7 Best Thames River Cruises in London

From the water you will see a different profile of London and at the same time you will learn about its history. Thames river cruises can be closed tours or operate as a tourist "bus" on the most important river in England.

There are many tours that are organized on the waters of the Thames River, from the most economical to the most exclusive, with on-board services such as dinners and live shows.

With departures every 30 to 40 minutes, the one-hour Thames river cruise from Westminster to Greenwich is a closed one-hour boat tour, very economically priced at around 20€, and very practical to get to know London's skyline and up to 13 of its major attractions located on the banks of the river.

Departing from Westminster Pier you can relax on deck or inside the boat to admire and photograph points of interest in the city such as the Houses of Parliament, St. Paul's Cathedral, Tower Bridge and the Tower of London, among others, while a guide, whose audio is also available in Spanish, will explain data on everything you see. And once the cruise is over, you can go to see Westminster. See tickets for Westminster Abbey.

Why I like this option: It's a great way to enjoy the experience at a reduced price and without having to invest too much time either. You'll be able to see London's main attractions from the river while you rest.

Recommended if... You don't have much time or don't want to invest a lot of money in this experience but you want to enjoy the highlights of the city as seen from the river.

Another ideal proposal is to take a 2 hour sunset cruise. This way, you will be able to contemplate certain places such as the London Eye, HMS Belfast, The Shard, Big Ben, Tower Bridge or Cannary Wharf under the sunset and, in addition, you will have the opportunity to enjoy a glass of sparkling wine and an aperitif.

Discover the iconic sites and most emblematic monuments of London from another perspective and with a different light at an approximate price of 45€. And when you disembark is an ideal time to go for lunch. So I leave you 10 places to eat near London Eye.

Why I like this option: The evening light allows you to see the city from another point of view.

Recommended if....: You feel like relaxing after an intense day of sightseeing.

And if you want to enjoy a cruise on the Thames while enjoying a tasty meal, you can do that too. So, while you cruise along the river and enjoy the view of the main monuments such as Tower Bridge, the Palace of Westminster or Big Ben, you will taste a delicious two-course lunch with tea or coffee that will give you the strength to go and see the Tower of London once the cruise is over. See what to see at the Tower of London.

A tour of 1 hour and a half that is priced at around 55 €.

Why I like this option: It's a very fun and adventurous option to get you into the Thames.

Recommended if....: Ideal if you go in a large group and occupy the boat.

And if you want to spend an unforgettable evening, I recommend the option of a Thames dinner cruise with live music. This tour, aboard a luxurious boat that will start in Westminster, will last approximately 3 hours and will cost around 150 €.

Throughout the cruise, you can enjoy a gourmet style dinner with between 3 and 5 courses in which cheese and meat specialties stand out. Even so, there is a special menu for vegans or people intolerant or allergic to certain foods. What are you waiting for? Enjoy an exquisite wine, background music and live entertainment while watching the spectacular views of the city. Plus, if you're looking for an after-plan, you can see the London Eye at night.

Why I like this option: The gourmet menu is excellent.

Recommended if...: You feel like enjoying live music.

This option is ideal for those who want to have freedom, because for about 30€ you will have at your disposal a pass valid for a whole day and you can either take the full tour, which lasts about 1 hour, or disembark at the time you want to visit the main monuments, such as the Tower of London, Shakespeare's Globe theater or the famous London Eye, and re-embark whenever you want throughout the day.

In addition, through the City Cruises mobile app you will have the opportunity to listen live to the history of the most emblematic places and main points of interest.

Why I like this option: The freedom it offers as you can make a stop wherever you feel like it and hop back on throughout the day.

Recommended if....: You have a full day to visit the attractions on the banks of the Thames. Check out Tower of London tickets, London Eye tickets, London Eye prices or Sea Life Aquarium tickets

And for the more adventurous, there is the option of taking a speedboat ride on the Thames. This fun proposal has an approximate duration of 45 minutes, an approximate price of 60 euros and a maximum capacity of 12 people.

So, while you cross the Thames River at a maximum speed of 56 km per hour, an expert guide will give you all the details of the most emblematic places of the tour as the London Eye, Tower Bridge and the skyscraper The Shard. A totally safe option, since the guide will equip you with a safety vest and raincoat as soon as you get on. Of course, I take this opportunity to recommend 10 places to eat near London Eye because surely after this adventure, nothing will make you want more than to eat.

Why I like this option: It's a very fun and adventurous option to go deep into the Thames.

Recommended if....: Ideal if you go in a large group and occupy the speedboat.

To know the city in depth, I recommend you to choose the option of a Thames river cruise and tourist bus. This way, you can see the most important monuments comfortably while enjoying the explanations of a local tour guide in a vintage bus and then you can get on board a boat to see the city from a different perspective.

The experience lasts approximately 3 hours and a half and costs between 75 and 80 euros.

Why I like this option: It is a very comfortable option.

Recommended if....: If you are going with elderly people or small children.

Most of the Thames river cruises depart from the central London piers and have public transport nearby and in the case of the flexible cruise you can also access from any of its stops at the above attractions.

Embankment Pier

Westminster Pier

Greenwich Pier

London Eye Pier

For me, one of the great advantages of taking one of the many cruises on the River Thames is that you will be able to rest your tired legs a bit after traveling tirelessly through a city with so much to do.

In addition, they are a saving of the traffic jams that you can suffer by bus or the crowds of people crowding their meters.

These cruises are ideal to get an overall idea of the physiognomy of the city or to see its monuments from another perspective. I recommend them especially if you are traveling with children as it is a fun and comfortable way to get an overall idea of what London is like and visit some of its main points of interest.

In addition, it connects two of the main tourist attractions of the city: the area of Westminster Abbey, where the famous Big Ben and London Eye with the areas of the City and St. Paul's Cathedral and the Tower of London.

If you have already decided to take the cruise, my advice is to take the opportunity to visit the Westminster Abbey area, from where you can embark to start the boat tour. Right there you will find the London Eye (this is the article I have written about London Eye Tickets: how to buy, prices and schedules), a few meters from the Westminster Abbey (here all the information on London Westminster Abbey Tickets: how to buy and prices) and the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben.

If what interests you is to walk around the city and enjoy it understanding what you see, you can take a look at my article on Top 10 Tours and Excursions in Londonwhich can help you to choose a good guided tour of the city where you can learn the best kept secrets of the big city.