London guided walk: Between bridges (Part 2)

Posted May 25, 2017

Written by Barbara Oliveira (Astor Museum)

 

Continues from Part 1

(…) After the Blackfriars Bridge, there is a little pleasant pub by the river, The Founders Arms, great for having a drink outside in its heated patio. Not far from it, you will find the TATE Modern on your right, an enormous gallery of international art with a nice view at the top. To your left, there is the Millenium Bridge and St. Paul’s Cathedral on the other side of the river.

A little further ahead, you will stumble onto a scene from another age. The Globe stands the test of time and still entertains audiences with its Shakespeare plays, just as they were shown back then. Keep going and you’ll find that around Southwark Bridge there are a lot of places to dine and drink until Bankside End, where you’ll be able to admire a really beautiful mural of Shakespeare by JimmyC, an Australian artist with many other works scattered across London.

Turning to Clink Street you’ll find the Clink Prison Museum and the ruins of the Winchester Palace, which was once of the most important buildings in medieval London. In front of the Old Thameside Inn Pub, there is an incredible massive Pirate Ship, worth exploring when open for events.

After the London Bridge, make sure to turn back to the path near the river to your left, which will lead you to Tower Bridge. On the way there, you will have a splendid view of the City and will be able to take a closer look at the HMS Belfast, a museum ship that allows you to explore a real war ship from the WW2.

If at this point you feel slightly peckish, I strongly recommend getting a window seat upstairs at Strada, an Italian restaurant with fair prices and an astounding view of the river and the City at night. If you’re lucky, there might be something going on at The Scoop, an outdoors area that hosts a myriad of events throughout the year such as an outdoors cinema and plays, markets or concerts.

Finally, feel free to enjoy a much deserved rest seating on the grass or on one of the benches at Potters Fields Park, while contemplating Tower Bridge. You might even get to see the bridge open for a taller boat.

I hope you have enjoyed this little walk by the Thames. It is perfect for showing someone around some of the main attractions, just to going out to enjoy a good night with friends, or even to be done while on your own. Enjoy!

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