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London’s Free Sky Gardens: A Complete Guide to the City’s Best High-Rise Green Spaces

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One of London’s best-kept secrets is hiding in plain sight—dozens of floors above street level. Over the past decade, a collection of free public gardens and viewing platforms has quietly opened across the city’s skyline, offering spectacular views and peaceful green spaces without charging a penny for admission.

But how did these spaces come to exist, and what do you need to know before visiting? Here’s everything you need to plan your own sky-high garden tour.

Table of Contents

Why Do These Free Spaces Exist?

The answer lies in British planning law. When developers want to build a skyscraper that pushes the boundaries of what’s normally permitted—whether due to height, location, or visual impact—local planning authorities can require “Section 106 agreements” as a condition of approval. These legally binding obligations require developers to provide public benefits that offset the impact of their buildings.

The Sky Garden at 20 Fenchurch Street set the template. When the distinctive “Walkie Talkie” building was proposed outside the City of London’s main skyscraper cluster, the public garden was a key factor in securing planning permission despite concerns about visual harm to historic views. The City of London Corporation has since embraced this approach, with officials noting that the Square Mile is “internationally unique” in offering tourists, schoolchildren, and the general public free views from height.

The result? Six of the thirteen skyscrapers currently in the City’s development pipeline include public viewing platforms—and several are already open.

The Sky Garden – 20 Fenchurch Street

Height: 155 metres (35th-37th floors) Opened: January 2015

The original and still the most famous. The Sky Garden occupies the top three floors of the “Walkie Talkie” building and features lush planting with Mediterranean and South African species—French lavender alongside African lilies and birds of paradise. The space was designed by landscape architects Gillespies to feel like “coming across a mountain slope.”

There are two bars (Sky Pod and City Garden), Darwin Brasserie, and the recently refurbished Fenchurch Restaurant offering British-Caribbean cuisine. The outdoor terraces provide some of the most dramatic views in London, taking in Tower Bridge, The Shard, St Paul’s Cathedral, and even Wembley Arch on clear days.

Visiting Practicalities:

Booking: Free tickets are released every Monday morning and must be booked online at skygarden.london. Slots fill quickly, especially for weekends. Walk-ins are occasionally available but shouldn’t be relied upon—they’re not accepted after 5pm on weekdays.
Security: Airport-style screening is required. Liquids must be under 100ml, and bags larger than 8×17×19 inches aren’t permitted.
Time Limit: Free visits are limited to one hour.
Dress Code: Smart casual from 6pm onwards. No gym wear, flip flops, or baseball caps in the restaurants.
Children: Under 16s cannot enter after 6pm weekdays and 9pm weekends.
Nearest Tube: Monument

Tip: Head to the City Garden at the rear on the upper level—it’s less crowded than the main balcony area and the views are arguably better.

The Garden at 120 – 120 Fenchurch Street

Height: 15 storeys (approximately 60 metres) Opened: February 2019

Don’t let the lower height fool you—this is actually the City of London’s largest public rooftop space, and many visitors prefer it to its taller neighbour. The Garden at 120 sits atop the Fen Court building and offers exceptional 360-degree views. Being closer to eye level with surrounding buildings means you can appreciate architectural details that you’d miss from higher up.

Designed by German landscape architects Latz + Partner, the garden features 85 Italian wisteria trees, over 30 fruit trees, and a 200-foot-long flowing water feature. There’s plenty of seating, and unlike the Sky Garden, you can bring your own food (though not alcohol).

Visiting Practicalities:

Booking: No advance booking required—just turn up. Groups of 12+ should book ahead.
Security: Airport-style screening with bag scanners.
Time Limit: None. Stay as long as you like.
Hours: Monday-Friday 10am-9pm (summer) or 6:30pm (winter); weekends 10am-5pm. Closed on bank holidays.
Facilities: A kiosk on the level below sells tea, coffee and snacks. The 14 Hills restaurant is on the 14th floor.
Nearest Tube: Monument, Tower Hill, or Aldgate

Tip: This is an excellent backup if you can’t get Sky Garden tickets. The queue to get in is usually just 5-10 minutes, and the atmosphere is noticeably more relaxed.

Horizon 22 – 22 Bishopsgate

Height: 254 metres (58th floor) Opened: September 2023

Europe’s highest free public viewing platform. Located in the UK’s second-tallest building (after The Shard), Horizon 22 offers 300-degree panoramic views from a genuinely dizzying height. On clear days, you can see as far as Wembley Stadium to the northwest and well beyond Canary Wharf to the east.

The high-speed lifts take just 41 seconds to reach the 58th floor, travelling at up to eight metres per second. There’s a small café serving coffee and snacks, though you can’t bring drinks into the viewing area itself.

Visiting Practicalities:

Booking: Free tickets must be booked online at horizon22.co.uk. New tickets are released daily at 10am for dates up to 60 days ahead. Demand is high—plan ahead.
Security: Quick security check with bag scanning.
Walk-ins: A limited number of walk-in spots are available daily, but this isn’t guaranteed.
Hours: Weekdays 10am-6pm, Saturdays 10am-5pm, Sundays and bank holidays 10am-4pm.
Nearest Tube: Liverpool Street, Bank, Moorgate, or Monument

Tip: Visit on a sunny day for the clearest views, but be aware that glare on the windows can make photography tricky. Early morning tends to be best for photos.

The Lookout – 8 Bishopsgate

Height: 50th floor (approximately 200 metres) Opened: September 2023

The newer, quieter alternative to Horizon 22—and conveniently located right next door. The Lookout offers 240-degree views across north and west London, with particularly good sightlines toward St Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, and Westminster.

The viewing gallery is smaller than Horizon 22 but tends to be less crowded, making it easier to get tickets at short notice. There’s no café, but there is an accessible toilet.

Visiting Practicalities:

Booking: Free tickets required, bookable online at 8bishopsgate.com/lookout. Tickets are released every two weeks on Mondays.
Security: Airport-style screening.
Time Limit: Tickets are valid for 45 minutes.
Hours: Monday and Friday 12pm-9pm, Tuesday-Thursday 10:30am-5:30pm, Saturday 11am-6pm, Sunday and bank holidays 10am-5pm.
Nearest Tube: Liverpool Street or Bank

Tip: If you can’t get Horizon 22 tickets, try The Lookout instead. While it’s 50 metres lower, the views are still spectacular and you’re far more likely to get a booking.

Crossrail Place Roof Garden – Canary Wharf

Height: Rooftop level (approximately 4 storeys) Opened: May 2015

A completely different experience from the City’s glass-and-steel viewing platforms. This exotic botanical garden sits atop the Canary Wharf Crossrail station inside a stunning timber lattice structure designed by Foster + Partners—the largest timber roof project in the UK.

The garden is planted according to its position almost exactly on the Prime Meridian, with species from the Eastern hemisphere (bamboo, Japanese maple) on one side and Western hemisphere plants (ferns, strawberry trees) on the other. The design evokes the exotic cargo that once passed through the West India Docks.

There’s an 80-seat amphitheatre that hosts free performances, and restaurants at either end including Big Easy (BBQ and seafood) and Pergola on the Wharf.

Visiting Practicalities:

Booking: None required—just walk in.
Security: None.
Hours: Daily 10am-9pm (summer) or 6pm (winter). Closes at sunset in summer months.
Access: Enter via the space-age bridge from North Colonnade (near Market Halls Cargo), or through Crossrail Place shopping centre.
Facilities: Toilets on Mall Level -3. You can bring your own picnic.
Nearest Tube: Canary Wharf (Jubilee or Elizabeth line)

Tip: This is a genuine hidden gem. Most tourists never make it to Canary Wharf, but the garden is worth the trip—especially combined with a visit to the Museum of London Docklands nearby.

Queen Elizabeth Hall Roof Garden – Southbank Centre

Height: Rooftop level (approximately 3 storeys) Opened: 2011

The most intimate and community-focused of London’s sky gardens. Originally created in partnership with the Eden Project, this wildflower garden sits atop the brutalist Queen Elizabeth Hall and offers views across the Thames to Westminster, the London Eye, and St Paul’s.

The garden is maintained by volunteers from Grounded EcoTherapy, a charity that provides horticultural therapy to people dealing with mental health issues, addiction, and homelessness. The planting includes over 200 wild native species, fruit trees, and herbs that are used in the rooftop bar’s cocktails.

Visiting Practicalities:

Booking: None required.
Security: None.
Hours: Currently open Thursday-Sunday and bank holiday Mondays, from noon or 3pm until dusk or 9pm depending on the day. Closed Mondays-Wednesdays and may close in bad weather—check the Southbank Centre website before visiting.
Facilities: Café and bar serving drinks, flatbreads, and seasonal food. Cash payments not accepted.
Access: Up the distinctive yellow stairs from the Southbank Centre podium, or via lift (ask at the Royal Festival Hall Welcome Desk on Level 2).
Nearest Tube: Waterloo or Embankment

Tip: This feels like a proper garden rather than a viewing platform. Come for a quiet afternoon with a book, or for pre-theatre drinks before a show at the Southbank Centre.

Planning Your Sky Garden Tour

For first-time visitors, I’d recommend prioritising the Sky Garden and Horizon 22—they offer the most dramatic experiences. If you’re short on time or can’t get bookings, the Garden at 120 and The Lookout make excellent alternatives that don’t require as much advance planning.

Crossrail Place and the Queen Elizabeth Hall Roof Garden are different beasts entirely—quieter, more intimate, and genuinely garden-focused rather than view-focused. They’re worth seeking out if you want a peaceful escape rather than panoramic drama.

One final tip: the City of London is continuing to require public spaces in new skyscrapers. Several buildings currently under construction or recently approved—including 70 Gracechurch Street and 55 Bishopsgate—will include free viewing galleries when they open. London’s sky garden collection is only going to grow.

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