London area of Docklands guide

What to do and where to stay in London's Docklands neighbourhood

Stretching along the Thames, Docklands is the area made up of a series of docks, once a thriving part of the Port of London. The docks were built from 1802 onwards, creating burgeoning, tightknit riverside communities. Despite suffering heavy bombing during World War II, the docks continued to flourish in the post-war years, but by 1980 the area downstream from London Bridge was completely defunct. This is when the huge project to transform the Docklands began and the area is once again a lively, if unequal, place. From the yacht marina at St Katharine Docks to the big business of Canary Wharf at West India Docks to the poor housing estates near Blackwall's East India Docks, the stretch varies greatly but it's a characterful part of town with some stunning views of the river, especially from some of the waterfront hotels dotted along the bank.

See our recommended nearby Docklands Hotels, Entertainment, Sights and Attractions, Shopping, Restaurants, Pubs, Nightlife, Leisure, Education, and Meeting Venues.