Archive visit: This guide preserves our family visit to The View from The Shard in London in July 2016. The experience and prices mentioned in the review section are historical, so check current visitor information before booking.
The View from The Shard was a London day out I had booked to experience the city from one of its most recognisable buildings. Even before going inside, I loved how much The Shard stood out on the London skyline.
About The View from The Shard
During our 2016 visit, the viewing experience took us high above London to floors 68, 69 and 72. The original information from our visit described 360-degree views stretching for up to 40 miles.
Our day was very much a family outing rather than simply a sightseeing stop: we met friends in London, grabbed coffee and food while waiting for our timed entry, explored the Shard shop and then headed up to the viewing floors.
Things to See & Do
The main attraction for us was, of course, seeing London from above. The lift up was incredibly quick, and we worked our way from floor 68 towards floor 72.
The weather was cold, wet and cloudy on the day we visited, so we did not get the clear sunny panorama I had hoped for. Even so, being that high above the city made the visit memorable.
Our Visit / Clarissa’s Review ⭐
I had arranged to meet up with Lou and Hope for a day in London, with a picnic planned if the British weather behaved itself. It absolutely did not. We met at 10am but our Shard entry was not until 1pm, which left us with two increasingly restless girls and a few hours to fill.
Coffee, sandwiches and Krispy Kreme doughnuts came to the rescue before we had a look around the Shard shop. I particularly liked the monochrome stationery and kitchen pieces, although they were definitely on the pricey side.
The trickiest part of the visit came when I was initially told the buggy could not go any further. With a tired little one, picnic bags and all the usual essentials to carry, that would have made the experience much harder. Thankfully staff eventually allowed us through with it, which meant a much happier child and a much happier mum.
Once we were heading upwards, things improved dramatically. The lift was super-fast and we reached floor 68 in what felt like no time. Eventually we made it to floor 72, where I remember the garden-style area, bar and the shock of seeing champagne priced at £10 a glass. We stuck to coffee!
What I remember most is the combination of the London views and simply having a day out together. I only wish we had visited on a clearer day because the skyline would have been spectacular in sunshine.
Our Photos / Visit Images
Who Is It Best For?
From our experience, The View from The Shard worked as a family sightseeing day out as well as something adults could enjoy. Our visit also showed why it is worth thinking about your timed entry carefully when visiting with younger children: arriving several hours early left us with a lot of waiting around.
Food & Drink
On our 2016 visit we bought coffee and food while waiting for our entry time, and there was a bar on the upper level. The £10 glass of champagne mentioned in my original review is a historical 2016 price, not current visitor information.
Tickets & Prices
We used timed tickets for our visit in 2016. Current ticket prices and booking arrangements should be checked before travelling.
Affiliate ticket option: to be added once the current Clarissa’s Corner affiliate link has been confirmed.
Affiliate disclosure: Some ticket links on Clarissa’s Corner may be affiliate links. If you book through one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Plan Your Visit
This page currently preserves our 2016 experience rather than presenting unverified modern opening times, accessibility arrangements, transport advice or visitor policies as current facts. Those details can be added once checked against current official information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did you visit The View from The Shard with children?
Yes. Our 2016 visit was a family day out with young children.
Did you need a timed ticket?
We had a timed entry during our 2016 visit. We arrived at 10am for a 1pm entry and found the long wait difficult with younger children, so I would avoid arriving excessively early for a timed visit.
What was the view like in bad weather?
Our day was wet and cloudy, which limited the long-distance views. I still enjoyed seeing London from above, but I would have loved to experience it on a clear sunny day.
Which floors did you visit?
Our 2016 experience took us to floors 68, 69 and 72.
Could you take a buggy?
During our 2016 visit I was initially told that our buggy could not go further, but staff subsequently allowed us through with it. Because visitor policies can change, this should not be treated as the current buggy policy.
Where Is The View from The Shard?
A current address, transport summary and Google Map can be added here after the modern visitor details have been verified.
More Days Out on Clarissa’s Corner
Explore more of our Travel & Days Out archive, or take a look back at our family road trip to Brighton.
Fancy adding a show to your London day out? See our Wicked theatre archive.
Lovely day out!! The views are stunning and I love the vlog! 🙂 pretty cool – I can’t wait to use my cam now!
lol cant wait to see your vlogs ! I almost brought a new camera today but reviews said it was easy broken
Oh no!! Maybe it was a sign to say your camera’s still good for now. 🙂