My Top 5 Free Rooftop Locations to Photograph London
As a photographer, I am always on the lookout for fresh, unique views of London and one of the best ways to achieve this is to get up high and photograph the city from the rooftops.
With the pressure now on property developers to incorporate public spaces into new developments, getting up high to enjoy these rooftop views of London has never been easier but the majority of these locations come at a cost or are not very photographer friendly.
With this in mind, I have created this list of my top 5 free rooftop locations to photograph London that are both easy to find and photography friendly. In this post, you will read a bit about each location, see a few photos and find a Google Maps link to help you get there.
My Top 5 Free Rooftop Locations to Photograph London
#1 One New Change
Number one on my list of rooftop locations to photograph London is the 6th floor at One New Change, a shopping centre located right next to St Paul’s Cathedral. Although this location isn’t particularly high compared to some of the others listed below, once up there, you will see why this is such a popular spot as you are greeted by some of the best, close-up views of St Paul’s Cathedral and its famous dome.
Google maps location: One New Change
booking required? No
Nearest tube station: St Pauls (Central Line)
Tripod rules: No tripods allowed
Opening hours can be found on their website https://onenewchange.com
#2 Sky Garden
The second rooftop location I recommend to visit is the Sky Garden which sits atop the Walkie-talkie building, over 30 stories high at 20 Fenchurch Street and provides some of the best rooftop views of London you can get for free. Apart from the countless photo opportunities the Sky Garden provides, it’s a great place to have a drink or enjoy a meal while enjoying some spectacular views of the city. Of the 5 locations listed here, it is the most popular and for good reason but that does mean you will need to book your visit on their website but it is free to visit.
See a previous sunrise shot from this location here: Good Morning London | Weekly Photo #37
Top tip: The glass can get rather dirty and to avoid the dirt showing up in your photos, set your aperture as wide as you can as this will render the dirt invisible when shooting through the glass.
Google maps location Sky Garden
booking required? Yes
Nearest tube station: Monument Station (Circle and District Line)
Tripod rules: No tripods allowed
Opening hours and booking information can be found on their website https://skygarden.london/booking
#3 The Garden at 120
A relative newcomer to the party, the Garden at 120 opened in 2019 and is located upon the 16th floor over at 120 Fenchurch Street. Nestled amongst the taller buildings in the city, this particular location is a breath of fresh air when it comes to photography as they take a more pragmatic view of the use of tripods and as long as you are sensible and keep out of the way of the other visitors, they can be used.
Here’s another photo that was taken from this location featuring the building at 20 Fenchurch Street mentioned above: Rooftop Reflections | Weekly Photo #30
Google maps location Garden at 120
booking required? No
Nearest tube station: Monument Station (Circle and District Line)
Tripod rules: Tripods can be used but be respectful of other visitors
Opening hours can be found on their website https://www.thegardenat120.com
#4 Tate Modern Viewing Platform
Number 4 in this list of top rooftop locations to photograph London is the Tate Modern viewing gallery. Positioned to the rear of the famous turbine hall is a 10 story tower that provides 360-degree views of the city. The highlights are the unobscured view of St Paul’s Cathedral and the high rise buildings over in the city.
While up at the viewing gallery, you can grab a coffee from the cafe and wander around the outer edge out in the fresh air and take in the different views on offer.
Top Tip: During the warmer months when the days are longer, you can grab a great sunset shot of the city by visiting on a Friday or Saturday night as the museum closes later.
Google maps location Tate Modern Viewing Platform
booking required? No
Nearest tube station: Blackfriars (Circle and District Line)
Tripod rules: No tripods allowed
Opening hours can be found on their website https://www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-modern
#5 No 1 Poultry
The last but not least location in this list is the garden terraces atop No 1 Poultry building in the city, right next to Bank Station. This relatively modern building is liked and loathed equally but what it does offer is a great view up towards Bank with the high rises of the city providing an epic backdrop.
Up at the roof terraces is a bar/restaurant called Coq D’Argent which hosts live music events in the summer which creates a great vibe if you're looking for a bit of music to accompany your photography but if this isn’t your thing, make sure to check their website below so you know the best time to visit that suits you.
Google maps location No 1 Poultry
booking required? No
Nearest tube station: Bank (Central Line)
Tripod rules: No tripods allowed
Opening hours can be found on their website https://www.coqdargent.co.uk/find-us/
Those were my top 5 rooftop locations to photograph London but if you are looking for more and happy to book or pay, there are countless others such as The Shard, The London Eye, St Paul’s Cathedral and the list goes on, so, next time you are in London and looking for some inspiration, try one of these rooftop locations as I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.