https://www.visitgreenwich.org.uk
A popular day trip from London is the small borough of Greenwich where you can stand on the prime meridian line. Kids will love taking a boat to this beautiful town that you’ll recognize from movies and TV.
History
Greenwich has been important in English and maritime history for centuries. The Docklands just across the River Thames has been London’s main port for over a thousand years, leading many kings to make Greenwich their home. Henry VIII was born here at the Palace of Placentia along with his daughters and future queens, Mary and Elizabeth. This palace was also the site of his marriages to Catherine of Aragon and Anne of Cleves. Decimated in the English Civil War, the palace was torn down.
In the 17th century, the Royal Observatory was built on one of Greenwich’s high bluffs to map the sky to aid in seafaring. A Royal Naval college was established as a home and hospital for sea veterans and beautiful homes were built to house retired sea captains.
In the early 18th century, England used the Royal Naval Observatory as the basis for its prime meridian where longitude is defined as 0°. In 1884, countries met in America to determine an international standard and the Greenwich line was chosen. The line runs through the observatory and is designated by a metal line on the sidewalk/wall near the observatory. It is the point from which all time and distances on earth are measured.
Greenwich is known in more recent years as the location of several homes used in popular British films and TV shows such as Bridgerton and The Crown.
Visit
While visiting London, it’s fun to get outside of the city center to see a more pastoral England, and Greenwich is a great and easy choice. It’s a short boat ride from any point in London and you can also take a Docklands Light Railway train or bus there from central London. We used Uber boat, and it was so easy!
Coming by boat, you’ll arrive at the Greenwich dock next to the Cutty Sark. This 19th century ship is one of the last great China tea clippers and is a fun place to visit with kids. Book your tickets ahead of time to ensure your entry or grab a ticket for later in the day right before your boat back to London.
Take a left and walk through the grounds of the Old Royal Naval College, built on the former location of the Tudor Palace of Placentia. King William and Queen Mary commissioned Sir Christopher Wren (of St. Paul’s Cathedral fame) to build a veterans’ hospital to house disabled and retired sailors in the late 17th century. In 1873, the hospital was transformed into a prestigious naval university that played a major role in WWII. The Royal Navy left the site in 1998 and now it’s mostly used by film crews and conventions.
The main attraction at the college is the Painted Hall, which was originally built as a dining hall for veterans. However, its beauty soon turned it into a tourist attraction which you can still visit. You don’t want to miss one of the largest painted ceilings in Europe! We missed visiting on our trip, but my friend took the following pictures on her visit!
After the painted room, you can walk through a long tunnel to the Chapel of Sts. Peter and Paul or explore the Nelson room where Lord Nelson was brought after his death at the Battle of Trafalgar. There’s also an informative visitor center here that explains all of Greenwich’s long and storied history.
Continue across the street and enter the National Maritime Museum which is free and has fun hands-on activities for kids. Since it’s free, wander through its galleries even if only to get to the other side of the building. We just did a cursory walk through its main galleries on our way out the back door to Greenwich Park.
Greenwich Park is a massive park with rolling hills that give you an unbelievable view of London. This is the oldest enclosed Royal park and has Roman ruins as well as a tree said to be linked to Queen Elizabeth I.
Walk up the steep hill to get to the Royal Observatory and to see the Prime Meridian line. If you have time, kids will love the planetarium shows and seeing the massive telescopes inside the museum, but it’s not necessary to go in the museum to observe the Prime Meridian line. We didn’t go to the observatory and were still able to get our pictures taken at the official line just outside of the building. Look for the little gate pictured below to find the line.
The view here is breathtaking so pause for a moment to take it in. The cosmopolitan Docklands can be seen just across the river as well as the famous O2 Arena.
Bridgerton fans will want to walk just 15 minutes away to the Ranger’s house which is the actual Bridgerton home (minus the wisteria)! After walking up that massive hill, my family just didn’t have it in them to walk a bit further! Other popular filming locations include the Queen’s House (pictured below) at the bottom of the hill which has appeared in Bridgerton and The Crown (read this blog post about touring the Queen’s House). Check out this list of other popular films shot here.
Kids will be more interested in the massive playground (found at the base of the hill) or running down the picturesque hills.
If you’re hungry, head to Greenwich Market which is a building full of food stalls. We had a lovely lunch here before our tour.
Greenwich is a fun, easy day trip that gets you out of the city and into English history. Kids will love all of the green space and the boat ride to get there, making it the perfect family outing!
Helpful hints:
- Cost: The sites have varied entry prices. You can purchase a Greenwich Day Pass if you want to visit several of the museums.
- Recommended: all ages
- Tour time: 3-4 hours (half-day)
- Gift shops located at museums
- Transportation: Travel by boat is the easiest and more enjoyable way to get to Greenwich. We used Uber boat, and it was so easy to use our mobile pay as we boarded. It doesn’t have any tourist information so if you want narration, check out the many other options here. The DLR train is also an option as well as a direct bus (#188) from Russell Square.
- Dining options: We loved the food stalls at Greenwich Market but there are over 100 pubs here such as the historical Trafalgar Tavern (Dickens set Our Mutual Friend here!). The National Maritime Museum has a cafe, and if it’s a nice day, grab a sandwich and have a picnic in the park!
- Nearby hotels: Read my London guide for my recommendations.
- Nearby attractions include: IFS Cloud Cable Car, Woolwich Works (former arsenal), O2 arena, Charlton House, Docklands walk (see Rick Steves’ book for details), and London Museum Docklands
Books to Read:
All links are Amazon affiliate links. You can visit my Bookshop.org London book list to support independent bookstores and creators.
Adult/Young Adult
- Greenwich: The Place Where Days Begin and End
- On the Line: The Story of the Greenwich Meridian
- Wolf Hall
- The Six Wives of Henry VIII
- The Children of Henry VIII
- Tudor Court series by Philippa Gregory
- Lady Mary (YA)
Middle Grade
Picture Books
