For a first time visitor to London, one of the best ways to get your initial look a this historic city and get a great feel for the excitement it has to offer at the same time is on a cruise on the Thames.
Winding your way through the centre of London on a Thames cruise let’s you see some of its most well-known attractions the city has to offer and plan the activities for the rest of your stay.
There are many cruise operators in London, offering anything from 30-minute tours of the city to three hour’s worth of city sights. It is even possible to hop a ship at one pier, get off at another, and then join another ship’s tour at a third pier. Most of the cruises are narrated by guides knowledgeable in the history of London who may even have some entertaining local stories to share.
You can pick up a Thames Cruise from several points
Most Thames river boats are equipped for warm sunny days as well as the typical rainy London day. Large windows provide unobstructed views of the city from the inside of the ships, or you can enjoy your Thames cruise in the open air on the upper deck.
There are several piers along the Thames where you can pick up a cruise. Each one is convenient to some of the best attractions the city has to offer.
1. Get on at Westminster Pier but don’t forget a visit to Westminster Abbey, the legendary Gothic monastery church where kings and queens have been crowned and buried for centuries. It is right next to the house of Parliament and Big Ben.
2. Tower Pier is very near perhaps one of the most recognizable bridges, London Bridge. The bridge was designed to blend with the nearby Tower of London, probably the best known fortress in the world. A cruise on the Thames is the perfect way to get to and from the Tower and take in all its history while getting a peek at Henry VIII’s armour and the Crown Jewels.
3. The pier at Greenwich, a World Heritage Centre, also offers easy access to some of London’s better sights. The Royal Naval Academy is located here as well as the famous clipper ship, the Cutty Sark. This ship was built in 1869 and was the last clipper ship built and used as a merchant vessel.
4. The London Eye Pier (formerly called Waterloo Pier) is right near the enormous Ferris wheel called the London eye. This pier is also the stop for the Florence Nightingale Museum, the London Aquarium, and the South Bank Arts Centre.
Another highlight of a Thames cruise is Canary Wharf, an exciting and vital business district famous for its shops, pubs, restaurants, and wine bars as well as art exhibits and cultural events. You can also see St. Paul’s Cathedral, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, the Tate Gallelry, and the HMS Belfast, the only big gun armoured waships left built for the Royal Navy. The HMS Belfast is moored directly between London Bridge and the Tower of London.
An evening dinner cruise with the lights of the city sparkling on the water let’s you see London from an entirely different perspective. What better means than a cruise to introduce you to the sights and excitement of London.
