MOST BEAUTIFUL CITY PICNIC SPOTS

It’s time for some beautiful picnics! While idyllic spots in the countryside or at the beach may be tops on your list, we know of some wonderful picnic spots right in the middle of the city to recommend.

City parks and urban landscapes have advantages of their own. They are often more elaborately planted with flowers and other greenery. And, they typically come with fabulous skyline views and architectural delights. Another city advantage is easy access to exceptional gourmet shops to fill your picnic hampers.

The BN Team has a list of favorites, curated-for-beauty, to inspire your upcoming picnics. Some are classics -- like Central Park, in New York City, or Jardin des Tuileries, in Paris, but others are more far flung, like the wondrous Singapore Botanic Gardens.

Check out the magnificent urban picnic spots below, and start planning your next al fresco delight.

1. JARDIN DES TUILERIES -- PARIS, FRANCE

About once a year we get a craving for a déjeuner du l'herbe at the Jardin des Tuileries. Sure it’s a tourist mecca, flanked by two museums (the Galerie Nationale du Jeu de Paume and the Musée de l'Orangerie, at the edge of the Musée du Louvre. But it’s actually very peaceful here. The gardens are gorgeous. The art nearby sings to you. And there are delicious fromageries, boulangeries, and patisseries within a short stroll.

2. HAMPSTEAD HEATH -- LONDON, UK

Not quite wild and certainly not tame and manicured, Hampstead Heath is a swath of woodland and meadows that spans almost 800 acres at the northern edges of London. It’s long been a favorite place to walk and contemplate. And it’s a lovely place to picnic. Sit by a lake, listen to the birds or perhaps a concert at the Kenwood Estate, surrounded by over 100 acres of landscaped gardens.

3. WENDY’S SECRET GARDEN -- SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

Sydney is one of the most beautiful harbor cities in the world. The sparkling waterfront, with its iconic bridge and opera house, is bright and dotted with lighthearted life. But Wendy’s Secret Garden is a totally different headspace and heartspace. And it’s a perfect place for a picnic -- an oasis with a perfect view of the harbor.

Lush and chock full of green and floral delights, it’s hard to believe this garden was once a derelict trash-filled railway-yard. But Wendy Whiteley turned it into a healing project soon after her husband, Australian artist Brett Whiteley, died. As Wendy cleared the site, she began creating a garden as if she were creating a giant painting -- driven color, form, composition and expression.

Learn more in Wendy Whiteley and the Secret Garden, a beautiful book by Janet Hawley.

4. PARC DES BUTTES CHAUMONT -- PARIS, FRANCE

Parc des Buttes Chaumont, a Parisian park in the 19th-arrondissement, was built when Emperor Napoleon III ruled the land. Built on a quarry, it was used as a trash dump and gallows ground. Today, the park is one of the most expansive green spaces in Paris, with stunning views of the city. Explore the caves and waterfalls. Meander through exotic, indigenous trees. Have a picnic by the lake.  

5. CENTRAL PARK -- NEW YORK, NY

We had to include Central Park in this mix, given that it is right in our own backyard here at BeautifulNow. While it’s in a crowded city, it stakes claim to 843 acres. Picnic on The Great Lawn or Sheep’s Meadow. Jog it off around the reservoir. Take a row across the pond.

There are endless paths to follow, beautiful landscape architecture to admire at every turn, and glorious plantings. There are so many treasures, some well known, some almost hidden, we could write a whole book and still not cover it all.  Here are a few books to get you started: Central Park, An American Masterpiece, by Sara Cedar Mille and

The Statues of Central Park, a new book by June Eding with photos by Catarina Astrom .

6. SINGAPORE BOTANIC GARDENS -- SINGAPORE

Singapore Botanic Gardens is tropical rain forest right in the middle of the hustle and bustle of crowded city. It contains the National Orchid Garden, with more than 1,000 species and 2,000 hybrids. There are plenty of picnic spots to choose from -- by the lakes, near the ginger garden, or in the green Palm Valley while you take in an open-air concert.

7. BOBOLI GARDENS -- FLORENCE, ITALY

Boboli Gardens, in Florence, was built by the Medicis, so of course it’s filled with art -- beautiful Renaissance marble sculptures and fountains. It also offers gorgeous views of the city.

Tuck into an Italian feast under the shade of a flouncy tree. Take a nap. When you awaken, you will still be in a dream.

8. MARGARET ISLAND -- BUDAPEST, HUNGARY

In Budapest, the most beautiful place to picnic is on Margaret Island in the middle of the blue Danube. You can have your kolbász (smoked sausage) in Buda and your dobos (a layered cream cake with a burnt sugar topping) in Pest!

Walk it off in the Japanese garden, explore the medieval ruins and indulge in the thermal spa. Top it off with a bottle of Tokaji, the Hungarian sweet wine, from one of the Bortársaság vendors.

Read more about Urban Beauty in Random & Planned Beautiful Spots in Paris, Way Beyond Pretty City Suites, Pretty City Ditties, Anime Colored Italian Cities: Davide Sasso, and Most Beautiful Nature & Science Museums.

And check out more beautiful things happening now in BN Mind/Body, Soul/Impact, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Arts/Design, and Place/Time, Daily Fix posts.

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IMAGE CREDITS:

1. Image: by Guillaume Baviere. “Paris. Au Jardin des Tuileries.” Paris, France.
2. Image: by Bruno Monginoux. “Spring colors in Paris.” Jardin des Tuileries. Paris, France.
3. Image: by Garry Knight. “Kenwood Spring.” Kenwood Estate, Hampstead Heath. London, UK.
4. Image: by PhilipThompsonPhotography.com. “Lavender Bay.” Wendy's Secret Garden. Sydney, Australia.
5. Image: by Wendy’s Secret Garden. Wendy under a fig tree.
6. Image: by synchrodipity. “Parc des Buttes Chaumont.” Paris, France.
7. Image: by ykyangmd. Central Park, Spring. Central Park. New York, NY
8. Image: by David Jones. “Singapore Flyer and Gardens by the Bay.” Singapore Botanic Gardens. Singapore.
9. Image: by Guillén Pérez. “Florencia desde Boboli.” Florence, Italy.
10. Image: by Rachel Titiriga. “Margaret Island.” Budapest, Hungary.
11. Image: by Evan Bench. “Rosa Bonheu.” Parc des Buttes Chaumont. Paris, France.
12. Image: by Laurel Guido. “Picnic.”
13. Image: by Teresa Parker. “Beautiful Gardens.” Wendy’s Secret Garden. Sydney, Australia.