Located along the banks of River Thames, in London, the London Eye is a plain old giant Ferris wheel. What then you may ask is so special about it, that it attracts tourists from all over the world? – The answer is simple, its sheer size and remarkable construction not to mention its 32 sealed and air-conditioned ovoidal passenger capsules, through which you can witness some of the best views of the entire city.

The London eye, also known as the MilleniumWheel and before that the British Airways London Eye, is the tallest Ferris wheel in the whole of Europe. It is 135 metres (443 ft) tall and has a diameter of 120 metres (394 ft).All its passenger capsules are rotated by electric motors. Each capsule can accommodate about 25 people and weighs 10 tonnes. It has been designed by Leitner-Poma and has a space to walk around in the interior.

The wheel’s speed is not too high, so it isn’t one of those thrilling rides of a fair. It takes around 30 minutes to complete one rotation and in that time you are offered excellent views of London, you are free to click pictures, dine, basically do anything within your capsule. The astonishing fact is that it doesn’t generally stop for passengers to board. Its speed is so slow that one can get on and off it without needing for it to stop! However it may be stopped for an elderly or sick person, if requested.

The wheel’s exact location is as the western end of Jubilee Gardens, on the South Bank of the River Thames in the London Borough of Lambeth, between Westminster Bridge and Hungerford Bridge.

This wheel adds to the aesthetic sense of its surroundings. LED lighting from Color Kinetics is used to light up the entire wheel in the evening. The rim of the Eye is supported by tie rods and resembles a huge spoked bicycle wheel.

Architects Frank Anatole, Nic Bailey, Steven Chilton, Malcolm Cook, Mark Sparrowhawk, and the husband-and-wife team of Julia Barfield and David Marks are responsible for the building of this magnificent Ferris wheel.

The London Eye was formally opened by the then Prime Minister, Tony Blair, on 31 December 1999 and since then it has served to symbolize London internationally just as the Eiffel symbolizes Paris. It has increased the tourist rate tremendously and though certain problems did come up, the government made sure that this landmark was made permanent.

London happens to be a green city and with a choice of as many as eight green parks each featuring perfectly laid out lawns, lakes and golf courses, outdoor theatres and historic buildings to stripy deckchairs, you have no dearth of choices to give you some solace when you want a break from the busy routine life. Here are some of the best parks and gardens of London:

Bushy Park
Home to many free-roaming deer, the park abounds in horse chestnuts and lime trees flanking the famous chestnut avenue on both sides. The park also features an artificial river, children’s activities and various sporting facilities.

The Green Park
Lying between Buckingham Palace and Piccadilly, The Green Park stretches for 47 acres. With its mature trees and grassland, it is a great place for sunbathing and picnics in the summer months.

Greenwich Park
A World Heritage Site and the oldest of the Royal Parks, Greenwich Park contains several historic buildings and also has a fantastic view from the top of the hill.  Summer months are especially inviting when you can enjoy activities like football and frisbee skimming. The park also hold events like jazz, opera, theatre and children’s activities.

Hyde Park
Standing in the heart of London, the Hyde Park takes pride in its Serpentine (a popular boating lake) and Rotten Row, a renowned riding track and the first artificially lit road in England. Also worth visiting are the Serpentine Gallery, the Diana Memorial Fountain, and the Speaker’s Corner where you can hear London’s most vocal orators share their opinions with the world.

Kensington Gardens
Kensington Gardens features the Italian Fountain Gardens and the imposing Albert Memorial. The park is also home to Kensington Palace with its peaceful Italian Gardens, the famous Peter Pan statue, the seven-mile Diana Memorial Walk, Princess of Wales’ Memorial Playground and the huge wooden pirate ship.