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One of my favourite neighbourhoods in London is the picturesque borough of Greenwich. This small chunk of South East London, situated on the bank of the river Thames is home to maritime history, beautiful parks and of course giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian (0° longitude) and Greenwich Mean Time. It’s particularly beautiful on a sunny day in London, and below I’ve outlined a guide on how to spend the day in Greenwich.
Getting to Greenwich
Greenwich is easily accessible by car, train, DLR and bus. You can either head to Greenwich station via National Rail, or Greenwich (for Cutty Sark) on the DLR if you’re coming from central London. Alternatively, to start off your day in a more unique way to travel, you can catch the DLR to Royal Victoria, and then catch the iconic Emirates Skyline (nicknamed the dangleway) over to North Greenwich. Enjoy iconic views over the River Thames as you ride the cable cart right over the river towards the o2 arena.
Once you arrive in North Greenwich, you can reach the center of Greenwich town in just 10-15 minutes by catching the 129 bus from North Greenwich station.
Things to do in Greenwich
Once you arrive ready to spend the day in Greenwich, you will have a plethora of things to see and do!
Greenwich Park
On a sunny day, I always like to start by wandering around Greenwich park. It’s easy to spend a few hours here, wandering up and down the hills, around the lake and through the flower gardens. During spring, lots of gorgeous pink cherry blossom trees line the paths, and no matter what time of year you visit, be sure to head up to Prime Meridian for the iconic views of Canary Wharf and the rest of the London skyline. If that’s not enough, there is also Wilderness Deer Park and Greenwich Observatory located within the park too!
Greenwich Observatory
The observatory is a fun and interesting day out for people of all ages! Whether you want to walk along the Prime Meridian line, see one of the UK’s largest telescopes, or learn more about stars in the Peter Harrison Planetarium, you can do so at the Observatory. You can also learn more about time, and see the Shepherd Gate clock, which was the first to ever display Greenwich Mean Time to the public.
National Maritime Museum
Located down at the front entrance of the park, you will find Greenwich Maritime Museum. Although the museum is free to enter, you need to have a timed ticket, so be sure to book this online ahead of time to avoid disappointment. The Museum is home to plenty of exhibitions about exploration and discovery by sea, many of which shaped the world we know today. They also host a number of additional exhibitions throughout the year.
Cutty Sark
If you’ve visited Greenwich before, then you’ll no doubt have seen the Cutty Sark standing in all its glory by the river on King William Walk. Launched in 1869, this ship was one of the fastest of its time, becoming the dominant ship in bringing wool all the way from Australia to England! Standing in the centre of the square, you can purchase tickets to visit the Cutty Sark for £16 for adults and £8 for Children to visit inside the museum, however if you’re on a budget it can easily be appreciated from the outside too.
Greenwich Market
After a full morning or afternoon exploring many of the sights on offer in Greenwich, you’ll no doubt be hungry. Luckily for you, only a stones throw from the Cutty Sark, is Greenwich market. Open 7 days a week from 10am – 5:30pm, the market is home to a whole host of boutique stores, antiques and of course, food stalls. From Ethiopian, Desi and Greek, to churros, coffee and much more, you’ll be completely spoiled for choice, so best to work up an appetite before you visit!
See more: 12 of the best markets in London!
