Greenwich is a seriously hip part of southeast London, in the county of Kent. It’s got a substantial population of 260,000, but it doesn’t really seem like much when you consider London’s 9,000,000 residents. You will almost certainly have heard of GMT, or Greenwich Meridian Time, which is used as the standard time zone for the whole of the UK and many countries in Africa.
Pronounced ‘Gren-ich,’ Greenwich was the birthplace of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, and was extremely important in maritime history, sitting right on the river Thames. Nowadays you can see the world’s very last ‘tea clipper’ Cutty Sark ship in dry mooring, which looks like something straight out of a pirate movie. It was built in 1869 in Scotland and is a major tourist attraction. There’s a natural deep water port in Greenwich, which was extremely important due to the Thames being a tidal river.
Just downstream lies the epic Thames Barrier, which is an incredible feat of engineering. It protects London from possibly devastating flooding all year round and is a sight to behold. It’s very futuristic looking and if you want to have an amazing view from up above you can take the very reasonably priced IFS Cloud Royal Docks cable car across the river.
The O2 Arena, formerly known as The Millennium Dome is an engineering mega project and it’s even visible from space! It used to be an exhibition centre built in time to celebrate the new millennium, but nowadays it’s used as a massive music venue, full of restaurants and retail outlets. Although massively controversial and expensive during its construction, it has become a really great feature that helps to make London the unique city it is today.
Greenwich has a really awesome Uber Boat service, providing affordable boat trips up and down the river Thames. It’s not only for tourists, and can be a great alternative method of transport for commuters. It’s a blissful way to experience the sights of London, and you’ll never get that sense of perspective from travelling on the London Underground.
If you want to see something incredible, you should check out the Painted Hall, which is described as London’s own ‘Sistine Chapel.’ Dating back to the 1700s, it was part of the Royal Navy College, and has recently been restored. It’s a great example of Baroque architecture and art, and the entire ceiling of the hall is one gigantic painting.
If you want to try some proper London food, grab a plate of ‘pie and mash’ down the buzzing Greenwich Market. You can find all kinds of different food from all over the world there, and it looks especially beautiful at Christmas. If you’d like to find some nice gifts, you should check out the Junk Shop for interesting odds and ends near the Underground station. That part of Greenwich is full of trendy cafes and interesting independent shops, and you’ll definitely meet some interesting people there.
If you want some peace and quiet you can go for a relaxing stroll in Greenwich Park. Interestingly, it has a Meridian Monument which shows you the exact location of the longitude (0° 0′ 0″). It’s a really good photo opportunity and it also shows all of the varying time zones from around the world.
Before you check out the parking options below, don’t forget to check the rules regarding the London low-emission zone. If your car isn’t on the list you will have to pay £12.50 a day to drive in London. There’s also the daily £15 congestion charge to consider, and you can findall of the information on our page here. All of these rules need to be followed strictly to avoid harsh penalties.
Free Parking in Greenwich
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Free, unrestricted residential street parking
These days we should all be saving money, and one simple way to economise it is to use free residential street parking. We’ve found a small number of great free parking options for you, saving you a lot of money in London. There’s nothing illegal about using these locations, and you won’t get into any trouble. Each address is measured within its distance to Greenwich Market and we’ve also given you some more information about things to see and do.
Whilst using free residential street parking you have to be extra careful how you park, without blocking any driveways. Leave plenty of space for other cars, and keep all noise down to a minimum. We always update this site, but you should always check for any notices from the residents, and check for any new parking restrictions that may have recently been enforced. Parking is at your own discretion and if it doesn’t feel safe you should look for somewhere else. Please make sure you check for any street signs regarding Greenwich Council’s ‘Play Streets’ scheme. There could be times during the early evenings when the street is partially closed to let children play outside.
East
If you will be driving in from Woolwich in the east, we’ve found 3 free residential street parking options. You’ll pass the Brocklebank Retail Park as you walk through a semi industrial area if you park in Vanbrugh Park Road, but it’s still free parking in London, saving you a lot of money. Vanbrugh Park Road is a much better spot to park as you’ll be right next to Greenwich park, which is the perfect place to calm down after your potentially stressful drive through London. Greenwich Park’s immaculately kept, and you’ll walk right past the Prime Meridian on your way to the market.
● Vanbrugh Park Road SE3 7NJ – 1.1 miles
● Saint Johns Park SE3 7TA – 1.3 miles
● Lombard Wall SE7 7SW – 1.8 miles
West
If you’re heading in from Peckham in the east you have a few two great free parking options right by the river. You can walk along the south embankment to the Greenwich Reach Swing Bridge, which is a pedestrian suspension bridge. You can gaze at the north bank and soak up that incredible London energy as you head towards the centre of Greenwich, and on your way you’ll pass The Sail Loft. It’s a great gourmet restaurant bar with fantastic reviews, right on the south bank of the river. Grab one of their amazing burgers and enjoy its perfect view of London.
● B208 SE10 9FX – 0.5 miles
● Borthwick Street SE8 3FZ – 0.8 miles
Free after 6:30pm/Overnight streetside parking
The following addresses are great free options, but only if you’re planning on parking after 6:30pm. If you want to leave the car overnight, make sure you get out of there before the traffic wardens start their 08:00 patrol and you won’t have any problems.
● Pelton Road SE10 0AA – 0.7 miles
● Hoskins Street SE10 9LU – 0.6 miles
● Chevening Road SE10 0LB – 1.1 miles
Free car park
● Charlton Village Car Park SE7 8UD
Cheapest paid car parks with free overnight parking after 6pm
If you don’t need to save money on parking, these paid options are a safe bet. The cheapest options are the council run car parks, and they’re also free to park overnight.
● Old Dover Road Car Park SE3 7JW – £1.60 for 2 hours
● Monk Street Car Park SE18 6JT – £1.80 for 2 hours
● Powis Street Car Park SE18 6NL – £1.80 for 2 hours
● Burney Street Car Park SE10 8EX – £3.60 for 2 hours
● Park Row Car Park SE10 9NL- £3.60 for 2 hours
● Orangery Lane Car Park SE9 1HD – £2.40 for 2 hours
● Greenwich Park Car Park SE10 8QY – £2.80 for 2 hours
● Abery Street Temporary Car Park SE18 1SB – £2.40 for 2 hours
Cheapest paid car parks
● The Royal Standard SE3 7JQ – £2.00 for 2 hours
● Glassmill SE13 7SD – £2.00 for 2 hours
● Euro Car Parks Docklands Cross Harbour E14 9GL – £4.00 for 2 hours
● Blackheath Station Car Park SE3 9LE – £5.00 for 2 hours
Free short-term parking (2h or less)
These commercial park parks are great if you only need to make a flying visit. Don’t forget that they have cameras and barriers in operation, so don’t overstay your welcome and everything will be fine.
● Millenium Leisure Park SE10 0SB
● Asda Charlton Car Park SE7 7ST
● Tesco SE13 7PY
● Makro Charlton SE7 7SA
Free and Paid Parking Near Popular Greenwich Locations
Free & paid parking near Greenwich Market and Greenwich Railway Station
