The height of fun looking over the capital
Whether you have a head for heights or not, there’s nothing quite like rising high above London’s grim to get a bird’s-eye view of the capital.
The London Eye, which towers at around 443ft, over a city full of history and culture, is a “must-do” for tourists and inhabitants alike.
My mum and I wrapped up warm on one of the coldest days of the year so far to explore the sights and sounds of the city and our first stop was the iconic London Eye.
The experience starts with an optional 4D film screening and I would recommend visitors make time to watch it before going up in the sky; it captures a little bit of the magic you will be about to experience.
We had fast track tickets and were in our capsule within around five minutes, and I would strongly recommend booking this type of pass as the queues looked quite large.
We shared our capsule with around 15 other people but the space is big and it didn’t feel cramped.
The Eye climbs its height slowly, leaving lots of time to look around the London landscape and on a clear day you can see as far as Wimbledon and beyond.
Touch screen computers provide a guide to the monuments you can see outside of the capsule and the views are breathtaking.
The London Eye really shows off the city, with sights like Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, the Gherkin and St Paul’s Cathedral in clear view.
It’s a great way to see London in a day and get a real feel for what the city holds.
The experience lasts around 45 minutes and it felt like just the right amount of time.
I can imagine an evening ride on the eye would be romantic and I think I will have to go back again to see the city lit up at night.
We stayed in the Tune Hotel just off Liverpool Street when we visited and the budget hotel chain did exactly what it said on the tin.
The room was basic but nicely decorated and clean, with facilities including TV viewing, towels and toiletries, a hairdryer and wi-fi service available for hire at a small cost.
The hotel staff were friendly and willing to help and the reception was nicely decorated with a TV, comfortable seats, tables and chairs and laptops with wifi access available for use for a small charge.
The hotel, which includes 24-hour security, would be perfect for business people working in the capital on a short term basis and also for visitors on a budget.
The hotel was in a great location within five minutes walking distance of a number of independent and chain restaurants, supermarkets, off licences and clothes stores.
It is also next to Old Spitalfields market which sells lots of quirky clothes and accessories at very reasonable prices.
There are also bars and pubs around the hotel and the areas has a good atmosphere and excellent selection of things to do.
It is 10 minutes walking distance from Liverpool Street station where tubes and trains can be caught to explore other destinations or for business travel.
There are also good bus links nearby and taxi services can be booked by the hotel.
Adult tickets for the EDF Energy London Eye start at £17.01 online at www.londoneye.com
Bedrooms at the Tune Hotel in Liverpool Street start from £35 a night and are available to book at www.tunehotels.com/uk
For more information visit www.londoneye.com.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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