Thames Path Central London
the whole city, strung along the river
The central stretch of the Thames Path, free, where you can walk both banks of the river past nearly every great London landmark, linked by a string of historic bridges.
Free to visit · Central London · Westminster · SW1A 2JH
Opening: Always open
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.
Getting there: Join anywhere central, Westminster, the South Bank, Embankment, Blackfriars and Tower Hill all drop you right by the river.
Best time to go: Golden hour into the evening, walking east so the light is behind you and the City lights up ahead.
Insider tip: Walk it as a loop, down one bank and back along the other over a couple of bridges, to get both the front-on views and the close-ups. The Westminster to Tower Bridge stretch on the south side is the greatest hits in one go.
Official site: https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/en_GB/trails/thames-path
Free things to do in London · London Free Guide