Discover Croydon: Parks, Culture and Aviation History

Croydon combines vibrant city experiences with park landscapes, historic architecture and unusual insights into British aviation. Those planning a trip with varied daily rhythms will find inspiration here for active hours in green spaces, cultural discoveries and special museum visits. When choosing your accommodation, you can therefore consider whether you would like to focus primarily on parks, urban history or historic technology.

Wandle Park: Parkland with a skatepark and river views

The four-hectare Wandle Park is located in the town centre. The River Wandle flows through the park, and its banks offer views of the river. A particular attraction for sport-oriented visitors is the purpose-built skatepark. It is intended for BMX bikes, skateboards, skaters and micro-scooters. This allows a stay in the park to be arranged in different ways: while some travellers can take in the riverside landscape, others can plan to make the skatepark a specific activity focus.

Getting to this part of Croydon can also be incorporated into your daily planning: Wandle Park is served by a tram stop on Route 3. In the surrounding area, an indicated cycle path also runs through South Norwood Country Park and forms part of the Water Link Way. Those wishing to combine exercise and urban exploration can take these two different landscape experiences into account when choosing their own itinerary.

Historic Croydon around Old Palace and the Clocktower

Old Palace Croydon offers several notable buildings for exploring cultural history. The Great Hall is a medieval hall and part of the former archbishop’s palace. It preserves relics of Archbishop Stafford’s throne. Old Palace School was formerly a residence of the Archbishops of Canterbury and is notable for its 15th- and 16th-century architecture. Both places therefore represent Croydon’s historical development, with the former function of Old Palace School explicitly forming part of the building’s history.

The Chapel of Old Palace Croydon is a private archiepiscopal chapel and part of the archbishop’s palace complex in Croydon. Its construction phases extend from the late 14th to the 17th century. The historical classification is particularly important here: it makes the Chapel an interesting part of the palace’s history without implying general visitor access.

Another cultural destination is Croydon Clocktower, an arts and museum complex containing the Croydon Archives Collections and the David Lean Cinema. The Museum of Croydon is also located in Croydon Clocktower. This allows you to incorporate urban history, archival collections, film and art as different cultural interests into your travel planning.

Aviation history and special visitor experiences

The Croydon Airport Visitor Centre is located in the control tower of Airport House in Croydon. The museum covers important moments in British aviation history. Visitors can explore the original terminal building from the 1920s and stand in the world’s first air traffic control tower. This gives the visit a clear historical focus that differs from the city’s park and palace experiences.

If you are planning a guided tour, you should note the fixed schedule: tours at the Croydon Airport Visitor Centre last 60 minutes, take place on the first Sunday of each month and must be booked in advance. At Shirley Windmill, visitors can see the original machinery and two sets of millstones. Tours are generally offered there on the first Sunday of the month between June and October. Such time-limited offers can help when deciding which days of your trip to reserve for particular experiences.

Plan Croydon according to your own interests

Croydon is suitable for travel planning that does not follow just one theme. One day in Wandle Park can focus on the riverbank, parkland and skatepark. Another day can be devoted to the history of the former archbishop’s palace, Croydon Clocktower or aviation. The annual Remembrance Sunday service of the London Borough of Croydon takes place at Croydon Minster.

Croydon Council provides illustrated walking tours through neighbourhoods and to historic sites, with online maps and downloadable fold-out maps.

The best way to choose a holiday apartment or holiday house in Croydon is according to your preferred daily routine and experiences. Those wishing to combine cultural sites, parkland and special museums can compare the areas of focus mentioned above before booking, without having to limit the trip to a single programme.

More destinations for your selection

If you would like to expand your search within the destination area, you can also view the pages on Thornton Heath, Coulsdon and Kenley.

Back to the higher-level travel overview: Croydon.