Greenwich Prime Meridian (park line)
a foot in each hemisphere, for free
Stand with a foot in each hemisphere on the true Greenwich Meridian, traced for free across the park outside the paid Observatory courtyard.
Free to visit · Greenwich · Cutty Sark (DLR) · SE10 8XJ
Opening: Park daylight hours
The famous courtyard line at the Royal Observatory, where tourists queue to straddle zero degrees longitude, sits behind a paid barrier. But the Prime Meridian does not stop at the wall, it runs straight on through Greenwich Park, and a marker traces its line across the grass where you can stand with one foot in the eastern hemisphere and one in the western for nothing.
You miss the brass strip and the photo backdrop, but you get the same line, the same view down over the Old Royal Naval College and the river, and none of the entry fee. It is free, a little cheeky, and a perfect example of the everyday London magic this guide loves.
Getting there: In Greenwich Park below the Royal Observatory, a walk up from Cutty Sark DLR.
Best time to go: A clear day with the famous Greenwich view thrown in for free.
Insider tip: Look for the meridian marker on the path through the park north of the Observatory, outside the paid courtyard. You get the same line and the same sweeping Greenwich view without paying the entry fee.
Free things to do in London · London Free Guide