The River Thames runs through the heart of the borough for 21 miles linking Hampton Court Palace, Richmond town centre and Kew Gardens with central London. With beautiful parks and historic houses, town centres bursting with shops and restaurants, Richmond-upon-Thames attracts visitors from miles around. Its two Royal Parks, with their herds of deer, are popular with walkers, joggers and horse-riders.
At the centre of the borough stands the delightful riverside village of Richmond,offering specialist boutiques, pretty riverside pubs , museums and galleries rich with exhibits. Richmond Theatre frequently hosts West End previews.
The area boasts many magnificent houses and gardens. The most famous is Henry VIII’s Hampton Court Palace, the oldest Tudor palace in England and Kew Gardens, with its 300 acres containing over 40,000 varieties of plants. In addition, Marble Hill House, a Thames-side villa built between 1724-29 for the mistress of King George III is open to visitors, as is Twickenham Stadium and Museum, home of the world cup-winning English rugby team.
One of the best ways to reach Richmond is by river and riverboat services run in summer from Westminster Pier.
Must see and do
- Ham House
- Hampton Court Palace
- Kew Gardens
- Marble Hill House
- Museum of Richmond
- Richmond Park
- Richmond Theatre
- Royal Star and Garter Home
- Syon House
- Twickenham Stadium and Museum