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Travel bucket list idea:

Last updated: 10 March, 2024
Expert travel writer: Sarah Barrell

Towering 800 feet above ground level, the View from the Shard offers London’s most sky-scraping views. Step out onto the 72nd storey and feel the wind in your hair on the open-air Skydeck, with 360° bird’s eye views of London that reach for 40 miles. The viewing gallery on level 69 keeps the panorama behind glass but Renzo Piano’s daring design means views, from inside and out, remain just as impressive.

At almost twice the height of any other viewing platform in London, The View is by far the capital’s most vertiginous vantage point. It’s also home to London’s highest Champagne bar and special events that have included silent discos, yoga classes and concerts.

Logistics

Price from: £25
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 8+
When: All year around

Getting there & doing it

The Shard is just few minutes’ walk from London Bridge Underground Station (Northern and Jubilee lines) and London Bridge Station (Southern and South Eastern trains).

Tickets must be pre-booked, with a 15-minute grace period from the time printed on your ticket. Late arrivals beyond this time may incur re-booking fees. Some tickets allow re-booking if visibility is not good during your visit.

The View From The Shard has a full-service bar but no restaurant. There is no direct access to the viewing platforms from The Shard’s various restaurants, hotel, and cocktail bars.

When to do it

It’s open all year round, Wednesday to Sunday, usually from lunchtime until late. Closed Monday and Tuesday.

One Saturday a month, Weekend Warmup delivers a daytime DJ session with champagne, cocktails and those heady views. Other special events include the monthly Time Out London Silent Disco, and piano concerts.

Destination guides

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Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

London

Greater London, United Kingdom (UK)

view of houses of parliament at night

World-class culture, fashion, music, food and history – and a mind-boggling array of bucket list experiences – packed into one extraordinary, incomparable destination.