Bankside and the riverside
West of London Bridge, the south bank of the Thames is a short, flat walk past a Tudor-style ship, a medieval ruin, a reconstructed Elizabethan theatre and a power station turned art gallery.
By George Morina. Last checked 24 Oct 2026 against the sources listed at the bottom of this page.
The Thames Path
The riverside here is part of the Thames Path, a 185-mile National Trail from the river's source in the Cotswolds to the Thames Barrier at Woolwich. It was inaugurated on 24 July 1996.[7]
The Golden Hinde
A full-size reconstruction of Sir Francis Drake's galleon, built in 1973. It has been moored at St Mary Overie Dock since 1996.[6]
Winchester Palace
On Clink Street are the remains of the great hall of a palace built in the early 13th century for the Bishops of Winchester, including its rose window. Most of the palace was destroyed by fire in 1814. English Heritage says it is free and can be seen from the street at any time.[5]
Shakespeare's Globe
The first Globe opened in 1599. It burned down in 1613, during a performance of Henry VIII, was rebuilt within a year, and closed in 1642.[1][2] Today's Globe is a reconstruction. The American actor and director Sam Wanamaker founded the Shakespeare Globe Trust in 1970 to build it.[2] He died in 1993, and the theatre opened in 1997.[1] Next door, the indoor Sam Wanamaker Playhouse opened in 2014.[2] It's a 20-sided timber building and holds about 1,570 people, around 700 of them standing.[1]
Tate Modern
Tate Modern is in the former Bankside Power Station, designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, which opened in 1962 and closed in 1981. The architects Herzog & de Meuron converted it, and the gallery opened in May 2000.[4] Entry to the collection is free; some exhibitions are ticketed.[3]
For a route, see the market, cathedral and Bankside walk. For more free ideas, see free things to do.