Greenwich: Royal History, Prime Meridian and the Thames

Greenwich is one of London's most historically significant districts, a UNESCO World Heritage Site sitting on a sweeping bend of the Thames in south-east London. The Old Royal Naval College, designed by Christopher Wren, provides one of the most spectacular architectural backdrops in Britain, its twin domes framing a vista across the Thames towards Canary Wharf that has been painted by Canaletto and photographed by millions since. The Painted Hall inside the Naval College — dubbed the Sistine Chapel of the UK — is one of the great baroque interiors in Europe, covered in elaborate allegorical murals by James Thornhill completed over nearly 20 years between 1707 and 1726.

The Royal Observatory on the hilltop above Greenwich Park is the home of Greenwich Mean Time and the Prime Meridian Line, which divides the eastern and western hemispheres. Visitors can straddle the line for the obligatory photograph and explore exhibits on the history of navigation, astronomy, and the global effort to solve the longitude problem. The park itself is one of the oldest enclosed royal parks in Britain, offering sweeping views back across the Wren buildings to the towers of Canary Wharf and the City beyond. The Cutty Sark, the last surviving tea clipper and one of the fastest sailing ships of the 19th century, is preserved in dry dock at the edge of the town and now houses an excellent maritime museum.

Greenwich town centre beyond the tourist sites has a genuine neighbourhood character with independent market stalls, riverside pubs, and the covered Greenwich Market selling antiques, arts, and street food. The Fan Museum, devoted entirely to hand-held fans spanning four centuries, is a delightful curiosity. Getting to Greenwich without a car is part of the experience: the Thames Clipper riverboat service from central London docks right at the foot of the Naval College, and the foot tunnel under the Thames connects Greenwich to Island Gardens on the Isle of Dogs, where the best view of the ensemble awaits.