Sky Garden London: Free Entry, Tickets, & What to Expect
360-degree views stretch across London’s skyline – from historic landmarks to huge parks, all from 160 metres above the city. Visiting the Sky Garden takes a bit of planning, so here’s everything you need to know, including how to book tickets, the best time to visit and whether it’s actually worth it.
The Sky Garden is one of the most popular free viewpoints in London. It sits at the top of the Walkie-Talkie Building, 160 metres above the city, and offers vast views across the skyline, along with lush indoor gardens, restaurants and an outdoor terrace for a bit of fresh air high above the streets below.
But while it’s free to visit, it takes a bit of planning and preparation. Tickets are released in advance, time slots fill up incredibly quickly, and your experience will vary depending on when you go.
In this guide, we’ll show you exactly how to visit the Sky Garden, including how to get tickets, the best time to go, what to expect on arrival and whether it’s actually worth including in your London itinerary.
If you’re visiting London for a few days, it’s worth staying somewhere central – especially around the City or South Bank to make getting around easier.
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Contents
About the Sky Garden London
The Sky Garden opened in 2015 at the top of the building commonly nicknamed the “Walkie-Talkie”, thanks to its distinctive curved shape.
It’s one of the most popular free viewpoints in London – and one of the most unique. It sits 160 metres above the city, and combines panoramic views of London’s skyline with landscaped indoor gardens. This cleverly makes it feel peaceful even though it’s constantly busy.
As soon as you step out of the lift, you’re greeted by huge floor-to-ceiling glass windows and a glass ceiling, so it’s really light and open, and you can enjoy completely uninterrupted views over the city.
While there are quite a few free viewpoints in London, the Sky Garden is one of the only ones that actually has 360-degree views, so you can see the entire city. And, helpfully, there’s writing on the windows to tell you what you’re looking at.
It’s honestly quite mesmerising standing at the top looking out over the skyline, which seems endless. You’ll spot historical landmarks, huge parks, the Thames winding its way through the city, and it makes you feel pretty small.
The garden is split across 3 floors, with a selection of Mediterranean and African plants, designed to thrive year-round. Benches are scattered around the gardens so you can sit and soak up the views amongst the greenery. It feels like a nice contrast looking out over all the buildings, and it makes the place feel less busy.
There’s also an open-air terrace, which Horizon 22 and The Lookout are missing in our opinion. On a sunny day, the terrace is lovely for some fresh air and enjoying the best views of London.
There’s also a cafe and a couple of swanky bars and restaurants. Not long after we moved to London, we had breakfast at Darwin Brasserie, which was such a lovely treat. The food was absolutely delicious, and we could enjoy the views over London without the crowds. The restaurant opens slightly earlier than the Sky Garden, so you can practically have the place to yourself. Considering the location, the prices aren’t actually that bad (£25 for a full English, and there are cheaper options).
How to Get Sky Garden Tickets
The Sky Garden is free to visit, although there are limited spaces. You can turn up on the day and queue; however, there’s no guarantee you’ll get in, and you may have to wait for hours.
We’d recommend booking a ticket online to secure a spot. Tickets are released every Monday for the next 3 weeks. They get snapped up quickly, particularly the sunset spots, so make sure you’re on it and keep checking the website Monday morning.
You’ll select a specific time slot to enter, but once inside, you can spend as long as you like (unless it’s closing). The earlier slots tend to be quieter and a bit more relaxed.
What if tickets are sold out?
If tickets are sold out, you can just turn up and see what the queue is like; you may be able to get in. Arrive for opening, as you’ll have a better chance. There may also be cancellations, so keep checking for tickets before you go.
Alternatively, you can still visit the Sky Garden by booking a breakfast, dinner or experience that includes access – you’ll find a few options below. These are often easier to get than standard tickets, especially for popular time slots.
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On arrival at the Sky Garden
On arrival, your ticket will be scanned, you’ll go through an airport-style security check and have your bags searched. The checks themselves are quick, but there may be a queue depending on how many people are in your time slot.
The best time to visit the Sky Garden
The best time to visit the Sky Garden is early in the morning for a quieter experience, or sunset for the best views across London.
For the quietest times, go as early as possible during the week (it will never be empty unless you go for breakfast). If weekdays aren’t an option, then go early at the weekend.
For the most amazing views and photos, sunset is the best time to visit the Sky Garden. Seeing London lit up in a fiery glow is always special (as long as the sunset is a good one).
Unsurprisingly, sunset is the most popular, so it’s worth booking early – or checking availability for dinner if the standard tickets are gone.
Sky Garden Vs Other Free Viewpoints in London
There are tons of viewpoints in London, from Horizon 22 and The Lookout to the Shard and the Post Building, so you may be wondering which one is the best, and whether the Sky Garden is really worth it.
The Sky Garden and the Shard are the two most popular viewpoints. They’re the ones you’ve probably heard of, whereas some of the others go a bit under the radar.
We’ve not been to the viewing platform at the Shard, and we have no plans to. Yes, it’s the UK’s tallest building; however, it costs upwards of £20, and the view is quite similar. Also, the Shard is a fairly spectacular building itself, so seeing it as part of the skyline view is better in my opinion.
Horizon 22 is the UK’s second-tallest building and the highest free viewing platform in London, so the views are really impressive. The Lookout is directly next door but isn’t as high. However, it’s one of London’s newer viewpoints, so it tends to be quieter.
The quietest of them all, in our experience, is the Post Building, which sits between New Oxford Street and High Holborn. It’s not as high, so the views aren’t quite as impressive; however, you’re slightly further out, so the view of the City of London’s cluster of skyscrapers is really cool. You don’t get this from the others.
So, is the Sky Garden worth adding to your London itinerary? Yes, absolutely! Although it’s always busy, a couple of things really make it stand out above the others.
The first is the landscaped gardens. The Sky Garden is London’s highest public garden, whereas most of the viewpoints are huge rooms with floor-to-ceiling glass windows and nothing else, which feels quite empty. The gardens make it feel much more relaxed; they’re a nice contrast to the compact city below, and make you want to stay longer rather than just having a quick look and moving on. They also break up the crowds and make it feel peaceful even when it’s busy.
The second is the outdoor terrace. Standing outside high above the streets below makes you feel a lot closer to the city, and you get a different experience than from behind enclosed glass. It’s a great addition that you won’t find at the other free viewpoints in London.
We have a full post on 11 free viewpoints in London, so check that out and decide for yourself which one is more up your street. They’re all great in their own ways, so if you can’t get tickets for the Sky Garden, you have plenty of other options, and you won’t be missing out.
To make your planning a bit easier, the Sky Garden is included in some London sightseeing tours.
How to get to the Sky Garden
The Sky Garden is in the Walkie-Talkie Building, at 120 Fenchurch Street, 1 Sky Garden Walk, EC3M 8AF. Below are the transport options, and you can use Citymapper to plan your route (it’s better than Google Maps for getting around London).
- Tube: Monument, Tower Hill, Tower Gate, Aldgate, Bank and Mansion House are less than a 10-minute walk
- Bus: The following buses stop near The Sky Garden: 15, 25, 26, 35, 47, 149, 344, 388, N8, N15, N25, N133 and N550
- Trains: London Fenchurch Street, Cannon Street and London Bridge are close
If you’re planning to visit a few places around London, the Sky Garden is also included in some London sightseeing tours, which can make getting around a bit easier.
London Sky Garden opening hours
The Sky Garden is open seven days a week. The ticketed hours for the public garden are 10am – 6pm Monday – Friday and 11am – 9pm on weekends and bank holidays.
The bars are open 8am – midnight Sunday – Thursday and until 1am on Friday and Saturday. You can access the public garden this early if you book breakfast.
Facilities and Accessibility
- The Sky Garden is fully accessible with level access to the entrance, and there are lifts to the Sky Garden level
- Four event spaces and restaurants, which can be booked for private hire
- A relaxed cafe selling soft drinks and snacks, which you don’t need to book
- Two restaurants and two bars, which require bookings
- No storage facilities, so don’t bring large bags or suitcases
If you’re planning a trip to London, we’ve shared lots more guides to really help you make the most of your trip – from itineraries and free things to do to hidden spots and restaurant reviews – you’ll find them below. And if you’re looking for somewhere to stay, you can browse London hotels here.
You can also follow along on Instagram to see what we get up to in London in real time and for more city guides and travel tips.
And, if you’ve got any questions about visiting the Sky Garden or your trip to London, leave us a comment – we’d love to help 😊
