Skyline London

Until 2012 London did not have its own Empire State Building. But the completion of the Shard – the tallest building in Europe – with its public Observation Gallery opening the following year, will give both visitors and Londoners a view of the capital as unmissable and defining as that of Paris from the Eiffel Tower.

But, as this indispensable new guide shows, London has always offered stunning views of itself from on high: you just need to know where to go. Sometimes the least-known reveal the most – a Sixties hotel bar, a multi-storey car park in Peckham. And because, unlike New York or Manhattan, the capital retains its natural topography and ancient street pattern, the views are mesmerizingly intricate, with sylvan hills and even an old slag heap offering prospects of glittering skyscrapers, ornate Victorian domes, and spaceship-like stadia.

Here, then, are the finest views from London’s high points – famous landmarks like the Monument or the London Eye, venues for an unforgettable drink, meal or party like the sushi restaurant atop the City’s Heron Tower, and even Henman Hill at Wimbledon, every bit as good for the London skyline as it is for tennis. With Skyline London, you will truly see this great city for the first time.