Royal Museums Greenwich

The Thames cuts through Greenwich, and on its south bank sits a collection of buildings that manages to feel both grand and approachable at once. Royal Museums Greenwich sprawls across several galleries, and you'll need a full day to do it justice - the National Maritime Museum is the heavyweight here, stuffed with naval history and objects that actually shaped British exploration. The Queen's House sits alongside it, a 17th-century royal residence that's spare and elegant in a way that makes modern interior design look fussy. If you've got sea legs, the Observatory is worth the walk up the hill - the Prime Meridian runs through it, which sounds gimmicky but genuinely lands when you're standing with one foot either side of the date line.

History types and anyone who cares about how Britain became Britain will spend hours here. Families with kids under eight might find the Maritime Museum a slog without the interactive bits keeping them engaged, though older children often dig the ship models and the gruesome stories about ocean voyages. Photography enthusiasts should come early to dodge crowds around the Greenwich Park views.

It's free to enter the museums, which is generous, though special exhibitions sometimes ask for a donation. Allow at least three hours minimum, ideally five if you're thorough. The location is perfect if you're camping at Abbey Wood Experience Freedom Glamping just down the way - you can be on the Thames foreshore in twenty minutes from your glamping pod. Spring and early autumn are best; summer weekends turn it into a tourist scrum.