Visiting The Sky Garden in London
The Sky Garden at the Walkie Talkie is easily one of London’s best views, and it’s free! Officially known as Sky Garden at 20 Fenchurch Street, this City of London rooftop garden with its bar and restaurants offers a relaxed yet sophisticated experience with one of the best views in London.
The 38-storey, 160m (525 ft) skyscraper, designed by Rafael Viñoly, first opened in 2015 and is owned by the Chinese food company Lee Kum Kee, famous for its oyster sauce. Officially nicknamed the Walkie Talkie because of its unusual shape, it was also once dubbed the Walkie Scorchie because its concave design and reflective glass produced an intense glare and heat ray that even melted the plastics on some nearby vehicles. The anomaly was repaired long ago, but the story has become the stuff of modern London legends.
Visiting The Sky Garden with Kids
I visited the Sky Garden on a sunny weekend in June with my wife and six-year-old son, and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience. There were quite a few other families with young children there too, and although I don’t think it’s on the radar as a family attraction, it’s perfectly suitable for those with children, and the staff were great with kids too. If you are visiting with children, it is recommended that you book a slot before 6.00 pm, as after that time the venue has more of a bar vibe, better suited to cocktail sipping rather than family selfies.
The venue is also fully accessible for those with mobility issues, and there was a very diverse crowd including the ever-present cool kids, Instagram models and influencers. There is also a bar that doesn’t require a booking, with tables available around the venue, with a good selection of wines, beers, cocktails and bar snacks, with views that justify the prices.
There are also two restaurants and a bar that offer advance table bookings. I didn’t try any of the restaurants, but they do look fab, with a price tag to match.
As any respectable Sky Garden should, it also has an interesting botanical collection of flora with an array of trees, shrubs and flowers from around the globe; however, I do think the main highlight, despite the venue’s name, is the awesome view of the City.
If you’d like to visit the Sky Garden, although it is free, you need to book your tickets online and in advance: www.skygarden.london
Currently, they offer admission up to 4 weeks in advance, and my advice is to book as early as you can to secure your preferred slot for the free visits. Opening hours are Mon-Fri 09.00-6.00 pm and Sat-Sun-Bank Holidays 1.00 pm-9.00 pm.
The restaurants at the Sky Garden operate a separate booking system and different timetable, which you can also see on the venue’s homepage (link above). Walk-ins (adults only) are available from 6.00pm depending on availability and at the discretion of the door staff for the smartly dressed (oh yes, wear your glad rags)!
This is definitely one of my favourite London skyline views, and I’ve seen my fair share, such as The Shard and the London Eye, which are also great. What I also really loved about this visit was the whole relaxed sophistication of the experience. The sunny weather, easy booking process, and friendliness and professionalism of the staff also made our visit very enjoyable. And did I mention it’s gratis?
You can, of course, visit Sky Garden and see so much more on one of our bespoke London tours created especially for you. See our website www.bespokeenglandtours.com/london-tours for further details and to get in touch for further information.
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