Words: Sophy Grimshaw

Greenwich Wheel
Move over London Eye; the Maritime Greenwich Observation Wheel is the newest addition to the capital’s skyline. Visitors can ride the wheel up to 55m for panoramic views of St Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London to the west and the new Olympics site in the east. It is hoped it will help maintain interest in the area – a Unesco World Heritage Site – while the famous Cutty Sark ship and Greenwich Pier are both closed for reconstruction. Prices are £7 per adult and £4.50 for children; a private gondola is £30 and a champagne gondola, £60, can be booked on request. Hurry though – 28 September will be the final day for a ride. Greenwich Foundation for the Old Royal Naval College, 2 Cutty Sark Gardens, London, +44 (0)20 8269 4747;
www.oldroyalnavalcollege.org

OLD FAVOURITE IN… ALMATY, KAZAKHSTAN

Zenkov Cathedral
Most cities are proud of their cathedral, but Zenkov Cathedral in Almaty really is something else. Entirely wooden, the vibrantly colourful 1904 landmark is one of the few Tsarist-era buildings to have survived the 1911 earthquake. Set in the lush Panfilov Park, the site of a memorial to a World War II battalion, it has been used as a museum, but was restored to a functioning religious building in 1990 and is open to visitors from 8am-7pm daily.
Zenkov Cathedral, Panfilov Park, Almaty