London is a city full of beauty, from its grand historic buildings, to its iconic landmarks, to the River Thames winding through the city. With so much to take in and experience, visitors to the city will want to plan to go to some of the places where the views of London are most remarkable.
A good start can be at the London Eye, which you can easily visit as part of most local London tours. This giant structure looks like a ferris wheel, but instead of swinging seats, this wheel is equipped with sleek, clear pods that whisk visitors up to a towering height for a 360 degree view of the surrounding city. A full rotation lasts for about half an hour, so there is plenty of time for looking out over London and snapping photographs of the urban panorama below.
The viewing platform at The Shard is another must-see for those looking to get a birds-eye view. The highest platform in London, it takes up the top three floors of the building with windows on all sides. View-seekers will be able to see for 40 miles in any direction.
For a more relaxed, passive sight-seeing stop, The Shard also has 3 world-class restaurants on its 31st, 32nd and 33rd floors. Floor-to-ceiling windows afford a spectacular backdrop view of London. A stop here for dinner would be perfect for watching the nighttime cityscape.
Those who want an unrestricted, open-air view of the city should visit the Sky Bar at Heron Tower. With open terraces and outdoor seating, visitors can sit back with a drink while enjoying the fresh air and overlooking Bishopsgate.
Not all of the best views of London require a person to be up high though. One of the most iconic views can be seen from the pavement beside Westminster Bridge. From this point, looking across the River Thames, there is a fantastic view of the Houses of Parliament. In the background, Big Ben stands tall. This is the perfect place to take a photograph of a part of history.
A visit to St. Paul’s Cathedral provides guests with two fantastic viewpoints. While visitors can trek to the top of the Cathedral for an picturesque overlook of London, the interior of the Cathedral is captivating with its rich architecture and history.
Riding the Emirates Air Line is a perfect way to cover a lot of London while just sitting back and relaxing. The cable car ride spans from Greenwich to the Royal Victoria Docks. With a constantly changing view as the cable car moves through the air, there are plenty of great photos to be had as well.
During a visit to London, taking in all of the sights, culture and experiences at once is impossible, but from these viewpoints, a visitor can certainly get a spectacular taste of this city.
Written by Thomas Edwards. Thomas has been an international traveller since the early ‘80s. He has travelled across Europe, the USA and as far afield as Thailand, Hong Kong and China. He has written as a business, individual and family traveller and a language or two has given him the opportunity to engage with locals in most places he visits.
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