London's River Thames Cruises

A boat trip along the River Thames is the best way to appreciate London's history, its atmosphere and its buildings, whether by day or on a romantic dinner cruise.

As a travel writer who has written a lot about London, and lived there for about 15 years, I've got to know the city pretty well. I lived in Notting Hill, have been up Big Ben, been invited to the Houses of Parliament and dined at some of the best restaurants, like Gordon Ramsay, Nobu and The Ivy. But there's one thing about the city that always excites me, and gets me jumping up and down like a little kid: a cruise on the river.

Lots of PR companies know this, when they want to get travel writers to attend their events. Organise a London river cruise and you're sure of a good turn-out. One of the publishers my wife and I write for, Insight Guides, hold an annual summer party on one of the Thames river cruisers, and they always have a waiting list to attend. They go down the river as far as the Isle of Dogs and views of Canary Wharf, and up the other way to Hammersmith past the Houses of Parliament. To see London lit up at night, especially the buildings along the river banks, is an experience you'll never forget.

That's why I've written a short piece about London river cruises, with links to several of the tour companies offering them. If you're planning to visit London soon, or even if you live there and have never been on the river, take a look at Sail on London River Cruises.

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