Where Can I Find The Best Views Of London From Above?

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Where Can I Find The Best Views Of London From Above?

London is a beautiful city, not least when you can get high up above it and take in the panorama. Follow our handy guide for some of the very best views of the capital.

In the Know question: Where can I find the best views of London from above?

Answer: Try Paramount at the top of Centre Point in Tottenham Court Road. There's a lovely bar and restaurant and the views are undeniably brilliant.

English: Tottenham Court Road, London (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Trafalgar Square might not spring to mind for its spectacular views (unless you're Lord Nelson of course), but the top of the National Gallery offers a breath-taking panorama over Westminster.

English: The new LED fountains of Trafalgar Square in London, England, showing the some different colours that it can project. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

To see the city's lights twinkling at night, try Vertigo 42 which offers great cocktails too.

Vertigo 42 offers fabulous views across London and serves great cocktails too
photo: http://www.telegraph.co.uk

Or, if you're keen to dine, try Babylon at Kensington Roof Gardens in W8, Skylon within the Royal Festival Hall or the Oxo Tower - also on the South Bank.

Oxo Tower in London. For more information see the Wikipedia article Oxo Tower. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

And for something a little easier on the wallet? Try Tower Bridge. You can traverse the walkways of this world-famous structure and gaze down over London. There's also a museum detailing the bridge's history, plus brilliant views from almost any angle. Tickets cost no more than £8 per adult.

Tower Bridge as viewed from the North-East near St Katherine Dock. This is a four-segment panorama taken by myself with a Canon 5D and 24-105mm f/4L lens. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Of course, you don't have to spend money to get the best view of the city. A stroll along Primrose Hill, situated to the north of Regent's Park, at sunset is hard to match in the beauty stakes. Even in winter it's a glorious place to visit, particularly on Bonfire Night as a city's worth of fireworks illuminate the night sky.

English: The view from the top of Primrose Hill looking downward towards central London. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you're in the south, look to Lewisham's Telegraph Hill, from where you can get a panoramic view of London and beyond. The refurbished Victorian park at the top of the hill was opened in 2005, and boasts a tennis court and children's playground. It's an area steeped in history, too. Telegraph Hill is said to be the point from which Wellington's victory at Waterloo was signalled to London in 1823.