Daily Travel Fix

Best Viewpoints & Panoramas in London

London is a city best seen from above as well as at street level. The places below are a mix of rooftop gardens, bridge walkways and gallery terraces spread across the City, Bankside and the Bishopsgate and Leadenhall Street area, so you can take in the skyline from several different angles without travelling far between them.

Many of the higher viewpoints cluster around the City of London, where a run of new towers on and around Fenchurch Street, Bishopsgate and Leadenhall Street offers public access at height. Across the river, Switch House gives a view from its outdoor gallery at the Bankside end of the South Bank, while Tower Bridge offers a different kind of vantage point, looking along the Thames itself.

1. Sky Garden

Sky Garden sits at 20 Fenchurch Street, EC3M 3BY. It is open Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 18:00, and on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 11:00 to 21:00. Entry is free, though tickets must be booked online, released weekly up to three weeks ahead of your visit. The viewpoint is step-free and accessible to all, and the venue's website is skygarden.london.

2. The Garden at 120

The Garden at 120 is at 120 Fenchurch Street, EC3M 5BA, and is step-free. It is a short walk from the Sky Garden, so the two can be visited on the same trip.

3. Switch House

Switch House is in Bankside, and its viewing gallery is on the outside of the building. Lifts and stairs inside the building link the levels, and the bar and toilets are on the gallery level. The gallery is wheelchair accessible.

4. Horizon 22

Horizon 22 is at 22 Bishopsgate. Entry is free, but pre-booking is required. It is step-free, and more details are on the website at horizon22.co.uk.

5. Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge is the crossing over the Thames, and the walkways give views up and down the river. It is wheelchair accessible.

6. The Lookout

The Lookout is at 8 Bishopsgate. Entry is free, and pre-booking is required. Further information is available at 8bishopsgate.com/lookout.

7. Terrace (One Leadenhall)

Terrace is at One Leadenhall, 1 Leadenhall Street, in the City.

8. Soham's Spot

Soham's Spot is included as a London viewpoint, but no further details have been verified for it.

Planning your visit

Several of these viewpoints are free but need booking in advance, so check each entry's website before you travel: Sky Garden releases tickets weekly, and Horizon 22 and The Lookout both require pre-booking. Opening hours are only listed for the Sky Garden, so confirm times for the others directly. Most of the City viewpoints are close to one another around Fenchurch Street, Bishopsgate and Leadenhall Street, which makes them easy to combine in one afternoon.

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