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For a rather random reason it occurred to me that I should go on the London Eye. Anyone done it?

I've been to more tourist attractions in cities that I haven't lived in than the ones I have

Eiffel Tower? Got to be done etc.

I did go to the Tintin museum in Brussels (and the Musée des Beaux Arts but I don't really count galleries as tourist attractions) but not the Atomium. Saw the Manneken Pis statue too but only because I was walking past it. (It's very small).

What have you got on your 'been there, that' list?

What's been the best one?

Count Steer wrote: Wed Jun 10, 2026 5:07 pm For a rather random reason it occurred to me that I should go on the London Eye. Anyone done it?

I've been to more tourist attractions in cities that I haven't lived in than the ones I have

Eiffel Tower? Got to be done etc.

I did go to the Tintin museum in Brussels (and the Musée des Beaux Arts but I don't really count galleries as tourist attractions) but not the Atomium. Saw the Manneken Pis statue too but only because I was walking past it. (It's very small).

What have you got on your 'been there, that' list?

What's been the best one?

Nopes... None of them. I think we did the Tower of London with the boy once... Fuck me it was dull. Mrs Weeksy likes an art gallery.... However, i'm not a fan.

I keep meaning to give the eye a whirl, but get hung up every time as it's in London and I don't do London.
Still the marble museum https://visit.houseofmarbles.com/the-marble-museum/ is always worth a visit is you're down Devon way

I've been here...

https://frietmuseum-brugge.be/en/home-en/

and here...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%BDmui ... ius_Museum

Too many to list. But then I've not lived in a city since 1988 and most of my holidays have been going to various cities.

The standout on for me is the Schwebebahn in Wupperthal. I've been twice now, both detours while nearby. https://schwebebahn.de/en

If I had my way, a tourist attraction is something I would avoid.

I've been to Chernobyl and Pripyat, glad I went.

I've been to Red Square, had a roam around the GUM and a look in St. Basil's, everything around that Kremlin area is immaculately clean.

I don't think I'll be revisiting either anytime soon.

Dodgy69 wrote: Wed Jun 10, 2026 6:13 pm If I had my way, a tourist attraction is something I would avoid.

If something has been constructed/exists simply to attract tourists I'd probably agree mostly. There are things that attract visitors just because they're worth visiting though.

Notre Dame, Hagia Sophia are awesome constructions. Tate Modern is worth a visit just for the building (and a stroll over the not-so-wobbly bridge ).

Yeah, it's not so much the attraction, but the crowds they attract I can't be doing with.

Worked in London for 30 years and never did any tourist places.

Since I left I have done the Eye, H of P, St Pauls, the Tower and others that I can't recall.

I worked in Toronto 25 years ago and my cousin's daughter was a tour guide

She took me to every attraction in town and I repaid her with many meals on my healthy daily living allowance

weeksy wrote: Wed Jun 10, 2026 5:09 pm I think we did the Tower of London with the boy once... Fuck me it was dull.

This guide seems the best bit:

Done the Eye, La Tour Eiffel, Koln Cathedral, HoP (as a mourner when the QM passed), Twin Towers..
I struggle to remember more

Like others, I am not really into tourist attractions. I would rather walk around a park early in the morning, Central Park, Amstel Park, random Hungarian park last year and lots of London parks.

I went to Ground Zero a couple of years after 9/11. That was really spooky. Rotorua and Hot Water Beach in New Zealand. London Eye meh. I got a free tour of Tower of London a couple of years ago and glad I didn't pay.

City breaks are not my thing and I avoid them as much as possible.

So, is the Eye worth the effort?

We have one 'meh' and a few 'done it'.

I rather like an aerial view and it would be nice if I could say 'you can see my old flat from here'.

That and a close look at the engineering of it. I have stood under it but not taken the 'flight' (it did involve British Airways who were largely involved in making it happen). The Wikipedia entry on how it nearly never happened is worth a read.

I've done the Eye years ago and I thought it was pretty good. Obviously I'd imagine you don't want to go on a grey, misty day! But I went on a decent clear day and yeah, the view is pretty damn good. I'd happily recommend it.

Not done it, but view wise the Sky Garden looks to be pretty impressive and you can have a drink and a chill. No fee as far as I know but you have to book a ticket which I believe lasts an hour.
https://skygarden.london/

Count Steer wrote: Thu Jun 11, 2026 6:58 am So, is the Eye worth the effort?

IMO, probably not.

If high vantage points are your thing there are umpteen other places in the City that can give you that.

For what it's worth, I always point forrin colleagues towards an official London walking tour to get an intimate view of London.

gremlin wrote: Thu Jun 11, 2026 8:51 am

Count Steer wrote: Thu Jun 11, 2026 6:58 am So, is the Eye worth the effort?

IMO, probably not.

If high vantage points are your thing there are umpteen other places in the City that can give you that.

For what it's worth, I always point forrin colleagues towards an official London walking tour to get an intimate view of London.

A colleague of my missus retired early and trained as a London tour guide, specialising in the City churches (Hawksmoor, Wren and all that). He took just the 2 of us on a practice run - it was excellent. One discovery that he introduced us to, that I've used several times and impressed a few with my local knowledge , is a rather good café in the crypt of one of them - good lunch type food as well as coffee.

Re vantage points, I missed the chance to go up the PO Tower back in the 60s and never actually got to get up there - even when I worked round the corner some years later.

Another little gem, although it's only 5th floor, is the restaurant in Waterstones, Piccadilly* in the old Simpsons art deco building. (Biggest bookshop in Europe apparently). Get in early and bag a window seat.

Not London but someone told me that the best 'free' view of the Bosphorus, day and night, was the bar in (iirc) the Marmara Hotel on Taksim Square in Istanbul. So we popped in for a cocktail or two. Good tip. Not sure that it was called the Marmara at the time.

Had a Canary Wharf office with a view of the dome thingy and London City airport for a while. Much gazing out of the window was achieved.

* Bradford Waterstones in the old Wool Exchange is another one worth visiting for the building alone.

London Eye. If it's a nice day and you want to take photos, maybe. The chances are it will be an overcast day and all look a bit grim.

I went with my then northern boyfriend. He planned a walking tour while we were up there and could even give other tourists directions after that, so it did him good.