Situated on the banks of the River Thames, the London Eye is a giant observation wheel that offers breathtaking, close-up panoramic views of London's most iconic landmarks—including the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, and Westminster Abbey. It's an absolute must-visit for anyone traveling to London, drawing in over 3 million visitors every single year! During the New Year's Eve countdown, spectacular fireworks burst all around the London Eye and along the Thames. The colorful lights illuminating the wheel in the dark, backed by dazzling fireworks lighting up the London sky, make the city one of the most highly sought-after New Year's Eve destinations for travelers from all over the world.

Originally built to celebrate the new millennium, the London Eye is also known as the Millennium Wheel. When it first opened, it claimed the title of the world's tallest Ferris wheel at an impressive 135 meters high. Even today, over 20 years after its grand opening, the London Eye proudly remains the tallest observation wheel in Europe.

London Travel Info

★【Guide】：Top 36 London Attractions Guide
★【SIM Cards】：Europe 5G eSIM｜UK 5G Unlimited eSIM
★【Transport】：Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus｜Heathrow Express
★【City Passes】：The London Pass｜London Explorer Pass
★【Tickets】：London Eye｜Tower Bridge｜Westminster Abbey｜Windsor Castle
★【Family】：Warner Bros. Studio Tour (Harry Potter)｜Peppa Pig World
★【Tours】：Stonehenge, Windsor Castle & Bath｜Stonehenge, Windsor Castle & Oxford｜Royal Observatory Greenwich & Cambridge

🎡 London Eye Info

★ Location: Riverside Building, County Hall｜Map Link
★ Hours: Sun-Thu 11 AM - 6 PM｜Fri-Sat 10 AM - 8:30 PM
★ Tickets: Official Website｜Klook｜The London Pass｜London Explorer Pass (Subject to official announcements)

🎡 Our London Eye Experience

The London Eye features 32 large, transparent, capsule-like passenger pods, which beautifully represent the 32 boroughs of London. The wheel moves at a gentle, slow pace of just 0.26 meters per second, so a full rotation takes about 30 minutes.

The oval-shaped capsules are 8 meters long and 4 meters wide, crafted from heavy-duty tempered glass. Each pod can comfortably hold up to 25 passengers, meaning the Eye can carry a maximum capacity of 800 people when all 32 capsules are full!

A peek inside the capsule.

They even marked out dedicated photo spots on the floor inside!

Ready to go!

As the wheel gracefully glided upward, our view expanded more and more. We could spot the massive dome of St. Paul's Cathedral in the distance. The only slight bummer was that the meandering River Thames and the tall buildings along the riverbank seemed to block the view of London's most famous and iconic bridge—Tower Bridge.

📌 Recommended Reading: Complete Guide to Tower Bridge & Nearby Attractions

The two most prominent bridges right in front of us were the Hungerford Bridge in the foreground, and Waterloo Bridge just behind it.

Moving to the other side of the capsule, we couldn't stop snapping photos! The Houses of Parliament and Big Ben are undeniably London's most classic landmarks, and they look absolutely stunning from up here. (Fun fact: Big Ben underwent a massive 4-year renovation starting in August 2017 and didn't reveal its beautifully restored face until 2021. When we visited London again in 2019, it was still covered in scaffolding, so this photo is actually from our ride back in late 2011!)

The River Thames stretches for 338 kilometers, and in London alone, there are 33 bridges crossing it! Many of these are famous attractions in their own right, like Westminster Bridge in front of Parliament, the Millennium Bridge near St. Paul's Cathedral, and, of course, the world-renowned Tower Bridge. Taking the London Eye up high gives you a sweeping, picturesque view of the entire city skyline, the riverbanks, and the elegant bridges dotting the water.

Here's a gorgeous shot of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben before their renovations, with Westminster Abbey sitting right behind them. Travel tip: If you're riding the London Eye on a sunny day, we highly recommend going in the afternoon. The lighting on the Houses of Parliament is perfectly front-lit later in the day, whereas morning rides will leave you shooting into the sun (backlit), making it tough to get those perfect photos!

The breathtaking scenery made the 30 minutes fly by, and before we knew it, the Eye had brought us gently back down to earth.

We honestly can't recommend it enough! Try your best to pick a day with good weather to ride the London Eye and soak in the city from the sky. Seeing the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, the winding Thames, and its iconic bridges all in a flawless 360-degree panorama is a truly unique London experience. There's a good reason why the London Eye is the most popular paid tourist attraction in the city—it is absolutely worth a visit!

London Travel Info

★【Guide】：Top 36 London Attractions Guide
★【SIM Cards】：Europe 5G eSIM｜UK 5G Unlimited eSIM
★【Transport】：Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus｜Heathrow Express
★【City Passes】：The London Pass｜London Explorer Pass
★【Tickets】：London Eye｜Tower Bridge｜Westminster Abbey｜Windsor Castle
★【Family】：Warner Bros. Studio Tour (Harry Potter)｜Peppa Pig World
★【Tours】：Stonehenge, Windsor Castle & Bath｜Stonehenge, Windsor Castle & Oxford｜Royal Observatory Greenwich & Cambridge

For more London travel inspiration, check out our guide 👉🏻 【Ultimate London Travel Guide】36 Must-Visit Attractions ★ Maps, Transport & Itineraries

More London Travel Guides

★ [London Guide] 36 Handpicked Attractions + Transport & Itineraries
★ [Tower Bridge] Top 5 Attractions Around Tower Bridge
★ [Borough Market] London's Oldest & Most Popular Food Market Guide
★ [Westminster Abbey] Must-Read Guide for Your Visit
★ [London Hotel Review] The Highly Popular Hilton London Bankside
★ [London Christmas Day] Itinerary Recommendations & Tips
★ [London Christmas Lights] The Most Magical Streets in the World
★ [London Christmas Markets] Ultimate Festive Vibes at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland
★ [London Christmas Guide] 15 Must-Do Festive Activities & Attractions

More Travel Adventures

★ Europe: Finland｜United Kingdom
★ USA: New York｜San Francisco｜Las Vegas
★ Islands: Tahiti｜Maldives｜Fiji
★ Southeast Asia: Bali｜Phu Quoc｜Koh Samui
★ Middle East: Doha｜Dubai｜Abu Dhabi