15 Greenwich Tours in London Worth Booking Ahead

1.Westminster to Greenwich Sightseeing Thames Cruise in London

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,969 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $22Our pick

Sail east from Westminster Pier to Greenwich on a roughly one-hour Thames cruise, with live commentary and Wi-Fi audio in six languages. Look for Big Ben, St Paul’s, Shakespeare’s Globe and Tower Bridge, then explore Greenwich on foot. You can book a return cruise, too. Local attractions are not included in the fare.

“Good value for money. But don’t expect much from the food/beverage bar, other than plain coffee. Wine is barely drinkable.”

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2.Royal Observatory Greenwich & Prime Meridian Entrance Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,095 reviews · from $32

Visit the Royal Observatory Greenwich for a self-guided look at the Prime Meridian, the Octagon Room and the history of navigation and timekeeping. Your ticket includes a multilingual downloadable guide and access to the Meridian Line. The hilltop views are a bonus; the planetarium show costs extra.

“The exhibition was really brought to life by the guide who explained the history of John Harrison and his nautical clock. Fantastic story teller.”

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3.Leeds Castle, Canterbury, Dover & Greenwich Boat ride

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 604 reviews · 11 hours (approx.) · from $147

Leave London at 8:30 am for Leeds Castle, the Battle of Britain Memorial on the White Cliffs, Canterbury Cathedral and Greenwich. A guide and air-conditioned coach handle the long day’s connections, then a 30-minute Thames boat ride brings you to Embankment Pier. It’s a fast-moving sampler, not an in-depth visit to each place.

“The guide was very good. The boat ride on River Thames, it was dark by the time we got to the boat. So could not see anything.”

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4.‘Cutty Sark’ Entrance Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 373 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $32

Visit the Cutty Sark in Greenwich with an admission ticket and explore the world’s sole-surviving tea clipper at your own pace. See the sailors’ quarters, cargo spaces, main deck and ship’s wheel, then stand beneath the suspended hull. Plan about two hours, though a quick visit can be much shorter. Transport is not included.

“Cutty Sark is a very interesting old ship. It's great to be able to go onboard and see how the crew lived when the ship was on the high seas. Definitely worth a visit.”

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5.Leeds Castle, Canterbury, Dover & Greenwich Cruise from London

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 369 reviews · 11 hours (approx.) · from $143

Leave Victoria Coach Station at 8:15 am for Leeds Castle, the White Cliffs of Dover and Canterbury Cathedral, then take a short Greenwich walk and a Thames boat ride back to central London. A guide leads the day, with names such as Tom, Richard, Frank and Clarissa praised for their storytelling. Castle entry is included; check whether your ticket option includes the cathedral.

“Frank was great. So knowledgeable and interesting. Went out of his way to show us as much as he could and made sure we all had a good tour”

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6.Royal Observatory Greenwich & Prime Meridian Entry Ticket London

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 367 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $33

Visit the Royal Observatory on Greenwich’s hilltop for a self-guided look at the Prime Meridian, GMT, Harrison’s clocks, the Wren-designed Octagon Room and a historic telescope. An audio guide helps explain the site, while views over London and nearby free museums make this a rewarding Greenwich outing. Allow about two hours, plus time for the uphill walk.

“Good to see prime meridian. Everything was smooth.. Encountered only 2 slight inconveniences. They didn’t have a scanner to scan the Viator voucher, and second, it’s not the easiest place to get to. Even with google/Apple Maps, there was significant confusion. Difficult to get Uber to pick us up.”

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7.Entrance Ticket to the Cutty Sark

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 324 reviews · 1 day · from $26

Board the Cutty Sark, the sole surviving tea clipper, at Royal Museums Greenwich. Explore the decks, sailors’ quarters and ship’s wheel, then walk beneath the gleaming copper hull. Your ticket includes a downloadable interactive guide in eight languages. The visit is self-paced, and the ship is wheelchair accessible.

“Great experience to learn more about the history of Cutty Sark”

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8.Royal Museums Greenwich Day Pass

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 309 reviews · 6 hours · from $40

This six-hour Greenwich pass covers the Royal Observatory and Cutty Sark, plus free entry to the National Maritime Museum and Queen’s House. Stand on the Prime Meridian, see Harrison’s clocks, climb aboard a historic tea clipper and take in Thames views. Downloadable audio guides are available in eight listed languages.

“Be prepared for lots of walking! Everything is further away than you think. Definitely a full day excursion. We loved it!”

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9.Leeds Castle, Canterbury, Dover, Greenwich & Free Snack Pack

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 277 reviews · from $160

Travel from London through Kent by air-conditioned coach, with entry to Leeds Castle and, if selected, Canterbury Cathedral. You’ll also see the Battle of Britain Memorial, pass the White Cliffs of Dover, and visit Greenwich before a Thames boat ride to Embankment. A ploughman’s roll, snacks and juice are included. Past guides have included Sally, Tish and Morton.

“Guide did his best to be sure we saw the sites listed, even though some closed inside for Christmas decor. Tried to be accommodating at the end of the trip back on the ferries by trying to get us different time slots.”

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10.Greenwich: Painted Hall Entry and Old Royal Naval College

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 222 reviews · 2 hours · from $23

Explore the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, including its Painted Hall, Chapel of St Peter and St Paul, Nelson Room and Victorian skittle alley. Use the multilingual audio guide or join an English-language tour. Site tours leave hourly from the Visitor Centre, subject to availability. Allow extra time for the grounds and Greenwich.

“We really enjoyed our experience today,,, none of us can believe that we haven’t done this before now considering we only live about 50 minutes away!!!! It’s absolutely mind blowing!!! Go and visit today!!!!”

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11.Royal Observatory Planetarium Show Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 89 reviews · from $16Best value

Spend 30 minutes in the Peter Harrison Planetarium for a live show led by a Royal Observatory astronomer. Depending on the day’s program, you may map the night sky, explore satellites, or travel through the life of a star using telescope images and CGI. The ticket covers the planetarium, not entry to the Royal Observatory itself.

“Incredible, eye opening and extremely fascinating I loved every minute of it”

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12.Leeds Castle, Canterbury, Dover and Greenwich

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 88 reviews · 10 hours · from $141

Spend 10 hours touring Leeds Castle, the White Cliffs of Dover, Canterbury and Greenwich by air-conditioned coach, then cruise the Thames into central London. English-speaking guides have included Toby, Joanne, Andrew and Tom, but the guide varies. Canterbury Cathedral entry depends on the option you book.

“Our tour guide Tom was wonderful. He was so knowledgeable about English history, and explained it in such a fun interesting manner. I never knew history could be so entertaining!!!!”

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13.Ghosts of Greenwich: London’s Haunted Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 62 reviews · 2 hours · from $18Top rated

Join an English-speaking guide for a two-hour walk through Greenwich’s haunted history, starting by the Cutty Sark and ending at St Alfege Church. Along the Thames, hear stories of ghosts, pirates, Vikings and the missing crew of the Terror, with stops at pubs, memorials and historic landmarks. Guides including Jamie, Tom and Ryan have led the tour.

“Wow! What a brilliant tour we had. The fantastic Jamie intrigued us with tales of past and present. The Interactive and interesting tour around Greenwich was a brilliant activity for me and my mum. He answered all our questions and was very knowledgable. We were thoroughly entertained throughout! Thankyou where now tours.”

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14.Cutty Sark Entrance Ticket & Afternoon Tea

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 37 reviews · 3 hours · from $64

At Greenwich’s Cutty Sark, explore the 1869 tea clipper with an English audio guide, visit the sailors’ quarters, and take the helm. Then sit beneath the ship’s gleaming copper hull for afternoon tea, with sandwiches, cakes, and a choice of teas. The ticket includes ship admission; there is no live tour guide.

“The food was excellent. great value for money with entrance to The Cutty Sark boat included. I would have given it 5 stars if the afternoon tea tables were maybe away from the general public with children running about screaming past us. I feel they needed to be more away from the cafe. Would recommend though as sandwiches and cakes really tasty. The staff were amazing too”

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15.Greenwich Highlights Private Half Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 18 reviews · 3.5 hours · from $398

Spend 3.5 hours exploring Greenwich with a private English-speaking guide. Visit the Royal Observatory and Prime Meridian, see John Harrison’s timepieces, tour the Cutty Sark and explore the National Maritime Museum and Queen’s House. Guides named in past bookings include Nathan, Victoria and Steven. Admissions are included; transport and food are not.

“Victorias knowledge was terrific and she easily conveyed her knowledge to us. Happy and friendly, thanks”

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