From the Eiffel Tower of Paris, to the Parthenon of Athens and the opera house of Sydney every city has its landmark and this is no different for England’s capital, except theirs is a little more recent.

The only way to get a real birds eye view of London is from the instantly recognisable London Eye which has very rapidly became one of the most iconic and popular attractions of London since its erection in 2000. In fact it was supposed to have come down by now but proved so popular that planning permission was changed to allow it to stay up for another 20 years.

The London Eye is a giant Ferris wheel with thirty two gondolas that can each take 30 people. The giant wheel takes 30 minutes to do a complete revolution and on a clear day you can see up to 25 miles in every direction from the top. You can see over 55 of London’s attractions from the eye as long as the weather is good.

A word of warning is that you must book in advance or be prepared to turn up very early to avoid the queues. When you book online you should do this at least 14 hours in advance and turn up 30 minutes before, if you take this approach be very sure that the weather for the next day is good as the enjoyment can be seriously impaired if you only have a few meters visibility.

The ride is not cheap, adult prices vary from 14.50 to 29.50 GBP, child prices are from 7.25 to 9 GBP, and concession prices are 11 GBP. The London Eye is located on the South bank near Westminster Bridge, diagonally opposite the house of Parliament. The closest underground station is Waterloo. There is also wheelchair access and a disabled toilet at the ticket office.

This is a great way to get a birds eye view of London, and whilst the cost, particularly for a family, may sting your pocket it is an enjoyable ride and worth doing, if only once.