Along with the Big Ben and the Tower Bridge, the London Eye is one of the most famous landmarks in London. A visit to London isn’t complete when you haven’t done the most famous Ferris wheel in the world. Traveltomtom stepped onboard of this London must visit and in this travel blog we will tell you what it was like.
About the London Eye
Did you know the London Eye was also called the Millennium Wheel? It opened to the public in 2000, which immediately explains the name Millennium Wheel. It soon became the London Eye as it gives a panoramic view up to 25km in all directions.
The London Eye is Europe’s tallest cantilevered observation wheel, and even used to be the World’s largest observation wheel, until Dubai recently took over that record. It is the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom, with over 3 million annual visitors.
Until the opening of the observation deck on the 72nd floor of The Shard, the London Eye used to offer the highest public viewing point in London. There is no doubt the view from the London Eye experience is one of the best views you can get in London.
The London Eye was formally opened by Prime Minister Tony Blair on 31 December 1999, and was originally intended as a temporary attraction, for a period of five years. However, already in December 2001 an application was submitted to the council to give the London Eye permanent status, which was granted in 2002.
The London Eye has a total of 32 sealed and air-conditioned passenger capsules. The capsules are numbered from 1 to 33, excluding number 13 for superstitious reasons. Each of the capsules represents one of the London Boroughs and can hold up to 25 people. A full circle on the London Eye takes about 30 minutes.
The London Eye is located in the heart of London, at the banks of the River Thames, right across from the Parliament and Big Ben. The nearest London Underground station is Waterloo, however Charing Cross, Embankment and Westminster are also within easy walking distance.
Make sure to not waste money on high roaming costs when traveling to London. Buy a prepaid sim card for the UK on arrival at London Heathrow, Luton, Stansted or Gatwick Airport.
However, the easiest way to get connected nowadays is an e-sim card. Traveltomtom wrote a complete guide for the best e-sim cards for traveling to the UK.
General tickets for the London Eye
There are several tickets and ticket options for you if you want to visit and experience the London Eye.
Standard tickets
The cheapest way to visit is by purchasing the standard tickets and to be honest this is your best way to go! It gives you entrance to the London Eye for £32 if you have bought them online in advance, or £36 if bought on the day. It includes 30 minutes up high in one of their capsules, and 360 degree views over the city of London.
Multi – attraction tickets
These multi – attraction tickets are also available and can be really worth the money if you want to visit multiple attractions included in this deal. Through these multi – attraction tickets you can combine visiting the London Eye with one or more of the following attractions; River Cruise, Madame Tussauds, SEA LIFE, London Dungeon, Shrek’s Adventure and a BIG BUS Hop on Hop off tour. Depending on how many attractions you add to these multi – attraction tickets, the prices vary from £43 - £90.
Fast Track Tickets
The queues at the London Eye can get long, especially during holidays and weekends. If you don’t fancy the wait for the breathtaking views, you can also consider the Fast Track Tickets. Basically offering the same as the Standard Tickets, just with the advantage of skipping the queue. Which can be worth a lot! There is a dedicated entrance for priority access. You can buy these tickets online for £46, or if you buy them on the day they will be £51.
VIP Experiences
Visiting London on a special occasion, or you have something to celebrate? You can make your visit to London and the London Eye extra special by upgrading to one of the VIP Experiences.
Champagne Experiences
You got something to celebrate and want to do it in a very special way with a glass of champagne? The Champagne Experience at the London Eye is what you’re looking for. Tickets come at £55 per person and include Fast Track entrance and a glass of Champagne.
Cupid’s Pod
This one is for the romantics among us. Whether you have a special anniversary to celebrate, or want to propose a unique and super romantic proposal, Cupid’s Pod creates the perfect romantic setting with the stunning views of London as your background.
Booking Cupid’s Pod means you will have a private pod, Fast Track entrance and also have a bottle of Pommery Rosé Brut Champagne and luxury box of Truffles served by a London Eye Host included. The price for this unique experience comes at £470
Private Pods
When budget doesn’t matter, experiencing the London Eye with a Private Pod is the ultimate way to do so! Enjoy an entire pod privately for 2 to 25 guests with Fast Track boarding. The price of this private pod is £625.
For this blog we were extremely lucky to experience London Eye in a Private Pod. We visited London with family, so instead of sharing the pod with 25 other tourists, it was just the six of us!
A totally unique experience, you can literally do anything you want when you have the pod all to yourself. Like our niece, she insisted on doing a handstand in a Ferris wheel, mission accomplished!
We consider the London Eye as one of the top must do attractions in London. We think the experience and the views over London you get from up there are worth the money spent.
On our very first visit to London, back in 2012, we visited the London Eye on the first day of our visit. From up there we had clear views for miles and noticed the arch of Wembley Stadium. Up until that point, visiting Wembley Stadium hadn’t even crossed our minds, until we saw it from the London Eye and decided to go there the next day. See what a visit to the London Eye can do.
This blog was written by travel writer and Traveltomtom team member Ashley. She was invited to experience the London Eye in a private pod on behalf of Traveltomtom, and wrote this blog about her experiences.
Enjoy your trip to London!