When you visit any big
city, one of the best ways to get a great view and feel for the place you are
in is to view it from above and London
is no different in this regard. Not only
can you experience a panoramic view of some of the city’s best landmarks but if
you get your timing right then you can also capture some stunning images of the
skyline as the sun sets.
Sky Garden
Set 155 metres above
the city, the Sky Garden is one of the best free options when it comes
to getting to experience panoramic views over the London.
The Sky Garden
itself is quite a unique space in that it consists of London’s highest landscaped public
gardens. Access to the Sky Garden
is by prebooked ticket only, which can be done on the Sky Garden
website. The tickets are free but space
is strictly limited and each ticket allows you one hour to explore the Sky Garden
at your leisure. The glass dome and
observation deck offer a 360 degree panoramic view across the city’s skyline
which is just simply breathtaking. Visible
landmarks include St Paul’s Cathedral, Tower Bridge
and the Shard. If you wanted the view
but didn’t think to book ahead, the Sky
Garden is also home to
two restaurants and a bar if you wanted to enjoy a meal or some drinks whilst
looking out over the city.
The Shard
The Shard stands at
306 meters making it not just the tallest building in London
but also one of the tallest in the whole if Europe. Such height also means it is one of the best
places to get a bird’s eye view of the city, but you do have to pay for the
privilege. Landmarks and attractions
which can be viewed from this dizzying height include the London Eye, Tower Bridge
and the Gherkin. The Shard is almost
twice as high as any other viewing platform in London so if you want your view to be one of
the best then it may be worth considering paying the high entrance price. One of the best things about booking tickets
for The Shard is that they also offer a guarantee; if the weather isn’t clear
and you can’t see at least three of the landmarks on their list, you can return
for free. So if the weather is cloudy
you needn’t worry about having wasted your money and not getting anything in
return.
The London Eye
Another paid for
attraction, you might consider that the view which comes with the experience of
travelling on the London Eye is just a pleasant addition to an attraction you
might already have considered visiting.
Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, the River Thames and even Buckingham Palace are all visible from your London
Eye pod once you have reached the top of the wheel’s rotation. Although the London Eye offers a great
opportunity to see some of the best landmarks in the city, one of the downsides
is that if the weather is bad, visibility can be very poor so we would perhaps
suggest an alternative if you are only after a great panoramic view of the
skyline. An advantage of using the
London Eye is that it is easily accessible from any central London accommodation including the Executive Rooms London Kensington.
The Monument
Constructed by Sir
Christopher Wren following the Great Fire of London in 1666, The Monument is
quite a remarkable landmark. It is often
overlooked by first time visitors to the city in favour of more popular and
well known structures but actually, it provides an excellent way to see some of
London’s greatest landmarks including the Tower of London and the Gherkin. It isn’t free to enter, and you do need to be
able to climb the 311 steps which take you to the top but once you do the view
is certainly worth the £4 entry charge.
It is also centrally located offering guests at the Park Grand London Hyde Park the perfect option for a great view
over the city of London.
Parliament Hill
Not everyone has the
funds to cover the cost of entry to attractions like The Shard or the London
Eye and if you fall into this category but you still want to have the
opportunity to see the city’s skyline then you need to head for Parliament
Hill. Located in Hampstead Heath,
Parliament Hill is ‘the’ go-to place for many of the areas well known
inhabitants but it is also a wonderful place from which to appreciate a view of
the city. Landmarks such as St Paul’s Cathedral, The Shard and Canary Wharf
can all be seen from this vantage point on a clear day and the surrounding
rolling fields and open green spaces will surely be enough to lift anyone’s
spirits. Looking down on the city you
would be forgiven for thinking it was a whole other world away and not just a
short tube ride.
Emirates Air Line Cable Car
Transport across the
River Thames and a stunning view are
up for grabs if you choose to travel via the Emirates Air Line Cable Car. The views offered here are slightly different
from those provided by the more central viewing platforms but you can see the
O2 arena, Canary Wharf and Greenwich to name but a few. Travelling by cable car is a great option on
a number of levels; it offers a unique way to travel from one side of the River
Thames to the other, it provides you with a dynamic bird’s eye view of some of
the greatest landmarks in the city and it is cheaper than some of the other
viewing platforms available in the city as well.
However you choose to
see the skyline in London,
next time you are in the city we would definitely recommend making the effort
to visit at least one of these fantastic options.
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