Docklands & Olympic Park
Canary Wharf & Docklands
The Docklands — London's former port — have transformed over the last 30 years from a decaying industrial wasteland into a glittering financial center. Canary Wharf with its skyscrapers is London's second business district (after the City). For tourists, interesting: the underground shopping malls, the architecture of the skyscrapers, the Museum of London Docklands (free! — history of the port and the slave trade), and the ride on the DLR (Docklands Light Railway) — a driverless elevated train with spectacular views over the skyline.
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
The site of the 2012 Olympic Games in East London is now a sprawling park with the ArcelorMittal Orbit (115-meter high observation tower and slide! — the longest tunnel slide in the world, 40 seconds, £17), the London Stadium (West Ham United), the London Aquatics Centre (swimming in the Zaha Hadid building, from £5.40), and extensive gardens. The park is located in Stratford, accessible via Jubilee Line or Central Line.
Columbia Road Flower Market
Every Sunday from 8 AM to 3 PM, Columbia Road in Bethnal Green transforms into a sea of flowers. Hundreds of stalls with cut flowers, potted plants, succulents, and herbs — prices drop dramatically around 2 PM when vendors want to sell off their remaining stock. Around it: charming cafés, ceramic shops, and vintage boutiques. One of London's most photogenic markets.
