Sneak Peek of the View from The Shard

Check it out y’all. I’ve been itching to gloat and post about my recent visit to the top of The Shard for a few days now, but info and pix had been embargoed until now. On Monday, I went round to the press preview at London’s newest and pointiest landmark, The Shard. It’s an amazing structure with incredible views across all of London and a good stretch beyond.

Monday was one of those typically crappy overcast January days that we Londoners recognize all too well. Nevertheless the panoramic “see all of London at once” views inspired and awed. The overall experience from the interactive and quirky features on the ground floor all the way up to the Level 72 open-air viewing gallery on the highest habitable floor of The Shard impressed. At 800ft (244m), the gallery is the highest vantage point from any building in Western Europe. Indeed, The Shard is the tallest building in Western Europe (for the time being anyway).

If you go (and you certainly should!), my recommendation would be to try for a slot close to sunset and to wait around to see London “turn on” all its twinkly light as night falls. That was a beauteous wonder for me to behold. Whether you’ve lived here all your life or have just arrived in town, it’s worth experiencing. Heck, I reckon I’d go back just for another chance to enjoy what must be london’s loftiest loos from which you can ponder the world below as you look out the massive windows while you do your business.

The View from The Shard offers a new perspective of the London skyline. I loved looking down on the towers in the City of London on the other side of the Thames as well as how Piccadilly Circus seemed like some weird throbbing glare amidst what otherwise appeared as very historic chunk of town. And I was mesmerized by all the trains slinking in and out of London Bridge Station just underneath.

Tickets have been on sale for awhile. They cost £24.95 for adults and £18.95 for children. As you might expect, the first day that the View from The Shard will be open to the public – 1 February 2013 – is already sold out. However at the time of publication of this post there were a few tickets available for the 2nd of February, and it looked like there are still plenty of tickets on sale for Valentine’s Day.

For more information and to book your viewing go to theviewfromtheshard.com. You can also call +44 (0)844 499 7111 to book, and there’s temporary box office located outside The Shard, opposite London Bridge Station’s main entrance.

Lots more photos here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tikichris/sets/72157632471162422/with/8360289839/

Wow.

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