Sky Garden

The Sky Garden is the best free view in London. It occupies the top three floors of 20 Fenchurch Street, the City office tower nicknamed the Walkie-Talkie for its top-heavy shape, designed by Rafael Vinoly and opened in 2015. Inside its great glass roof, landscaped terraces of ferns, fig trees and Mediterranean and South African plants rise like a hillside toward the windows, and an open-air terrace on the south side lets you step outside, some one hundred and fifty metres up, with Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, the Shard and the river spread beneath you. Unlike most London viewpoints, the public garden is free; the catch is that you need a ticket, released online on a weekly basis up to about three weeks ahead, and popular slots, especially at weekends and around sunset, go quickly. Visits are timed, entry is via airport-style security, and you should carry photo identification. Once inside, you can stay as long as you like during public hours. The building also has bars, a brasserie and restaurants, and a booking at one of the restaurants, or simply buying a drink at the bar during public hours, is a good way to linger. The view is lower than the Shard's and the outlook is mostly through glass, but it is spectacular all the same, and the garden setting and the bar make it one of the most pleasant places in London to watch the light fade over the city. If the free slots are gone, keep checking for cancellations and new releases, or book a table at one of the restaurants, which typically includes garden access.

Booking is everything. Free public tickets are released each week for dates up to about three weeks ahead; set a reminder, choose your slot, and arrive on time, because entry is timed and security queues can form. Weekday mornings are the easiest to book and the quietest once inside; sunset slots at weekends are the hardest. If you miss out, a reservation at one of the building's restaurants or for breakfast generally includes access to the garden, which turns a free visit into a treat. Capacity is sometimes reduced, for example when a lift is out of service, so read any notices on the official site before you set out, and keep your confirmation handy.

What to expect at the top: a long, sloping garden under the glass, with paths that climb past the planting to viewing points; a bar and seating in the main space; and the open-air south terrace, which is the best spot for photographs of the Thames and the Shard. The views north and east take in the City towers, Canary Wharf and on clear days the hills beyond. It can be warm under the glass on sunny days and noisy when the bar is busy in the evening, so morning visits suit families best.

Sky Garden or the Shard? The Shard is much higher and a true panorama, but costs a significant amount per person. The Sky Garden is free, more relaxed and has the garden and bars, though it requires planning. On a budget, choose the Sky Garden; for a once-in-a-trip splurge, the Shard. Either way, the Sky Garden sits a short walk from the Tower of London and Monument stations, so it slots easily into a day in the City, perhaps after the Tower and before dinner across the river at Borough Market. It is also one of the few London viewpoints open into the evening on weekends, so a late slot followed by a drink at the bar makes an inexpensive and memorable night out.