A view from the top – 5 great places to see London from Above
Still one of London’s best kept secrets, the Sky Garden sits atop of the famous ‘Walkie talkie’ skyscraper. It is completely free for visitors and must be pre-booked in advance, and is a worthwhile visit during your trip. Inside you’ll find a beautiful landscaped garden with exotic plants and trees, so regardless of whether you’re looking at the streets of London or exploring the shrubberies, you’ll see some wonderful sights.
The highest view in London, and no doubt the most recognisable, the Shard has two viewing galleries in the tallest skyscraper in the European Union. Its 360o view is incredible for photographers and visitors alike. It’s also situated close to some great London landmarks, like Borough Market and Shakespeare’s Globe, so you won’t struggle to find things afterwards.
Originally a temporary feature, the London eye soon became a hit and was established as a fixed part of London’s vibrant Southbank. Standard rotations are 30 minutes long, although there are several other packages to choose from. We’d recommend getting a flexi-fast track ticket for your day of touring so that you can easily fit it in with your sightseeing plans. Views from the Eye included Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament.
A little lesser known site, and not to be confused with its Anglican neighbour Westminster Abbey, the Cathedral has a bell tower accessed by a small lift from within the Cathedral gift shop. Unlike the other sites in our list, the viewing platforms in the bell tower are in the open air, so not for the faint hearted! Those who visit the tower are rewarded with spectacular views of London, with Buckingham Palace and Battersea power station.
Manned by very cheerful and friendly staff, you can see some of London’s famous tall buildings, like the Shard and the BT Tower situated amongst the rooftops of London. We also hear on good authority that it’s a great place to book in your private sightseeing tour of London!