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South Bank
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South Bank

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South Bank
4.5
1,692 reviews
#87 of 2,679 things to do in London
Neighbourhoods
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12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
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About
South Bank is a beautiful riverside stretch in the heart of London featuring the London Eye, SEA LIFE London Aquarium, Southbank Centre, National Theatre, Hayward Gallery, the British Film Institute (BFI) and the London Dungeon, as well as top hotels, shopping and dining destinations. Located within walking distance of Covent Garden, Westminster and Bankside, it is the perfect location for a relaxing stroll by the river or for an evening of world-class entertainment. Known as the cultural heart of London, a packed programme of art, theatre, exhibitions, music, film and free events, make South Bank an inspiring place to explore. South Bank is a wonderful corner of central London to spend time outdoors with its beautiful riverside promenade, the Jubilee Gardens park, Ernie's Beach (one of central London's last remaining publically accessible tidal beaches) and dozens of open-air restaurants and cafes to enjoy.
Suggested duration
More than 3 hours
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The area
Neighbourhood: Southbank
Big time attractions such as the London Eye and a thriving theatre scene (compliments of the National Theatre and the Young Vic) are but a few of the reasons that Southbank is such a collectively cherished part of town. With plenty of family friendly activities and venues lined up along a pedestrianized river bank between Westminster Bridge and Waterloo Bridge, visitors can always expect a casual and festive atmosphere. On top of all the fun stuff to do at Southbank is the opportunity to simply sit back and admire photo-op views of iconic landmarks like Parliament and St Paul's Cathedral, just on across the Thames.
How to get there
  • Waterloo • 3 min walk
  • Embankment • 8 min walk
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
10,000 within 5 kms
Fishcotheque
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The Library at County Hall
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Gillray's Steakhouse & Bar
2,194
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Locale
3,806
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Chunnel Bar
291
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Crust Bros
653
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Brasserie Blanc Southbank
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Honest Burgers South Bank
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Strada Southbank
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Attractions
2,317 within 10 kms
International Brigade Memorial
3
52 mMonuments & Statues
London Eye
89,453
0.2 kmPoints of Interest & Landmarks • Observation Decks & Towers
Leake Street Arches
184
0.2 kmPoints of Interest & Landmarks
County Hall, London
174
0.1 kmArchitectural Buildings • Theatres
Thames River
2,874
0.2 kmBodies of Water
DreamWork's Tours: Shrek's Adventure! London
4,017
0.2 kmAmusement & Theme Parks
Jubilee Gardens
136
0.2 kmGardens
SEA LIFE London Aquarium
7,426
0.2 kmAquariums
Royal Festival Hall
792
0.2 kmPoints of Interest & Landmarks • Theatres
Southbank Centre Food Markets
131
0.2 kmFlea & Street Markets • Farmers Markets
See all
See what other travellers are saying
  • Raghav Nair
    Bengaluru, India306 contributions
    Brilliant walk
    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.
    Visited October 2019
    Written 3 January 2020
  • Ian C
    London, United Kingdom23,970 contributions
    Enjoyable series of spaces and activities along the river
    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
    Visited August 2020
    Written 26 August 2020
  • 1961GaryC
    Bradford, United Kingdom530 contributions
    Lots to see and do here
    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.
    Visited August 2021
    Written 2 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
1,692 reviews
Excellent
1,005
Very good
593
Average
65
Poor
18
Terrible
11
holidayhoney65
Chessington, UK1,176 contributions
Busy, bustling area a short walk from Waterloo with lots to see and do
Jul 2023 • Family
Busy, bustling area on the river a short walk from Waterloo station with loads of bars, restaurants, street food and things to see and do including the london eye, festival hall, sea life, boat trips, street entertainers to name a few. You can easy spend a few hours here stopping for drinks, food, do an activity or just watch the world go by. Defiantly worth a visit.
Written 30 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
therichastill
Stevenage, UK2,344 contributions
Tourist Locale
Jul 2023 • Solo
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.
Written 26 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
thara r
Epsom, UK385 contributions
Heya
Jun 2023 • Solo
Heya. All of it. I spent the entire day here today. You will need at least two solid hours in order to look at everything on offer as well. Make sure to take lots of good photos too. Walk around and appreciate the entire area. Buy nice food from one of the many different street food stalls in addition. Also alternatively have Chinese dim sum. Visit the mini stalls on top of that. Try to see if you can go on the London Eye. Rent a river boat. Then make your way to the cinema. All in all a really good day out.
Written 24 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Deb W
Reno, NV2,558 contributions
Southside
May 2023 • Friends
Our hotel was on this side of the river. The area along the Thames was always crowded with people. So much to do in this area.
Written 21 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Steve
Clacton-on-Sea, UK19 contributions
London our home
Jan 2023 • Couples
We are lucky to be able to visit London many times only 1.5 hours from our home, we often go for the day, Its a must go walk, no cost lots of places to see, well worth a visit
Written 31 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TravelingSoccerLoon
Saint Paul, MN3,156 contributions
Busy Area Highlighted by the London Eye
Sep 2022 • Couples
Located on the south bank of the Thames between Westminster Bridge and Waterloo Bridge. This highly touristed area is best known for the London Eye but is also the location of the Royal Festival Hall and is the start of the scenic South Bank Walking Path that stretches all along the river to Tower Bridge and provides great views across the Thames. There are usually street performers present and many places to sit and take in the sights and sounds of this busy area.
Written 6 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LostInTime
Pittsburgh, PA11,550 contributions
Great walk
Nov 2022 • Business
If you have the time the walk from Tower Bridge to the Eye is awesome. It’s somewhat far but it’s a great walk and you will see a lot of interesting things. I loved it.
Written 18 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TWal1
Canberra, Australia2,846 contributions
Easy Walk, Lots to See
Jun 2022 • Couples
Walking along the Thames at South Bank is a pleasant experience on a summer’s day. Lots to see and do, or simply admire the array of things going on around you. Many of London’s iconic attractions are close by so you can easily spend several hours in the area. The shops and cafes are good for a break too.
Written 12 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bluebellknoll000
Edinburgh, UK429 contributions
Vibrant area
Sep 2022 • Couples
We had a trip on the London Eye then had a wander about here. There are lots of cute little shops, buskers and eateries. If you turn right (or left) at the skate park, there is a good market tucked away, with loads of amazing stalls and outdoor benches. Would particularly recommend the bibimbap from the Korean stall. It was amazing!
Written 24 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Phil B
16 contributions
Won't look forward to going there again
Aug 2022
I lived in London for 22 years. I worked around the south bank for twelve, and also in Westminster for a further four. I used to enjoy the walk along the south bank of the Thames between Blackfriars and Westminster Bridges.

Not any more.

I visited on Saturday with my partner, who's visually and hearing impaired, and her sister. It was very busy, as might be expected on a summer weekend. The views across the Thames were good, although, like many, I can't help thinking that the skyscrapers built in recent years have not enhanced the skyline of a historic city. The book market under Waterloo Bridge was interesting as always, a good place to pick up an antique map if that's your thing.

But these positives, that have been around for years, were outweighed by some negatives that are more recent developments.

The crowds were part of the problem; the pathways along the side of the river are of differing widths, with shops and attractions in places (like around the Oxo building) that make it difficult to get along, especially two abreast (as you must when helping someone who is disabled).

We stopped at a pub - I won't mention the name, but it has a good view of the river - and had two identical rounds of drinks and some snacks. The drinks came to £22.10 one time and £19.80 another; it's not the first time I've been charged unpredictable prices in a London pub since lockdown, but it's an incentive to steer clear of the touristy ones (which seem to be worse for this). (The same round would have cost about £7 in my local Wetherspoons).

Then there were the cyclists. Parts of the footpath along the south bank are clearly marked - on bollards - as 'no cycling, no e-scooters'; this didn't stop a couple of youths pulling wheelies on that section on Santander rental bikes. When you're helping someone with visual issues in a crowded space that's the last thing you want.

Further along there was a noisy, graffiti-splattered skateboard park. Attractive it wasn't, at least to our eyes (and ears).

The icing on the cake was our attempt to cross York Road, to get back to Waterloo station. Just as we got the 'green man' to cross the pelican crossing , a hoard of perhaps a hundred youths in dark clothes (some masked) came along on cycles, pulling wheelies, shouting abuse at pedestrians - including us - and rode past, completely ignoring the red light, the 'keep left' signs and the fact that there were pedestrians - including my partner wearing a disability badge - on the crossing.

There were no police around to see or attempt to control this, or to help us.

After that experience, will we be happy going back to this part of Central London? Of course not.
Written 29 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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South Bank - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about South Bank
South Bank is open:
  • Sun - Sat 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
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We recommend booking South Bank tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 23 South Bank tours on Tripadvisor