Paris has the Eiffel Tower, New York the Empire State, and now London has the London Eye – an extraordinary symbol for an extraordinary city. The world’s largest observation wheel offers a spectacular way to take in over 55 of London’s most famous landmarks in just 30 minutes! Combine your flight on the Eye with a 40 minute circular cruise on the Thames. Departing from the London Eye pier the commentary takes you from the Houses of Parliament to the Tower of London and back to the London Eye
It takes a gracefully slow 30 minutes and, weather permitting, you can see 25 miles in every direction from the top of the world’s tallest Ferris wheel. To the west lies Windsor, while to the east the sea. In between, you have the chance to pick out familiar landmarks. A ride in one of the wheel’s 32 glass-enclosed gondolas holding up to 25 people is something you really can’t miss if you want to say you’ve ‘done’ London. It’s difficult to remember what London looked like before the landmark London Eye began twirling at the southwestern end of Jubilee Gardens during the millennium year. Not only has it fundamentally altered the skyline of the South Bank but, standing 135m tall in a fairly flat city, it is visible from many surprising parts of the city (eg Kennington and Mayfair). You can save 10% on standard ‘flight’ – as sponsor BA likes to call it – prices and avoid the queues to buy tickets by booking online (minimum two hours before your chosen time). Be sure to arrive 30 minutes in advance.
The London Eye is a huge ferris wheel near Westminster Bridge. Erected to mark the Millennium, it is some 135m high and dominates the London skyline. Admission charge. It closes for a month in the New Year for essential maintenance. The ticket office is in the corner of County Hall, and there is a badly signed ramp to bypass the +6 steps at the front. You have to go south towards Chicheley Street alongside the County Hall building. At busy times, most people pre-book a timed slot for their trip. This can be done either by phone or on-line. From the riverside walk, the approach to the Eye is up a ramp about 40m long. For chair users the staff will stop the wheel and slot in a little cover plate to make getting in easier. Each capsule takes up to thirty people. There’s a central seat, but most people stand up and move around during the flight to see the views on different sides. There’s adequate room for a chair user. There are two wheelchair toilets (Door width 80cm Side transfer distance 90cm) inside the ticket office, to the left as you come in from the ramped entrance, opposite Costa Coffee.
