South Bank London Guide



The South Bank London has to be one of the most entertaining and fascinating parts of Modern London. It used to be a dark run down place full of criminals and ladies of the night hundreds of years ago. Now it has been transformed into a place of entertainment and the hub of local London Political Power.

Over the last 30 years the whole of the South bank has been rejuvenated with many new exciting modern buildings emerging such as Europe's tallest building, The Shard.

There are so many things to do for the any visitor that it is simply impossible to list them all here. what i will do though is highlight the best, the most unusual and the ones I love best.

Things To Do

Museums in the south bank london area

The Clink Prison Museum - Discover the gruesome prison from Dickens days.

Design Museum - Everything from the humble telephone to out of this world lamp shades.

Fashion and textile Museum - Glamour and style the U.K. way.

Florence Nightingale Museum - Nursing and the story of the lady with the lamp.

Imperial War Museum - British conflicts from the 19th century.

Museum of Garden History - Housed in a beautiful medieval church.

Old Operating Theatre and Herb Garret Museum - A real life 18th century teaching theatre.

Film Museum - Movies and props

Kirkaldy Machine Museum - A giant pumping machine from a bygone age.

Cuming Museum - Local history museum

Royal Pharmaceutical Museum - The origins if medicine.

Other Places of Interest on the South Bank London Area 

Contemporary Applied Arts - Gallery showcasing contemporary ceramics, glass, textiles and jewellery.Address;89 Southwark Street, SE1 0HX

Jubilee Gardens (next to the London Eye)

A new green space for London with park land, flower beds and modern playground.

Southwark Cathedral (London Bridge)

This area has been a place of Christian worship for over 1,000 years.

Architecture Foundation (Ground Floor East, 136–148 Tooley St)

Various exhibitions and events take place throughout the year.

Butler's Wharf

A historic Wharf built between in 1871 used as a shipping and warehouse complex. It is now luxury flats and restaurants and the name given to the surrounding area. It overlooks London Bridge and St Katharine Docks.

Entertainment In South Bank London

The Old Vic Theatre - The Cut, London SE1

One of the best loved theatres in the world. The building is 192 years old and has a rich history of great theatre performances which continues today.

National Theatre

The most famous publicly funded British theatre companies. Housed in the South bank center buildings next to the Thames.

BFI IMAX - 1 Charlie Chaplin Walk, Waterloo

The biggest screen in Britain. A luxury 500 seat cinema.

London Duck Tours - (Chicheley Street) - James Bond and D-Day Tours.

Tours lasts around 75 minutes.

Tate Modern (Bankside)

Gallery for modern art housed in a huge old riverside warehouse on south bank london

Shakespeares Globe (21 New Globe Walk, Bankside)

A exhibition space dedicated to Shakespeare's work and the theatre where his work was commissioned for.

London Eye ( Riverside Building, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road)

Take a trip on London's newest and most tourist attraction. See London from the air in the comfort of a glass pod.

Southbank Centre

A center for the arts including theatre, music concerts, exhibition galleries and more. A place to relax, shop and eat alongside the River Thames.

There are many free public spaces and often there are impromptu free music performances to enjoy.

Sea Life London Aquarium (County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road)

Discover the world of the sea creatures in this modern interactive environment.

Note : Attractions like these can be expensive so make sure that you get the most from your money by buying special packages such as:

Entry to Sea Life and Lunch at Planet Hollywood

Places To Eat

Oxo Tower Restaurant £££ European - Fine Dining - (OXO Tower Wharf, Barge House Street)

Gillray's Steakhouse and Bar £££ (London Marriott Hotel County Hall)

Woolfson & Tay Bookshop Cafe and Gallery ££ ( Bermondsey Square)

Eat ( Oxo Tower Wharf) £ Takeaway Pasta and sandwiches

Gabriel's Wharf

House of Crepes | Pieminster | Sarnis | Gourmet Pizza Co ££

Southbank Centre

Canteen | Feng Sushi | Giraffe | River Terrace Cafe | Strada | Wagamama | YO! Sushi ££

Shopping In The south bank london Area

Gabriel's Wharf (Coin Street) - Shops open Tues. - Sun 11am - 6pm

Mix of shops and studios, bars and restaurants. This small river side shopping area has an arty feel and you can pick up some fantastic original items such as jewelry and ceramics.

Oxo Tower (Bargehouse Street) 50 retail units- designer-makers. 

Borough Market - Open : Thur 11am to 5pm, Fri 12 - 6pm, Sat 8am - 5pm

London's best food market where you can find the best British and international fresh produce.

Hay's Galleria (Hay's Lane, off Tooley Street)

Originally the area was a landing spot in the 1850's for tea clippers. Now a covered shopping centre with craft stalls and shops.

Accommodation

Plaza on the River

18 Albert Embankment

Luxury accommodation near Tate Britain

Rates and reviews

Citizenm Hotel

20 Lavington Street

Designer style at affordable prices.

Rates and reviews

Think Apartments

169 Tower Bridge Road

Want to stay longer or have a large family then these light airy apartments are just the ticket.

Rates and reviews

London Bridge Hotel

8-18 London Bridge Street

Stylish Hotel next to London Bridge.

Rates and reviews

Marriott London County Hall

Westminster Bridge Road, County Hall

5 star accommodation in a landmark location.

Rates and reviews

Tube Stations

These are the tube stations in the south bank london area.

Waterloo Station (York Road)
Bakerloo, Jubilee, Northern and Waterloo & City Lines

Southwark Station (Blackfriars Road and The Cut)
Jubilee Line

Lambeth North (Westminster Bridge Road and Baylis Road)
Bakerloo Line

Elephant and Castle Station
Bakerloo and Northern Line

Borough Station (Borough High Street)
Northern Line 

London Bridge Station
Jubilee and Northern Lines

Bermondsey Station
Jubilee Line

Discount Passes

The London Pass

Free entry to over 55 top London attractions and tours

Skip the lines

Free 120+ page Guidebook

Added Travelcard option

Additional special offers

London Flexible Attraction Packages

Choose the saving Bundle for you and then decide which days you want to visit.

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