And for just as long, it's been the playpen of the super rich anxious to move about in style, says Robert Blyth, the curator of the National Maritime Museum .

"Historically, kings and queens would have traveled by river — the roads were rather uncomfortable and dangerous," he said. "It's a long time since we had a traffic jam on the Thames."

The Olympic Park in east London's Stratford neighborhood isn't actually directly on the river, but it is close. Some venues though, touch the river, including the equestrian venue at Greenwich Park.

London is set to become the alternative destination for the super yacht — the floating palaces that are deluxe hotels with staffs versed in perfect service, owned by people seeking someplace more novel than Cannes, St. Tropez or Monaco.

"They want a change from the milk run," said Benjamin Sutton, the director of communications for MGMT Yachts and Concierge. "It's the Olympics. Our river runs through the city and all the Olympic sites ... You can go to the south of France anytime!"

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