May Day Golden Week Vacation Mode is About to Begin: Explore London with The London Pass

The most anticipated time in the first half of the year is the holiday. Here comes the May Day Golden Week again! And, the UK has removed all entry restrictions related to the pandemic. Explore London in style with The London Pass~

Take an Uber Thames River Sightseeing Cruise to Visit Key Attractions

Tired of seeing the sights on land? Why not take an Uber Thames River Sightseeing Cruise and enjoy the London scenery from the river?

Uber boats depart from the pier every 20 minutes and stop at 23 piers along the Thames. You can hop on and off the boat at your leisure, easily visiting London's landmark attractions.

Image source: Uber Boat by Thames Clippers

For example, you can get off at Tower Pier to explore the Tower of London and the historic City of London, then continue by boat to see Tower Bridge, and head to the UNESCO World Heritage site—Maritime Greenwich.

Image source: Uber Boat by Thames Clippers

Along the way, you'll pass the glittering skyscrapers of Canary Wharf and even catch a glimpse of the iconic dome of The O2 in London.

Alternatively, you can get off at Westminster Pier to visit the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey; then stroll through St. James's Park to see Buckingham Palace.

What's more, this way of traveling is arguably the most comfortable and convenient choice for exploring the top attractions in central London.

Boarding Address: Westminster Pier, Victoria Embankment, London

Ticket Price: £21, free with The London Pass

Visit the Starting Point of Time—Royal Observatory Greenwich

When you take the Uber Thames River Sightseeing Cruise, you can get off at Greenwich Pier to visit the famous Royal Observatory Greenwich.

Standing on the banks of the Thames, situated on the Prime Meridian that divides the Eastern and Western Hemispheres, the Royal Observatory Greenwich was established in 1675. It is the birthplace of British astronomical history and the home of Greenwich Mean Time, and has been at the forefront of astronomical research for nearly 400 years. Its original purpose was to precisely observe the Moon and stars to solve the urgent need for accurate longitude at sea during the rapid development of British navigation.

The display rooms here house a wide collection of exhibits, making it an excellent place to learn about the history of British astronomy, the standardization of Greenwich Mean Time, the making of the first telescopes, and how science has evolved over time.

Image source: Royal Observatory

The red time ball on the roof begins to rise at 12:55 PM daily, reaches its highest point three minutes later, and drops at 1:00 PM after two minutes, providing a time signal for ships on the Thames. If you arrive at just the right time, you can witness this fascinating process.

Spanning the world-famous meridian, with one foot in the Eastern Hemisphere and the other in the Western Hemisphere—what an incredible feeling that would be? You must try it here.

Observatory Address: Blackheath Ave, London SE10 8XJ

Opening Hours: Daily 10am - 5pm

Ticket: £16, free with The London Pass

Seek Beautiful Spring Scenery at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

One of the best places in London to enjoy the beautiful spring scenery is definitely Kew Gardens.

Image source: Kew Gardens

Founded in 1759 and covering 132 hectares, Kew Gardens was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003 because it houses one-eighth of the world's known plant species (over 50,000) and a large collection of endangered plants and fungi.

From vast botanical gardens to alpine rock gardens, Kew has 26 specialized gardens and 6 glasshouses, such as the Rose Garden, Grass Garden, Bamboo Garden, Water Garden, Arboretum, Palm House, Temperate House, and Alpine House. Every corner offers spring scenery worth seeing.

Image source: Kew Gardens

Have you ever wondered why the English name "Kew Gardens" is plural? This is because, back in 1759, Princess Augusta and Prince Frederick, the parents of King George II, established the original botanic garden next to the Royal Richmond Park. It wasn't until 1772 that George II inherited the garden and merged it with Richmond Park, combining the two gardens into one.

In addition to its vast variety of plants, Kew Gardens is home to the world's largest seed conservation project. The Temperate House contains over 1,500 endangered plant species from Africa, Australia, New Zealand, the Americas, Asia, and the Pacific Islands, contributing significantly to species conservation.

Traveling to London during the May Day Golden Week—would you want to miss such beautiful natural scenery at Kew Gardens?

Kew Gardens Address: Kew Gardens, Richmond, London, TW9 3HL

Opening Hours: Daily from 10:00 AM

Ticket: £19.50, free with The London Pass