Built to last just 30 years, but still standing strong 150 years later, the Cutty Sark is an icon of British maritime history. For the past 60 years, this impressive ship has been open to visitors in Greenwich. So, in celebration of National Cream Tea Day, I headed over for the first time to learn about this legendary clipper and enjoy afternoon tea below the hull of the Cutty Sark Greenwich.
It was a glorious summers day, and as soon as I disembarked the aptly named DLR stop, the sheer size of the Cutty Sark was apparent. I circled the ship taking photos from every angle, even with a wide-angle lens I was struggling to fit the entire clipper into the shot so I knew it was time to step
The view from the River Thames The Captains wheel
History of the Clipper
I joined a guided tour, but the Cutty Sark has free audio headset guides to explore the ship at your own pace and not miss out on any of the ships swashbuckling tales.
Once the fastest clipper of its time, the legendary Cutty Sark, visited 16 different countries and traveled the equivalent of 2.5 voyages to the moon and back. Built to transport tea from China to London, the ship was soon replaced by steamships who could take a much shorter route through the Suez Canal. The Cutty Sark instead moved onto transporting cargo such as wool from Australia and even managed the route in only 83 days!
Following this, the vessel was sold to the Portuguese and renamed the Ferreira, after 27 years it was back in Britain and being used as a training ship, until 1954 when she docked at her permanent home in Greenwich.
The main deck
Our tour of the ship took us from the top to the bottom, we were able to meet the crew, navigate the vessel, and even touch the original hull.
Inside, there were plenty of artifacts, and interactive displays creating an immersive experience. There were even seats that rock as if the ship was actually moving! (I couldn’t sit on them for too long though).
Without a doubt, my
Canary Wharf views Greenwich and the River Thames
Afternoon Tea at the Cutty Sark
Following the tour, we headed downstairs to the restaurant beneath the hull. Bathed in light, it was a quiet place to enjoy a cup of tea (or coffee) alongside an assortment of cakes, scones, and sandwiches. Served on
The price for afternoon tea was £28.35pp which included entry to the Cutty Sark Greenwich (£13.50). If you wanted to add bubbles, it was £33.75pp for Prosecco or £37.35pp for English sparkling wine. Pre-booking online
Enjoying a spot of tea beneath the hull
What else is on at the Cutty Sark?
Long after the museum closes, the lower deck opens up for Cutty Sark Lates. Evenings are filled with comedy, theatre, and music shows, making them the perfect date night. Booking needs to be done in advance though as shows book out fast!
For kids, there is plenty to do. Such as climbing into the crews’ bunk beds and seeing what day to day life was really like. Alternatively, children can meet some of the Cutty Sark characters, including the Captain, the cook and even Nannie the Witch.
View from the ship
What else is there to do in Greenwich?
The Cutty Sark is situated in one of my favourite London boroughs, maritime Greenwich. The perfect mix of green areas, eclectic food, countless museums and unrivaled views of London’s skyscrapers.
There’s so many things to do in Greenwich, it’s well worth spending the day here. A stone’s throw away from the Cutty Sark lies several other top London attractions such as The Royal Observatory, Queens House and one of the best things to do in London with kids, visit The National Maritime Museum.
Moreover, if you get peckish head over to Greenwich Market (open 10am-5pm daily) for your choice of street food and spend the afternoon browsing the countless independent shops.
View from Greenwich Park
How to get to the Cutty Sark
With its own DLR stop, Cutty Sark (for Greenwich Maritime), it’s easy to reach in 20 minutes from Bank station.
Alternatively, Greenwich station is only 9 minutes on the National Rail from London Bridge.
However, if you’d like your own maritime adventure, you can reach the Cutty Sark by boat. Only 20 minutes from London Bridge to Greenwich Pier, this journey will definitely get you into the sailing mood.
Save the Cutty Sark Greenwich to your Pinterest Boards for later
Would you like to visit this iconic ship in Greenwich? Share your thoughts or questions in the comments
Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by the Royal Museums of Greenwich but as always opinions are my own.
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Happy birthday Cutty Sark. Looks like you had an amazing time, it’s always raining when I go ? I didn’t know you could have afternoon tea there, I’ll have to return.
We totally lucked out with the weather! That’s why the main deck was my favourite place.
That is one beautiful ship, and this was a good reminder that I ought to do some more research on this!
Greenwich and the Cutty Sark would have been our next place to explore if we had just one more day in London. The tea looks fantastic! This will move to top of the list if I can return to London!
It’s one of those places that you need an extra day to see but you won’t be disappointed! Hope you get to see it on your return
I visited this before, didnt know it turned 150 ! I remember it was quite fun to explore the decks ! Didnt know that you can reach it by boat, that would have been an interesting thing to do ! =)
Yes and if the weather is nice the boat is a great way to journey around London
So historic, I enjoyed reading the history behind the Cutty Sark. Having an afternoon tea with the view is simply fantastic.
It’s a great way to spend an afternoon
We have been to London a couple of times but never visited Greenwich. I wish I had though and would love to do so next time around. I am sure it must be such an amazing experience for kids and adults alike to visit the iconic Cutty Stark. Learning about the history of this ship through your post adds a lot of meaning to the visit to this iconic shop – It’s stunning to learn that Cutty Stark visited 16 countries. Definitely an engineering feet. Thanks for sharing the detailed guide.
Less tourists know about Greenwich but locals would definitely tell you to go there! It’s one of my fav places to visit in London so I hope you get to see it for yourself next time
I’m planning a trip to the UK this fall and Greenwich (and the Cutty Sark) is one of the places on my list. I’m so glad I came across this article. I really enjoyed this virtual tour and got a lot of useful information for planning my trip.
Wonderful you will love it, make sure you book online as it’s cheaper!
I’ll be in Britain in a couple of weeks and would love to visit the Cutty Sark ! And afternoon tea would be an awesome experience too! Thanks for sharing this.
Great time of year to visit, you’ll love it, make sure you carve out a day for Greenwich there is so much to do
Thanks for sharing more on the fun things to do in Cutty Sark, which will be helpful to those who are looking to visit here this summer. I would love to be here.
How nice it is to enjoy afternoon tea below the hull. Well, I wasn’t aware of Cutty Sark before and now I find it really interesting. I would like to visit this place when I am in Greenwich and enjoy the tea right there.
And the cakes!
I had never heard of the Cutty Sark Ark until I read your post. It reminds me of the USS Midway in San Diego with a lot of culture (+tea sounds awesome), and history behind it. Thanks for sharing.
How old is the USS midway?