Greenwich does mean time. It has one foot anchored in its glorious maritime past and the other firmly planted in its current, colourful, cosmopolitan present.

The Royal Borough is a delight to visit. It’s easy to get to, easy to get around and everything is within walking distance.

With numerous signposts and maps, you won’t get lost and with posters plugging festivals and events, there’s plenty of information out there to have a good time.

And with so much to offer for all tastes, an excellent break is guaranteed.

It’s also just 20 minutes from central London.

There are so many must-sees in Greenwich, it would be hard to fit them into just one day.

The Cutty Sark has been a tourist attraction here for nearly 60 years and it’s never looked better.

The last surviving tea clipper has had a recent spruce-up and is in superb condition.

You can easily visit all three decks and see the underneath of the famous ship, which was one of the fastest of its day in the late 19th century.

It might be a slight trek to get to the world-famous Royal Observatory – it’s up a hill in Greenwich Park – but it’s well worth the journey.

This is the home of Greenwich Mean Time and there’s the Prime Meridian line where you can put one foot in the West and the other in the East.

The bright red time ball on top of the premises was created in 1833 and still drops daily at 1pm.

The historic site also houses one of the world’s largest telescopes.

There’s also a fantastic view from the top of the hill.

The nearby National Maritime Museum is simply one of the best.

Again it’s had a makeover in recent years and it’s light, open and airy allowing for some huge exhibits to take centre stage.

The displays are well laid out and there’s plenty here for children to see and do.

The Queen’s House is just a short walk away. The splendid 17th century building – with its famous Tulip Stairs – houses artworks of English history.

The nearby Fan Museum details the history of the fan and there are many fine exhibits. They also serve an excellent cream tea there.

Most of the Old Royal Naval College buildings are now part of the University of Greenwich. But you can still visit the Chapel and the awe-inspiring Painted Hall. The site has been used on a number of blockbuster movies, including Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

If you fancy taking things a bit easier then Greenwich Park is a joy to walk round. Besides housing many of the attractions, the 183-acre area is also home to a rose garden, tennis courts, a cricket pitch and a small herd of fallow and red deer. It’s also a great place to have a picnic or just relax.

You might also fancy a stroll along the Thames, go under it by using the Greenwich foot tunnel or take a river cruise. You can learn quite a lot about the sights, old and new.

There are also a number of eateries in Greenwich, which have river views.

Greenwich Market should also be on your itinerary. It’s a cosmopolitan affair with sights, sounds and smells from across the globe. There are some superb craft stalls here and you can grab a bite to eat at the mouth-watering food stalls.

If you stay for a few days as I did, then the four-star Mercure London Greenwich is an excellent hotel to be based at.

It’s classy, tasteful and modern but also exudes a homely feel. The en-suite bedrooms come with the latest technology, while acknowledging Greenwich’s glorious past and present.

There are huge prints of local views in the rooms and Greenwich’s royal connections from 1082 to the present day are inscribed on the bathrooms’ sliding doors.

The meals and service at the hotel, just 15 minutes from the tourist sites, are also of the highest order.

Travelling to and from Greenwich by public transport could not be easier. Take the train to Waterloo, then the underground to Greenwich.

Getaway

  • Rail tickets to Greenwich from Bournemouth start from £56.20 return. For more information visit nationalrail.co.uk
  • One night’s stay at Mercure London Greenwich starts from £99.
  • For more information visit mercure.com/gb/hotel
  • For more details about Greenwich’s museums visit rmg.co.uk
  • For more details about Greenwich visit visitgreenwich.org.uk