fun and interesting facts about London Eye
that will surely tempt you to include this iconic structure in your itinerary.
What is the London Eye
The London Eye, earlier called the Millennium Wheel, is a cantilevered observation wheel. It is Europe’s tallest cantilevered observation wheel. It offers one of the highest public viewing points in London. There are 32 observation pods or capsules mounted on the wheel to carry passengers. The 32 passenger capsules or pods correspond to the 32 boroughs that constitute Greater London. Each capsule can seat 25 passengers and always remains upright as the wheel turns. The wheel turns extremely slowly and does not need to stop for passengers to board or alight.
The Eye is less than a five minutes’ walk from Waterloo station, situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, in the borough of Lambeth. Charing Cross, Embankment, and Westminster are other stations that are also quite near. It is directly opposite the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. You can also take bus numbers 211, 77 or 381 that ply to London Eye.
What can you view from the London Eye?Once you board a pod of the London Eye, be prepared to have a marvelous time. On the 30-minute ride, you have the multilingual guides point out the details of the spectacular view of the city. You can see Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, and Big Ben, among others. Soar high over these famous landmarks. Enjoy the stunning 360-degree views of the city. You can see up to 40km out of the city to Windsor Castle on a clear day. Another major attraction is a 4D show that forms a part of your London Eye experience. The Eye is lit up in various colors to mark special occasions like red, white, and blue for the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
You get a lot of good deals if you book your tickets online and can avoid long queues at the ticket booth. You also get a discount of 20% if you book online. Avoid the rush hours from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm to have a better time with less crowd. To take good selfies get as close to the glass to avoid the glare from the sun. Plan your trip here so that you can also visit the nearby attractions like the Belvedere Road County Hall Chamber that has the show “Witness for the Prosecution” by Agatha Christie playing there. This show has received fantastic reviews. Visit Whitehall and see No. 10 Downing Street, the official residence of the British Prime Minister. Or visit the London Dungeon, County Hall London, etc.
VIP experiences available on the London Eye:Private pods are available for hire and you can have your guests. You should confirm the number of guests you can invite before hiring the private pod. You can serve champagne or canapés on board for your guests. And you can also enjoy the 4D cinema experience. Make your proposal to your beloved very special by arranging it in the proposal pod. Invite a few close people and enjoy with music and champagne. If you want to spend a special day with the love of your life, do it in Cupid’s pod. Have a wonderful ride with champagne or chocolates served aboard.
Celebrate birthdays or weddings too on the London Eye. Birthdays turn special with cupcakes and champagne and the company of your near and dear ones. You cannot get a better backdrop for a wedding than the stunning 360-degree view of London. Also available on the London Eye is the Dinner experience where you can have an unforgettable dinner in a pod high above the ground. Private and Corporate events too can be organized aboard the capsules.By now you may have understood why the London Eye attracts nearly four million visitors every year which is even more than the Taj Mahal or the Pyramids of Giza. No wonder that so many celebrities like Matt Damon, Kate Moss, and Jessica Alba love it. It does not matter whether you visit during the day to see the spectacular far-reaching view or the night to enjoy the city lights. The fact is that a ride on the London Eye is an indispensable experience on your London trip.