London Eye

What makes it special

It is the world's largest cantilevered observation wheel, meaning it is braced from one side only. Watch the capsules as you queue: they ride on the outside of the rim rather than inside it, and they turn as the wheel turns, so each floor stays level the whole way round.

There are 32 glass capsules, one for each of London's boroughs, and each holds up to 25 people. They are sealed and climate controlled, warm in winter and cool in summer, so the ride works in any season.

Built to mark the Millennium, the wheel opened in 2000 under the name the Millennium Wheel.

From the top the view runs up to 40 kilometres on a clear day. Pick out Buckingham Palace, St Paul's Cathedral and the Shard, and in clear air Windsor Castle on the far western edge.

Visiting

The queue is your first stop: the time on your ticket is when you may join it, not when you board, and you cannot join before it. Fast Track holders go to Entrance F at their time instead.

At peak the standard queue can take up to 45 minutes; Fast Track is usually 5 to 10 minutes. Have your e-ticket saved to your phone, as a screenshot or in its wallet, in case the signal drops.

Bags and belongings are checked before you reach the platform, and large bags, suitcases and rucksacks are refused. The capsules keep moving, so you step on and off while the wheel turns.

Tips

There are no toilets on board, so use the ones in the ticket office by the VIP desk before you queue. A pushchair can be left at the left luggage desk in the ticket hall free when you show your ticket, but there is nowhere to leave a suitcase.

If you bought your ticket from anyone other than the official site, follow that seller's own instructions to redeem it. A 360-degree viewing guide, sold separately, names what you can see from the capsule.