The Sky Garden is a public viewing space and garden that occupies the very top floors of the Walkie-Talkie building in London. Even though it is its main appeal, the actual garden section is not all there is at the Sky Garden. Inside, you will find an open-air terrace, two restaurants, two bars, and private hire spaces for events of various kinds.

The Walkie-Talkie, so named because of its shape, is a 38-storey building that reaches 160 m (525 feet) in height. Coupled with the Sky Garden’s glass walls, the height gives visitors a sweeping 360-degree view over London’s riverside area and financial district.

The carefully landscaped garden was designed to give guests a lush environment to visit all year round, with plenty of drought-resistant plants. The majority of species you’ll find here are Mediterranean or South African. Among the most eye-catching are the Birds of Paradise, the Red Hot Pokers, and the African Lilies.

And after you have explored the blooming vegetation, you can head over to one of the Sky Garden’s bars and restaurants, where you’ll find plenty of drinking and dining options. Keep in mind that the venues here have opted for a sophisticated atmosphere. Therefore, they require a smart casual dress code, meaning that sportswear, flip flops, baseball caps, and male vest tops are not permitted.

Normally, you can expect to pay around £40.00 to £60.00 per person per meal at one of the Sky Garden’s restaurants. On Fridays and Saturdays, when the Sky Garden is busiest, the bars carry a £25,00 minimum spend requirement per person.

Location

Sky Garden Walk 1, City of London, London EC3M 8AF.

The Sky Garden is located in the City of London district, just north of the River Thames. The financial district is a central area, densely populated with tourist sights and landmarks.

Just a few steps west of the Sky Garden is The Monument to the Great Fire of London and further down is St Paul’s Cathedral. The Tower of London and Tower Bridge are not far off eastward. Just across London Bridge are the Borough Market, The Shard, and the Old Operating Theatre.

Tickets

Everyone who wishes to enter the Sky Garden will need to get a ticket. The Sky Garden is a publicly accessible space so the tickets are free. However, in order to maintain a safe number of visitors inside the building, the tickets are timed. Although it is strongly recommended that you book your ticket in advance on the Sky Garden’s website (they are available up to three weeks ahead of time), walk-ins are also accepted subject to availability.

Remember that your ticket will be timed and valid for one hour. If you have a reservation at one of the Sky Garden’s restaurants, you will not need to book a ticket. You can make your restaurant reservations through the Sky Garden’s website .

Schedule

The Sky Garden building is made up of several different venues, including restaurants, bars, and cafés, which all have their own schedules. For the public garden, opening hours go from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm during the week and from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm on weekends.

After the garden closes, the Sky Garden’s restaurants and event venues remain open to paying customers. You can check the individual business opening times on the Sky Garden’s website .

Transport

The Sky Garden is in a central position in the city, so you’ll find that there are different ways to reach it with public transport. From the Sky Garden building, the nearest Tube station is Monument, along the Circle and District lines. You will find it just down the street from the Garden.

Alternatively, if you prefer catching the bus, you can take lines 15, 35, 47, 133, 149, 344, or 388.

If you prefer private transport, you can also take a cab to get to the Sky Garden. However, you must know that traffic in Central London is generally slow, so it will be easier and quicker to take public transport.

Nearby sights

The Monument - 170 m (0.1 miles) west, 2-minute walk down the street.

Tower of London - 700 m (0.4 miles) east, 10-minute walk.

Borough Market - 850 m (0.5 miles) south, 11-minute walk.

The Shard - 950 m (0.6 miles) south, 12-minute walk.

The Old Operating Theatre - 1 km (0.6 miles) south, 13-minute walk.

Tower Bridge - 1.1 km (0.7 miles) est, 14-minute walk.

St Paul’s Cathedral - 1.2 km (0.7 miles) west, 15-minute walk.