Visiting London’s Italian Gardens & Neoclassical Sculptures

A local’s visit to London’s Italian Gardens in Kensington Gardens, close to Lancaster Gate – one of the most beautiful places to visit for sculptures in London!

Lovers of Italian places in London, here’s a place I cannot stop raving about, nestled in a corner of Kensington Gardens.

Minutes only from two other hidden gems, the Peter Pan statue and the strange and colorful Elfin Oak, the Italian Gardens are a beautiful place to visit in the spring.

Take the kids out, or go solo for some peaceful writing, swan-watching or to admire the sculptures.

Even during autumn, the Italian Gardens, close to Bayswater in West London, are one of the best places to admire nature evolving.

Visiting London’s Italian Gardens & Neoclassical Sculptures

Officially part of Kensington Gardens (which leads via a small tunnel to the huge Hyde Park – and Winter Wonderland at Christmas time!), the Italian Gardens are a perfect place to visit for neoclassical sculptures.

Designed by James Pennethorne, these gardens were created in the 1860s with four ornamental water basins and marble sculptures, now a Grade II-listed site.

As you walk around the Italian Gardens (come from Lancaster Gate on the Central Line – it’s the closest Tube Station), you’ll find it is often crowded in spring and summer, but its Italianate details are still a quite hidden gem.

In each of the four water basins, you’ll see white marble rosettes and in the center, the beautiful Tazza Fountain.

Along the walls of the Italian Gardens are a variety of decorative urns, with five main urn designs: swan’s breast, woman’s head, ram’s head, dolphin, and an oval motif.

These are a great example of neoclassical and Victorian art in London, which I’ve mostly seen in the City of London and posh areas, like nearby Bayswater.

Then, dotted around the gardens a few beautiful statues and, closer to the entrance, a very Italianate building with the initials V and A (Victoria and Albert) carved there: a pump house that used to power the fountains in Victorian times.

London’s Italian Gardens in Kensington Gardens Photo Gallery

Visiting London’s Italian Gardens & Neoclassical Sculptures

The urns and fountains around the Italian Gardens are a must-see if you’re wandering around West London, hunting for hidden gems.

When you’re done walking around the garden and admiring its details, you can check out the Elfin Oak with its tiny elf sculptures on wood, or the Peter Pan statue, also a wonderfully detailed artwork.

After the Italian Gardens, if you want to see other secret gardens, you can make your way to Holland Park and check out the peaceful Kyoto Garden and the Dutch Garden.

Or, pop by Notting Hill’s shops for unique finds, unless you want to go back to Central London – Marble Arch and Oxford Street are a short bus ride away – and get lost in its bustling atmosphere!