Whether your coming from Richmond or Runcorn, Greenwich is a major tourism town that sees thousands of people paving its streets every year. This year has seen a rise in tourism again and with lockdown officially behind us all, the streets of Greenwich are starting to fill up.
I originally published this post in August 2020 but have revised it again to keep it current with this year’s events. Spending a day trip visiting Greenwich during the summer holidays can be easy, cheap and very enjoyable for the whole family. Train companies usually offer GroupSave discounts when travelling during summer holidays if you’re coming from outside of London.
Visiting Greenwich
There’s so much to see and do in Greenwich that I’d recommend taking out two days to see everything if you can otherwise you’ll have a jam-packed day trip. If you’re aiming to see it all in a day, make sure you have an itinerary plan and stick to it. If you’re staying overnight, there’s so many hotels in and around Greenwich to choose from. Greenwich is home to the Royal Museums Greenwich which is the collective for the top three museums (National Maritime, Cutty Sark & Royal Observatory) plus the stunning UNESCO heritage site, Queen’s House.
Local Top Tip:
Start early to really get the most out of everything.
Be aware that if you’re visiting with young children, you’ll need to plan in extra time as they will tire easily so limit the number of attractions you want to see. Focus on just 1-2 main attractions and fill the rest of your day with free time to have a hassle-free experience. Pre-booking is highly recommended for all museum visits if you don’t want to be disappointed.
Walk-in bookings may not always be possible so do your research before coming and book your museum admissions in advance.
How do I get to Greenwich?
By train, DLR or tube
If you’re spending a full day in Greenwich, I’d recommend starting your trip as early as 10AM to get the most out of your day. Your closest rail station is Maze Hill and Greenwich, which is right in the centre of town, Maze Hill station is lesser known but only a short walk from Greenwich Park.
The Greenwich National Rail and Greenwich DLR station are in the same place which is also a relatively short walk from the high street however if you want to alight in the centre of Greenwich on the DLR, get off at the Cutty Sark stop instead.
There is no underground station in Greenwich, the closest is North Greenwich station served by the Jubilee Line which is a short 10 minutes bus ride to the centre – you will need to get on the 129 bus which goes from Greenwich Cutty Sark to North Greenwich underground station.
By bus
Buses that stop on Greenwich high road and the town centre: 177, 180, 199, 129, 188, 286, 386
By boat
Travel in style on the water via the Thames Clipper (operated by Uber Boat) to any popular destination to and from Greenwich Pier ie. The O2, Westminster, Tower Hill. The Greenwich Pier is where all Greenwich boats depart from is located opposite Cutty Sark and the Old Royal Naval College.
Local Top Tip:
Maze Hill station is the closest to the Greenwich Park Kids Playground if that’s your first stop-off.
Places worth visiting in Greenwich
Cutty Sark
Highly Recommended! Last August was the first time we set foot onboard the Cutty Sark. She’s the last standing tea clipper, and thanks to the restorations, she looks more beautiful than ever. It was amazing to stand on the main deck with the kids – we saw how tiny the ship cabins were, found out that toilets were called ‘heads’ as they were originally designed to be at the head of the ship.
We also discovered that Cutty Sark not only carried tea on board her cargo but she also carried many weird and wonderful things including beer and spirits, clothes and even the odd piano! Throughout the day you can also meet the ‘Cutty Sark Characters’ who will tell you a story of her past travels.
Cutty Sark
Open daily, 10am – 5pm
“Visit Cutty Sark, the celebrated historic sailing ship and fastest of its time. Now an award-winning visitor attraction in Greenwich, London.”
Prices:
Adult – £15
Child – £7.50
RMG Member – FREE
Painted Hall
Calling all culture vultures and fine art lovers. The Painted Hall boasts one of the most spectacular Baroque interiors in Europe.
Gaze up at The Painted Hall’s incredible ceiling and wall decorations which were designed and hand-painted by British artist, Sir James Thornhill. Thornhill used a variety of painting techniques including trompe l’oeil, which literally means to ‘trick the eye’. This clever use of illusion, combined with the Baroque architecture is something that needs to be seen in person to truly appreciate the breathtakingly beautiful paintings. Visit Old Royal Naval College website for more info on the ORNC gallery and grounds.
Local Top Tip:
On the first Sunday of each month you can visit the Painted Hall for just £5 and listen to special storytelling sessions, explore the grounds and join a guided tour.
Painted Hall
Opens daily, 10am – 5pm
“Discover a breathtaking artwork in the heart of historic Greenwich. Includes entry to the Painted Hall with a multimedia guide (available in 7 languages) & a guided or self-guided tour of our extensive grounds and buildings.”
Tickets:
Adult – £12.50 online (£13.50 on the door)
Carers- FREE
Child (under 16) – FREE
Students & Concessions – £7.50
Tickets are valid for unlimited annual entry.
Photo Credit: ORNC website
Greenwich Market
Even though Greenwich Market which is a covered open space, wearing a face covering is still advised. The markets have a range of food, arts and crafts and vintage stalls to see. Food stalls offer different cuisines to suit everyone. From authentic Thai to Italian homemade pastas, Chinese dim-sum to meat-free and plant-based eats. If you’re vegetarian or vegan, try the Ethiopian food stall if you want hot food or the Mediterranean vegan bowls from Ehla if you’d rather a cold option. For something sweet and vegan, head into Ruby’s or Crosstown Doughnuts.
Eating out / Restaurants in Greenwich
There are SO many choices of food stalls in Greenwich however if you’d prefer a restaurant, you’re also spoilt for choice. Love pizza? My recommendation is Franco Manca for handmade, stone-baked sourdough pizzas that are generous in portion sizing and have kids menu options. If you’re looking for something lighter, try The Grind Greenwich or Bill’s restaurant for brunch or a spot of light lunch. There’s also Greggs, M&S, Costa if you want something on-the-go. For something sweet, try Peyton & Byrne – this bakery/cafe has a range of sweet and savoury pastries and bakes to choose from.
My favourite place to eat with the kids is Bill’s restaurant however as a personal choice, the softshell crab burger from Da Fish Ting market stall is AMAZING!
Greenwich Market
Opens daily, 10am – 5.30pm
Arts & Crafts stalls
Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Weekends
Antiques stalls
Tuesdays and Thursdays
Food stalls & outdoor food court
Every day! Check website to check list of vendors
National Maritime Museum
The National Maritime Museum is every local’s favourite place to visit. It’s spacious, friendly, and conveniently located. The cafés, museum gift shop and children’s play area are on the ground floor. Upstairs you’ll find more museum artefacts, special exhibitions and a small café. The Ahoy Gallery is a dedicated play space for young kids aged 0-5 years, make sure you book your free space to avoid disappointment.
During lockdown, the Maritime museum had set up two self-led outdoor nature trails which we got involved with post-lockdown. We had a go at both trails and loved the Hide & Seek Bird trail.
National Maritime Museum
Opens daily, 10am – 5pm
“Visit the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich. Discover epic stories of exploration and endeavour that have shaped our world today.”
Tickets:
FREE but pre-booking is recommended
Queen’s House
As one of the UNESCO heritage sites, the Queen’s House was the first Classical building in the UK, and was also home to royalty including the Tudor family and King James I. This palace was also once home to Elizabeth I and many other great queens after her. Now, it houses an internationally-renowned art collection. Take a look through the gallery’s paintings and portraits then snap a selfie on that infamous Tulip Staircase.
When you’re done with exploring the grounds, sit down on the grounds of Greenwich Park for a picnic and enjoy people-watching at its finest.
Queen’s House
Opens daily, 10am – 5pm
“Visit the Queen’s House in Greenwich, London. Home to an internationally renowned art collection, Inigo Jones’ architectural masterpiece is the first Classical building in the UK.”
Tickets:
FREE but pre-booking is recommended
Royal Greenwich Park
We LOVE Greenwich Park. It has so much to offer and the park is so big that you can’t fit it all in a day’s visit plus seeing attractions. The top half of the park has the deer sanctuary, rose garden and a semi-hidden ‘secret garden’ called the Jubilee Gardens. If you’re planning on visiting the Royal Observatory then you’ll be at the top half of the park and the viewpoint from up there is amazing! You can look down at the whole of Greenwich Park and see Canary Wharf and City in the skyline. If you’re at the lower half of the park you’ll be closer to the children’s playground, the boating lake, National Maritime Museum and the Queen’s House. You’re also a short walk away from the Cutty Sark, The Painted Hall and river Thames.
If you have young children, the playground area is fantastic for up to 10 year olds. There are swings, climbing frames, play sand, a merry-go-round, slides and so much for the kids to enjoy. It does get really packed so just a word of warning.
Greenwich Park
Opens daily, 6am – 9pm
“Covering 74 hectares (183 acres), Greenwich Park is the oldest enclosed Royal Park and home to a small herd of Fallow and Red deer.“
Royal Observatory Greenwich
As mentioned earlier, at the top half of Greenwich Park you will find the Royal Observatory, home to the largest lensed telescope in the UK. The Royal Observatory’s planetarium has reopened and visitors can watch a show at the Peter Harrison planetarium (Ted’s Space Adventure for under 7s is highly recommended!) and see the rest of the museum which includes access to the telescope, the gift shop, and the Prime Meridian Line. A selfie opportunity not to be missed!
Did you know the meridian line has been dividing the Eastern and Western hemisphere since 1884? At night, the line still glows a deep, fluorescent green which can be seen on a clear night sky. Personally, I haven’t seen it for many years as it’s now a rare sighting because there’s so much air pollution.
The Royal Observatory
Opens daily, 10am – 5pm
“Visit the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London. Home of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), the Prime Meridian of the world and London’s Planetarium.”
Tickets:
Adult – £16
Child – £8
RMG Member – FREE
Please note: Planetarium show tickets are not included in entry to the Royal Observatory.
Hiring a Greenwich Blue Badge Guide
If you really want to soak up the most history Greenwich has to offer, I’d recommend booking yourself a Blue Badge guide to take you around the town. The guides are amazing and extremely knowledgeable.
There’s a few companies to choose from but support local and check out the guys at Greenwich Tours.
Map view of local attractions and local transport:
- Cutty Sark
- Greenwich Market
- National Maritime Museum
- Painted Hall at the Old Royal Naval College
- The Royal Observatory
- Queen’s House
- Greenwich Park (Maze Hill entrance)
- Greenwich Park – Kids Playground entrance
- North Greenwich London Underground Station
- Greenwich National Rail and DLR Station
- Cutty Sark DLR Station
- Maze Hill Railway Station (MZH)
- Greenwich Pier (for Uber Boat/Thames Clipper)
P I N T H I S P O S T :
NB. This post contains affiliate links. We were kindly gifted admission tickets to the Cutty Sark and Royal Observatory Greenwich for the purpose of this post. All words, photos and content are my own and should not be re-used without my consent. Any press images have been credited respectively.
Manny.Wandering | The Wandering Mother Blog 
Your comments: