The city of London is rapidly advancing upwards and soon we will have Europe's tallest building - the Tower Bridge 'Shard of Glass' dominating the skyline at 66 storeys high. As our financial district grows more like Manhattan in stature, it gets harder from ground level to see what's actually up there. It's easy to take our skyline for granted sometimes and not even gaze upwards as we trundle to work, so this weekend instead of hitting the shops or holing yourself up in a club basement, make the most of it and head for the skies.
Tourist Attractions
Perhaps the most obvious London attraction to kick off your sky itinerary with is the London Eye. It's the best way to see the city and if you're feeling extravagant you can plump for a glass of Pimm's or champagne on your flight. Then why not climb St Paul's Cathedral? There are some fantastic sights from the Stone and Golden Galleries once you've wheezed up the long winding staircase. If you'd rather give the Eye a miss, walk downriver to Tower Bridge where you can cross the 'The Walkways' and take in most of London's famous sights.
Art
For those of you who like a bit of culture with your view, stroll down to the Hayward Gallery. The Hayward does fun and interactive art really well and the exhibitions usually extend to the roof. If you'd like to combine art with brunch, head to the National Portrait Gallery near Trafalgar Square where on Saturday and Sunday, you can get a cracking three course brunch in the Portrait Restaurant for £25 until 3pm, accompanied by a 92ft high skyline vista.
Food & Drink
For those of you who prefer to fly business class and aren't members of Soho or Shoreditch House, there are some great penthouse venues to eat and drink. One of the best sky-high places to go for weekend lunches is the Oxo Tower with 360° views over the river. If you time it right, The Trafalgar has a lovely little terrace bar to catch the sunset when it's not full. Further east - you can sit back and enjoy a cocktail or two on the stunning le Coq d'Argent grass-turfed roof. For total indulgence have dinner at Tower 42, home to a Michelin-starred Gary Rhodes restaurant and a 600ft high bar.
A cheaper (and frankly cooler) option than all of these swanky places is Terence Conran's new concept multiplex, Boundary, which shares many similarities to its neighbour, the members-only Shoreditch House, but is frequented by less tossers. The rooftop terrace, accessible by a lift, includes a large bar with seating arranged around an open fireplace, a 48-seat grill restaurant and a garden designed by Nicola Lesbirel. There are 360º views from Canary Wharf to the City's Gherkin and Barbican to the rooftops and spires of East London.
Gardens
Richard Branson may just have the monopoly on beauitiful rooftop spots with the Kensington Roof Gardens. Open to the public unless privately hired, the largest roof gardens in Europe have had a recent facelift and now have three themed gardens with over 70 trees, a flowing stream stocked with fish and four resident flamingos - Bill, Ben, Splosh and Pecks.
Clubbing
A lot of penthouse nightclubs have a 'member's only' policy including the Paramount Bar at the top of Tottenham Court Rd's Centrepoint building. Recently however, there have been some wicked club nights on offer to the public at weekends that have seen headliners like Greg Wilson, Mr C, Tiefschwarz and Matt Tolfrey take over the 31st floor. With a 24 hour licence and an almost 360º view of central London, you can dance the night away in anticipation of a very special sunrise.
Click here to see a map
Keen for more? Click here to view all London events
Add an event
Scoping Out London’s Coolest Historic Bingo Halls
London’s bingo halls were once a bustling part of many of the city’s communities, but as...