The 11 Best London Observation Points

Is there anything better than a Spring day in London?  London really looks at it’s best with a blue sky and the sun shining off its many iconic buildings, it just makes me want to get somewhere high and take it all in.  If you are looking for the best place to get that iconic view of the London skyline, here are a few of my favourite places to go to find the best London Observation Points:

Best Free Options

Primrose Hill

The iconic Primrose Hill has a view to die for, there’s a reson it’s one of the most famous London Observation Points!  Whenever the sun comes out this place is full of Londoners grabbing one of the best sights of the city as it gives you views of almost all of London’s famous icons.  Not only that but Primrose Hill is right next to Regents Park, London Zoo and Camden so it’s a great place to spend a day.  If you are looking for a full guide to the area check out my Primrose Hill and Regents Park Instawalk.

Nearest tube: Chalk Farm (Northern Line)

Expect to see: All of the city’s main landmarks, although from a distance.  

Wheelchair accessible? Yes but be aware the path up the hill is very steep.

Are there toilets/accessible toilets on site? Yes

Book a ticket: Not needed

Sky Garden

This new addition to London Observation Points is a great location if you don’t want to rely on the British weather to be on your side.  Sky Garden is the name of the glass dome on top of 20 Fenchurch street so you get a great view whilst being undercover and unlike other indoor viewpoints like The Shard it is free to visit.  Do bear in mind however that you need to get tickets in advance and they go fast!  There is a restaurant and bar inside so if you can’t get hold of a ticket for free entry then booking a table in the restaurant will ensure you get inside and what an amazing view to have while you eat!

Nearest tube: Monument (Circle and District line) and is connected to Bank underground station (Central, Northern, Waterloo & City, DLR))

Expect to see: City buildings (The Shard, Gherkin etc), London Bridge, Tower Bridge and more

Wheelchair accessible? Yes

Are there toilets/accessible toilets on site? Yes

Book a ticket: Book your ticket on the Sky Garden website, tickets are released throughout the month

Greenwich Park

Greenwich Park is a beautiful place to see the city and there’s so much to see and do here that it makes a great day trip at this London Observation Points.  As well as an amazing view of the financial buildings (known locally as ‘the city’, think of The Shard, The Gherkin etc) and the O2 Arena you can tie your walk in the park with visits to The Royal Observatory, the meridian line and The National Maritime Museum as well as hunting out the local wildlife and beautiful gardens which are all contained within the park.  If you want to spend more time in Greenwich make sure you don’t miss the Cutty Sark and Old Royal Naval College for a true taste of the area.

Nearest tube: Greenwich (DLR

Expect to see: City buildings (The Shard, Gherkin etc), the 02 Arena

Wheelchair accessible? Yes there is a wheelchair accessible path up to the peak but be aware it is steep in places

Are there toilets/accessible toilets on site? Yes

Book a ticket: Not needed

Parliament Hill, Hampstead Heath

Hampstead Heath is one of the highest points in London so you can see most all of the city from here.  If you are looking for a perfect photograph then you actually might be too far away for that unless you’ve got a great zoom but if you want to take in as much of London as possible then this is the place to be.  This area of green land is huge which makes it a fantastic place find your own quiet corner and relax in.

Nearest tube: Due to its size there are various tubes depending on which part of the Heath you want to visit.  These include Hampstead Heath (Northern, Overground), Golders Green (Northern), Kentish Town (Northern) and Gospel Oak (Overground).  Take a look at the website for more information and maps.

Expect to see: Most of London from a distance

Wheelchair accessible? Yes although some trails are steep, check the Hampstead Heath map to find the best entrance for you.

Are there toilets/accessible toilets on site? Many throughout the park

Book a ticket: Not needed

The Tate Modern

The recent expansion of the Tate Modern on the Southbank now includes a viewing platform from the top of its new building, and it’ a vitually unknown London Observation Points.  Entry into the gallery is free so head inside, find the lifts in building three and head to the top.  You will be greeted by a stunning view of St Paul’s Cathedral which is straight across the river as well as Big Ben and the London Eye.  Make sure you explore some of the exhibits while you are in here too, there are some amazing pieces on display for the art lovers and sceptics alike.

Nearest tube: Southwark (Jubilee)

Expect to see: St Pauls, Big Ben, The London Eye, Millennium Bridge and more

Wheelchair accessible? Yes

Are there toilets/accessible toilets on site? Yes

Book a ticket: Not needed

Views with a cost

The Gherkin

The Gherkin is the nickname Londoners have given this building due to its shape which is technically called 80 St Mary’s Axe (a pretty dull name in comparison!).  There isn’t a public viewing gallery here but if you book a seat in the restaurant or bar you’ll be greeted with a fantastic sky-high view of the city from inside one of its own most famous buildings, it’s particularly great at sunset.  It is free to enter but if you are booking a table at the bar you will understandably be expected to order a drink, you will also need to go through airport-like security and bring ID matching your booking to enter the venue.  Check out my visit to the bar last summer to check out those incredible views or check out more amazing london restaurants with views if you like to eat while you admire your surroundings

Nearest tube: Kings Cross/ St Pancras (Circle, Hammersmith & City, Northern, Metropolitan, Piccadilly, Victoria)

Expect to see: Tower Bridge, various city buildings (The Shard etc)

Wheelchair accessible? Yes

Are there toilets/accessible toilets on site? Yes

Book a ticket: Searcy’s at The Gherkin

The Monument

If you are into history like me and don’t mind a bit of cardio then The Monument is a great place to visit.  One of the oldest of London Observation Points The Monument is located close to where The Great Fire of London first began in 1666 and was built to commemorate the disaster.  It does involve climbing 311 steps and has a ticket price of £4.50 to climb but you do get a certificate to commemorate the feat which makes for a great souvenir.  The Monument was designed by Christopher Wren and Robert Hooke and it’s height corresponds to its distance from the bakery in which the Great Fire of London began.  It has some beautiful sculptures at the base which are worth a look even if you choose not to climb.

Nearest tube: Monument (Circle and District)

Expect to see: Tower Bridge, The Shard and more

Wheelchair accessible? No

Are there toilets/accessible toilets on site? No

Book a ticket: Tickets cannot be paid for in advance and must be paid in cash.  The price is £4.50 per adult

Emirates Air Line Cablecar

A recent addition to the London skyline is the Emirates Air Line. a cable car that runs from the Emirates Greenwich Peninsula to the Emirates Royal Docs and provides a great view of the O2 Arena as well as the east side of the city.  Primarily it’s a transport option so you can use your Oyster card and the same payment methods as you can on the London Underground but this 10 minute trip isn’t worth going out of your way for if you are not already in the area.  You do get a good view of the O2 Arena but not much else of note, but it’s a fun experience nonetheless.  As well as the base cost there are many ticket combinations with other attractions that can be found on the TFL website including prices for special journeys such as private champagne trips.

Nearest tube: North Greenwich (Jubilee) on one side, Royal Victoria (DLR) on the other.

Expect to see: Canary Wharf, The O2 Arena, Cutty Sark

Wheelchair accessible? Yes

Are there toilets/accessible toilets on site? No

Book a ticket: Tickets cost £4.50 without a travelcard or £3.50 with an Oyster card, pre-booking isn’t necessary.  

London Eye 

The London Eye was originally built to celebrate the millennium and was only supposed to stick around for a year, but it proved so popular it never left!  It’s now a permanent part of the London skyline and its location on the Southbank makes it a great place to see London from within its centre.  It takes around 30 minutes to complete your journey and the movement is so smooth it makes for a relaxing journey.

Nearest tube: Waterloo (Jubilee, Bakerloo, Northern)

Expect to see: Big Ben, St Pauls, The Shard and more

Wheelchair accessible? Yes

Are there toilets/accessible toilets on site? Not in the capsule but there are some in the booking office

Book a ticket: Standard tickets are £30, many ticket options and combinations available on the London Eye website

Up at The O2

The iconic O2 Arena opened up its unique roof for what they describe as ‘Urban Mountaineering’ a few years ago so you can get an amazing view and a thrilling experience all at once.  I tried this for the first time a few months ago and I had such a blast!  Like the Cable Car you don’t get to view many of the really iconic London buildings from here but it makes up for this in its unique experience of climbing over the roof of such an icon.  It’s definatly one of the most unusual London Observation Points.  Check out my blog post here to see more examples of what kind of views you can find, what the experience consists of and to learn a handy tip on the best time to visit!

Nearest tube: North Greenwich (Jubilee)

Expect to see: Greenwich, Canary Wharf

Wheelchair accessible? Yes, they run climb’s especially for wheelchair users, click here for more information.

Are there toilets/accessible toilets on site? Yes

Book a ticket: Tickets start from £30 and can be booked from the Up at the O2 website, pre-booking is recommended and all equipment is included.  

The View From The Shard

Likly the most famous and also expensive London Observation Points on our list at £32 a ticket The View From The Shard provides a great view of the city from 72 floors up and has a fully stocked bar to help you enjoy your visit.  They also have a ‘London Landmark Guarantee’, if you can’t see at least 3 from their list of Landmarks due to clouds you can return for free, a great guarantee in this city where you never know what the weather will do next!  Visit The View From The Shard website for more information.

Nearest tube: London Bridge (Northern and Jubilee)

Expect to see: Most of London’s famous sites

Wheelchair accessible? Yes

Are there toilets/accessible toilets on site? Yes

Book a ticket: Tickets start from £32 for a standard ticket (£24 if booked in advance from the website).

Saint Paul’s Cathedral

This is likely not the first place people think of for a viewing deck option but Saint Paul Cathedral has an amazing view of this city and a truly stunning interior.  Head upstairs to the Whispering Gallery, famous for its amazing acoustics that allows you to hear someone whispering from the other side of the room, for a great interior view of the Cathedral.  Then head outside and keep climbing for an incredible view of the city.

Entry to the cathedral includes an audio guide of the interior of the building which is a must for its amazing history and artwork.   You need to be fairly fit as there are a lot of steps and I wouldn’t recommend it if you are scared of heights, but if you want more than just a view this has a lot to offer.  You can easily spend a half day here, and don’t forget to explore the catacombs below!

Nearest tube: St Paul’s (Central)

Expect to see: London’s City buildings (The Shard, The Gherkin etc), Tate Modern, London Eye and more

Wheelchair accessible? No

Are there toilets/accessible toilets on site? Yes but only on the lower floor (accessible via a lift)

Book a ticket: Tickets start from £17 and can be booked through the St Paul’s Website

Find all the locations of these vantage points here:

Have you visited any of the best London Observation Points?  Which do you recommend?