Hotels near Sky Garden

The Sky Garden fills the top three floors of 20 Fenchurch Street, the tower Londoners call the Walkie-Talkie, with a landscaped indoor garden and terraces about 155 metres above the City. Entry is free, and the views take in the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, the Shard and the curve of the Thames towards Canary Wharf.

Free tickets must be booked online, usually released about three weeks ahead, and sunset slots go first. Being enclosed, it is one of the few London viewpoints that still works in wind and drizzle, although the open-air terrace may close in bad weather. After 25 October, sunset falls before 17:00, which makes a late-afternoon slot easy to fit in after a day's sightseeing.

Bars and restaurants on the top floors are open to visitors with a booking.

Pro Tip: Set a reminder for the ticket release and grab a slot about 30 minutes before sunset. If slots are gone, walk-up entry is sometimes allowed early in the morning when capacity permits.