Many visitors to London get stuck paying £££ for views of London, when they could get even better views for a lot less cash. Take the London Eye for an example. Yes, it is a big tourist draw/novelty. Once you’ve beaten your way through the crowds and waited for an eternity and finally get your turn, you start to wonder about if it is worth it with prices starting at £29.50 for adults (£26.55 online). Fees like this generally break most traveller’s budget and force you to scrimp majorly in many other areas of your trip. From the top of the London Eye you do get a nice view of London for that photo op and holiday braggie to your friends back home. After all, you can now claim that you have gone on the London Eye and road it the entire way around – the whole 30 minutes. For me I find a view of London isn’t much without capturing the London Eye, the Shard and other iconic unique sites that give London its unique beauty and character.
Below is a list of places you can experience the best views of London without breaking the bank – £20 or less!
Primrose Hill
Primrose Hill is at the northern end of Regent’s Park and has the most spectacular view over Central London – and guess what? It’s free! On a nice day you can stroll through Regent’s Park with its expansive gardens – a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of the city with Oxford St less than a stone throw away from its southern border. For those not up for a walk you can get to Primrose Hill via bus (the City Mapper app is very helpful to plan bus routes from your start destination in London). On sunny weekends this spot is very popular with Londoners who head up to spend the day overlooking the city with a picnic lunch and a drink or two and soak up some well-earned vitamin D. To get a prime spot it is first in best dressed but if you are just after the photo opp and to soak in the view, any time of day will provide you with an ample amount of new angles and aspects. The relaxed atmosphere at Primrose Hill adds to the magnificence of the view in front of you. The mix of nature with all of London’s iconic sites captured in the one view is for me the most beautiful aspect of London you can find.
Greenwich Park
Greenwich has a rich maritime history and became a Royal Borough in 2012. Many already have Greenwich on their list to visit for the Maritime Museum, Royal Observatory and of course the Greenwich Meridian. Greenwich Park is the home of the Royal Observatory but also to one of the best views of London, especially Canary Wharf. To get to Greenwich you can catch the river bus from Embankment or one of the other central London ferry piers for £6.20 one way on a pay as you go Oyster Card. Generally you buy your tickets from a small ticket office at the pier or you can purchase on board if this is closed. This ferry trip not only is under £20 return but gives you a new aspect to see the many sites of London situated along the River Thames. Once you have arrived in Greenwich it is just a short walk to Greenwich Park. If you want a more peaceful view avoiding the crowds, veer to the right away from the Greenwich Observatory signs and climb the grassy hill. At the top is the perfect picnic spot to absorb in your surroundings and views of Canary Wharf, which appears to almost sprout up out of a forest. Visiting the more general viewing area next to the observatory is also worth a quick visit and photo opportunity allowing you to see more of Central London in the distance.
St Paul’s Cathedral
St Paul’s Cathedral is one of London’s most popular sites. Approaching the cathedral you feel it is all on its own – prominent at the top of a hill – even though it is surrounded by busy Central London. Seen from almost anywhere along the River Thames it is no wonder the view from the top of the dome is one of the best views London has to offer. With entry into the cathedral costing £16.50 for adults, it falls right into our budget. If you purchase your tickets online you can save £1.50 per ticket. Once inside you have access to the entirety of St Paul’s Cathedral with an audio guide and map. There is no extra charge to make the 528-step ascent to the top of the dome. On the way up you can stop at the Whispering Gallery on the inside of the Dome and the Stone Gallery – a balcony section just below our final destination – the dome. From this balcony you get your first glimpse of the views to come and it gives you the motivation to make the final climb to the top; for those with a fear of heights it is more of a challenge but well worth it once you’re at the top. Once you have reached the top panting from the physical exertion or from holding your breath whilst you climb the suspended spiral staircase, you lose your breath completely as you take in the 360˚ views of London from the London Eye to Canary Wharf, taking in the Shard and Bank in between. Even on a miserable day the views are spectacular and well worth the climb.
The Shard
To visit the viewing platforms of the Shard is £24.95. You may be asking how the Shard has made the under £20 list …Yes the viewing platform is over our £20 budget BUT there are several cheaper options inside the Shard to get that jaw-dropping view and snapshot to show off to all your friends back home. Only a few levels down you have the cocktail bar Gong; here you can enjoy a nice beverage whilst you take in the view for under £20. If you do wish to blow the budget to soak in the magnificent views from the Shard one of their various restaurants such as The Aqua Shard hold spectacular views and serve meals providing a much more memorable and special experience than those few minutes on the viewing platform to snap a couple of shots for keepsakes.
