must-see places in london greenwich

Every time I visit London, I see another part of the city that I haven’t seen before, in the case of Greenwich it’s a place that I would LOVE to return to.

There are two Staycity property’s in Greenwich: One located on Greenwich High Road and Deptford Bridge. I stayed in Greenwich High road which was just a two-minute walk to Greenwich Station, this made travelling to Greenwich from London city airport a less daunting experience and meant that I could travel into central London via DLR and Tube in a mere 40 minutes.

Upon boarding the DLR it is clear to see that there is more to London than just central London with stations such as Canary Wharf and Mudchute providing gorgeous sea views!

I arrived in Greenwich after a short 30 minute DLR journey from London city airport and almost immediately saw my accommodation as I exited the station.

I was warmly greeted by the reception staff and was checked in. My room was a ‘sleep three’ studio which was perfect for my mum, younger sister and myself. My sister and I dashed for the HUGE double bed whilst mum opted for the single sofa bed. Once we left our bags down it was time to explore!

We had done our research and had our route planned to ensure we made the most of our trip. We first visited the stunning Greenwich Park. The Park itself is over 74 hectares and overlooks the Queen’s house! The Queen’s House is a former royal residence built between 1616 and 1635 in Greenwich. It is now used to display the Museum’s substantial collection of marine paintings and portraits of the 17th to 20th centuries, and for other public and private events. It is open to the public daily and free of charge and definitely worth the visit!

The Marine theme is felt throughout the town of Greenwich with the must see ‘Cutty Sark’ right beside the sea. The Cutty Sark itself got its name from the poem Tam Shanter by Robert Burns. In the poem, a farmer is chased by a witch who is dressed in a short dress: A Cutty Sark! The farmer manages to get away from the witch who is now holding the farmer’s horse’s tail in her hands!

Greenwich Market is an experience like no other, with every kind of food you could dream of from vegan ice cream to the spiciest of curries!

The market itself is open Monday-Sunday with the atmosphere becoming electric on Saturday and Sunday with further stalls opening and a huge number of curious visitors! Greenwich Market is not just one for foodies, but those who love all things vintage. I gazed at vintage cutlery, jewellery and clothes, quite simply a vintage treasure trove!

food

Being a group of three it’s sometimes hard to agree on a place for meals but in Greenwich, there was so much choice the only problem we had was selecting! If you’d prefer to cook your own food you can which is one of the perks of staying with Staycity and makes meal times less daunting for those with allergies or intolerances. Avoiding gluten can be hard when I’m travelling so for the first evening I bought essentials and cooked it with the fab utilities available in the apartment.

dinner: the kings arms

For dinner, we asked at reception for pub grub recommendations, The King’s Arms was definitely pub grub with a wide range of meals, from salads to the classic British fish and chips. This establishment is a pub through and through where you order at the bar. This could put some people off if you are expecting to be waited on hand and foot, however, the food is good and speaks for itself.

breakfast/lunch/brunch: the green café

The Green Café is one of the best cafes I have ever been in, it has an extensive menu covering breakfast, brunch and lunch. Not only is the food top quality but it is also extremely affordable. For three breakfasts including tea, it cost just £20. The Green Café also have options for those who are gluten-free and vegetarian which I know can be hard to find.

lunch/cocktails: al pancino

Al Pancino is a modern Italian style restaurant set in the historic building of the spread eagle, Al Pancino pizzeria, restaurant and cocktail bar offers authentic Italian cuisine, Sourdough Neapolitan style. This means delicious, Italian sandwiches, pizza and dishes and for afters: a classic Italian cocktail! Al Pancino is filled with delicious treats as soon as you walk in the doors with a wide range of pastries and cakes. Another thing to note is that Al Pancino is dog-friendly so you can bring your furry friend to dinner with you. This was something I experienced first-hand when a group of four women sat down at their table with their adorable doggies in tow!

travel

It is easy to get around Greenwich by foot, from Staycity it is a short five-minute walk to Greenwich Park and town. When I visited Greenwich, we decided to go on the MBNA Thames Clippers on our final day in Greenwich, this is a boat that sails along the River Thames with stops such as Embankment, London Bridge and London Eye. This is a fantastic service that some even use to commute daily from Greenwich. It is a mere £6.30 for an adult single using your Oyster card. If you are travelling with little ones, under five-year-olds travel free of charge.

I stayed in Greenwich for a total of three days and by the end of my trip, I still had lots of activities that I hadn’t done yet. A friendly and homely environment makes Greenwich the perfect choice for family getaways and city breaks!

Emer Mooney is a Social Media Specialist at Staycity.

With a passion for travelling and exploring, she regularly shares her experiences of the places she visits, as well as all of the amazing sights, restaurants and cafes in her home city, Dublin.