For all the talk people make of London having a lot of security, it’s great eye is something of a disappointment.  The London Eye is Europe’s tallest Ferris wheel and it sits right on the banks of the River Thames.  At its height you’ll be sitting at (443ft) 135m above the river atop a diameter of (394ft) 120m.

Although the London Eye is no longer the world’s tallest Ferris wheel, as it once was, it is still the tallest one in all the world that is cantilevered.  (If you don’t know what ‘cantilevered’ means, take a close look at that photo….you might notice the photographer is under the supports and that there are no supports on the other side of the wheel.)   Since 2005 it has been the center of New Year’s Eve celebrations and will feature prominently in the upcoming 2012 Olympics.

IF YOU GO:  Don’t worry too much about the temperature on this ride, each of the 32 capsules is climate controlled and quite comfortable on the inside.  The biggest concern you should have about the London Eye is finding the best London flights from wherever you are to Heathrow or Gatwick to give it a shot.  If taking the underground to visit, you’ll want to get off at the Waterloo or Westminster stations.

To see more of our favorite photos from around the world check out our travel photo page. Let us know your favorites and we’ll include them in our photo of the day series.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Flickr user Jim Bahn via a creative commons license.