From back when the Romans pitched up at the start of the millennium but one, right up to 1999, London has served its millions of visitors badly when it comes to offering a platform from which to view the great city.
But the EDF Energy sponsored London Eye (originally known as the British Airways London Eye), billed as the world's highest observational wheel, has changed all that.
The Eye stands a whopping 135 metres high on the South Bank between Waterloo and Westminster Bridges, right opposite Big Ben and THE HOUSES of Parliament and provides stunning views over central London and beyond.
Visitors are treated to a gently paced half-hour ride in space age capsules holding 25 people each, hopping on and off as the wheel moves. An increasingly popular idea is to visit the Eye at night time when the view is perhaps at its most magical.
It is well worth BOOKING tickets in advance as London Eye tickets are not always available on the day and even if they are, the queues can be daunting.