The London Eye at night is a truly magnificent sight. It glows with coloured light, like an enormous neon bicycle wheel, casting a lovely reflection on the water.

Looking out from your glass pod, you can see all of London laid before you. Many landmarks like the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben are lit up as well, making them easy to spot and enjoy.

The London Eye, or Millennium Wheel, rises more than 440 feet into the air near the western part of Jubilee Gardens, on the south bank of the River Thames.

Built to celebrate and commemorate the advent of the 21st century, the Eye formally opened on New Year’s Eve 1999, but mechanical issues kept it from being open to the public until March 2000. Since then, it has become the most popular paid attraction in the United Kingdom. More than 30 million people have taken a ride on the Eye.

The Eye is the largest Ferris wheel in Europe, and the tallest cantilevered observation wheel in the world.

It has 32 climate-controlled glass capsules with space and seating for 25, balanced on its elegant rim.

The rotation is so slow that passengers can just walk right on board; there is no need to stop the wheel, although it can be stopped to allow disabled or very elderly passengers the time they need. A complete rotation takes about 30 minutes, with the wheel rotating at 10 inches per second.

Because of its popularity, queues can be very long so advance booking of flights is recommended. Private capsules can also be booked, either for a group or just for two.

Originally fitted out with a fluorescent lighting system, the Eye replaced them with LED lighting in 2006 by Color Kinetics. This has reduced maintenance costs and allowed for light shows and a wide range of colours, as the lighting can now be controlled digitally instead of manually. The new lighting makes the Eye a majestic sight, visible from more than a mile away.

Taking a ride on the London Eye at night is now even more colourful and magical than before.

Visiting London Eye

Jubilee Gardens, South Bank, SE1

Telephone: 0870 500 0600

Email customer.services@ba-londoneye.com

Opening Times

October to May: 10am-8pm Daily | June: 10am-9pm Daily | July & August: 10am-9.30pm Daily | September: 10am-9pm Daily

Ticket Prices

£15.50 (Adults 16+) £7.75 (Children 4-15), FREE (Under 5s), £12 (Over 60s) - arrive early or late to avoid large queues

Photo courtesy: .Martin.

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