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Wapping is a hauntingly atmospheric slice of the old riverside East End, a narrow world of converted warehouses, cobbled lanes and historic pubs hard against the Thames. Steeped in maritime and smuggling history, it offers one of London’s most evocative river walks.
Where is Wapping and how to get there
Wapping lies on the north bank of the Thames just east of the Tower of London. It is served by Wapping station on the Overground, and is an easy walk from Tower Hill and St Katharine Docks along the river.
The river and its pubs
Wapping High Street runs between towering nineteenth-century warehouses, now handsome flats, that once stored the cargoes of empire. The riverside is best known for its historic pubs: the Prospect of Whitby, which claims to be the oldest riverside pub in London, and the Town of Ramsgate, both with terraces over the water and tales of press-gangs and pirates. Execution Dock, where river pirates once met their end, lay nearby. Our guide to the best pubs in London features the area’s finest.
Eating and drinking
Wapping is quiet and residential, so its pleasures are the historic pubs and a handful of neighbourhood spots rather than a busy dining scene. Time a visit for a riverside pint as the tide turns.
Good to know
What is Wapping known for?
Wapping is known for its historic riverside, its converted Victorian warehouses and its old waterside pubs, including the Prospect of Whitby. Once the haunt of sailors, smugglers and river pirates, it is now a quiet, atmospheric district and one of the best stretches for a Thames-side walk.
Where to go next
Walk to Tower Hill and St Katharine Docks, or explore Canary Wharf. Browse all our London neighbourhood guides.
