Essential Hotels > England > London > South Bank

London’s South Bank takes up an area of around two square miles to the south of the River Thames and is made up of the Boroughs of Lambeth and Camden. Other well known areas to the south of the river include Southwark, Waterloo, Peckham, Battersea, Clapham and Greenwich and they are home to a number of restaurants, markets, parks, attractions, bars and cafes.

The South Bank is particularly well known for its galleries, museums and music venues, of which it has an abundance. Indeed it is something of a cultural hub and is even among the fastest growing parts of London as a whole. There are also shopping hotspots in the shape of Borough Market, among the world’s largest food markets, as well as the likes of the Surrey Quays Shopping Centre. Further, there are some major educational establishments here too, with the London South Bank University, a King’s College London campus and the Southbank International School, home of the International Baccalaureate degree, all found in the locality.

In 1951 the Festival of Britain took place on London’s South Bank and it was concerned with post-war urban regeneration in a bid to raise the spirits of the people in the area. The festival involved several exhibitions to add to several others around the country and was aimed at helping people realise recovery and progress were real possibilities.

While several of the capital’s renowned visitor attractions, for example the London Eye and the London Aquarium, are set on the south side of the River Thames it is the art galleries, theatres, museums and concert venues that provide the focal point of the South Bank. Crossing over the river from the north you will come to the likes of the Dali Universe which is situated inside County Hall, the Hayward Gallery, the Purcell Room and the Queen Elizabeth Hall while theatres and venues include the dominating National Theatre, the Old Vic, the New Vic. Meanwhile who can forget the Tate Modern, seen as a controversial site among some, but a classic among others with its modern, elaborate exhibits. The O2 arena is set towards the docklands and plays host to many concerts and events throughout the year.

Museums come thick and fast along the South Bank too; firstly, there is the Design Museum which is home to fashion, industrial and architectural designs. Then there is the Imperial War Museum, a museum that exhibits wars particularly of a Commonwealth nature. HMS Belfast on the water’s edge also plays a role as part of the museum. The National Maritime Museum is another museum on the Thames’ southern edge meanwhile.