Things To Do In Greenwich And How To Get There
Greenwich is a district of South London that is easily accessed from Central London. It has numerous attractions, history, and all within an easy commute from Central London. Coming from Central I suggest taking the DLR (Docklands Light Railway) and disembarking at ‘DLR CABLE STATION’ or simply hop on a boat from Embankment Pier. You will be able to check out many books about Greenwich during your commute. There are so many things to see and do in Greenwich.
Located just across the River Thames from Central London, the town is full of history, architecture and green spaces, South Greenwich Forum (southgreenwichforum.co.uk). Just take a walk around the town and you’ll notice there’s something for everyone. With this list you can be sure you don’t miss anything and if you have time explore some more. Greenwich in London is a little out of the way. It's not as central as other London cities, but it still has plenty of things to do and see.
Greenwich is a great day trip from London especially if you live in or near Central London. There are restaurants, bars, pubs, hotels, and all kinds of attractions you should see while in Greenwich. There’s always a lot to do in Greenwich, particularly on the weekends. Of course, it’s the shops you see first when you come across the river from Central London. But there’s more to Greenwich than just shops. There are museums, theaters, cafes, restaurants and many places worth visiting for a bit of entertainment.
Greenwich is one of my favorite places in London. It has something for everyone… whether it’s cutting edge innovators, history, or a bit of shopping. The best part is that you can get there via multiple forms of transportation. Below are some of the travel options available to you. Greenwich is in South London and there are many ways to get there from Central London. Railway, bus, or boat. Greenwich is well worth your time.
How To Get To Greenwich
The best way to get from Central London to Greenwich is by train. From London Bridge Station (red and district line) take the train to Greenwich station which takes about 20 minutes. At Greenwich station, you can buy a ticket for the DLR (Docklands Light Railway) for 2. 5 pounds sterling, but they are sold out online so you will have to go to the machine. The DLR (light railway) has a stop at the Cutty Sark which is just about 300 yards away from the Royal Observatory.
I have always been attracted to Greenwich. It has a certain identity, which is akin to the city of London itself. You want history? You’ll find this in Greenwich. Traditional markets which are open on Sundays? Check! A jovial nightlife? Greenwhich has it, and I have the photographs to prove it. So whether you’re planning a visit around transport or just want to take some quality time out, I’ve got you covered with how to get to Greenwich from Central London.
Greenwich is situated in South London and there are many ways you can get there from Central London. The train station is only a short walk to the Cutty Sark and the Maritime Museum. If you have more time, Greenwich Park should be on your list to visit because it is one of the largest city-owned parks in the world. After exploring the park you can tour the Old Royal Naval College or even sail downriver to enjoy the local pubs and eateries.
Getting to Greenwich from Central London can seem a little confusing. I've been on the District Line to Greenwich before, and it's not very straightforward. You get off the train at "West Greenwich". So, if you're confused about how to get there, I'm going to show you how in this blog post. Greenwich is a lovely part of London. It’s home to the National Maritime Museum, Cutty Sark, Globe Theatre, and Greenwich Market. However, if you are keen on getting there from Central London then you might be wondering how you will manage to get there?.
The Cutty Sark
The Cutty Sark is a clipper ship. Built on the Clyde in 1869 for the J. Willis Stannard shipbroking company of Whitby, she was one of the last tea clippers to be built and was one of the fastest, coming at the end of a long period of design development. The arrival of steam ships and the completion of the Suez Canal soon after her launch meant that she was too late to benefit from these.
She was designed for speed, and constructed with state-of-the-art materials and techniques, reflecting the growing competitiveness and profitability of the tea trade at that time. The Cutty Sark is the only surviving tea clipper and the last of the breed. Built in 1869 for the Jock Willis shipping line, she remained competitive for a mere decade before sail was abandoned in favour of steam. Over her lifetime she set 89 records, including 67 consecutive days with no sails while beating out the China fleet from Foochow to London.
The Cutty Sark has been described as the finest ship ever built, and yet, until she became a museum at Greenwich in 1954 it appeared to be on the scrapheap. Now after a painstaking thirty year restoration programme, this magnificent clipper sits proudly afloat again and will delight all age groups with her opulent displays and interactive displays. A wide and varied menu of dishes and cuisines, homemade desserts and great place for all the family.
The National Maritime Museum
Visiting the National Maritime Museum is like wandering through a series of galleries at the Tate as you are instantly transported to worlds you may have only ever experienced through books or movies. Encrusted starfish and sea shells are mounted alongside picturesque illustrations, while mysterious-looking instruments which inspired Jules Vernes tales are all on show. The National Maritime Museum. London has many great museums but this one is worth seeing for its superb gallery devoted to navigation and discovery.
The gallery features a range of objects, including 16th-century Portuguese charts of South America, as well as the astrolabe that led Columbus to sail west and encounter the Americas in 1492. The National Maritime Museum is the place to come for everything from Sir Francis Drakes Golden Hinde, or the ship that sailed around the world twice, before discovering a new continent in the Americas. The sailors of Nelson's navy are represented here too. The National Maritime Museum is located on the banks of the River Thames, and is home to some wonderful collections.
The Old Royal Naval College
While staying at the Crowne Plaza London-Greenwich hotel on the banks of the Thames, we spent some time relaxing in this area of Greenwich. I’d been aware for a some time of the Old Royal Naval College, recognised as one of Sir Christopher Wrens finest pieces of architecture. Having taken a loop walk along the Thames path to The O2 and back, I determined not to miss this architectural treasure during my stay. Putting aside the fact that in an area of south London free of other major attractions, Greenwich is always one of the very top places for visitors to choose (depite being not the best), it is always amazing to see the numbers flocking to Greenwich Observatory, The National Maritime Museum, The Old Royal Naval College, The Cutty Sark and nearby too are the Thames Barrier Park and the statue of Nelson Mandela.
The Discover Greenwich Visitor centre is part of the Royal Naval College. The centre has a range of info on Greenwich and all that it has to offer including daily walking tours along with a whole host of other special events catering for all abilities. Visiting is free making it a great stop off for our Greenwich itinerary. The Old Royal Naval College sits on the banks of the Thames at Greenwich and is a group of buildings designed by Sir Christopher Wren.
I had always wanted to go and explore what lies behind the walls, but never had a chance until recently. The length of King William Walk along the river affords stunning views of the Thames, while the Queen's House at its end features grand and imposing statuary, and also a pretty courtyard garden. There are over three million objects in the collection ranging from historical charts and paintings to medals and photographs. The oldest maritime museum in the world, the National Maritime Museum is a superb place to discover or learn more about the sea.
Traditional Pie, Mash, Eels And Liquor
I’ve always wanted to try traditional London food and recently my Dad told me about Goddards of Greenwich. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, was this a real place? There are so many tourist traps when it comes to London food, so I wasn’t having any of that. After some more research, it actually was a real place, and it had been around since 1851! As soon as I learnt this, I knew this would be the place for my first traditional English meal in London.
This is how I experienced London food at Goddards of Greenwich. Nestled in the heart of Greenwich, a stone’s throw from the Cutty Sark, Goddards is a bit of an institution. Unpretentious and no-nonsense, Goddards is a great place to come and try some truly traditional London fare. This classic pub has it all — for those wishing to taste London’s favourite dish, there is definitely not a better place than this. Goddards is a firm favourite with locals and tourists alike.
International Food And A Great Market
Anywhere that has a market at its heart is really special. Greenwich Market is one of London's most established and eclectic covered markets and a must see for anyone interested in food or antiques. It's tucked away down a side street leading directly off the main street, so look for the signs. There's a wide range of cafes, bars, pubs and shops selling everything from African print fabric to antique mahogany sideboards. Three Saturdays from October till March, individuals flock within the confines with the Old Royal Naval College to see local artisans selling jewellery, clothing, accessories and even their handmade crafts.
Built-in 1811 and situated on the banks for the River Thames, the historic location is just one of Uxbridges most sought after places to look at. The Greenwich Market in Victoria Park happens on Sundays from 10am to 5pm. Its a little out of the way, but its well worth the walk. My kids love everything about it. The rides outside, the Fairground organ playing traditional carnival music, the horse and carts, and of course all the great food stands with offerings from around the world.
Greenwich Market and Food Court is situated in Greenwich town center. Its a great market with lots of choice if youre hungry. There are also some excellent craft stalls selling stunning items, antiques, retro furniture and clothing if you get bored of eating. Greenwich Market is an open air covered-style market in the town centre. Greenwiches is a nice place to eat and grab a coffee while you take a break from walking around. If you'd like to sample fish and chips or pie, mash, liquor while looking out over the River Thames then this is the place to do it.
The Royal Observatory At Greenwich
The Royal Observatory at Greenwich is one of the oldest scientific institutions in the world. Although it was established as long ago as 1675, Sir Christopher Wren was charged with building an observatory to solve problems using timekeeping that interested Greenwich and the wider maritime community. The site of the observatory has changed over time with different buildings being built and demolished. Behind the Maritime Museum are two original observatory buildings — Flamsteed House (built circa 1676) and Airy Building (1851).
Royal Observatory, Greenwich, London The Royal Observatory at Greenwich is the home of UK time. Since 1675 when the first Astronomer Royal, John Flamsteed, was appointed by Charles II to chart the stars from a large wooden "ruler-dome", the Observatory has been Britain's national centre for timekeeping and navigation. The Royal Observatory at Greenwich in central London is the home of the Prime Meridian and is where all of Universal Coordinated Time is calculated from.
I visited on a rather grey February day and discovered a beautiful circular building on top of the hill above the Maritime Museum, Greenwich. The Royal Observatory at Greenwich was founded by King Charles II in 1675 on the advice of the scientist Sir Christopher Wren. He wanted to set up an observatory near the Royal Navy base in Deptford which would be easier to access for sailors (the sailors did complain a lot apparently).
The history of the Royal Observatory at Greenwich is a mixture of science and politics. The scientific experiments took place in the three white domes on the hill, but controlling this building was the job of politicians and administrators. The Royal Observatory lies to the east of Greenwich Park and, unlike the National Maritime Museum that it is paired with, is only open to the public by appointment. If you feel like eating the most traditional fare in London but dont know where to go, look at our guide below.
Greenwich Hill And Park
Like I said the other day, I was lucky enough to take a stroll around Greenwich Park and Greenwich Hill the other day. It was quite cold and freezing actually but that didn’t stop us from climbing up to the observatory, not just once but twice on separate occasions. Like I said in the last post, one of my favourite typography prints is from The Royal Observatory Greenwich which you can get online here.
And with the observatory being so close to where we were staying in Greenwich, it was hard not to check it out whilst we were there. Greenwich is a quaint little place in London surrounded by the hustle and bustle of the city, however once inside Greenwich Park you will find relative piece. Here you will find historical buildings, scenic walks and breathtaking views. The park is split into upper and lower halves, with the National Maritime Museum on the lower half.
If you continue walking through the park you reach the hill leading up to Greenwich Observatory. Greenwich Hill is quite a large hill and takes a while to climb, so make sure you're well prepared for the challenge. It is worth checking Greenwich Hill Road (G2) before setting off to avoid problems with parking on the way back down the hill. The observatory is located on top of the hill and can be accessed by foot, car or taxi.
I'd suggest hiring a car as it's a bit easier than taking public transport to get here. Greenwich Hill and Park. You would be hard pushed to find a more quintessentially English setting. The tree lined paths, the traditional thatched cottages, the observatory and of course the prime meridian – Greenwich really does have it all. It is also the perfect location for a final wedding shoot before I added this chapter to my guidebook book tour back to Mexico City.
Greenwich Hill and Park. Its well worth climbing the hill to the Observatory for one of the best views in London. You can see all the way from the O2 centre ( The Dome), along the Thames to The Shard and beyond. It really is something special. Here's a video I made when I was there – and it really gave me goosebumps when I saw what you could see. While some of you may have climbed the hill up to the Greenwich Observatory, a lot of you will be unaware that there are five other parks available in the area.
Walk Under The Thames
The Greenwich Foot Tunnel opened in 1902 and allows pedestrians to pass under the Thames. It runs around 50 feet under the river bed and measures 1217 feet in length. It is located opposite the Cutty Sark on Greenwich Peninsula, and carries traffic in both directions. The Bridge was designed by Sir Alexander Binnie for London County Council and construction began in the 1890s. The West Thames Tunnel, or Blackwall Tunnel as it used to be known, was built by the same company and also opened in 1902.
Both tunnels were designed to cater for horse-drawn traffic but were electrified early in their existence. A while back, I was looking for a new photo location and stumbled across the Greenwich Foot Tunnel. I discovered that it was possible to explore the tunnel, as it is open to the public during the day and I knew I had to try it out. The tunnel is around 1217 feet long but there are some parts of it which are quite difficult to access.
You can climb down steep ladders to reach certain areas (check out the photos in this article). It is well worth a visit if you would like to photograph in a unique location with some interesting history attached to it. The Greenwich foot tunnel is an underground pedestrian passage which opened in 1902. It opened to relieve pressure on the already tenacious, over used 1902 Blackwall Tunnel and subsequently was one of the first pedestrian tunnels to open anywhere in the world.
It acts as a shortcut from Greenwich (one of London's most popular tourist attractions) to the Isle of Dogs, in East London which is home to places such as Canary Wharf and Mudchute Park. The Greenwich Foot Tunnel was inaugurated in 1902. It’s the oldest pedestrian underground tunnel in the world, and its construction contributed to making Greenwich one of London’s tourist attractions. Its name is Greenwich Foot Tunnel: you can walk through it on your own feet.
The first Greenwich Foot Tunnel was built to link Greenwich and London in 1869. It was closed for health and safety reasons after only two years. The tunnel that is there now, links Greenwich with the Isle of Dogs on the other side of the Thames in East London. The Greenwich Foot Tunnel opened in 1902 and allows east access to the Isle of Dogs from the Greenwich side of the river. It is 1217 feet long and runs around 50 feet under the Thames.