"The Thames is liquid history." These words from John Burns, a 1920s British politician, define why the mighty River Thames is central to London's identity.
The Thames is the reason why London exists, a river that divides London into north and south, its moods defined by the weather and the tide. A dinner cruise is the ideal way to understand how this river has been the backbone of London for centuries as you glide beneath its bridges and past its landmarks, old and new, lit up by night. The River Thames has been used for centuries both for trade and for the exercise of political power.
Spotlights pick out the Tower of London, at once spectacular and forbidding as you see Traitors' Gate, where a boat would take condemned men and women into the Tower on their final journey. Cruising under Tower Bridge, which opens for taller craft, is an unforgettable moment as this Victorian masterpiece exposes the majesty of this unique structure. Contemporary architectural masterpieces come in the form of the bright lights of London's skyscrapers, monuments to 21st century commerce, while the grandeur of the Palace of Westminster is a neo-Gothic reminder of London's role as the foundation stone of British democracy. The River Thames is your personal guide when you choose a dinner cruise.
The Bateaux London company also offers the best lunch cruise on the Thames.