16 of the best views in London

So where is the best view in London? The panorama over Canary Wharf, the City and the West End from atop Regent’s Park Primrose Hill is certainly one of the most popular London views. At 63 metres above sea level and with six different viewing points, on a cloudless day you can clearly pick out celebrated attractions including St Paul’s Cathedral, The London Eye and The Shard. Our recommendation is to visit at dusk, when you can watch the city lights glitter on the horizon as the sun goes down.

Regent’s Park, NW1 4NR. Chalk Farm tube station. Open 24 hours. Admission free.

With a visit to the royal Greenwich Park, you’ll be rewarded with fabulous views over London old and new. Climb Observatory Hill to look down over the 17th-century Queen’s House – said to be the model for the White House in Washington DC – and the National Maritime Museum, home of stellar naval art. The sublime symmetry of Sir Christopher Wren’s Old Royal Naval College is another star of this architectural extravaganza, and these legendary landmarks are all neatly framed by a contemporary backdrop of spindly skyscrapers on the Isle of Dogs.

SE10 8QY. Blackheath, Greenwich and Maze Hill railway stations, or river boat to Greenwich Pier. Open 6am–7pm Mar & Oct; 6am–8pm Apr & Sept; 6am–9pm May & Aug; 6am–9:30pm Jun–Jul; 6am–6pm Nov–Dec. Admission free.

Opened in late September 2023 on the 58th floor of the tallest building in the City, Horizon 22 is the highest free viewing platform in the whole of London. From this minimalist glass eyrie in the sky – 833 feet up – you can see the swirling meanders of the Thames as it wends past glittering high-rises on the Isle of Dogs, look down on the sprawling Google HQ ‘groundscraper’ at King’s Cross (it’s longer then The Shard is high), and even glimpse Windsor Castle, 25 miles to the west, on clear days. 

22 Bishopsgate, EC2N 4BQ. Bank, Liverpool Street, Moorgate or Monument tube stations. Open Mon–Fri 10am–6pm; Sat 10am–5pm; Sun 10am–4pm. Admission free but pre-booking required online.

Head to another royal park – this one at Richmond – and the looped walk through Pembroke Lodge Gardens to King Henry’s Mound for one of the best secret views in London – all the way to the stately dome of St Paul’s Cathedral. The highest point among lush parkland landscapes and framed by trees, this sightline is now protected by law, so nothing can ever be built to impede the distant panorama.

Surrey, TW10 5HS. Richmond tube or railway station. Open (roughly) 7am–7pm in summer; 7:30am–5:30pm in winter. Admission free.

To get up close to St Paul’s Cathedral after seeing it from a distance in Richmond Park, you’ll be greeted with awe-inspiring views of it from the breathtaking roof terrace at One New Change – and it’s open until midnight daily, so you can relish one of the best views in London at night. While Sir Christopher Wren’s exquisite church is centre stage here, you’ll also get to spot The Gherkin and The London Eye from your great rooftop perch.

New Change, EC4M 9AF. St Paul’s tube station. Open 6am–12am daily. Admission free.

For one of the best views in London from your car (even better from the top deck of a red London bus), Waterloo Bridge is hard to beat. Spanning a bend on the mighty River Thames, the bridge offers vistas to the east and west, taking in the much-loved silhouettes of the Palace of Westminster and Big Ben, the modernist Southbank Centre and the towers of the City, with Canary Wharf rising up on the horizon. Looking for a London family hotel? Novotel London Waterloo puts you within walking distance of all these attractions.

Lambeth, SE1 8TL. Waterloo tube station. Open 24 hours. Admission free.

When you’re staying in some of the best hotels in London, match your visit with equally unforgettable London views. The brainchild of sculptor Sir Anish Kapoor and artist Carsten Höller, the ArcelorMittal Orbit is certainly unforgettable. Standing 114.5 metres over the meadows and waterways of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, it’s part observation tower and part super-sized slide – one of the longest in the world. Immerse yourself in astounding views of 2012’s Olympic venues and The O2 arena before taking the plunge on the twisting, turning slide for a rollicking 40-second adrenaline ride back down to earth.

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, E20 2AD. Stratford tube station. Open Mon–Thur 12pm–5pm; Fri–Sun 10am–6pm. Admission Mon–Thur £15; Fri–Sun £20.

Care to see London from 90 metres above the River Thames? Take the 10-minute IFS Cloud Cable Car ‘flight’ across the river for a bird’s-eye view of St Paul’s Cathedral, the Royal Naval College on Greenwich Peninsula and the Thames Barrier. This is a spectacular experience any time of day, and particularly so at dusk, so if romance is in the air, don’t miss the leisurely round-trip back and forth over the water to see all the sights of the city as they light up after sunset.

IFS Greenwich Peninsula Terminal, Edmund Halley Way, SE10 0FR. North Greenwich tube station, or river boat to North Greenwich Pier.

IFS Cloud Royal Docks Terminal, 27 Western Gateway, E16 1FA. Docklands Light Railway to Royal Victoria. 
Open Mon–Thur 7am–9pm; Fri 7am–11pm; Sat 8am–11pm; Sun 9am–9pm. Admission round trip £12.

Booked a London hotel with a view of the London Eye? You’ll definitely be tempted to see the city laid out below this world-famous, rotating observation wheel. It’s best to buy e-tickets ahead for a ride in one of the glass bubbles, which lasts half an hour. On a clear day you can see right to Windsor Castle, more than 20 miles away, and even if visibility is not that perfect, you’ll have lots of fun picking out prominent landmarks including the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace and Tower Bridge. 

Westminster Bridge Road, SE1 7PB. Waterloo tube station. Open (roughly) Mon–Fri 11am–6pm; Sat–Sun 10am–8:30pm. Admission £30.50. Book in advance.

Chances are you’ve already seen Sir Christopher Wren’s superlative St Paul’s Cathedral appearing on the horizon at other best viewing points in London. While you’re visiting this lavish baroque church,  be sure to admire its ornate gilded cupola and divine art masterpieces – from Henry Moore sculptures to Antony Gormley installations – before clambering 528 steps up to the outdoor Golden Gallery right at the top of the dome. From there you’ll have outstanding panoramas over the River Thames, Tate Modern, The Shard and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre among numerous other famous attractions.

St Paul’s Churchyard, EC4M 8AD. St Paul’s tube station. Open Mon–Tue, Thur–Sat 8:30am–4:30pm (last entry 4pm); Wed 10am–4:30pm (last entry 4pm). Admission £20.50.

Designed by star-architect Sir Norman Foster and opened in 2000, the pedestrianised Millennium Bridge was initially something of a PR disaster. It wobbled. The bridge closed and was reopened – and stayed still this time – in 2002 and is now a much-loved addition to London’s cultural life. Currently a trending spot for Insta-worthy selfies, its futuristic metal spurs cross the Thames between the gleaming facade of St Paul’s Cathedral and the monumental riverside frontage of the Tate Modern, with views upriver to Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and Tower Bridge.

Thames Embankment, EC4V 3QH. Southwark or Blackfriars tube stations. Open 24 hours. Admission free. 

The best places to eat in London with a view include the National Portrait Gallery. Not only can you see fantastic artworks here completely for free, but you can then retreat to the luxury of Portrait Restaurant, overseen by Richard Corrigan, Michelin-starred Irish chef extraordinaire. Savour his Modern British cuisine and fine wines on the top floor of the gallery, while taking in skyline panoramas over Nelson’s Column to Big Ben in the distance. This is one of London’s most iconic views – and as a bonus dining is accompanied by ever-changing sculpture displays from the museum’s ground-breaking collection.

St Martin’s Place, WC2H 0HE. Charing Cross tube station. Open Mon–Thur 10:30am–6pm; Fri–Sat 10:30am–9pm. Admission free.

Enjoy a taste of the high life in the Iris Bar, 40 floors above London at the top of 30 St Mary Axe – known fondly to all as The Gherkin thanks to its (presumably inadvertent) resemblance to a vegetable. One of the best cocktail bars in London with a view, this is a sophisticated spot in which to sip on creative concoctions and chilled champagne with a chic crowd, while admiring unrivalled, 360-degree vistas of the sun setting over the Thames and the city lighting up as darkness falls. As you take in the views, remember to savor your drinks responsibly.

30 St Mary Axe, EC3A 8BF. Liverpool Street, Bank and Aldgate East tube stations. Reservations 0330 107 0816 or gherkinreception@searcys.co.uk.

For cracking views over the City, London’s buzzing financial heart, make for the Sky Garden on top of the so-called Walkie Talkie building. Here you can nestle down for rooftop dining or drinks among lush plantings and gaze over a London skyline incorporating The Monument, built in 1677 to commemorate the Great Fire of London, and Richard Rogers’ revolutionary Lloyds Building, as well as HMS Belfast on its Thames mooring and the BT (formerly Post Office) Tower, which dominated the city when constructed in 1965. Want to stay close to the City? Book the stylish Mondrian London Shoreditch.

1 Sky Garden Walk, EC3M 8AF. Monument tube station. Open Mon 10am–12am (last entry 11pm); Tue–Thur, Sun 8am–12am (last entry 11pm); Fri–Sat 8am–1am (last entry 12am). Buy tickets in advance.

Meeting up with pals for a casual weekend pint or two? For leisurely times with a backdrop of enthralling city panoramas, the (summer only) Phoenix Bar terrace at north London’s Alexandra Palace (a sports and concert venue affectionately dubbed ‘Ally Pally’ by locals) is one of the best beer gardens with London views. Soak up the alcohol with stone-fired pizzas – and Mediterranean-inspired pop-up food trucks at the weekend – as you drink in the fabulous views across leafy Victorian-era London to the glassy monoliths of Canary Wharf.

Alexandra Palace Way, N22 7AY. Alexandra Palace or Wood Green tube stations. Open Mon–Fri 11am–9pm; Sat–Sun 11am–1pm. Reservations phoenix.bar@alexandrapalace.com.

So where’s the best view in London? We’ve given you our favourite suggestions, and now it’s up to you to decide!