20 Spectacular London Views (and How to Find Them)

With the mighty Thames winding through its heart and iconic buildings popping up in every direction, London is a fine-looking city. But it’s also a relatively flat one in terms of terrain, so it’s not always easy knowing where to get a capital view of the capital.

The spectacular views listed below all offer unique vistas, some from within the center of the city, others from the various parks and green spaces that surround it. Most are free, but where there’s a charge, it’s definitely worth it.

1. Parliament Hill

Crowning handsome Hampstead Heath in North London, Parliament Hill presents sweeping views of the city and is a popular spot for summer picnics. If you want to cool off, Hampstead Heath Ponds – one of London's best places to swim – are nearby.

Climb this 98m hill for soaring views over London. Spot the Palace of Westminster in the distance. It’s rumored that Guy Fawkes and Robert Catesby, who planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament on November 5, 1605, were going to watch it fall from this very spot. Ironically, it’s become a popular spot to watch London’s fireworks on the same night, celebrating the failed conspiracy.

• Get there: A 5–10-minute walk from Gospel Oak Overground station

• Cost: Free

• More info: Hampstead Heath

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2. Monument

Erected in 1671 to commemorate the Great Fire of London, which had decimated the surrounding area a few years earlier, Christopher Wren’s 60m-high column today provides an interesting perspective on London, its once unparalleled height having been superseded by most buildings around it. The spiral staircase to the top has 311 steps – a certificate is your reward (as well as the views).

• Get there: It's next to Monument Tube station

• Cost: £7 adult, £3.50 child

• More info: Monument

3. The Garden at 120

London’s largest garden roof terrace sits in the heart of the financial district. Lower than many surrounding skyscrapers, its 15th-floor location is still plenty high enough to offer good views of Tower Bridge, the Tower of London and St Paul’s Cathedral. Visitors go through airport-style security screening on arrival.

• Get there: A 5–10-minute walk from either Monument or Bank Tube stations

• Cost: Free

• More info: The Garden at 120

4. The Dome at St Paul’s Cathedral

An entire day could be spent exploring Christopher Wren’s masterpiece without leaving ground level, but if you want to combine your visit with a spectacular vantage point over the capital, make your way to the dome. The walkway around its base, accessed via 257 steps from a staircase on the western side of the southern transept, is called the Whispering Gallery. A further 119 steps bring you to the exterior Stone Gallery, your first taste of the city vistas, and 152 iron steps more bring you to the Golden Gallery at the very top, with unforgettable views of London.

• Get there: A short walk from St Paul’s Tube station

• Cost: Dome included in general admission fee (adult/child £27/10.50)

• More info: St Paul’s Cathedral

5. London Cable Car

This cable car makes quick work of the journey from the Greenwich Peninsula to the Royal Docks. Although it’s mostly patronized by tourists for the views over the river – and the views are good – it’s also a listed part of the transport network, meaning you can pay with your contactless card or Oyster Card.

The cable car can ferry 2400 people per hour across the Thames in either direction. It's sometimes closed in high wind, so check online ahead of travel.

• Get there: A 5–10-minute walk from North Greenwich Tube station

• Cost: One-way adult/child from £7/3.50

• More info: London Cable Car

6. Sky Garden

London’s highest public garden is an impressive venue, with three levels of landscaped greenery, an open-air terrace, restaurants and bars, and great views of the City from its 35th-floor location at the top of the Walkie Talkie skyscraper (officially 20 Fenchurch St).

Entry is free but must be booked online. Tickets for a whole week are released every Monday morning, three weeks ahead and go quickly, though free walk-ins are also accepted daily during public opening hours, subject to space at the door.

• Get there: A short walk from Monument Tube station

• Cost: Free but advance online booking is required

• More info: Sky Garden

7. London Eye

A rotation on the London Eye is about the most "touristy" thing you can do in London, but as the old saying goes, it’s popular for a reason. London and the Thames are laid out before you, with particularly fine views of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, as you gently take a turn in one of the glass capsules, reaching 135m at the highest point.

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• Get there: A 5–10-minute walk from either Waterloo or Westminster Tube stations

• Cost: Book online in advance for the best prices and expect to pay from £29 adult, £26 child

• More info: London Eye

8. ArcelorMittal Orbit

A striking legacy from the 2012 London Olympic Games, the ArcelorMittal Orbit in East London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is the largest sculpture in the UK and has a top that doubles as a 360-degree viewing platform. Perhaps the best part, though, is that you can whoosh down to the bottom via the world’s highest and longest tunnel slide.

Descend 4m (via a caged external staircase) from the platform for more vistas, interpretative screens and an outside section. From here, you can opt to skip down 455 steps to the ground (accompanied by soundscapes of London) or hop back in the lift. Alternatively, weave your way down on the superb 178m-long tunnel slide (worth the extra money), which takes 40 seconds to get you back down.

• Get there: A 10–15-minute walk from Stratford Tube station

• Cost: From £20; riders must be over 1.3m in height

• More info: ArcelorMittal Orbit

9. King Henry’s Mound

On the western edge of Richmond Park, King Henry’s Mound presents a direct (and protected-by-law) view of St Paul’s Cathedral, over 16km away to the northeast. You should be able to see the great white dome shimmering on the horizon on a clear day, but there’s a telescope on the mound to assist if you need it.

• Get there: Take a 30-minute walk from Richmond Tube/train station

• Cost: Free

• More info: Richmond Park

10. The Shard

Piercing the sky at a height of more than 300m, The Shard, Western Europe’s tallest building, unsurprisingly offers rather decent views of the UK capital. Try to time your visit with sunset, if you can, to see the day-to-night changes in the city's character.

Standard tickets come with a view guarantee, meaning you are able to return for free if you can't see at least three of five major landmarks due to low visibility. To take in the view for less, visit one of the building’s restaurants or bars; you’ll pay half the viewing-platform ticket price for a cocktail at Aqua Shard on the 31st floor, where the views are still spectacular.

• Get there: London Bridge Tube/train station

• Cost: From £28 adult, £10 child

• More info: The Shard

11. One New Change

The rooftop terrace of the One New Change building, open all day every day, offers spectacular, close-up views of St Paul’s Cathedral and the surrounding area. Enjoy the view with a cold beer or cocktail from the onsite bar.

• Get there: A short walk from St Paul’s Tube station

• Cost: Free to get in, beer from £7, cocktails from £15

• More info: One New Change

12. Greenwich Hill

One of the loveliest views of London can be found on Greenwich Hill, next to the Royal Observatory in Greenwich Park, right beside the Prime Meridian where east and west meet. Look out for the Queen’s House at the foot of the hill (Britain’s first neoclassical building) and beyond to the Thames and the rest of the city.

Part designed by André Le Nôtre, the landscape architect behind the palace gardens of Versailles, it’s bisected by the Meridian Line (latitude 0), which divides the world into eastern and western hemispheres, and where all other places in the world are navigated from.

• Get there: A 10-minute walk from Cutty Sark (for Maritime Greenwich) DLR or 15 minutes from Greenwich train station

• Cost: Free

• More info: Greenwich Park

13. Level 10 at Tate Modern

Sublime city views can be enjoyed from the 10th-floor Viewing Level of the Blavatnik Building, and there are views of the River Thames and St Paul’s Cathedral from the 6th-floor cafe in the Natalie Bell Building.

The platform welcomes visitors daily from 10am to 5pm, and the best views are toward St Paul’s to the north. "No photography" signs are on the side facing the residential buildings – please respect the residents' privacy.

• Get there: A 10-minute walk from Southwark Tube station

• Cost: Free

• More info: Tate Modern

14. Millennium Bridge

Whichever way you walk over this beautiful, elegant Thames bridge, you’ll be treated to excellent views: south, the enormous Tate Modern looms; north, St Paul’s Cathedral. The low-slung frame designed by Sir Norman Foster and Anthony Caro looks spectacular, particularly when lit up at night, and the view of St Paul’s from South Bank has become one of London’s iconic images.

• Get there: It's a short walk from either Mansion House or St Paul’s Tube stations

• Cost: Free

• More info: Millennium Bridge

15. Waterloo Bridge

Unlike the Millennium Bridge, Waterloo Bridge isn’t much to look at itself, but the views from it on both sides are outstanding. Looking west, the Thames arcs past the London Eye and the Houses of Parliament; east, it meanders off toward St Paul’s Cathedral and the steel and glass skyscrapers of The City beyond.

• Get there: It's a short walk from either Temple, Embankment or Waterloo Tube stations

• Cost: Free

16. The Point

This tiny park with superlative views is like a local secret that sees few visitors, despite being just a short walk from Greenwich Park and its more famous hill. Bring a picnic, enjoy the solitude and keep the secret to yourself.

• Get there: A 15-minute walk from Greenwich DLR/train station

• Cost: Free

17. Alexandra Palace

Located in North London, Alexandra Palace – or "Ally Pally" as the locals call it – is a huge entertainment and sports venue, with great views of the city skyline from its hilltop location. Built in 1873, high on a hill in a 220-acre park with panoramic views of London. Strangely, Alexandra Palace has had its own fateful history with fire, burning down twice – just two weeks after opening and a second time in 1980.

• Get there: A 15–20-minute walk from Alexandra Palace train station

• Cost: Free

18. Primrose Hill

Just north of Regent’s Park, Primrose Hill offers a view of the capital that sweeps down to London Zoo and Regent’s Park and then widens out to take in most of the rest of the city.

This is one of the city’s six protected viewpoints, where trees are pruned so as not to obstruct the panorama. An oak tree stands on the summit to mark the 300th anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth, and a nearby William Blake inscription reads, "I have conversed with the spiritual sun. I saw him on Primrose Hill."

On summer weekends, Primrose Hill park is absolutely packed with locals enjoying a picnic and the extraordinary views over the city skyline. Come weekdays, however, and there are mostly just dog walkers and nannies.

• Get there: A 15–20-minute walk from St John’s Wood or Chalk Farm Tube stations

• Cost: Free

• More info: Primrose Hill

19. One Tree Hill

Probably the least-known on this list, the view of London from this green space in the Honor Oak neighborhood in South London is surprisingly epic, and well worth the climb to the top. Poet John Betjeman reportedly said the view from One Tree Hill beats the one from Parliament Hill.

• Get there: Take a short walk from Honor Oak Park Overground station

• Cost: Free

20. Bussey Rooftop Bar

With expansive views looking across south London to the city center, Peckham's popular rooftop hangout is the perfect spot for a sunset drink year-round. As well as stone-baked pizza, they do a "golden hour" Aperol spritz by-the-jug special on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. In winter, rug up (even if there's shelter and outdoor heaters); in summer, definitely book a table ahead. Kids can go, but have to leave by 7pm. One more thing to note: there's no lift! If you need one, get in touch, and they'll organize the service elevator to take you up.

• Get there: A short walk from Peckham Rye train station.

• Cost: Free to get in, beer from £7, cocktails from £12.50

• More info: Bussey Rooftop Bar