The View from The Shard

The View from The Shard is London laid out at your feet — the viewing galleries at the top of Western Europe’s tallest building, almost twice the height of any other viewpoint in the capital. High-speed lifts whisk you from ground level to Level 68 in about sixty seconds, and on a clear day the panorama stretches an astonishing 40 miles in every direction. If you loved the London Eye, this is the same city from more than twice the altitude.

The Viewing Galleries

The experience covers three levels near the top of Renzo Piano’s 310-metre glass spire. Levels 68 and 69 are enclosed galleries with floor-to-ceiling windows, interactive telescopes to help you pick out landmarks, and famously the loftiest loos in London — the toilets have full-height windows of their own. Then it’s up to Level 72, the open-air Skydeck, where the glass shards fall away above you and you can hear the hum of the city far below. Tickets are timed for arrival but once you’re up there you can stay as long as you like.

What You Can See

Everything, more or less. Tower Bridge and the Tower of London sit almost directly below; St Paul’s dome, the London Eye, Wembley’s arch and the Olympic Park are all easy to spot, and on the clearest days the view reaches out past the M25 to the North Downs. Sunset slots are the ones everybody wants — watching the city switch its lights on from 244 metres up is genuinely magical — so book those well ahead.

Visiting The View from The Shard

The Shard stands directly above London Bridge station (rail, Underground and buses), making it one of the easiest attractions in London to reach — and Borough Market is a two-minute walk for lunch afterwards. Book online in advance for the best prices; there’s a weather guarantee, so if visibility is truly dreadful on the day you can return free within three months. Airport-style security applies and large luggage isn’t allowed in. Afterwards, Tower Bridge is a short riverside stroll away.

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