The area around the London Eye is a great place for a daytrip if you’re staying in London, especially if you’re at one of the hotels near Waterloo. As well as the calming pleasure of taking a trip into the skies of London on a huge ferris wheel, there are plenty of other nearby attractions on the South Bank. The National Theatre is a great place to visit even if you’re not seeing a play, as it’s worth admiring for the architecture, art installations and frequent free events that happen in the court outside. As well as the National, visitors interested in theatre are within easy reach of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, a reconstruction of the original 17th century building which is now used both as a museum and for productions by the RSC. A little way up the road, we also have the Tate Modern, a huge converted power station that is now Britain’s home of modern art, and is credited with bringing art to the masses like never before. It’s featured turbine hall exhibits have been among the grandest and most innovative shown anywhere in the world. For a more family-friendly activity, the London Sea Life Aquarium is right next to the Eye, and holds one of Europe’s largest collections of marine life.
When you’re finished with a hard day’s sightseeing, why not cap off your South Bank excursion with a visit to one of the many fine restaurants around Waterloo and the London Eye. Here are a few of our favorites:
– Canteen is a small London chain with one of its branches at Royal Festival Hall. A friendly place with an emphasis on quality British food and a vaguely nostalgic feel reminiscent of school dinners. The food is the real treat, though, and may make tourists realise why Britons remain so fond of our culinary history, disparaged as it is throughout the world.
– Ev on Isabella Street is a lovely Lebanese restaurant under the railway arches. A classic interpretation of one of the world’s best cuisines, set in an atmospheric and charming Aladdin’s Cave of a building. Ev is right next to Southwark Station.
– The Oxo Tower Restaurant commands one of the best views over the city short of the eye itself. The restaurant serves amazing modern European cuisine in a tower that is a London landmark. In the summer, guests can even dine outside on the terrace, for an unforgettable evening dining experience. Prices are steep, but it’s obviously not just the excellent food that you’re paying for.
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