London is a city of landmarks — but some take you higher
If you’re exploring London, chances are Tower Bridge is already on your list. It’s one of the most famous sights in the city: grand, gothic, and photogenic from almost every angle. But here’s the question most visitors face:
Is it better to walk across Tower Bridge, or view it from above?
After experiencing both, I can honestly say this: if you want the real jaw-drop moment — the one where the city stretches out endlessly around you — then The View from The Shard is where it all comes together.
Tower Bridge: History, charm, and a good view (kind of)
Let’s start with Tower Bridge. You see it on postcards, movies, and guidebooks — and in person, it doesn’t disappoint. Walking across the bridge gives you lovely views of the Thames, especially if you’re lucky enough to catch it during a lift when the bascules open for passing boats.
There’s also the Tower Bridge Exhibition, where you can walk across the glass floors inside the upper walkways and look down at cars and pedestrians below. It’s fun and informative, especially if you like Victorian engineering.
But here’s the thing: Tower Bridge is stunning from the outside. The experience inside, while interesting, is relatively compact. And the views? They’re decent — but they’re not the showstopper many expect.
The View from The Shard: Where Tower Bridge Becomes Part of the Masterpiece
Now let’s shift perspectives. Just a few minutes’ walk from Tower Bridge, a different kind of experience waits — one that lifts you 68 floors into the sky and gives you the kind of view London rarely offers.
The View from The Shard gives you a full 360° sweep of the city, with Tower Bridge front and centre in that iconic bend of the Thames. But now, instead of standing on it, you’re seeing it from above — in all its symmetry, stretching proudly across the river. And behind it? The Tower of London, HMS Belfast, and layers upon layers of rooftops, cranes, spires, and history.
It’s a perspective that feels complete. You’re not looking at just one part of the city — you’re watching the whole thing come alive beneath you.
A moment you actually feel
There’s something strangely calming about The View from The Shard.
Maybe it’s the glass walls that make you feel like you’re floating. Maybe it’s the silence up there — no traffic, no street noise, just the hum of the city below. Or maybe it’s the fact that you can move around at your own pace, not crammed into a pod or stuck behind a railing.
And if you visit in the evening? Watching the sun dip behind the skyline, and seeing Tower Bridge slowly light up from a bird’s eye view, is genuinely unforgettable.
What’s the better use of your time?
If you have time, do both. Tower Bridge is iconic and deserves a stroll — especially for a photo at ground level. But if you have to choose just one elevated view?
The View from The Shard offers more height, more space, and a wider, richer perspective of London.
You don’t just see the landmarks — you see how they connect. How they breathe. How they belong to a city constantly in motion.
Final thought: See the bridge, but take in the city
There’s a reason people come back to The View from The Shard again and again. It’s not just the height. It’s the feeling of seeing something familiar — like Tower Bridge — from a completely new angle. One that makes you fall in love with London all over again.
