Latest reviews for Sightseeing & Attractions in Bankside, London, United Kingdom

Vinopolis World Of Wine - Slick, corporate and bland by curlynewf

curlynewf — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:25:57 +0000

Review by curlynewf

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7940 8333

Website: http://www.vinopolis.co.uk

Tags: wine

Why I didn't just ask someone about this place, or oh, I don't know, consult one of the reviews below before bounding up the steps to Vinopolis World of Wine, I will never know. The 'great for hen parties' promo on their website should've been a dead giveaway, but for some reason I was dying to hand over Â£22 and 3 hours of my time to these people.

Well, I was duly punished anyway. Vinopolis is just as the other reviewers described it - slick, corporate and bland.

The self-guided tour began with a 15-min queue followed by a 5-min run down on how to swirl, sniff and slurp wine. (White wine, that is. If you were curious about the properties and characteristics of red wine too, then you'd be out of luck.) The tutorial was brief and, unless you were a complete beginner (at whom the course was not aimed), largely uninformative. Is it really true that the number of seconds a wine's aftertaste remains in your mouth is equivalent to the number of pounds sterling you should pay for the bottle? Wow. Buying wine will be so much easier now!

We were then set loose, armed with our new-found knowledge, to seek out and taste 8 wines of our choosing. The wine attendants looked like they wanted to be anywhere else in the world and weren't very helpful at answering questions that weren't covered in their training manuals.

The only interesting aspect of the "Enthusiast's wine tour" was the building itself - artfully constructed under the arches an old Victorian viaduct, it's a beautiful space to take in. But that is where the enjoyment ended for me.

It annoys me when fat-cat establishments like this one can't use some of their fortune to provide a really useful service.

In my opinion, if you really want to learn about wine, or just about how to enjoy it, you're better off checking out one of the many tours and tastings listed in London each week. Or, visit a good wine bar with knowledgeable staff who can answer your questions and please your palate for a lot less.Why I didn't just ask someone about this place, or oh, I don't know, consult one of the reviews below before bounding up the steps to Vinopolis World of Wine, I will never know. The 'great for hen parties' promo on their website should've been a dead giveaway, but for some reason I was dying to hand over Â£22 and 3 hours of my time to these people.

Well, I was duly punished anyway. Vinopolis is just as the other reviewers described it - slick, corporate and bland.

The self-guided tour began with a 15-min queue followed by a 5-min run down on how to swirl, sniff and slurp wine. (White wine, that is. If you were curious about the properties and characteristics of red wine too, then you'd be out of luck.) The tutorial was brief and, unless you were a complete beginner (at whom the course was not aimed), largely uninformative. Is it really true that the number of seconds a wine's aftertaste remains in your mouth is equivalent to the number of pounds sterling you should pay for the bottle? Wow. Buying wine will be so much easier now!

We were then set loose, armed with our new-found knowledge, to seek out and taste 8 wines of our choosing. The wine attendants looked like they wanted to be anywhere else in the world and weren't very helpful at answering questions that weren't covered in their training manuals.

The only interesting aspect of the "Enthusiast's wine tour" was the building itself - artfully constructed under the arches an old Victorian viaduct, it's a beautiful space to take in. But that is where the enjoyment ended for me.

It annoys me when fat-cat establishments like this one can't use some of their fortune to provide a really useful service.

In my opinion, if you really want to learn about wine, or just about how to enjoy it, you're better off checking out one of the many tours and tastings listed in London each week. Or, visit a good wine bar with knowledgeable staff who can answer your questions and please your palate for a lot less.

The London Dungeon - Scary by Hmm

Hmm — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 13:57:24 +0000

Review by Hmm

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7403 7221

Website: http://www.thedungeons.com

The london dungeons is great fun. We were really scared by one of the actors only seconds after paying the fee.The london dungeons is great fun. We were really scared by one of the actors only seconds after paying the fee.

Tower Bridge Experience - towering experience by clubby2

clubby2 — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 22:00:43 +0000

Review by clubby2

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7403 3761

Website: http://www.towerbridge.org.uk

Tower Bridge was completed in 1894, after eight years of construction and is the most amazing bridge even now. It looks fantastic at night and it was really good to see and learn more about it. The views from the top are incredible. The kids really enjoyed the machinery and hands on displays in the engine rooms. The interactive units that are on the walkways were very good too. The bridge is lifted around 1000 times a year to allow ships and other large craft to pass through, it did so once whilst we were in our car and it was so cool. A family ticket for 2 kids and 2 adults was only Â£14, a bargain for london, do not miss it.Tower Bridge was completed in 1894, after eight years of construction and is the most amazing bridge even now. It looks fantastic at night and it was really good to see and learn more about it. The views from the top are incredible. The kids really enjoyed the machinery and hands on displays in the engine rooms. The interactive units that are on the walkways were very good too. The bridge is lifted around 1000 times a year to allow ships and other large craft to pass through, it did so once whilst we were in our car and it was so cool. A family ticket for 2 kids and 2 adults was only Â£14, a bargain for london, do not miss it.

HMS Belfast - a floating museum by carum

carum — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 21:03:17 +0000

Review by carum

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7940 6328

Website: http://www.iwm.org.uk

HMS Belfast is great and the only way to describe it is as a floating museum. I think itâ¬"s is a really good way of remanding ourselves of the hard work of service men and women by having a real battleship permanently docked on the Thames. Inside the ship is great with loads of interactive video screens and lots of replica parts of a real ship. There is loads of stuff o see like the radar screens and sonar and stuff. Walking on the deck is also really fun as you able to see a lot of the area around the Thames even though you are not very high up.HMS Belfast is great and the only way to describe it is as a floating museum. I think itâ¬"s is a really good way of remanding ourselves of the hard work of service men and women by having a real battleship permanently docked on the Thames. Inside the ship is great with loads of interactive video screens and lots of replica parts of a real ship. There is loads of stuff o see like the radar screens and sonar and stuff. Walking on the deck is also really fun as you able to see a lot of the area around the Thames even though you are not very high up.

Churchill's Britain At War Experience - Brilliant by doggydogfoot

doggydogfoot — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 19:11:53 +0000

Review by doggydogfoot

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7403 3171

Website: http://www.britainatwar.co.uk

This is really interesting. There are exhibits all about the war. It is great for children as there is a bomb shell experience and even dress up.
The prices are:
Admission
Adult Â£10.45
Child (5 - 15 years) Â£4.95
Family (2 adults + 2 children) Â£26.00
Student (with ID) Â£5.95
Senior (60+) Â£5.95
Under 5s Free

This is a permanent exhibition open all year round except for December 24-26.

Opening times :
7 days a week
10am - 4.30pm November - March

10am - 5.00pm April - October

You can spend about 1-2 hours here. It is really interesting and i would recommend it if you are interested in history and wars.
This is really interesting. There are exhibits all about the war. It is great for children as there is a bomb shell experience and even dress up.
The prices are:
Admission
Adult Â£10.45
Child (5 - 15 years) Â£4.95
Family (2 adults + 2 children) Â£26.00
Student (with ID) Â£5.95
Senior (60+) Â£5.95
Under 5s Free

This is a permanent exhibition open all year round except for December 24-26.

Opening times :
7 days a week
10am - 4.30pm November - March

10am - 5.00pm April - October

You can spend about 1-2 hours here. It is really interesting and i would recommend it if you are interested in history and wars.