As a few rays of sunshine beckon invitingly through our office blinds, all we can really think about right now is where to spend our lunch break.

With an hour at the most and London's larger parks too crowded or out of reach, finding a good sun spot come 1pm can be tricky. You want to make the most of every precious minute in the sun (who knows how long it will last... ?) but at the same time you don't want to end up wedged between the park entrance and a litter bin, sacrificing your favourite spring jacket to a wet patch of grass.

With that in mind, we've rounded up our favourite central and lesser known parks, gardens and rooftop spots for lunchtime sunbathing in the capital. Grab your SPF 50 and get set to hit up one of these hidden gems of urban greenery for a moment of calm in your workday chaos:

London's best parks, gardens and rooftop spots for lunchtime sunbathing