Greenwich Day Trip

Today I want to bring you my guide to a Greenwich day trip. This part of southeast London is an easy day out and a great option if you love maritime history, parks, and views in equal measure.

When I first moved to London I asked a friend where to take a day trip. “Greenwich,” she replied. “As in Greenwich Mean Time?” I asked. “Yep.” “Where’s that?” I asked her. “East,” she said. “Like in Kent?” I asked. “Haha, no, like in London,” she laughed.

In all my years of learning about longitude and prime meridians, I’d never realized Greenwich was an actual place and that said place was right in London.

But it is, and as I discovered, it’s well worth taking a Greenwich day trip. In fact, I’ve been to Greenwich a few times since starting the A Lady in London blog. It’s one of the best cheap day trips from London.

Day Trip to Greenwich

My most recent trip was on Monday. Taking advantage of the sunny weather, I decided to take a day trip to Greenwich.

Remembering that one of the best ways to get to Greenwich was by water, I hopped on a boat at Embankment Pier and settled in for a sunny cruise down the Thames.

Cutty Sark

45 minutes and some great sightseeing later, I got off at Greenwich Pier and found myself face-to-keel with the Cutty Sark.

The historic merchant ship suffered from a fire the year I moved to London, and this was the first time I had seen it since it reopened. Its tall masts rose high into the sky and its hull was suspended in a glass sea.

I toured the Cutty Sark thanks to a ticket the National Maritime Museum gave me. I learned all about the ship’s involvement in the tea and wool trades, and got a peek into the world of the sailors that lived on board.

Old Royal Naval College

From the Cutty Sark I continued my Greenwich day trip by walking over to the Old Royal Naval College, a beautiful double-domed masterpiece by Sir Christopher Wren (of St Paul’s Cathedral fame).

Inside the Painted Hall were sumptuous interiors replete with color and gilding on every imaginable surface.

Queen’s House

Across the street and over the lawn sat the Queen’s House, a stunning example of Palladian architecture by Inigo Jones. Inside were the famous Tulip Stairs, a snail shell-shaped spiral all done in black and white.

The Queen’s House in Greenwich was home to several collections of maritime art, one of which included J.M.W. Turner’s largest oil painting, The Battle of Trafalgar.

National Maritime Museum

Down a colonnaded walkway was the National Maritime Museum, a grand space with a variety of galleries showcasing everything from historic figureheads to maritime history in different regions of the world.

It even had one of Admiral Lord Nelson’s original military jackets on display, complete with the bullet hole from the shot that fatally wounded him. Seeing it was a highlight of my Greenwich day trip.

Royal Observatory, Greenwich

Up the hill from the museum was the Royal Observatory, home of the Prime Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time.

With thanks again to a ticket provided by the museum, I explored several galleries full of telescopes, clocks, and historical gadgets designed to measure longitude at sea.

I also got to stand with one foot on either side of the Prime Meridian, which was even more exciting than the time I stood with one foot on either side of the California-Nevada border (seriously!).

It’s one of the most unique things to do in Greenwich, and was a great way to end my tour of the observatory.

Greenwich Park

After a full Greenwich day trip, I was exhausted. But a reward came in the form of the best view in London. The panoramic scene from the top of Greenwich Park to the museums and river below was worth the climb.