Syon House and Park

Syon House and Park Review

The residence of the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland, this is one of England's most lavish stately homes. Set in a 55-acre park landscaped by Capability Brown, the core of the house is Tudor—Henry VIII's fifth wife, Catherine Howard, and the extremely short-lived monarch, Lady Jane Grey ("Queen for thirteen days"), made pit stops here before they were sent to the Tower. It was remodeled in the Georgian style in 1761 by famed decorator Robert Adam. He had just returned from studying the sights of classical antiquity in Italy and created two rooms sumptuous enough to wow any Grand Tourist: the entryway is an amazing study in black and white, pairing neoclassical marbles with antique bronzes, and the Ante-Room contains 12 enormous verd-antique columns surmounted by statues of gold—and this was just a waiting room for the duke's servants and retainers. The Red Drawing Room is covered with crimson Spitalfields silk, and the Long Gallery is one of Adam's noblest creations.

On certain bank holidays and Sundays in the summer you can take a miniature steam-train ride in the grounds.

Tropical Zoo. In the grounds of Syon Park, the Tropical Zoo is a rescue sanctuary for abused, abandoned, and illegally kept exotic pets, from snakes and tarantulas to marmosets and crocodiles. Kids get some major perks here on weekends and holidays: Not only can they handle (some of) the creatures at 11, 2, and 4, but they can help feed the tiny squirrel monkeys at 1—or just watch as the other animals get their lunch. Syon Park, TW8 8JF. 020/8847-4730. www.tropicalzoo.org. £7.50. Daily, 10-5:30. Tube: Gunnersbury, then Bus 237 or 267 to Brentlea stop.