Thames Path Central London

The lowdown

The Thames Path is a national trail that follows the river for nearly two hundred miles, but its central London stretch is the showstopper and entirely free to walk. Both banks are walkable for miles, linked by a series of bridges, so you can cross and recross and never run out of view.

Strung along it is almost the entire roll-call of London landmarks, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, the London Eye, the South Bank arts centres, St Paul's across the water, the Tate Modern, Shakespeare's Globe, the Tower of London and Tower Bridge. Few city walks anywhere pack in this much for nothing.

You can do a short hop between two bridges or a long march from Westminster to the Tower, dipping into free foyers, markets and gardens along the way. It is the single best way to understand the shape of London, all for the price of comfortable shoes.