The sun was shining, I mean properly blazing up in the sky like it was the first day of summer. The wind was in our hair, and we were cruising along the River Thames without a care in this world. Our bellies were full of scones, cakes and sandwiches that we’d scoffed on the lower deck courtesy of City Cruises Afternoon Tea Tour. All I needed was a kicking soundtrack to put me in the party mood.
The first official Sunday of the Easter school holidays turned out to be the perfect afternoon for a tea time cruise along the river. The City Cruises Afternoon Tea Tour departure point is at Tower Pier, just down from the Tower of London. It was fairly crowded and after arriving 15 minutes early as instructed, we had a brief wait before boarding at 3.30pm.
Ezra had been in a bit of a pre-teen grump earlier, but as soon as we climbed onto the cruise boat, he was all smiles. His grins got wider once our afternoon tea arrived.
The City Cruises Afternoon Tea Tour features a traditional mix of sweet delicacies, sandwiches (salmon, ham and cheese, egg and cress, chicken and salad), and raisin scones with jam and clotted cream.
I loved the little cakes, although I did find the sandwiches a little dry, but ultimately City Cruises Afternoon Tea Tour is all about the experience. And it was totally worth it to be sipping on unlimited cuppas while cruising past beloved London landmarks.
We couldn’t help but feel smug as we passed other hop-on, hop-off City Cruises boats — their passengers staring longingly at our teatime spread. There’s a bar on board too, so I ordered a cheeky Pimm’s for the ride.
City Cruises Afternoon Tea Tour takes you from Tower Pier along the South Bank to North Bank and back again. The tour guide commentator had an enjoyably dry sense of humour, adding to the very British ambience. It’s a great way to discover another side of the buildings that line the Thames, getting unusual angles of the Houses of Parliament and Tower Bridge.
After we’d eaten (we only managed about two thirds of our meal before feeling stuffed), the babes couldn’t wait to run upstairs to the open deck.
We posed for selfies and enjoyed the summery vibes, taking in 360 degree views of the city we call home. The boys were disappointed when the sight of Tower Pier looming meant our one and a half hour tour was coming to an end.
Babes about Town recommends City Cruises Afternoon Tea Tour to any visitors looking to do something different in London, or as a fun staycation activity for locals. Definitely a new Babes Fave.
City Cruises Afternoon Tea Tour (Babes Review)
Jed, age 8
‘It was amazing, I really liked the tea except for the little black bits at the bottom (Ezra: ‘That’s part of the tea, Jed, that’s the actual tea leaves!’). I also like how they gave you so many sandwiches and scones. My favourite thing to eat was the scone. I enjoyed the ride and I would give it a 9.9 rating!’
Ezra, age 11
‘It was absolutely amazing! It was lovely to see lots of famous landmarks in London and having a nice little cuppa while cruising along the Thames river. You’re even allowed on the top deck so you can enjoy the sights while still getting some fresh air. I especially enjoyed eating the chicken sandwiches and drinking cups of tea. In the end I actually had three cups, which is the most I’ve ever had in a day and that’s more than my mum usually has in a day too!’
Visit City Cruises web site for more details on their afternoon tea and other exciting river tours!
City Cruises Giveaway
There’s still time to enter our giveaway to win a Family Ticket (2 adults + 2 kids or 1 adult + 3 kids) for a City Cruises Afternoon Tea Tour along the River Thames. Enter your details in the Rafflecopter form below and good luck!
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Earl grey tea :)
I like earl grey x