The View from The Shard

About The View from The Shard

The View from The Shard sits near the top of the tallest building in the United Kingdom, a glass-clad tower designed by Renzo Piano that rises beside London Bridge station on the south bank of the Thames. The viewing galleries occupy some of the highest floors, well above the level most London rooftops reach, so on a clear day the sightlines stretch for miles across the city and out toward the surrounding countryside. Landmarks like Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, St Paul's Cathedral and the meandering line of the river lay out below you, which makes it one of the easier ways to get your bearings on London's geography.

The experience is split across two main levels. The lower gallery is fully enclosed with floor-to-ceiling glass, while the upper gallery is partly open to the air, so you feel the wind and hear the city from height. Digital telescopes dotted around the floors help you pick out specific buildings and show the same view in different weather and times of day. Because the whole point is the view, it's worth keeping an eye on the forecast before you book, since low cloud can sit at this altitude and cut visibility short. Many people time their visit for late afternoon so they catch both daylight and the city lighting up after dark.

Getting there is straightforward. London Bridge station sits directly below the tower and is served by both the Underground and national rail, so you can arrive almost at the entrance without walking far. Entry requires a timed ticket, and slots do sell out at popular times such as sunset and weekends, so booking ahead is sensible. A visit usually takes around an hour to ninety minutes depending on how long you linger, and the area around London Bridge, Borough Market and the riverside walk pairs well with it if you're making an afternoon of it.