Where can one go to look down at the City? Here are some possibilities in literally ascending order.
MONUMENT TO THE GREAT FIRE
Fish St Hill, EC3R 8AH
202′ high, 360 degreee view.
Tickets are £6, can be had on the day or in advance.
themonument.org.uk/plan/buy-tickets
There may a bit of a wait as only so many people are allowed up at once. Access to the top is via a narrow spiral staircase which may not suit everybody.
Cannon Street and London Bridge BR stations are 10 minutes walk away. Monument Underground (Circle, District and Northern lines) is right by the Monument.
GARDEN AT 120
120 Fenchurch Street, EC3M 5BA
226′ high. Has a 360 degree view. Not as high as Sky Garden (see below) but this can mean things are clearer as they are easier to see. Great view of Docklands as well as the City.
Entry is free and there is rarely a queue.
Fenchurch Street BR stations is 5 minutes walk away. Monument Underground (Circle, District and Northern lines), 10 minutes. Bank Underground (Central, DLR, Waterloo and City), 15 minutes.
SKY GARDEN
20 Fenchurch Street/Philpot Lane, EC3M 8AF
Atop the 525′ high ‘Walkie-Talkie’, the City’s most popular viewpoint.
Tickets are free but one often needs to book to avoid long queues
Cannon Street and London Bridge BR stations are 10 minutes walk away. Monument Underground (Circle, District and Northern lines) , 5 minutes.
22 BISHOPSGATE (HORIZON 22)
22 Bishopsgate, EC3V 4QT
912′ high, the City’s tallest building. Great views East, South and West. Also look down on Tower 42, previously the NatWest tower, to see the Natwest logo on the top.
Tickets are free but must be booked. There is a limit on the size of bags that may be taken so check the website.
Cannon Street, Liverpool Street and London Bridge BR stations are 10-15 minutes walk away. Monument Underground (Circle, District and Northern lines), 10 minutes. Bank Underground (Central, DLR, Waterloo and City), 10 minutes.