’s also the idyllic Italian Gardens, with this 150-year-old ornamental water garden being built as a gift for Queen Victoria herself from her beloved Prince Albert.

Kensington Gardens will prove a particular hit with younger visitors who can let their imaginations run wild with the Peter Pan statue, plus an artificial beach and enormous pirate ship to play on, situated in the Diana Memorial Playground.

Green Park – Westminster

The third in a chain of four royal parks which run between Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace, Green Park may be the smallest of the bunch, but that is all part of this park’s unique appeal.

As the name suggests, there is not much here but green, but if green space and nature are what you are looking for, then this is undoubtedly the place to go.

You won’t find the kind of large lakes and spectacular statues that you can expect to see in the neighbouring Hyde Park here, but Green Park’s charm is in its spacious grassland and hundreds of trees which provide the perfect spot for pitching up a deckchair and getting away from the madness of the city.

Being adjacent to Buckingham Palace and its gardens, Green Park is the ideal place to catch views of the regal neighbours without the hectic crowd of tourists, or you can simply use the park as a place to relax before watching the ceremonial changing of the guard.

St James’ Park – Westminster

This park represents the final stop in a series of royal parks which makes the central London areas of Kensington and Westminster perfect for getting access to green space.

The Mall – the road which runs through the park – provides locals and tourists alike with the most perfect city centre stroll possible, with the road running between Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace, giving you non-stop views of the city’s top tourist attractions while you stretch your legs.

The St James’ Park Lake, which is absolutely bursting with colour, serves as one of the prettiest water features in the whole city, complete with wildlife such as pelicans, plus a grass-roofed cafe and plentiful marshland and fountains. It is so easy to forget that you are right in the heart of the city thanks to the pure tranquillity of St James’ Park.

Regent’s Park – Westminster

Regent’s Park is one of the most popular parks in London, frequented by an average of 6.7 million people per year, and it is no surprise since there is no shortage of attractions located in and around the park.

Most notable of all of the attractions that Regent’s Park has to offer is the ZSL London Zoo, which is home to an array of exotic wildlife including giraffes, lions, lemurs and much more. The centrally located ZSL London Zoo was built as a scientific research centre, aiming to conserve numerous species in naturalistic habitats.

There is something for everyone at the Regent’s Park, with a spectacular sports complex in the shape of The Hub, an open-air theatre with an annual summer programme of Shakespeare plays and acres of green space to kick back and relax on.

Primrose Hill – Camden

Located just to the north of Regent’s Park is the iconic Primrose Hill which provides stunning views of the neighbouring Regent’s Park, Camden Town and the city beyond. Given its vantage point, this popular grassy hill is the most perfect spot in the capital to catch a sunset.

This relaxing space is popular amongst students, residents and tourists alike, thanks to its close proximity to the bustling Camden neighbourhood. The Regent’s Canal towpath will lead visitors directly to the Camden market where boutique fashion stores, trendy bars and innovative street food can be enjoyed.

Elsewhere in the Primrose Hill area, visitors can find Shakespeare’s Tree, which was planted in 1864 to mark the 300th anniversary of the treasured writer’s birth.