Sky Garden: a garden suspended above the City
A free viewpoint on the 35th floor
Opened in 2015 at the top of 20 Fenchurch Street, the building with the flared silhouette that Londoners call the “Walkie-Talkie”, Sky Garden occupies the 35th, 36th and 37th floors, around 155 metres up. Beneath a vast glass roof, terraces planted with Mediterranean and South African species rise in tiers in front of floor-to-ceiling windows that offer a 360-degree view: the Shard and London Bridge to the south, the Tower of London and Tower Bridge to the east, St Paul's and the towers of the City to the west.
Entry to the garden is free, but you need to book a time slot online, with tickets released around three weeks in advance. An outdoor terrace extends the visit during the day.
Bars, restaurants and music nights
In the middle of the garden, the Sky Pod Bar serves house cocktails at around £15.50, spritzes, wines and sharing boards from morning until late at night. A second bar, City Garden, completes the line-up; when you book, you are seated in one or the other depending on availability. Darwin Brasserie, on the 36th floor, serves British food and brunch, while Fenchurch restaurant, on the 37th, offers a more fine-dining menu. In the evening, DJs and bands play at the “music nights”, with a ticket or a reserved table.
Practical information
Bars and restaurants: Sunday to Thursday from 8am to midnight, Friday and Saturday from 8am to 1am. Public garden: Monday to Friday from 10am to 6pm, weekends and bank holidays from 11am to 9pm; outdoor terrace from 10am (11am at weekends) to 6pm, weather permitting. A booking at the bar or in one of the restaurants gives access to the garden, even when the free tickets have run out; a few walk-ins are possible, but not guaranteed. Airport-style security check, card payments only, smart casual dress after 6pm. Tube: Monument (Circle and District lines), two minutes' walk away; Bank and Tower Hill are also close by.
