South Bank

I walked the entirety of South Bank on my first day of visiting London. Started around 5PM from the London Eye and reached the Shard by around 7:30PM. Was treated to multiple great views and performers. Enjoyed some great street food as well. Definitely would recommend walking along this stretch in the evening sometime to get a wholesome experience of street life.

To me, the overall South Bank runs from Westminster Bridge all the way to London Bridge, providing a spine connecting a wide range of London's cultural and entertainment institutions, with lots of places to eat and drink along the way, including the London Dungeon, Sea World, the London Eye, the Royal Festival Hall, the National Theatre, the Oxo Tower, Tate Modern, the Globe, Borough Market and Southwark Cathedral.

If you have a day to visit, it is an enjoyable area to explore from one end to the other; otherwise do as I do and dip in and out of different parts . Last weekend, I was at Tate Modern and the London Bridge area; today it was the core of the South Bank around the South Bank Centre.

The institutions on the South Bank comprise one of the largest arts complexes in Europe with the Royal Festival Hall which dates back to the Festival of Britain in 1951, the Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room (1967), the Hayward Gallery (1968) and the National Theatre, along with the discrete British Film Theatre (1957) that sits under and alongside Waterloo Bridge. For architects, they comprise a collection of Modern and Brutalist buildings which have their unique character.

Although the doors are closed in the current health situation and the lights in the performance venues are dimmed, visitors are increasing, with many of the restaurants, cafes and pop-up units open along the river, and many outdoor areas in which to sit and enjoy a drink or meal in the sunshine or, as today, when the weather was threatening to be a little more stormy

Our group spent half a day here, had food, drink, people watched and the time passed very quickly.

Lots of street entertainers working, Oxo Tower and London Eye towards each end of the area with plenty to see and do in between.

It was busy but not overwhelmingly so. Pubs and cafes were busy but also had seats available in most places we saw and visited. South Bank is still worth a stop and remains a London attraction where its possible to have a good time and not spend a fortune.

Love it! Bit more of an adult version of Winter Wonderland. Has a large cider bar inside the Udderbelly southbank complex; some great food stalls inside (recommend Mexican nachos/Fried chicken/Potato chips on a stick) and some even more amazing ones outside it - Raclette melted swiss cheese, Melted cheese toasties, Truffle burger and chips but to name a few!

Great area of London.
Lots of lovely sights and things to do. Jubilee Gardens, Festival Hall, South Bank Centre, British Film Institute, views of Houses of Parliament, Ministry of Defence, the City of London, etc, etc. All well served by Tube and train from Waterloo.
We had a lovely family holiday using this area as our base.

We have always loved the South Bank, I have been going with my family since I was a baby and still go now! Yes it's busy, but not overwhelmingly so. Lots of talented buskers and artists (you will be sure to find a little souvenir to take back) - not to mention the variety of food stalls and restaurants.

If you're ever in London I highly recommend going to the South Bank, you won't regret it!

A fantastic river walk and a place to enjoy great views, architecture, shops, restaurants, galleries and it's free. We walked along the river from Waterloo to Borough Market. Along the way we passed the Royal Festival Hall an iconic building with a free exhibition about the post-war Festival of Britain. It was really interesting to see the origins of the South Bank site. We also had a look in their shop which had some nice bits. We carried on along the river past the skateboarders making use of their colourful, graffiti covered undercroft doing some amazing flips and tricks. My teenage son really enjoyed this. Then we browsed in the open air book market outside the British Film Institute. Moving onwards we were very quickly at the National Theatre which is a brutalist architectural treat. We carried on admiring the river views and the historic dolphin lamp posts until we came to Gabriels' Wharf. Slightly off the main path the wharf is home to some quirky little shops and galleries, a bit of a hidden gem. I bought lots of greetings cards from the Southbank Printmakers Gallery. Oh yes, and we all went to the loo in the public convenience! Then we carried on to Blackfriars Bridge through a tunnel where there was an incredible busker who sang to us as we walked by. Before we called into the Tate to see some weird inflatables in the Turbine Hall, we stopped into the Bankside gallery which had a great exhibition of watercolours. After the Tate we found the Shakespeare's Globe and the Millennium Bridge with fantastic views across to St Pauls. The fantastic thing London does with historic old buildings rubbing shoulders with super modern. Passing along narrow London streets we saw the Clink Museum and we also happened upon the Golden Hind a full size replica of the Tudor Ship. Finally getting to Borough Market for some lunch and with its incredible array of food stalls. Amazing riverside walk full of interest!

We had a lovely time whilst waiting to enter the Aquarium, walking the length of the South Bank from Westminster Bridge all the way down to the OXO and back.

There were loads of street traders, offering a wide variety of foods and drinks, both alcoholic and soft drinks.

We had the added benefit of being able to experience a couple of the wonderful street entertainers too which helped us while a good couple of hours away.

Brilliant place to stroll in the sunlight. Plenty going on with professional performers and general public antics. Some benches and greenery to take a rest on and closer to Festival Hall, eateries of every influence. Skateboarders provide a free show, next to Giraffe, and the views of the North Bank are some of the best in the word.
A relaxing spot in one of the busiest cities and its all free.

The South Bank of London was first regenerated in the 1950's with the Festival of Britain. This led to the construction of the Royal Festival Hall which is still used for concerts to this day.

After the closure of County Hall this was repurposed and now houses the Sea Life Centre and also a McDonalds.

Further downstream the Globe Theatre was built to recreate the original location where William Shakespeare's plays can now be seen.

There is also the Tate Modern art gallery which is free to enter and is on the site of a former power station.

Right outside it is the Millennium Bridge which will take you over the River Thames to St Paul's Cathedral. When this Bridge first opened in 2000 it was known as the Wibbly Wobbly Bridge as when people were crossing it was moving and people felt ill. Following closure these issues were resolved.

These are just some of the bigger attractions on the South Bank of the Thames. There are plenty of other things to see. It is pedestrianised so safe to walk but watch out for people on e-scooters.

Highly recommended for entertainment and views.