Don’t imagine all the best things to see and do in London are in the downtown core. This district has great sights, open spaces and far fewer crowds.

Who goes there

I don’t know what cruise ships are charged to sail down the Thames and anchor in the river at Greenwich, but it must be a lot because only premium and luxury ships do it. Or is the river too shallow or narrow? Anyway, Budget ships that list London on itineraries tie up at Tilbury further downstream – or at Southampton a two-hour drive away. Cruise lines that feature Greenwich include Hapag-Lloyd, Regent Seven Seas, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, Seabourn, Scenic, Silversea and Viking.

Sail on in

Your cruise ship nips between the wind turbines and container ships of the North Sea before veering into the Thames. Take pole position on deck for the winding 12 kilometres of historic waterway towards Greenwich. It isn’t beautiful, but you’ll pass historic dockyards, modern warehouses and pumping stations, the remarkable Thames Barrier and the hedgehog-looking O2 Arena.

Berth rites

There’s no cruise terminal. Ships anchor mid-river, and guests are transferred by tender to the pier at Greenwich, which takes all of a few minutes. If you’re boarding here, check-in will be inside a marquee outside the Discover Greenwich Visitor Centre, which supplies all the information you need.

Before and after

London has endless accommodation options, but consider staying in Greenwich, where hotel rooms are cheaper, and light rail connects the city. Good options are Novotel London Greenwich and Hilton London Greenwich, which occupies a landmark 1940s police station and has city panoramas from its top-floor deck.

Going ashore

Most of what you want to see is within huge Greenwich Park close to where cruise tenders deposit you ashore. You’ll need more than a day to inspect it all. Together, it forms a World Heritage site and wonderful ensemble of historical architecture that includes Old Royal Naval College with its magnificently frescoed great hall, Queen’s House, which displays early sketches of Australian wildlife by Joseph Banks, and the National Maritime Museum. The hillside park also has rose gardens, herb gardens, herds of deer and sweeping views over the Thames. After that, head back to the riverfront and clamber around fabled 19th-century tea clipper the Cutty Sark.

Don’t miss

The Royal Observatory sits astride the prime meridian from which all longitudes and time zones are measured, and has long been connected to British maritime power and astronomy. Exhibits provide the details, and the adjacent Peter Harrison Planetarium runs excellent shows.

Get active

Greenwich beckons not just history and culture vultures but strollers, joggers and cyclists too. Marked and measured routes send you through its parks, and are part of the 64-kilometre Green Chain Walk. The Thames Walk Path (298 kilometres if you’re keen) also runs through Greenwich.

Best bites

Pub grub is the way to go in this breezy historical district, so head into The Old Brewery at the Old Royal Naval College, or Cutty Sark Pub in a Georgian building with river views. The latter serves upmarket, traditional British staples such as roast lamb, fish pie and gooseberry crumble. If you must go French, then Champagne + Fromage is the place for you.

Further afield

Greenwich is a start and end port, but cruise lines might offer shore excursions to top London sights such as the Tower of London, Globe Theatre (a reconstruction of Shakespeare’s old haunt) and the Imperial War Museum. Some include sights in the west of London, such as Hampton Court Palace or the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, before depositing guests at Heathrow airport for afternoon or evening flights.