London Walk - Along The Strand by the Thames

Visit Oldest Wine Bar or Stop for Afternoon Tea at the Savoy Hotel

Apr 26, 2009

The Strand is a long straight street full of shops, theatres and lots of traffic but behind this bustle is a quiet park and a pleasant walk along by the River Thames.

This walk takes you past flower-filled gardens, historic monuments and one of the city’s most popular shopping areas.

Start at Charing Cross

Outside Charing Cross Underground Station is an elaborately carved column, which is the ‘cross’ that gave the station its name. Alongside the station, facing south from Trafalgar Square is Villiers Street, at the bottom is Gorden’s, the oldest wine bar in London. Turn right down Villiers Street and walk down to Embankment Underground Station. Just before you get to the station turn left into the Victorian Embankment Gardens.

Victorian Embankment Gardens London

This is a great place to start the walk: gardens full of flowers and huge old trees, an outdoor cafe and statues of famous people. Near the entrance on the left is the York House Water Gate, built in1626 as the triumphal entry to the Thames for the Duke of Buckingham. On sunny days the gardens are filled with office workers on their lunch break. Because its entrance off Villiers Street is not particularly noticeable, it is slightly off the tourist beat.

Somerset House London

When you leave the gardens you will shortly reach Waterloo Bridge, the only Thames bridge to have been bombed during World War Two. Passing under the bridge you come to Somerset House, a spectacular neo-classical building and a major arts and cultural centre. This is the rear of the building. To see it in all its glory you need to climb some nearby steps that take you back up to the Strand. Somerset House is really worth a visit. Built in the mid 18th-century, it was one of many grand mansions built by the nobility. Today it is the only one left standing,

Savoy Hotel London

After leaving Somerset House by the main entrance, turn right along the Strand and just a short walk away is the Savoy Hotel which opened in 1889. It was the height of luxury, stylish and glamorous, and it attracted the rich and famous from around the world. Anybody who is or was anybody has stayed here. Expressionist artists Claude Monet and James Whistler painted views of the Thames from their rooms. Later, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Bob Dylan, the Beatles and many more famous names chose to stay at the Savoy. Afternoon tea might just be affordable for the rest of us.

The hotel has been closed since December 2007 for extensive renovations and is expected to reopen in the summer of 2009.

Covent Garden London

Directly across the road from the Savoy is Covent Garden, probably one of the most popular attractions in London as well as one of the most lively. Buskers perform in the Piazza, there’s a fabulous Opera House, and a huge market - a good place to stock up on presents to take home. If you need a rest, this is a great place to sit and watch the world go by.

There’s an Underground Station at Covent Garden, so you won’t need to walk back to Charing Cross.

The copyright of the article London Walk - Along The Strand by the Thames in Historical Travel is owned by Cathy Smith. Permission to republish London Walk - Along The Strand by the Thames in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.