A Thames Clipper cruises past Greenwich
While most visitors would agree that the River Thames is one of London’s most delightful features, they may be surprised to learn that this somewhat murky body of water also provides the majority of the capital’s drinking water. Spanning over 200 miles, the Thames is the longest river in England with about one quarter of that within the city’s boundaries. The river is an excellent way to see the main sights, either by boat or foot on the paths on either side. The Thames has also been the setting for numerous boat chases in films, including James Bond (The World is Not Enough and Spectre) and several Harry Potter films (Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince). London’s key cultural centers, such as Tate Modern, Tate Britain, the British Film Institute, the National Theatre and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, all line the Thames too, as well as popular modern tourist attractions like the London Eye and The Emirates Air Line cable car and historic ones, including the Tower of London and the Cutty Sark.
The London Eye
All of these places can be visited by boat and whether you have a particular destination in mind or want to see several, you can hop on and hop off at stops near each location with a day pass from Thames Clippers. Although perhaps not quite speedy enough for James Bond, Thames Clippers are the fastest and most frequent fleet on the river, with departures from major London piers every twenty minutes. Their services stretch from Putney in west London to Woolwich (Royal Arsenal) in south east London and are used by commuters on their way to work and tourists wanting a day out on the river. Thames Clippers have grown from a one-boat operation in 1999 to a fleet of twenty vessels and carry over four million passengers a year up and down the River Thames. Here are some recommended stops for an afternoon on the Thames travelling by a Thames Clipper.
A Thames clipper in front of Big Ben in Westminster, London
Alight at Westminster Pier for a tour of the Houses of Parliament and to see London’s famous clock, Big Ben. Walk across the Westminster bridge and see all of London laid out below you on the London Eye which is celebrating its twentieth anniversary this year and at 135 meters tall was the world’s largest ferris wheel when it opened (it has since been surpassed by the 167 meter high High Roller in Las Vegas). Also on this side of Westminster bridge is the former County council building, now a Marriott hotel, offering a traditional afternoon tea in the library, which has maintained its original 1920s decor.
The Tower of London houses the crown jewels of the British monarchy
The Tower Millennium Pier is dominated by the Tower of London, founded by William the Conqueror in 1066. Despite its macabre history as a place of torture and death, the Tower today houses the famous Crown Jewels of the British monarchy, a collection of 23,578 gemstones, some of which are still used in by the royal family. Also be sure to take photos of the ornate Tower Bridge, especially if you’ve timed your stop for when it opens and lifts in the middle to allow tall ships to pass through it.
One of the stops on a Thames Clipper is the Tate Modern
For culture lovers, Bankside Pier is an essential stop for Tate Modern (also celebrating its twentieth anniversary this year) and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. A former power station, built in two phases between 1947 and 1963, designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott (who also designed the iconic red telephone box) was converted by Swiss architects Herzog & De Meuron into what is today one of the world’s most famous contemporary art galleries. If you have the stamina, experience a Shakespeare play at the Globe Theatre as the playwright’s original audience would have when it opened in 1599 by buying a standing seat for £10 (if you try to sit down, an usher will ask you to stand again).
Canary Wharf, one of London's main financial districts
Skip the Canary Wharf stop unless you’re keen to do some shopping and alight instead at Greenwich Pier to visit the Naval College, the world’s only surviving tea clipper, Cutty Sark, the Queen’s House and the Royal Observatory. The 18th-century painted gallery in the Christopher Wren designed Old Royal Naval College is one of Greenwich’s highlights. Described as the UK’s Sistine Chapel, the painted gallery was originally intended to be a dining room. Recently reopened following a major conservation project, the 40,000 foot gallery features some of the finest Baroque paintings in Europe.
The Good Hotel on the River Thames beside the Emirates cable car was a former prison barge
Further down river, stop at North Greenwich Pier and take the cable car for spectacular views up and down the river. cross the river by cable car. After crossing the river on the Emirates Air Line cable car, stop for tea and cake at The Good Hotel, on the north side beside the cable car entrance and support a philanthropic business at the same time. Dutch entrepreneur Marten Dresen, the founder of the Good Hospitality Group, transformed a former floating prison in Amsterdam into a boutique hotel that trains and employs longterm unemployed locals, stimulates local business by using local suppliers and funds an educational charity in Central America. The hotel was built on a transportable, 8-million-kilo platform and after a year as a 'pop-up" floating hotel in Amsterdam, the hotel was towed across the North Sea and up the River Thames to London where it will remain for at least five years.
A River Roamer ticket, good for the day, if booked online, is £17.80 for an adult, £8.90 for a child, or £35.60 for a family ticket.
