London Eye, London

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The full name, since January 2011, is "EDF Energy London Eye". EDF Energy is Britain’s largest producer of low carbon electricity and EDF is Électricité de France S.A. the world’s largest utility company. Headquartered in Paris!
Oh my God, the London Eye belongs now to the French! Do they know that at Buckingham?

Is this the Tour Eiffel of London? It seems indeed with nearly 4 millions visitors per year. But it is more expensive (18 £) than the Tour Eiffel (lift to top at 324 meters costs 13,10 €.).

Actually this is another Ferris wheel of which examples exist elsewhere. This one is bigger, 135m high, than the others at least in Europe. It has been surpassed by the 160 m "Star of Nanchang" in 2006, and then the 165 m "Singapore Flyer" in 2008.

When I looked at the wheel from the river Thames I was surprised it moved so slowly, a full turn in 30 minutes, and I wondered if I would like to be confined with 25 other persons in a capsule during such long period.

But fortunately I read that it is possible with the "Champagne Experience" to "Enjoy a glass of Pommery Brut Royal champagne served by your host while you take in amazing views of the capital" at a cost of 31.04 £ (why 0.04 ?) a second glass to chase away claustrophobia at only 9.06 £. The price includes priority boarding and most important a red rose Champagne is at no extra cost!
How did I miss all that?

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It is named so because the British Airways made the biggest fares wheel to celebrate the millennium. A ride for 45 min will cost you 18 Pounds, but the best part is you can visit Madam Tussaud's museum with the same ticket. If you want to take the picture the take it during your flight you gotta pay 12 Pounds for 1 copy but 2 for 16.

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I would highly recommend riding the London Eye after the sun goes down. When it does, the lights of the city make for a beautiful sight.

The main difference between a day and night flight is the scenic views. During the day, you can see for miles and really get a feel for the size of London. During the evening, it's all about the scenic views of the river, the city and the Parliament Building.

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Ok, so maybe it's not just a Ferris Wheel. The London Eye was constructed by British Airways to celebrate the Millenium. It has fast become a favorite stop for tourists and native Londoners.

Our tip would be to take one of the last flights of the day. As the sun sets, and the lights come on, the view is truly special.

The London Eye has been a very welcome addition to London's extensive list of tourist attractions, as it provides an entirely new perspective on Central London. It situated on the South Bank, next to the London aquarium and opposite the Houses of Parliament, and at 135m high, it is Europe's largest Ferris wheel.

It was opened on the eve of the New Millenium (31 December 1999) and is now apparently Britain's most popular tourist attraction for which you have to pay an entrance fee, so crowds are obviously an issue. I was lucky enough to have an hour to kill late one autumn afternoon, and was literally able to wander into the next departing cabin, but I think that it would be realistic to plan on quite a wait, especially if you're visiting in high season (unless you're willing to pay a premium for a 'fast track' ticket - see the website below).

The wheel rotates very slowly, and the ride lasts half an hour - which is great as it gives you plenty of time to appreciate the view and work out what's where, but if you're expecting a white knuckle ride you'll be disappointed!

To my mind, there is no point whatsoever in doing this if the weather is bad. The wheel rotates so slowly that it isn't a wonderful fairground experience, and the great attraction is the view, which you can obviously only appreciate when the visibility is good. I was lucky enough to do the ride about 1700 on a September evening, so the late afternoon light was lovely and the sunset was gorgeous - sadly as I was coming from a business meeting, I didn't have my camera with me. London's twinkling lights stretching down below you at night would also be very pretty, although you obviously wouldn't be able to make out the same level of detail.

I am not sure that I would recommend this ride for small children, as I think that they would get bored long before the end of 30 minutes. Also, to get most out of it, you need to have an appreciation of what you're looking at, so bring along a map so that you can orient yourself.

It has to be said that this is not a cheap experience. At the time of writing (January 2011), the standard cost per person was a hefty £18, although online booking (which has to be done at least a day ahead) can result in a 10% saving. There are also many other options available, including family tickets (for two adults and two children) and a range of 'fast track' tickets, private cabin tickets and combination tickets (for example, with a river cruise or the Aquarium), so best to consult the website below and decide which alternative suits you best.

The London Eye is a great way to see a birds-eye view of London and a great way to get your bearings. It is quite busy in June/July but you should be able to line-up to buy your tickets THEN line up to get on the actual ride, all within an hour. Well worth it i would say! You can get some really fantastic pictures with iconic landmarks in the backgrounds!

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We visited the Eye as part of an excursion, which meant that we couldn't dawdle. The upside was that we spent less time in the long waiting line for the Eye. Background: it is the world's largest observation wheel, rising 450 feet above the Thames. If the day is clear, you can see 25 miles. That is a big if, but even looking down gives you a wonderful, different perspective of the well-known London sights. The ride is about thirty minutes in a car with two dozen other folks, but the cars are large and you never feel crowded or unable to move about and see everything. This is one great ride.

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I rode on the London Eye when it first opened in 2000. From the capsule, you get overall views of London including Big Ben, Houses of Parliament and beyond. The wheel is at 135m and is the largest observation wheel in the world even if other countries claim different. It was originally sponsored by Marks Barfield Architects, British Airways and Tussards Group but now by EDF Energy and opered by London Eye Company Limited.

I decided to ride on the London Eye whilst I was in London in June 2011. I booked via the hostel where I was staying and it cost me 16.00 gbp (June 2011) for an advance ticket. I rode on the Eye early Saturday evening and I enjoyed appreciating the stunning views of the London Skyline. Included in the ticket is the 4D Experience where you can enjoy a presentation of a life journey with the use of unique views and multi-sensory effects.

You can check out the website for more information about this attraction.