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Number 13 of 20 in London

Greenwich by river: the Thames, the Meridian and the Cutty Sark

The best way to see London is from its river, and the best reason to take a boat is Greenwich. The trip downstream takes about an hour, and at the end of it is the hill from which the world sets its clocks.

What it is
On the water
Time to allow
4 to 6 hours
Cost
Boat ticket, much of Greenwich free
Best time
A dry day, leaving in the morning

London this week

    Why Greenwich is worth it

    From the boat you pass most of what you came to London for: the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye, St Paul's, Tate Modern, the Tower and Tower Bridge, then the old docks and the towers of Canary Wharf.

    Greenwich was a royal palace, where Henry VIII and Elizabeth I were born, and then the home of the navy. Charles II founded the Royal Observatory on the hill in 1675 to solve the problem of finding longitude at sea, and in 1884 the line through its telescope was chosen as the Prime Meridian of the world.

    Along the river is the grandest group of Baroque buildings in England, Wren's hospital for old sailors, laid out in two halves so as not to block the view from the Queen's House behind. The whole of it has been a World Heritage Site since 1997.

    What to see

    1. The river trip

      Sit on the open deck. Boats leave from Westminster Pier, call at the Tower, and reach Greenwich in about an hour.

    2. The Royal Observatory and the Prime Meridian

      In the courtyard a brass line marks longitude zero: one foot in the east, one in the west. Inside are John Harrison's sea clocks, which solved the longitude problem.

    3. The Cutty Sark

      The last of the tea clippers, launched in 1869 and one of the fastest ships of her day, raised in a dry dock so that you can walk under her copper hull.

    4. The Painted Hall

      The dining hall of the old naval hospital, its ceiling and walls painted by James Thornhill over nineteen years. Nelson lay in state here after Trafalgar.

    5. The National Maritime Museum and the Queen's House

      Both free. The museum has the coat Nelson was wearing when he was shot. The Queen's House, by Inigo Jones, was the first classical building in England.

    6. The view from the hill

      From the statue of General Wolfe beside the Observatory: the park, the Queen's House, the twin domes of the college, the river and the towers beyond.

    How to do it well

    • Go by boat and come back by rail. The DLR from Cutty Sark station reaches the City in about twenty minutes.
    • A one-way boat ticket is enough for that plan. A return or a day pass lets you stop at the Tower on the way.
    • The hill up to the Observatory is steep and takes ten minutes. The view from the top is free even if you do not go in.
    • Give Greenwich at least three hours. One ticket covers several of the paid sights and saves money if you want more than one.
    • Greenwich Market, under cover in the middle of the town, is the place for lunch.

    Where it is

    Address

    Greenwich, on the south bank of the Thames about nine kilometres downstream of Westminster

    Nearest station

    Westminster Pier for the boat, beside Westminster station. Cutty Sark (DLR) for the way back

    Tickets and tours: Greenwich by river

    Greenwich by river: common questions

    How long is the boat from Westminster to Greenwich?
    About an hour, with a stop at the Tower on the way. The ordinary river bus is a little faster and has no commentary.
    What is there to see in Greenwich?
    The Royal Observatory and the Prime Meridian, the Cutty Sark, the Painted Hall of the Old Royal Naval College, the National Maritime Museum, the Queen's House, the park and the market.
    Is Greenwich worth a day?
    Yes. With the boat there and the train back it fills a day comfortably, and half of what there is to see costs nothing.
    How much time do you need for Greenwich?
    Allow 4 to 6 hours. That is this site's estimate for an unhurried visit.

    What visitors say about Greenwich

    Rating from Google

    4.6

    22,903 ratings on Google

    Google's figures as read on 8 October 2026.

    Read every review on Google

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