Greenwich

Greenwich is a riverside London district packed with maritime and scientific history, set around a grand royal park on a hill above the Thames. At the top of the park stands the Royal Observatory, home of the Prime Meridian, the line of zero longitude where you can stand with one foot in each hemisphere, and Greenwich Mean Time. Below spread the elegant buildings of the Old Royal Naval College (with its spectacular Painted Hall, the 'Sistine Chapel of the UK'), the National Maritime Museum, and the restored tea clipper Cutty Sark.

It's a rewarding half- or full-day out of central London, reached scenically by river boat. The hilltop by the Observatory gives one of the best views over the Thames to the Canary Wharf skyline, and the covered Greenwich Market is great for food and crafts.

Don't miss

• The Prime Meridian line at the Royal Observatory
• The Painted Hall at the Old Royal Naval College
• The National Maritime Museum
• The Cutty Sark tea clipper
• Hilltop views over the Thames to Canary Wharf, plus Greenwich Market

Tickets & tours

Ways to visit Greenwich

Cheapest way inLondon Cable Car: Soaring above the River Thames Round Trip4.5★ · 103 travelers~0 hoursFree cancellationFrom$18 per personSee dates →Best full dayStonehenge, Windsor Castle, and Bath from London4.6★ · 20,112 travelers~11 hoursFree cancellationFrom$108 per personSee dates →Private & flexibleGreenwich, London: Real-world Adventure Game4.9★ · 13 travelers~3 hoursFree cancellationFrom$20 per personSee dates →

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How travelers rate it

Know before you go

• Arrive by river boat from central London, it's the most scenic approach.
• The Maritime Museum is free; the Observatory (Meridian line) and Cutty Sark are paid.
• Climb the park hill to the Observatory for the Meridian and the best Thames view.
• Greenwich Market is great for lunch, especially at weekends.

A bit of history

Greenwich was the site of a royal palace (birthplace of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I), later replaced by the Wren-designed Royal Naval Hospital. The Royal Observatory was founded in 1675 to improve navigation; the Prime Meridian was established here in 1884. The whole ensemble is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, 'Maritime Greenwich.'