Hotels near Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge is arguably London's most recognisable bridge and one of its finest examples of Victorian engineering. Built between 1886 and 1894, its twin Gothic towers and blue suspension cables frame the river Thames beautifully. The Tower Bridge Exhibition (around £12.50/~€15) lets you walk across the high-level glass walkways 42 metres above the river, with transparent floor panels that give a vertigo-inducing view of traffic and boats passing below.

The Engine Rooms in the south tower house the original Victorian steam engines that once raised the bridge's bascule sections. The bridge still opens around 800 times per year for tall ships and vessels - check the lift schedule on the official website to time your visit for this impressive spectacle. Walking across the bridge itself is free and offers excellent views of the Tower of London, the Shard, and HMS Belfast moored below.

Pro Tip: The best free views of Tower Bridge are from the South Bank near City Hall or from the Shad Thames cobbled streets on the south side. For the glass walkway, visit at sunset when the light streaming through the panels is extraordinary.