A South Bank and Bankside riverside walk for a date: Waterloo to London Bridge

Why this walk works for a date

Walking side by side is easier than sitting face to face for a lot of people, and the stretch of river between Waterloo and London Bridge gives you something to look at every few minutes. It is flat, it follows the river, and it passes a cinema, a free gallery, a theatre, a cathedral and a market. That means the date has natural exits and natural extensions: if it is going well, you go into Tate Modern; if not, you are always close to a station.

The Thames Path National Trail runs through the centre of London; the National Trails site describes the trail as mostly flat and one of the easier trails to navigate. This guide follows the riverside from Waterloo eastwards to London Bridge. Times and prices below come from each venue's own page, read on 27 October 2026. The Southbank Centre and the National Theatre blocked our requests, so we give no hours or details for them beyond noting that the route passes them.

Start at Waterloo: BFI Southbank

Waterloo Underground station is served by the Bakerloo, Jubilee, Northern and Waterloo and City lines, and TfL lists lifts among its facilities. TfL also warns that although there is step-free access to and from the Bakerloo line southbound platform, the curved platform has large gaps and is unsuitable for wheelchair users and people with pushchairs. If you need step-free access, check TfL's step-free guide before choosing a station.

From Waterloo it is a short walk to the river and the arts buildings along it. BFI Southbank, on Belvedere Road, SE1 8XT, has four screens open seven days a week, and its riverside site has places to eat, shop and study. Its Mediatheque gives free access to what the BFI calls the world's biggest film and television archive, which is a quiet, unusual stop if you both like film. The box office is open 11am to 8.45pm.

BFI Southbank also advertises £4 cinema tickets for ages 16 to 25, for any film at any time. A film at the start or end of the walk turns it into an evening, and at that price it costs less than a drink.

• BFI Southbankcinema and film archive

  South Bank, SE1

  Belvedere Road; four screens, seven days a week; free Mediatheque archive; £4 tickets for ages 16 to 25; box office 11am to 8.45pm.

Through the South Bank to Oxo Tower Wharf

Heading east past the National Theatre, the riverside reaches the Coin Street neighbourhood. Coin Street describes itself as a social enterprise working to protect, build and galvanise its neighbourhood in Waterloo and North Southwark, and says it started from a rundown site in 1984. Its work is delivered by three organisations: Coin Street Community Builders, Coin Street Secondary Housing Co-operative and the Coin Street Centre Trust charity.

Coin Street's spaces along this stretch include Bernie Spain Gardens, Gabriel's Wharf, which it says is entering a new chapter, and Oxo Tower Wharf, which it calls a destination for creativity, with independent designer-makers, shops, restaurants and the Oxo Gallery. The gardens are a place to sit for ten minutes if you want to stop walking and talk; the designer-makers' studios give you something to browse.

This is a community-owned stretch of the riverbank, not a shopping centre, and it is a useful reminder that the South Bank is a neighbourhood where people live as well as a destination.

• Coin Street: Oxo Tower Wharf and Bernie Spain Gardenscommunity owned riverside spaces

  South Bank, SE1

  Social enterprise dating from 1984; Oxo Tower Wharf has designer-makers, shops, restaurants and the Oxo Gallery; Bernie Spain Gardens and Gabriel's Wharf nearby.

Bankside: Tate Modern and Shakespeare's Globe

Tate Modern, on Bankside, SE1 9TG, is the centre of the walk. Entry to the collection is free for everyone; exhibitions are ticketed and booking is recommended. It is open Sunday to Thursday 10am to 6pm and Friday and Saturday 10am to 9pm, with last entry 30 minutes before closing, so a Friday or Saturday lets you start the walk late and still go in. Entry is through the Turbine Hall or the Blavatnik Building. The restaurant on Level 6 of the Natalie Bell Building has views across the Thames.

On access, Tate says there are fully accessible toilets on every floor and a Changing Places toilet on Level 0 of the Natalie Bell Building, wheelchairs can be reserved free, mobility scooters must be booked at least 24 hours ahead, and free touch tours can be booked by calling 020 7887 8888. It lists Southwark (Jubilee line) about 600 metres away and Blackfriars about 800 metres.

Shakespeare's Globe is at 21 New Globe Walk, SE1 9DT, with the Millennium Footbridge 50 metres away and Bankside Pier, for river boats, 10 metres away. Its getting-here page gives walking times of 10 minutes from Blackfriars, 9 minutes from London Bridge on the Northern line and 25 minutes from Waterloo by train, and notes lifts to street level at Blackfriars. It listed guided tours of the Globe Theatre from 27 October 2026 to 31 January 2027. Check what is on before planning a performance into the walk.

From here the Millennium Footbridge gives you the option of crossing to the north bank if the date is going well and neither of you wants to stop.

• Tate Modernart gallery

  Bankside, SE1 · Nearest: Southwark (about 600 metres)

  Collection free; Sunday to Thursday 10am to 6pm, Friday and Saturday 10am to 9pm; accessible toilets on every floor and a Changing Places toilet.

• Shakespeare's Globetheatre

  Bankside, SE1

  21 New Globe Walk; 50 metres from the Millennium Footbridge; guided tours listed 27 October 2026 to 31 January 2027.

Towards London Bridge: Southwark Cathedral and the Old Operating Theatre

Southwark Cathedral sits on the south bank close to London Bridge, about five minutes' walk from the station. It says it is free to enter, though donations are gratefully received, and its visiting page gave opening times of 8.30am to 6pm on the day we checked. Step-free access on all days is from the Millennium Courtyard off Montague Close, on the riverside of the cathedral, with a platform lift to the Nave. There are two accessible toilets with baby change; both need a radar key from a member of the cathedral team. The cathedral also says some areas are not accessible to wheelchair users.

A short walk south of the cathedral, the Old Operating Theatre Museum and Herb Garret at St Thomas' Church, 9a St Thomas Street, SE1 9RY, calls itself Europe's oldest surviving operating theatre. It says the building dates from 1703. It is open Thursday to Sunday, 10.30am to 5pm with last admission at 4.15pm, and normally closed Monday to Wednesday. Adult admission with donation is £10, concessions £8. Access is by a 52-step spiral staircase; an accessible entrance is available on request if you contact the museum before your visit. It is an unusual stop, and better for a second date than a first if either of you is squeamish.

• Southwark Cathedralcathedral

  London Bridge, SE1 · Nearest: London Bridge (about 5 minutes)

  Free to enter, donations welcome; step-free from the Millennium Courtyard off Montague Close; two accessible toilets needing a radar key.

• Old Operating Theatre Museum and Herb Garretmuseum

  London Bridge, SE1

  9a St Thomas Street; Thursday to Sunday 10.30am to 5pm; £10 adult, £8 concession; 52-step spiral staircase, accessible entrance on request.

Finish at Borough Market or London Bridge

Borough Market is right next to London Bridge station and makes a natural end point. It is closed on Mondays and open Tuesday to Friday 10am to 5pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm and Sunday 10am to 4pm. It says visitor numbers can be high at peak times, particularly Saturday afternoons. Its public spaces are on one ground-floor level, with some cobbles, and accessible toilets are in four locations during trading hours. For an evening walk, the market will have closed; our guide to food halls and street food markets lists places open later.

London Bridge Underground station is served by the Jubilee and Northern lines, and TfL lists lifts among its facilities. When we checked, TfL noted there was no down escalator from the Borough High Street entrance to the Jubilee platforms. National Rail services also run from London Bridge.

If you would rather end on the water, Bankside Pier by the Globe is served by river boats; our guide to Thames boats covers fares and routes. Reversing the walk also works: start at Borough Market in the late morning and finish at BFI Southbank with a film.

• Borough Marketfood market

  Southwark, SE1 · Nearest: London Bridge

  Closed Mondays; Tuesday to Friday 10am to 5pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm, Sunday 10am to 4pm; level public spaces with some cobbles.

Timing the walk

The Globe's own walking times give a rough measure: about 25 minutes from Waterloo to the Globe and 9 minutes from the Globe to London Bridge, so the walk itself is well under an hour without stops. With a gallery visit and a stop to eat, plan on a half day.

Friday and Saturday give the most options, since Tate Modern stays open until 9pm. Thursday to Sunday adds the Old Operating Theatre. Avoid Monday if you want to end at Borough Market. Borough Market says Saturday afternoons are its busiest time, so a weekday is the quieter choice at that end of the walk.

Before you go

• Pick the day. Tate Modern is open until 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays, the Old Operating Theatre opens Thursday to Sunday, and Borough Market is closed on Mondays.
• Check step-free routes. TfL says Waterloo's Bakerloo southbound platform has large gaps; Southwark Cathedral is step-free from the Millennium Courtyard.
• Bring a radar key if you have one: Southwark Cathedral's accessible toilets need one, though staff can lend it.
• If either of you is 16 to 25, BFI Southbank's £4 tickets make a film an easy add-on.
• The Southbank Centre and National Theatre sites blocked us, so check their own pages for what is on and open.

Questions people ask

How long is the walk from Waterloo to London Bridge along the river?

Shakespeare's Globe gives about 25 minutes from Waterloo to the Globe and 9 minutes from the Globe to London Bridge, so under an hour of walking. With a gallery and a meal, allow half a day.

What is free on the South Bank and Bankside?

The Tate Modern collection is free, exhibitions are ticketed. BFI Southbank's Mediatheque archive is free. Southwark Cathedral is free to enter, with donations welcome. The riverside walk and Coin Street's Bernie Spain Gardens are free to use.

Is Tate Modern open in the evening?

On Fridays and Saturdays, yes: Tate Modern is open 10am to 9pm on those days and 10am to 6pm Sunday to Thursday, with last entry 30 minutes before closing.

Is the walk step-free?

The riverside path is flat, but check stations. TfL says Waterloo's Bakerloo southbound platform has large gaps and is unsuitable for wheelchair users. Tate Modern has accessible toilets on every floor, Southwark Cathedral is step-free from the Millennium Courtyard, and the Old Operating Theatre has a 52-step staircase, with an accessible entrance on request.