If you have one evening, go to the Sky Pod Bar in the Sky Garden and book a table: the whole City skyline in a glass dome 35 floors up, with cocktails from £14. For the highest hotel bar in Western Europe, as the Shangri-La bills it, it's GŎNG on level 52 of the Shard at £23 to £25 a cocktail. And for a terrace with a view you'll recognise, Madison at One New Change looks straight across at the dome of St Paul's. All three are open all year. For the rest of the trip, my things to do in London guide covers the sights you'll be looking down on.
The 20 bars below come in three groups: the skyscraper bars (mostly behind glass), the terraces facing the landmarks (open to the sky, some heated), and the casual walk-in rooftops where a cocktail costs £12 to £15. Each card uses the same spec sheet: what you see, a cocktail and its price from the current menu, whether you can book, the dress code, the age rule, whether it's covered or seasonal, and the nearest station on the Tube (the subway). Prices are as of 28 September 2026 and include VAT (sales tax); many bars add a 12.5% to 15% service charge, which is the tip. London has no tourist tax yet.
Timing matters. Many London rooftops are fair-weather places, and several close for the winter: Roof East shut on 27 September 2026, the Culpeper's roof garden on 28 September, and The Standard's rooftop runs April to October only. Every card says whether a bar is covered, heated or open to the weather. Many of these bars are in hotels; for somewhere to stay near them, see my luxury hotels in London and where to stay in London guides. If you'd rather sit down to eat with a view, TĪNG and Aqua Shard in the Shard are both in my afternoon tea guide.
