The London Eye a.k.a. The Millennium Wheel

The British Airways London Eye is a giant Ferris wheel on the River Thames near the Tower of London. This is either the best new thing in London, or it is the dullest new thing in London. A flight on the London Eye takes about thirty minutes, which is a long time for busy tourists on a London vacation. Booking the London Eye will set you back about 15 GBP, but there are other options that cost more. The London Eye carries 32 sealed and air-conditioned passenger capsules attached to its external circumference. Each capsule holds approximately 25 people.

There is a pretty cool 360 Panoramic and the Wikipedia Page is very good as well.

British Airways was the main sponsor of the London Eye until February 2008 and up until November 2005 were joint shareholders with Marks Barfield Architects and The Tussauds Group. British Airways also privately funded the London Eye project from the early stages of conception. The London Eye is now operated by the London Eye Company Limited, a Merlin Entertainments Group Company.

The London Eye is no longer the tallest Ferris Wheel in the world. The Singapore Flyer began inaugural rides last week on the 165-metre observation wheel, the world's highest. Singapore won't be on top for long either. There's a mad rush of giant wheel-building going on around the world, and each of them is bigger than the last. The next couple will be in Berlin and Beijing - the latter a whopping 208 metres high-which should give you a fine view of the smog below. After that there are big wheels planned for Orlando, Qingdao, and Dubai.

There are a lot of London Eye Hotels, London Eye Restaurants, and lots of other Tourist Attraction near the London Eye. The London Eye is not for everyone, the que can be long and the cost can seem excessive-but most people seem to think it is worth both the wait and the expense. It is definitely on my list of things to do next time I am in London.