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Go with the flow
25.07.07
Kew Gardens
Gabriel's Wharf
London Eye
Beefeaters at Tower of London
St Katharines Dock
Boat trips
Look here too
Whatever floats your boat, there's loads to do on the banks of the River Thames this summer.
Kew Gardens
The Royal Botanic Gardens, 300 acres of them, are celebrating all things Mediterranean this summer, with a beach, interactive exhibition, olive groves, a pizza garden, lavender avenue and a creative workshop until 2 September. With the massive glasshouses boasting the most beautiful and interesting plants, fabulous, romantic gardens and several places to eat or have a cup of tea, Kew makes a lovely day out. You can also book for Summer Swing Nights At Kew. There are still £29 tickets available for The Music Of Dirty Dancing with singers, dancers and a band performing 26 songs from the movie.
Adults £12.25, under-17s free, kew.org. Tube: Kew. National Rail: Silverlink to Kew Gardens, Waterloo to Kew Bridge - or by river from Westminster Pier.
The South Bank
The revamped area around the Royal Festival Hall is now buzzing with bars, restaurants, shops and street performers. The heart of the area is Southbank Centre, which holds the Royal Festival Hall, Hayward Gallery, Queen Elizabeth Hall and the Saison Poetry Library. Go to southbankcentre.co.uk to check out the host of events - many free - being held here over the summer, from exhibitions to music of all genres. This stretch of the Thames also houses the Royal National Theatre and National Film Theatre, as well as Tate Modern and Shakespeare's Globe.
Go to Gabriel's Wharf for artsy boutiques and drinking venues, or Oxo Tower Wharf to eat or treat yourself to a trinket from one of the jewellery shops.
Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, SE1, southbank centre.co.uk. Tube: Waterloo or Southwark.
Houses of Parliament
Parliament is open to all members of the UK public and overseas visitors. Here you can watch our MPs and lords in action, attend debates and committee hearings, watch Prime Minister's Questions, tour the buildings, or climb the Clock Tower. During the summer recess you can buy tickets for a 75-minute tour of the House of Commons and House of Lords, available Mon-Sat, except Bank Holidays, 31 July-29 September.
Westminster Bridge Road, SE1 (0870 906 3773). £12, under 16s £5, family £30. Not recommended for under fives, parliament.uk
London Eye
If you haven't yet enjoyed a ride on this iconic landmark, the British Airways London Eye is a must (unless you suffer from vertigo). The world's tallest observation wheel, at 135m high, is now the most popular paidfor UK visitor attraction. Passengers who book 30-minute "flights" travel at 0.6 miles per hour - slow enough to allow them to step on and off without the wheel having to stop.
South Bank, SE1 (0870 990 8883). Standard flight £13, under 16s £6.50 (including 10 per cent online discount), under fives free. Tube and National Rail: Waterloo. Fast-track £22.50 (including online discount), londoneye.com
HMS Belfast
This Second World War battleship played a vital role in the Allied landings on the Normandy beaches on D-Day. Now it's a permanent floating museum showing what life was like for the 950 servicemen who worked and lived on her nine decks. Offers a fascinating insight into Britain's recent history.
Morgan's Lane, Tooley Street, SE1 (020 7940 6300). £9.95, children free. London Bridge or Tower Hill Tube. hmsbelfast.iwm.org.uk
Borough Market
London's oldest food market was established on the south bank of the Thames when the Romans built the first London Bridge. It has occupied its present site for 250 years. Borough has a long and distinguished history as a wholesale fruit and vegetable market. Wholesale trade takes place every day, except Saturday, from 2am-8am. And on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays it becomes a busy, noisy, gourmet market open to the public, selling everything from cider to cheese, green tea, honey, meat, fish, fruit and vegetables. Bring a large bag or shopping trolley and a big appetite - there are load of treats to try from the various stalls and lots to take home and cook, with plenty of experts to give advice on how to prepare their produce.
Thursdays: 11am-5pm, Fridays: noon-6pm, Saturdays: 9am-4pm. boroughmarket. org.uk.
Tube: London Bridge
Tower of London
The Norman fortress and palace is a remarkable part of London's heritage and a fun, educational day out for adults and children. Did you know East End gangsters Ronnie and Reggie Kray were held here in 1952? Experience what it would have been like to have been thrown in the Tower (every weekend this month and next), see the spot where Anne Boleyn was executed, view the Crown Jewels and meet the Yeoman Warders. It's best to book in advance as tourists from around the world are always queuing to get in.
Tower Hill, EC3 (0870 756 7070, hrp.org.uk). Adults £16, children £9.50, under fives free, family £45. Tube: Tower Hill
St Katharine Docks
London's very own Puerto Banus! A delightful marina with rows of top-notch yachts moored alongside houseboats and little sailing boats. No cars, so it's very peaceful, with lots of outdoor dining.
Wander Wapping's cobbled streets and discover some of London's oldest pubs, such as The Prospect Of Whitby, where the pirate Captain Kidd was hanged, and Wapping Hydraulic Power Station - a wonderful gallery and bar space set in an old power station that still retains its machinery. skdocks.co.uk Tube: Tower Bridge
Greenwich
Worth a day trip as there is so much to see including the park, Royal Observatory, Maritime Museum - and even the burntout remains of the Cutty Sark. The Observatory - a walk through the park, where you can straddle the Meridian Line - is one of London's latest big attractions. It has just reopened after a £15 million redevelopment and includes the Time And Space Project, a 120-seat planetarium. Then visit the Maritime Museum (free) and the Queen's House, home to Britain's history at sea, and go on to the Old Royal Naval College (also free), and the Fan Museum, an award-winning gem described as "an oasis of tranquility". For details of all these attractions, visit greenwichwhs.org.uk Tube: Greenwich DLR
BOAT TRIPS
Westminster Passenger Services
A River shuttle run by Westminster Passenger Services Association goes from Westminster Pier to Putney, Kew, Richmond and the Royal Palace of Hampton Court. Adults from £10.50, children £5.25. wpsa.co.uk, 020 7930 4721
Catamaran Cruisers
Beat the traffic with Catamaran Cruisers, based on Victoria Embankment, linking Embankment, Waterloo, Bankside and Greenwich Piers. Get a Hopper River Pass (£9.50, children £4.75) for one day's unlimited use, or take the 50-minute nonstop circular tour. bateauxlondon.com
London Eye Tour
The award-winning London Eye 40-minute circular sightseeing cruise leaves Waterloo Pier, near the Eye, and takes in the Houses Of Parliament, St Paul's Cathedral and the Tower of London. Book at the same time as "flights" on the Eye. £10.50, under-16s £5.25. londoneye.com
Reader views (2)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
If anyone happens to be near the Tate Modern, do stop and look through the RSPB's telescopes for a close up view of the fastest animal on the planet. Everyday from noon to 7pm (8pm Fridays) from now until September 16, the RSPB is showing people the peregrine falcons who make their home on top of the Tate Modern chimney. It's free, you don't have to book and these birds are brilliant!
- Carol R, London
Erm, the Thames may not be the best place to hang out at the moment. Or do your feature writers not read your news coverage?
- Ginny, London
