London/Greenwich

Greenwich is a famous maritime district of south east London - 5.5 miles (8.9 km) from central London. An area of great historical importance, the town centre contains Maritime Greenwich - one of London's four UNESCO World Heritage sites - known for its naval history, connections with the Royal Family and as the location from which the Prime Meridian (0° longitude) is derived.

The major attractions are in the town centre, on the bank of the River Thames at the western end of the larger Royal Borough of Greenwich, which also includes Eltham and Woolwich. In the north of the borough, the Greenwich Peninsula (also known as North Greenwich) is home to the O2 Arena. Nearby Blackheath is a leafy area of grand historic homes and, whilst partly located in the London Borough of Lewisham, is easily accessible from Greenwich town centre. Further east are Charlton, home of the Thames Barrier and Charlton Athletic F.C., and Woolwich, renowned for its military connections including Henry VIII's dockyard and a military arsenal which gave its name to Arsenal F.C.

Understand
Greenwich is a district of great historic importance. The area is home to a number of world-renowned visitor attractions - the Cutty Sark, National Maritime Museum, Old Royal Naval College and Greenwich Observatory are all frequently used to promote London as a travel destination. The Old Royal Naval College is often used by film crews - especially to represent grand British settings and for period films - due to its grand English Baroque-style architecture.

Despite being close to central London, Greenwich's large park, open spaces and riverside setting can make the area feel like it is a world away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The town centre brings together in one place many of the elements that attract visitors to London in the first place - historic sites, fascinating museums, traditional buildings and stunning views. This makes the area popular with tourists - particularly in the summer, when both visitors and Londoners take advantage of the good weather by relaxing in Greenwich Park (with stunning views of the city) and walking along the riverfront. Throughout the year, the popular Greenwich Market attracts visitors keen to pick up souvenirs and local art or grab street food. Outside of the town centre, there are a number of attractions dotted around the largely residential borough.

History
The history that attracts visitors dates back centuries - Greenwich has been inhabited since the Roman times, although it existed as nothing more than a small fishing town for many years. In the medieval era, kings visited the area to hunt and a royal hunting lodge was sited in Greenwich since at least the year 1300 during the rule of Edward I. Subsequent monarchs continued to visit the area and the grand Palace of Placentia, surrounded by the Royal Park, was built on the site of what is now the Old Royal Naval College in 1447. The palace had great historical importance as the birthplace of Henry VIII and his daughters Mary I and Elizabeth I. The palace played a key role in the lives of these Tudor monarchs – for Henry it became his principal London seat and it was the site from which Elizabeth planned the Spanish Armada campaign in 1588. The presence of the palace led to Greenwich being chosen as the site for the Royal Observatory, which led to the establishment of Greenwich Mean Time as an internationally recognised standard.

The palace fell into disrepair after the English Civil War and was eventually demolished, with plans to build a new grand palace. These plans were only partially realised and were eventually incorporated into plans for the construction of a grand Royal Naval Hospital, which later became the Royal Naval College between 1873 and 1998. The College, the important advancements in navigation developed at the Royal Observatory and the location of Greenwich as a safe anchorage in the river have all contributed to the area's naval heritage. In recognition of this, the National Maritime Museum was established in the town in 1937 and the famous Cutty Sark tea-clipper was docked in Greenwich as a museum ship in 1954.

During the Industrial Revolution, Greenwich sat at the heart of London's docklands – once the world's largest port. Large parts of the Borough of Greenwich along the river outside of the town centre were taken over for industrial use, and factories and warehouses lined the banks of the River Thames. Redevelopment of these former industrial sites has been kinder to Greenwich than many parts of the London Docklands, although Greenwich Peninsula is still home to unused and abandoned former industrial space. Part of this redevelopment saw Greenwich Peninsula chosen as the site for the construction of the Millenium Dome (now the O2 Arena), which housed a major exhibition celebrating the beginning of the third millennium.

As part of Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012, it was announced that the Borough of Greenwich would gain Royal Borough status – recognising the area's historic links with the Royal Family. Also in 2012, Greenwich was a venue for the Olympic and Paralympic Games – with the O2 Arena hosting basketball and gymnastic events and Greenwich Park hosting equestrian events and the modern pentathlon.

Get in
Greenwich is 5½ miles east of central London, on the south bank of the River Thames. Because of congestion driving is not recommended, but there are multiple ways of getting to Greenwich from central London by public transport.

Greenwich town centre is best accessed by DLR, National Rail or riverboat services (note: Greenwich station and Cutty Sark for Maritime Greenwich station are two separate stations, approximately 10 minutes walk apart). Visitors to Blackheath should travel via National Rail. Visitors to Greenwich Peninsula should use the tube.

By boat
Several companies run river tour boats from central London piers at Westminster Bridge, the Millennium Wheel and the Tower of London, to Greenwich Pier which is adjacent to Greenwich town centre and within walking distance of all the main attractions. £6-8; 33% discount to Travelcard holders.

Thames Clippers commuter service offers an infrequent service, but is quicker and better value (£4.55, 33% off for Travelcard holders).

By Docklands Light Railway (DLR)
This automated rail system runs from central London terminals at Tower Gateway (a short walk from Tower Hill station) and Bank (with interchange to the London Underground). Catch a train bound for Lewisham and get off at Cutty Sark for Maritime Greenwich station in the town centre. Because there is no driver on these trains and most of the route is elevated, riding at the front of the train affords a fantastic view of east London. Travelcards valid.

For Greenwich town centre
Weekday services are:


 * Southeastern Railway has four trains per hour in each direction to/from London Cannon St station. The train calls at London Bridge and Deptford.
 * Thameslink has two trains per hour in each direction to/from Luton Airport station, via central London. Train calls at stations including London St Pancras International, London Farringdon, City Thameslink, Blackfriars, London Bridge and Deptford.

Services can be less frequent at the weekend and can be amended or cancelled altogether due to planned engineering works. It is advisable to check weekend services in advance on the National Rail website or with staff at any railway station.

For Greenwich Park, also consider, which is less than five minutes walk from the north-east corner of the park (handy for the children's playground).

For Blackheath
National Rail services to (zone 3) are the main way to visit Blackheath village. On weekdays, four trains per hour in either direction serve the station from London Charing Cross station (in London's West End) – calling at London Waterloo East, London Bridge and Lewisham. Services operated by Southeastern Railway.

By Tube
The London Underground's Jubilee line serves (zones 2/3), which primarily caters for visitors to the O2 Arena on the Greenwich Peninsula. The station is a 20-minute bus ride away from Greenwich town centre (bus route 188) so visitors to Greenwich's main attractions are better off taking DLR, National Rail or riverboat services to Cutty Sark station, Greenwich station or Greenwich Pier instead. It is possible, however, to walk from here along the Thames Path to Greenwich town centre in about 45 minutes, although this route includes a stretch of industrial land.

Get around
Most visitors to Greenwich will remain within the town centre, where all attractions are within easy walking distance of each other and both the Cutty Sark for Maritime Greenwich DLR station and Greenwich Pier. Note that the Royal Observatory is up a short but steep hill.

Further afield, travelling between destinations within the Royal Borough of Greenwich is best accomplished by bus or rail, depending on your location.

See
Greenwich town centre is the home of several interesting tourist attractions. The combination of Greenwich Park, the Royal Observatory, the Queens House and the Royal Naval College make up Maritime Greenwich, which is a site on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Outside of this core area, there are further attractions across the wider Royal Borough of Greenwich.

Maritime Greenwich

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Sports

 * Football:
 * Rugby Union: Blackheath play in National League One, the third tier. Their home ground is on Charlton Road. They were one of the founding clubs of rugby, leading the "Blackheath Group" that broke away from Association football - soccer - to play the ball-handling game.

Greenwich Market
Greenwich Market actually consists of several markets all quite close together:



Eat
Greenwich has restaurants of different types and costs.

Greenwich Town Centre
Greenwich town centre has restaurants of different types and costs. Around Cutty Sark, national restaurant chains can be found (e.g. Nandos, Byron, Gourmet Burger Kitchen).



Blackheath




Drink
The further you get from the centre of Maritime Greenwich, the more authentic the pubs get - with fewer tourists.

Blackheath pubs










Sleep
Greenwich has a good variety of accommodation options - catering for a range of budgets. As well as serving guests coming specifically to visit Greenwich, the hotels and hostels in the area are cheaper and more peaceful options for visitors to base themselves during a visit to London compared to accommodation in the centre of the city. If the hustle and bustle of central London aren't for you - Greenwich is a relaxing place to stay, with plenty of good places to eat and drink nearby and easy travel links into the city centre.

Most visitors to the borough tend to stay in Greenwich town centre, although there is some accommodation available in Blackheath and on the Greenwich Peninsula. Further afield, accommodation options are more limited. Those attending concerts and events at the O2 might find that Greenwich town centre is a more pleasing place to stay than hotels near the arena, which can lack character.

Connect
Being in London, mobile phone coverage is universal across Greenwich and traditional red payphones can be found in Greenwich town centre.

The majority of pubs, bars and restaurants offer free wifi, as do the Royal Museums Greenwich (Cutty Sark, Royal Observatory, Queen's House and National Maritime Museum). As the National Maritime Museum is free to enter, considering visiting here to use the wifi if you need to access the internet in the centre of Greenwich.



Cope
Hopefully you won't need to use medical services or speak to the police during your visit to Greenwich, but local services are available for visitors if needed. In an emergency, always call 999 (toll-free) from any payphone or mobile phone.

Police
The nearest police station to Greenwich town centre and Blackheath with a public 24-hour front counter is Lewisham Police Station. Non-emergency crimes (i.e. crimes that are not in progress, such as a stolen car, theft or damaged property) can be reported by calling 101.



Medical services
For emergency medical treatment, University Hospital Lewisham is the nearest Accident & Emergency hospital.



For non-emergency treatment, you can see a doctor or nurse at a GP surgery. You will have to book an appointment in advance but GP surgeries hold a number of slots available each day for urgent cases - call or visit as soon as the surgery opens to secure one of these slots (demand is high).



Gyms
Despite the prevalence of gyms in Greenwich, many require a membership to use (and some are unmanned, meaning that you can't even ask about one-off use). Most of these gyms will provide a free month's trial however, so visitors wanting to use the gym more than once during their stay might consider signing up for this and then cancelling the subscription prior to being charged after they have left. Gyms that allow visitors to pay for one-off use include:



Local news
Greenwich only has one local print newspaper - the free, monthly Greenwich Visitor which provides information about local happenings. This can be picked up in most large Greenwich supermarkets or in stands outside Cutty Sark DLR station. You can also view current and past editions online at the Greenwich visitor website.

Other sources of information for news and events are primarily online, including:



Pharmacies
In Greenwich town centre, there are two chain pharmacies, which provide cosmetics and on-the-shelf medicines. Both are well located for visitors looking to buy suncream being heading to Greenwich Park in the summer. Neither store has a full pharmacy service for over-the-counter medicines - the closest options being Boots stores a short DLR ride away in Canary Wharf (Jubilee Place) or Lewisham (72-78 Lewisham High St).



Go next

 * Greenwich is close to Canary Wharf. The financial district's vast collection of skyscrapers is a prominent sight from Greenwich's riverside and park and is only 10 minutes away from the DLR. While primarily a business district, tourists might enjoy wandering around the base of the tall buildings or watching the hub of activity in the area during the week. Nearby West India Quay is home to the Museum of London Docklands (free entry), which tells the history of the Docklands - including Greenwich.
 * From Greenwich station, two trains per hour continue into Kent – one of the 'Home Counties' bordering Greater London. Popularly known as the Garden of England due to its green landscape, the county includes a number of attractions that could be included on day trips outside of the capital. Trains from Greenwich stop at the Medway Towns, from where you will continue your journey to your destination.
 * From the Greenwich Peninsula, take the IFS Cloud Cable Car (formerly Emirates Air Line) – the UK's first urban cable car. Linking the O2 Arena with the ExCeL Exhibition Centre at Royal Victoria Docks, it rises to 90 metres in the air over the River Thames, providing views across the city.