Greenwich is one of London's most beguiling spots, and the one place in southeast London that draws large numbers of visitors. At its heart stands one of the capital's finest architectural set pieces, the former Royal Naval College overlooking the Thames. To the west lies Greenwich town centre, while to the south, you'll find Greenwich's two prime tourist sights, the National Maritime Museum and the Royal Observatory. If you're heading straight for either of the latter pair from central London, the quickest way to get there is to take the train from Charing Cross (every 30min) to Maze Hill, on the eastern edge of Greenwich Park. Those wanting to start with the town or the Cutty Sark should alight at Greenwich station.

A more scenic way of getting to Greenwich is to take a boat from one of the piers in central London. A third possible option is to take the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) to the Cutty Sark station. For the best view of the Wren buildings, though, get out at Island Gardens, and then take the Greenwich Foot Tunnel under the Thames.

_________________________

Clocks around the world are set to correspond to the time of Greenwich. Greenwich is also known as Greenwich Mean Time or GMT. The Observatory also lists the official measurements for the English metric system.

Due to the light pollution from London, the Observatory is not in use anymore. London’s light pollution has made observations impossible. The observatory is now a museum and is open for the general public. You can walk around it, stand on the Meridian line or stand with one foot on the western and the other on the eastern half of the world and admire the beautiful views of North London. Because no cars are allowed in the park, you can walk around and escape the noise and fast pace lifestyle of London.

 

Close to the Observatory you will find the Millennium Dome, which was opened to the public throughout the millennium year. As mentioned before, this area is the centre of the world concerning time measurement. Therefore, it made sense that the Millennium Dome was built on the Meridian line. It is now closed and is actually a mill stone around the city's neck as it costs millions per day while it is of no use to the community.

In the area you will also find Cutty Sark, a beautiful clipper ship which was launched on November 22, 1869. The Cutty Sark is one of the last remaining sea clippers in the world. It is now a museum where you can review a wide variety of relics from all kind of ships like coastal steamers. You will also learn more information about the Cutty Sark itself, her design, the trading history and about the industries that used the services of ships like the Cutty Sark.

Nearby is the Queen’s House and the Maritime Museum, and a market, where you can find a wide variety of clothes, fresh coffee, and cheeses. 

London
guide, hotels

 Hotels in London

Cruises
Car rental
Road trip