The South Bank, also written Southbank, is the stretch of the Thames's south bank around Waterloo, between the Lambeth Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge. The London Eye is one of its best-known sights. The giant observation wheel rises 135 metres above the Thames, and one rotation takes about half an hour. Next to it, Jubilee Gardens is a good spot for a short riverside break. County Hall also hosts SEA LIFE London Aquarium and The London Dungeon.
The South Bank's cultural venues are all within a short walk of each other. The Southbank Centre hosts concerts, performances, talks, and exhibitions. Nearby, you can see a play at the National Theatre, while BFI (British Film Institute) Southbank screens films from around the world and across the decades. The BFI IMAX near Waterloo station has one of the UK's largest cinema screens and shows selected films in 70mm IMAX.
The riverside also has a few smaller places worth stopping at. The South Bank Book Market sets up under Waterloo Bridge, and the Southbank Centre Food Market brings street-food stalls to the riverside on weekends. In the Leake Street tunnel under Waterloo station, street art covers the walls and ceiling. The Undercroft, beneath the Southbank Centre's Queen Elizabeth Hall, is a long-standing skate spot where you can stop and watch the skaters.
South Bank history and architecture
The South Bank's history goes back much further than its cultural buildings. Before the Second World War, industry, warehouses, and breweries lined the riverside. Wartime bombing and demolition transformed the area, and the 1951 Festival of Britain introduced new buildings and public spaces.
Hugh Casson coordinated the festival’s architecture. The Royal Festival Hall was built for the event by a design team led by Leslie Martin. The Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room and Hayward Gallery were added later to the Southbank Centre, designed by a team from the London County Council's architects' department.
The area's buildings show several strands of post-war architecture. The Royal Festival Hall is modernist, while the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room, Hayward Gallery, and National Theatre are known for the exposed concrete and sculptural forms typical of brutalism.
A walk along the Thames
The South Bank is easy to explore on foot. From Westminster Bridge, walk east past the London Eye to the Royal Festival Hall, the National Theatre, and the OXO Tower. Along the way you'll pass gardens, cultural venues, markets and plenty of places to eat. Alternatively, head west along the river to Albert Embankment for views of the Palace of Westminster across the water.
Head east past the London Eye and continue along the Thames to Bankside, home to Tate Modern and Shakespeare's Globe at the southern end of the Millennium Bridge. You can also cross the river on foot from the South Bank: the Golden Jubilee Bridges link the riverside with Embankment on the opposite bank.
Restaurants and pubs
Skylon is on the third floor of the Royal Festival Hall, with big windows overlooking the Thames. The restaurant serves British food, with a Sunday roast of beef, chicken or pork. Weekend brunch might include poached eggs, fried chicken and French toast.
BFI Riverfront sits under Waterloo Bridge as part of the BFI Southbank building. You can eat or have a drink in the restaurant and bar, and the terrace overlooks the river and the bridge. The menu includes pizzas, fish and chips and salads.
The OXO Tower Restaurant, Bar & Brasserie is on the eighth floor of the OXO Tower. From the restaurant and bar you can step out onto a long terrace with views over the Thames and the City.
Doggett's Coat & Badge is on the riverside near Blackfriars Bridge. The pub is named after the rowing race Thomas Doggett founded in 1715, whose winner receives a traditional waterman's coat and badge. The pub sits on the race route, and the Fishmongers’ Company and the Company of Watermen and Lightermen still organise it.
The King's Arms is on Roupell Street, whose Victorian terraced houses have often been used as a filming location. The pub has two bars around the same horseshoe-shaped counter. Eight hand pumps serve rotating cask ales from around Britain, and the conservatory at the back serves Thai food.
The Hole in the Wall is under a railway arch opposite Waterloo station's Victory Arch entrance. It has six cask ales and a wide range of other draught beers, including from local breweries, and hosts Irish folk music sessions on Sundays. A family-run pub since 1947.
The Anchor & Hope, near the Young Vic theatre, is a gastropub listed in the Michelin Guide. The guide highlights its British ingredients and hearty, pub-style cooking. Being listed in the Michelin Guide doesn't mean it holds a Michelin star.
Annual events
The South Bank has festivals throughout the year. During the February half-term, the Southbank Centre hosts Imagine, a festival for children and the adults who come with them, which can be a good fit for families visiting London at that time. The summer Meltdown music festival is curated each year by a different guest artist. In the autumn, the London Literature Festival brings together writers and literary events. For film fans, BFI Southbank hosts BFI Flare in spring and screenings during the BFI London Film Festival in autumn.
In winter, the Southbank Centre Winter Market fills the riverside with wooden chalets selling gifts, food and mulled wine, usually from early November into the new year. Check dates and programmes before your trip.
Where to stay on the South Bank
The area's hotels differ in what they offer. Some have a pool or restaurants, while Stow-Away lets you cook for yourself in your room.
Park Plaza London Westminster Bridge is a large hotel next to Westminster Bridge. It has more than 1,000 rooms, a 15-metre indoor pool, Mandara Spa and a gym. It also has several places to eat and drink, including Brasserie Joël, Ichi Sushi & Sashimi Bar, Primo Bar and illy Caffè.
Point A London Waterloo is next to Lambeth North Underground station, a short walk from Waterloo. The rooms are compact and simple, and the hotel serves breakfast in its lounge.
Premier Inn London Waterloo (Westminster Bridge) is on York Road, about a five-minute walk from Waterloo station. It has a restaurant and serves breakfast. From the 14th floor, there are city views, depending on which side your room faces.
Sea Containers London is on the Thames near Blackfriars Bridge. The building was originally designed as offices, and its south wing was converted into a hotel in 2014. It opened as the Mondrian and took its current name in 2019. The Tom Dixon-designed lobby has a nautical theme, including a copper wall that looks like a ship's hull. The hotel is home to Gordon Ramsay at Sea Containers, the Lyaness cocktail bar, and the 12th Knot rooftop bar.
Stow-Away Waterloo is an apartment hotel on Lower Marsh. Its studio-style rooms each have a small kitchen, so it also suits longer stays. The building is made from repurposed shipping containers, and the UnWined bar and restaurant is on the ground floor.
Getting around
Waterloo is the most convenient rail and Underground station for most South Bank sights, served by the Bakerloo, Jubilee, Northern and Waterloo & City lines. Waterloo East and Embankment are also close to the Southbank Centre. From Embankment, you cross the river on the Golden Jubilee Bridges footbridges.
