City of London Rooftop Guide: Best rooftop spots this summer
I walk through the City of London every week and shoot here most weeks. I also love rooftops! I think it’s a great way to get better acquainted with the London. The City also empties out on weekends when the office workers leave, which makes it one of the best times to visit providing quieter terraces, less competition for the best spots, a completely different atmosphere to a weekday afternoon.
The rooftops here are genuinely exceptional. You can see Tower Bridge, the Shard, St Paul's, the Gherkin for the cost of a cocktail. Some of these spots I use with photography clients and others are just great bars I would recommend to anyone visiting this summer.
Visiting London this summer and want photos taken? I shoot couples, portrait and tourist sessions across the City, South Bank and beyond. Book a session here.
Sky Garden — 20 Fenchurch Street, EC3M 3BY
Sky Garden is one of those places that works at almost any hour. It faces south, so you get sun on both sides throughout the day, and the whole space is wrapped in glass which means even on a cloudy day there is a quality of light in here that is hard to find anywhere else in the City. Airy, open, full of greenery winding through the architectural steel. When you come up here for the first time the scale of it catches people off guard.
For photography the variety is what I love. You have the sweeping London backdrop through the glass, the lush planted terraces, the architectural silhouettes. You can move between all of it without leaving the building. It is one of the few rooftop locations in London where you have genuine variety without moving location.
The City is quiet on weekends because the office workers are gone. Sunday mornings here are especially good. Less crowds, softer light, more space to breathe. If you can visit on a weekend morning you will get a very different experience to the busy weekday afternoon rush.
To get in you need to book a free slot in advance at skygarden.london. In summer those slots go weeks ahead so book early. If you have left it too late, walk in and ask for a table at the Sky Pod Bar where you pay for a drink to access the terrace. There are also restaurants inside Sky Garden if you want to make a proper occasion of it.
Book: [skygarden.london/booking](https://skygarden.london/booking) — free, advance booking essential
Best time to visit: Sunday mornings for fewer crowds. Any time of day works for photography given how much natural light the space holds.
Garden at 120 — 120 Fenchurch Street, EC3M 5BA
Garden at 120 is the one I recommend when people want a rooftop without any fuss. Free, no booking, open terrace on the 15th floor. It has a calm, quiet feel compared to the more popular spots nearby and the views of the surrounding eastern City skyline are clean and architectural.
What makes it particularly useful for photography is that tripods are actually permitted here, which is almost unheard of on a London rooftop. For portrait sessions it is one of the most relaxed locations on this list. Not the most dramatic view, but consistently accessible and consistently good.
Access: Free, no booking required. Primarily open Monday to Friday so check opening hours before visiting.
Madison — One New Change, EC4M 9AF
Madison might be my favourite rooftop in the City for a photography session. It sits on top of One New Change shopping centre directly opposite St Paul's Cathedral and the proximity to the dome is genuinely something. Close enough to read the stonework. There is nowhere else in London you can stand at rooftop level and have St Paul's filling the frame behind your subject like that.
What I also love about Madison is how the space works. The walk-in terrace is separate to the bar area so you can use both without feeling like you need to be drinking constantly. Sit on the terrace, enjoy the view, shoot freely. Or head into the bar for a different backdrop entirely. I have shot couples here and it works on multiple levels.
One practical thing to know about the light. Madison gets a lot of afternoon sun from the south, which means in the afternoon the light comes hard and backlit from behind St Paul's. Morning is better for photography because you can expose properly for both the couple and the Cathedral behind them. That said, for just visiting and enjoying the space, afternoon sun on St Paul's is beautiful. Just different.
Always check [madisonlondon.net](https://madisonlondon.net) before visiting as the terrace closes for private events and it is worth knowing before you make the trip.
Access: Walk-in, no booking required for the terrace. Open daily. Check website for private event closures.
Best for photography: Morning visits. Afternoon for a drink and the view.
Coq d'Argent — 1 Poultry, EC2R 8EJ
I want to be straight with you about Coq d'Argent. It is a beautiful rooftop and I recommend it, but as a professional shoot location it is harder to plan around. The formal garden layout and the structured hedging make it tricky to create open portrait compositions. For a casual visit, grabbing a coffee and taking a few relaxed photographs, absolutely. For a planned session, you would need to go in, scout the space and ask permission rather than just showing up with a camera and clients.
What it does offer is something genuinely special as a place to be. The view from here across the Bank junction toward the Gherkin is elegant in a way that feels old City rather than new City. The terrace has a continental feel. If you are visiting London with a partner and want a beautiful rooftop for a drink, this is one of the nicest on the list.
Access: Walk-in for drinks. Smart casual. Purchase a drink or dine to access the terrace.
Sabine — Opened 20 May
Sabine is the rooftop I am most excited about this summer. From everything I have seen it looks sleek, contemporary and genuinely photogenic in a way that is different to anything else currently open in this part of the City. St Paul's views, architectural aesthetic, the kind of space that should photograph really well.
I have not been yet because it has not opened. But it is already in my plans for summer sessions. My idea is to start at Sabine for rooftop portraits, then walk down to Millennium Bridge and follow the South Bank toward Tate Modern as the light drops. That is one of the best golden-hour routes in London and Sabine looks like the perfect place to begin it.
I will come back and update this properly once I have visited and shot there.
Opening: 20 May. Check for booking details online.
Great Rooftop Bars in the City of London
These are all open to the public without a hotel stay. Brilliant for a drink, exceptional views, and you will absolutely want your phone out. A couple of them work for photography in the right circumstances. Others are just great bars where I would send anyone visiting the City this summer.
On cameras: most of these venues do not publish a formal photography policy but the general approach is smart casual and discreet. Phone photography is fine everywhere. If you are planning a professional shoot, call ahead first.
SUSHISAMBA and Duck and Waffle — Heron Tower, 110 Bishopsgate, EC2N 4AY
These two share the same building on different floors and together they offer the highest outdoor dining terraces in London. SUSHISAMBA on 38 and 39, Duck and Waffle on 40. The views from up there are on a different level to most of what else is on this list. Panoramic, cinematic, genuinely breathtaking on a clear day.
One thing worth knowing: SUSHISAMBA has a formal policy banning DSLRs and large lenses inside the venue. So for a professional photography session this is not the right spot. For a cocktail, a phone shot with an extraordinary backdrop and a view of London that you will remember for a while, it absolutely is. Both venues are open late on weekends and bank holidays which makes them a flexible option for an evening visit.
Access: Reservations recommended for evenings. Bar seating sometimes available for walk-ins.
Savage Garden — DoubleTree by Hilton, 7 Pepys Street, EC3N 4AF
Savage Garden is dramatic. Twelve floors up near Tower Hill, two terraces, 360-degree views covering the Shard, Tower of London, Tower Bridge, the Gherkin and St Paul's all at once. The south-facing Pink Gin Terrace is a proper sun trap in summer and there is a second all-weather terrace with a retractable roof for when the weather turns.
For a summer evening drink with a view this is one of the best options in the City. For a professional shoot it is more of a bar than a session location, but the views speak for themselves.
Access: Reservations recommended. Smart casual — no caps, hoodies or sportswear.
Wagtail — 10 Queen Street Place, EC4R 1BE
Wagtail sits on top of a beautiful 1920s art deco building near Monument. Two floors, 360-degree views, Tower Bridge and St Paul's both visible, and a Michelin-trained kitchen below if you want to make a proper evening of it. The rooftop terrace has a retractable cover which makes it work through unpredictable British summer weather, and there are DJ nights on Friday and Saturday evenings.
It has an elegant feel that suits the building it sits on. One of the more polished rooftop experiences in the City.
Access: Reservations recommended for evenings. Walk-ins possible at the terrace bar. Smart casual.
cloudM — citizenM Tower of London, 40 Trinity Square, EC3N 4DJ
cloudM is the rooftop bar at citizenM Tower of London and it is one of the more relaxed and unpretentious options on this list. Ninth floor, directly above Tower Hill station, looking straight out at the Tower of London and Tower Bridge with the Shard behind. Open to non-hotel guests from 3pm daily, no booking required for groups of six or fewer.
It is not the most glamorous rooftop in the City but the view of the Tower of London from up here is excellent and the low-key atmosphere makes it a good option if you want something less formal than the hotel bars nearby.
Access: Open to the public from 3pm daily. No booking required for groups up to 6.
Aviary — Montcalm Royal London House, 22-25 Finsbury Square, EC2A 1DX
Aviary is on the northern edge of the City near Old Street with a slightly different energy to the EC3 and EC4 rooftops. More Shoreditch than Square Mile. In summer the open terrace is bright and sociable. In winter it adds outdoor igloos with throws and fairy lights, which makes it one of the more distinctive seasonal rooftop experiences if you are visiting London outside of the warmer months.
Access: Open to the public. Reservations recommended for evenings and weekends.
Tips for Visiting This Summer
The City is quietest on weekends. The office workers leave on Friday and the streets empty out. Weekend mornings especially are a completely different experience to weekday afternoons. If you want Sky Garden or Madison without the crowds, Sunday morning is the best shout.
Book Sky Garden early. Summer sunset slots go weeks in advance. If you have not booked, try the Sky Pod Bar walk-in or visit on a weekday morning.
Morning light at Madison. The afternoon sun comes in hard from the south and backlit from behind St Paul's. Morning gives you cleaner, more flattering light for portraits and a less crowded terrace.
Smart casual applies almost everywhere. Savage Garden, Wagtail and SUSHISAMBA all operate dress codes. Leave the sportswear and trainers at the hotel.
Combine a rooftop with a street-level walk. Start high for the views, then come down as the light softens. From Madison or Sabine, the natural route is down to Millennium Bridge, along the South Bank past Tate Modern and finishing near Borough Market as the sun drops over the Thames. One of the better evening routes in the City.
Quick Answers
What is the best free rooftop in the City of London?
There are so many good ones! Sky Garden is probably one of the most impressive free rooftop in the City of London, on the 35th floor of 20 Fenchurch Street. It requires advance booking but is free to visit. For a free rooftop with no booking, Garden at 120 on Fenchurch Street near by to Sky Garden is also a great option.
Can you do a photoshoot at Sky Garden?
Yes. Sky Garden works well for portrait and couples photography. You need to book a free visit slot in advance and tripods are not generally permitted, but handheld portrait sessions are fine. Sunday mornings are the best time to visit for fewer crowds.
What is the best rooftop bar near St Paul's Cathedral?
Madison at One New Change is the closest rooftop bar to St Paul's Cathedral with direct views of the dome from an open terrace. Free to access, open daily and one of the best photoshoot backdrops in the City. Morning visits give you the best light for photography.
Which City of London rooftop bars are open to the public?
Savage Garden, Wagtail, cloudM and Aviary are all open to non-hotel guests. You do not need to be staying at the hotel to visit any of them. A drink purchase is generally expected.
Where is the best place to start a couples photoshoot in the City of London?
I usually start sessions at Madison for the St Paul's backdrop, Sky Garden for panoramic views, or from this summer Sabine for something more contemporary. From any of these, Millennium Bridge and the South Bank make a natural continuation as the light drops.
What London rooftop has the highest views?
Duck and Waffle on the 40th floor of Heron Tower is the highest publicly accessible rooftop restaurant in London. SUSHISAMBA occupies the 38th and 39th floors of the same building.
Is the City of London busy on weekends?
No. The City empties out significantly on weekends when the office workers leave. It is one of the best times to visit for rooftop bars and photography alike. Quieter terraces, less competition for the view, and a very different atmosphere to the weekday rush.
Kate is a London portrait and couples photographer. She shoots across the City of London, South Bank, Tower Bridge, Notting Hill and beyond. To book a summer photoshoot session click here.