The View from the Shard Tickets

Most people spend at least one hour at The Shard, but there's lots to see, so it might be best to set aside at least two hours.

Every hour is a fine time for a visit to The Shard, but the experience is not as magical on a dull day. On a sunny day, you'll get the full majestic panorama of London in all its glory, and the sunshine makes the skyscrapers gleam. You can recognise a lot of buildings in the daylight, too.

Head up just before sunset and your tickets to The Shard will buy you the best of both worlds. There's nothing quite as wonderful as watching the lights come on across London, and seeing the sun sink behind the buildings.

There are several restaurants and bars inside The Shard:

• Aqua Shard serves up contemporary British cuisine on the 31st floor, and also boasts an atrium bar
• Oblix offers sophisticated casual dining on the 32nd floor
• On the 33rd floor, Hutong serves the delicious and diverse cuisines of northern China
• TĪNG brings a flavour-fest of popular Asian cuisine merged with classic British gastronomy inside the Shangri-La Hotel, At The Shard, located on the 35th floor
• Also in the Shangri-La Hotel is the Sky Lounge on level 34, offering light bites with its breathtaking views of London
• GŎNG Bar is a great place for a romantic sunset cocktail or late-night drinks with friends

Everyone entering The Shard will go through a security process. All bags will be scanned, and any dangerous items will be removed.

Strollers must be left downstairs. There's a lift to the first viewing level, and then stairs, so your prams and buggies wouldn't make it all the way up.

You are permitted to carry water and snacks inside.

At 309.6 m tall, The View from The Shard is officially the highest viewpoint in the UK! This makes it the perfect place to start your London tour, and will help put into perspective the sheer size of London.

The bird's-eye view of the streets, cabs, buses and buildings below will give you the chance to decide where you want to explore next. Quite simply, The Shard has one of the best views of the British capital.

The Shard is fully accessible to disabled people from the street level right to the highest floor.

There are lifts at every stage of the journey and the attraction has been designed with ample space for movement and manoeuvrability.