12 Awesome Things To Do On a Day Out in Greenwich, London

Want to explore London outside of Zone 1? Here’s why you should consider a day out in Greenwich, and the best things to do there!

Living in London has its perks. Yet lots of us, me included, can be pretty awful at exploring the boroughs and districts outside of where we live and work. Which is why I’ve decided, especially when it’s too expensive to travel away from home (summer holidays, ya feel me?), I want to explore some new-to-me pockets of the city I live in.

First on the list was Greenwich, in South East London. Easily accessible by DLR, it’s home to some impressive maritime and science history, as well as home to a pretty epic market with some seriously good street food. Oh, and it’s the home of Greenwich mean time AND has one of the most iconic views in London.

So whether you’re visiting London or have lived here for YEARS, check out the best things to do in Greenwich…

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1. Explore the stalls at Greenwich Market

Our first stop after exiting Cutty Sark DLR station was Greenwich Market.

The original market here dates back to 1700, selling groceries to local residents as well as china and glasswork. Nowadays, you can potter around browsing stalls of antiques, clothing, jewellery and artwork.

There’s also an outdoor area made up of some delicious street food stalls – which leads me on perfectly to the next point…

2. Try a ramen burger at Pimp My Ramen

Okay, truth here – I’d basically planned my day out in Greenwich around having one of these burgers, after spotting them on Instagram and London blogs.

What IS a ramen burger? Well, it’s your standard burger – but instead of a bun, you get to wrap your lips around ramen patties instead of your standard bun. Intrigued? You should be.

We chose the Monster Burger and Indian Veggie Burger to try, and both were fantastic. The ramen works surprisingly well as a ‘bun’, holding its shape while still staying soft.

3. See the Cutty Sark

An iconic Greenwich sight, the towering masts of the Cutty Sark are one of the first things you’ll spot emerging from the DLR station.

Perhaps the most iconic tea clipper ship from Britain’s history, the Cutty Sark visited sixteen different countries after its maiden voyage in 1870, from London to Shanghai. Known for its powerful speed, the Cutty Sark carried 10million lbs of tea, and has survived storms and fire. Impressive, huh?

Nowadays, it’s dry-docked and chilling out in Greenwich, and visitors are able to climb on board and learn about the ship’s history. (Yep, you can totally pretend to ‘drive’ it!)

Entry Fee: £18 (adults), £9 (children)
Opening times: 10am-6pm daily

4. Old Royal Naval College

Even if you’re not really into museums, the grounds of Greenwich’s Old Royal Naval College are worth walking through for the architecture alone.

The college was designed by architect Sir Christopher Wren, aka the guy who designed St.Paul’s Cathedral, and served as a training site for the Royal Navy from 1873 to 1988. Today, parts are used by the University of Greenwich and Trinity College of Music.

If you’re staying a while and want to look around, the Chapel of St Peter and St Paul, Undercroft and The Painted Hall are all worth looking at – and free to enter – with the latter having been described as ‘the UK’s Sistine Chapel’

5. National Maritime Museum

Walking around Greenwich, I was struck by the way it reminded me of the harbourside of Portsmouth, my Uni town. You could probably be forgiven for thinking you were nearer the sea than the waters of the Thames…

It turns out that Greenwich has a rich maritime history, one home to Greenwich Hospital, a medical centre for injured seamen. The National Maritime Museum delves into not just the history of the area, but of British seafaring across the decades as a whole.

Entry Fee: Free – but you can also book a private tour to learn more about the museum.
Opening times: 10am – 5pm

6. The Queen’s House

Another impressive building to be found in Greenwich is The Queen’s House. Which, as the name suggests, served as a royal residence built for Anne of Denmark, the queen of King James I. Apparently as a gift to the queen after the king swore at her. Husband goals, surely?

Completed in the early 1600s, it’s known for being the first building in Britain fully constructed in the classical architecture style, by architect Inigo Jones. Sadly, Anne died before the house was completed, members of the royal family used the house until 1805.

Today, it’s home to an art collection featuring the likes of Gainsborough, Reynolds, Turner and Hogarth. And apparently…a ghostly figure or two…

Entry Fee: Free
Opening times: 10am – 5pm

7. Fan Museum

If you’re a big fan (sorry, not sorry) of design, it’s worth having a look around this quirky little Greenwich spot. Opened in 1991, it was the world’s first museum dedicated to the invention that’s been keeping us cool for centuries – the humble hand fan.

There are over 4,000 pieces in the museum’s collection, with fans dating back as far as the 10th century. The museum also serves afternoon tea in the pretty orangery room.

Entry fee: £5 (adults), £3 (children & concessions)
Opening times: 11am – 5pm (Tue-Sat), 12pm-5pm (Sun)

8. Walk through Greenwich Park

Despite being a buzzing metropolis of a city, London has plenty of green spaces to explore too. Greenwich Park is one of those such places, and paying a visit is definitely one of the essential things to do in Greenwich!

We visited on a glorious sunny day, and plenty of others had the same idea, settling down on the grass with picnic lunches and cans of Pimms. Ah, British Summertime.

One thing you just have to do in Greenwich Park is take the short, steep climb up to the Royal Observatory viewpoint. From here, you’ll be able to see the park stretched out before you, with the towering skyline of Canary Wharf in the distance. Seriously, one of the most epic views in London – and there are a lot of those to go around!

9. Royal Observatory Greenwich

Another pretty iconic thing about Greenwich is that it’s the home of Greenwich mean time. At the Royal Observatory, you’ll find out more about why the name was chosen and be able to straddle the Prime Meridien, the line dividing the eastern and western hemispheres.

Entry fee: £18 (adults), £9 (children)
Opening times: 10am – 5.30pm daily

10. Take a tour of Meantime Brewery

Meantime are one of the bigger names in craft beer these days – and their Greenwich brewery is where the magic happens! Most Londoners have probably sipped on a bottle of Meantime on a night out – all brewed locally in London.

The brewery tour lasts around an hour and a half, and shows how Meantime beers are made, followed with a guided tasting session. The Classic Tour and Tasting option costs £25 per person. If you just fancy a drink, the Tasting Rooms are open daily from noon – they also serve food, in case you need to line your stomach before trying all the beers.

Meantime Brewery: Lawrence Trading Estate, Blackwall Ln, Greenwich Peninsula, London SE10 0AR

11. Walk through Greenwich Foot Tunnel

Take a stroll underneath the Thames through the Greenwich Foot Tunnel!

Built in the early 1900s, Londoners at the time used the tunnel to get to work – although now with the tube and DLR, it’s probably more of an interesting London quirk than anything else. The tunnel stretches 370m, linking Greenwich to the Isle of Dogs, with lifts and stairs at both ends for access.

12. North Greenwich – Go Up at the O2

Once you’ve done exploring, taking a short bus ride over to the O2 complex will provide the perfect end to your day out in Greenwich. With Up at the O2, you can take a (safe) walk across the the O2 arena (formerly the Millenium Dome). It’s absolutely one of the coolest things I’ve done living in London – I’ve shared a full review of my experience walking on the roof of the O2!

This one often sells out, so book your ticket in advance to secure your spot!

How to get to Greenwich

If you’re heading for a day out in Greenwich from Central London, the easiest way in is via the DLR from Bank or Canary Wharf – get off at Cutty Sark to be within walking distance of the best things to do in Greenwich.

For North Greenwich, there’s a tube stop by the same name next to the O2, on the Jubilee Line. To get to Greenwich proper from here, you can catch the 188 (towards Russell Square) or the 129 from North Greenwich Station (Stop C).

Another fun way to get to Greenwich is via the RB1 boat from North Greenwich to Cutty Sark, which runs hourly from Greenwich Pier. It takes half an hour and costs around £5.

Restaurants in Greenwich

Looking for somewhere to eat in Greenwich? The street food is always a great option – but if you’re after a sit-down restaurant experience, try out one of these…

• The Lost Hour Pub and Restaurant (a casual pub with vegan options)
• Sticks’n’Sushi (Japanese)
• The Sail Loft (upmarket gastropub with river views)
• Goddards at Greenwich (pie and mash, London style)
• The Prince of Greenwich (Italian food in a traditional English pub)
• Midpoint (Mediterranean/Turkish)

Pubs in Greenwich

How better to take a break on a day out in Greenwich than popping into a proper English pub for a fruity cider/G&T/*insert your fave beverage here*?

These are some top shouts for pubs in the area…

• The Gipsy Moth (good beer selection)
• King’s Arms (cute beer garden)
• Davy’s Wine Vaults (100+ wines)
• Old Brewery (beer, wine and cocktails)
• Trafalgar Tavern (riverside views)