>It's not somewhere you can clear your head by going for a walk, even the numerous and beautiful parks are crowded with young families on a sunny day. Quaint, village-type areas are well known and swarming with tourists. "Going for a walk" means something totally different in London- you're not going to escape the bustle, and will probably end up spending money.

I beg to differ. Yes, of course a place like Hyde Park will be full to the brim on a sunny day. But I have never had a problem finding a quiet area to walk around in London. Even walking about 5 minutes south-west from Hyde Park around the side streets of South Kensington you will quickly find yourself to be the only person walking around the beautiful houses.

A nice park if you want some peace and quiet I can recommend is Richmond Park. It's massive and there's loads of space around to explore without being herded around like cattle or having to endure the constant drone of traffic/sirens.