A Tale of Two Views: The London Eye and The Shard

One does not simply tour London without attempting to get one of the best views of the skyline. Two of the best options are two modern London icons: the London Eye and the Shard. Before arriving in London the London Eye was definitely on our list of must do’s….mostly because it was on everyone else’s lists that we had read online in preparation! The Shard was on a wish list of sorts as well, but we did not know how it would work into our trip. Luckily for us, this dilemma was solved by the London Pass, which includes the view from the Shard among its attractions.

Let’s talk about The View from the Shard first. If, like us, you aren’t into helicopter rides, the Shard will offer you the highest viewpoint of the city. Finished in 2012, the skyscraper stands 1,016 feet tall, making it the tallest building in all of London by about 100 feet. It is located a few streets away from the southern shore of the Thames and is easily recognizable from a distance. The View from the Shard is a tourist experience that can be had either with or without the London Pass. The reason it was not on our must do list prior to the London Pass is because the tickets our expensive. Online listing suggests 32 pounds (about $42) for an adult standard ticket, which only includes access to the observation deck. This is the price quoted by the London Pass as well however if purchasing at the door we believe it was slightly higher. Other even more expensive options are available that can include “fast track” access allowing visitors to skip lines to the top or an included glass of champagne. Certainly, if you have the funds, go all out! However, if not for the London Pass we may have passed on the experience.

As for the actual experience, it is fun and feels fancy! The modern building felt new and hip from the moment we walked up to the counter to redeem our tickets to the posh elevator on our ride to the 72nd floor observation deck. The observation deck itself is multi-storied and includes an enclosed floor where inside dining and cocktails are available as well as an open-to-air floor. This second area is the floor we spent most of our time on. It’s located at a height slightly over 800 ft. It is still surrounded by tall glass walls but the corners are void of ceilings allowing nice fresh breezes to come through yet not being too windy.

The floor of the viewing deck is a turf-like artificial grass and reminded us of a putting green. The deck is fitted with a cocktail bar and also an ice cream stand offering a leisurely assortment of beverages and goodies to partake in. The view of the surrounding city is unmatched in terms of expanse. The viewing deck is 360 degrees in layout and you can see every which way. The deck was moderately crowded when we were there in mid afternoon, but the crowd waxed and waned. A few chairs were available but many people stood or sat on the floor against the glass. You can spend unlimited time on the deck with the purchase of your ticket which is a good plus due to its high cost.

Now for the second view: the London Eye. Having experienced the View from the Shard already, we were met with a dilemma. Did we still want to do the London Eye even though we had already gotten a higher view from the Shard? As always, this was only worsened by our pathological indecisiveness (See our Tale of Two Hot Springs post from Iceland). Completed in 2000, the London Eye had been the highest observation deck (approximately 440 ft) in London until it had been surpassed by the Shard itself. Not only that, if we had reservations about paying for the Shard without the London Pass, the London Eye wasn’t all that different. Not included in the London Pass, the London Eye cost per ticket is 30 pounds (roughly $40 US dollars and $80 dollars for two people). Apparently the London Eye has high operating costs and needs millions of dollars just to keep running let alone make a profit (the London Eye history is kind of interesting if you’re a nerd, check it out). But alas, all this taken into consideration, we had to make a decision. Like most of our decisions, after hours of meaningless wavering back and forth, we decided since we may only visit London once, why not just do it.

The London Eye is located south of the Thames right up against the shore. To ride the wheel, we first bought a ticket in the ticket building across the street. The line moved quickly for us in the early evening but we could see how it may grow rather long. After grabbing our tickets, we got in the actual line for the wheel. This moved quickly as well and in about 3 minutes we were being ushered into our compartment with several other viewers. The compartments rotate slowly enough that they do not stop while you are getting on, but reportedly they can be stopped for handicapped individuals and other needs. Generally you can expect up to a dozen people in a compartment but we did see pictures of people getting a compartment all to themselves. We had 5 other people in ours. The compartment slowly rose with the turning of the wheel and our view of London expanded with it as well. The entire ride will take about 30-45 minutes based on the speed of the rotation, allowing ample time for taking photographs. Big Ben and the buildings of Parliament in particular were in good view and a pretty sight with the evening sun starting to set during our ride. Seeing the structure of the wheel outside the compartment was interesting too given its impressive size.

In summary, the London Eye and the Shard each provide great views of the surrounding city. The London Eye will provide a closer glimpse of Big Ben and Parliament given its proximity and shorter height. The Shard will provide the highest views available in the city. Both are relatively equally priced if not using the London Pass for the Shard, and both assuredly don’t need to be as expensive as they are but likely will be for the foreseeable future. The London Eye is limited to 30-45 minutes where as the Shard can be visited until closing time (10 PM). As with any observation viewing, arriving at sunset and viewing in the late evening will provide its own unique experience. All in all, we are glad to have experienced both. If you have the funds or the determination to experience everything in London then do both. If you have the will power to forgo tourist tradition, feel free to skip out on one. If we had to choose one to skip, it would be the London Eye because we had the London Pass and the Shard is just…more of a view. (Don’t hate us Coca Cola).