Greenwich, England

Greenwich is located some 6 miles east of central London, on the south bank of the River Thames, a few minutes by rail or tube, or a short river cruise from central London. Greenwich is where East meets West at the Greenwich Meridian (0° longitude) and where world time is set Greenwich Mean Time.

Nautical attractions include the National Maritime Museum, the Cutty Sark (a 19th Century tea clipper) and the Gipsy Moth, a tiny yacht which became a potent symbol of British sailing heritage after being sailed solo around the world.

The Royal Observatory at Greenwich is in Greenwich Park along with the Queens House (on which the White House in Washington DC, USA is based.

Greenwich has a long heritage; it was the birth place of King Henry VIII and his daughters Queen Mary (Bloody Mary) and Queen Elizabeth I (The Virgin Queen). All the English monarchs can be found at Royal History.It has also seen many famous visitors from Peter the Great through Charles Dickens to Bob Hope.

There's a laid-back feel to Greenwich. It's the sort of place that you can while away several hours browsing market stalls - crafts, antiques, records, bric a brac and, most famously, vintage clothing. Then you might pop into a riverside pub for lunch and find yourself still there in the evening listening to some mellow jazz.

Things to see and do

* The Old Royal Naval College
* The Cutty Sark
* The National Maritime Museum
* The Royal Observatory
* The Prime Meridian

General information

Cruise Season - March to Nov
Currency - Pound Sterling (GDP)
Language - English
Land Area - 1,572 sq km
Population - 7,200,000 (London)
Electricity - British-style plug with two flat blades and one flat grounding blade
Time -GMT/UTC plus 0 hours
International Country Telephone Code - +4420

Port Location - Greenwich ship tier is one of London's central cruise ship moorings.

Transport Links - Several companies run river tour boats from central London piers at Westminster Bridge, the Millenium Wheel and the Tower of London, to Greenwich pier which is adjacent to Greenwich town centre. The Docklands Light Railway system runs from central London terminals at Tower and Bank. Six trains an hour run on weekdays from London Bridge to Greenwich station.