Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
7.5 The South Bank
London is divided by the meandering Thames, the arcing body of water creating an ideolo-
gical divide between North and South Londoners. South London is different to the rest of the
city, but the area along the Thames is still firmly Central London. It's one of London's most
picturesque and idyllic boroughs, away from the traffic yet still surrounded by architectural
glory and experiences. When London's chaos and crowds become to much, just cross the
bridge and take some quiet time on the other side of the river.
Travel Essentials
The River Thames is your navigator, snaking through the city and providing all the orienta-
tion you require. Just gaze across at the bridges; iconic old London Bridge and the Tower of
London will be to the East (unless you walk underneath it). If you can't see London Bridge
then look out for the Shard and other monstrous glass fronted skyscrapers, that's the area of
Southwalk just east of the bridge along the Thames. Half a dozen bridges will take you over
to the South Bank, the nicest being the pedestrianized Millenium Bridge. If arriving direct
by the Underground then Waterloo is a good central option. Once in the South Bank the ped-
estrianized walkway along the Thames takes you to most of the essential experiences.
Essential Experiences
•
£FREE
- A long pedestrianized walkway follows the curves of the Thames,
offering stunning views of The Palace of Westminster and it's adjacent archi-
tectural glory. You'll get far better photos from this side of the river as it's
possible to fit the whole palace into a single shot. Think of the walk as one of
those sightseeing buses, only without the exhaust fumes and price tag. There's
a mile or so around Millennium Bridge with the most impressive views, but
the adventurous can walk all the way from Lambert Bridge to Tower Bridge.
•
£FREE
- Once you reach Tower Bridge, keep walking along an area called
Bankside
. You'll pass a replica of the
Golden Hind
, a grand 16
th
century ex-
plorer's ship, the ruins of
Winchester Palace
, and the remains of
Clink Pris-
on
.
•
Rising 135 meters above London and rotating at a delectably slow pace, the
glass capsules of the London Eye provide the city's most far-reaching view.
