London Views
 

<BR>Looking for recommednations for good view points around London (and how to get there). I've heard of St. Paul's. Doesn't the National Portrait Gallery have a resturant with good views?

My wife and I always enjoy walking to the top of Primrose Hill. It is just north of Regent's Park.

I saw OXO Tower mentioned before - what is it and where is it located?

The London Eye has great views. You can find info about it at:<BR><BR>http://www.londoneye.com/default.asp

Yes, the restaurant ( not the one on the lowerest level) in the National Portrait Gallery does have a nice window view.

Oh, sorry.. for National Portrait Gallery the nearest Tube stations are Charing Cross and Leicester Square.. just walk toward Trafalgar Square from either one. The Portriat Gallery entrance is on Charing Cross Road.

I'll second the vote for the London Eye. As it slowly makes its rotation, you have about a half hour to view the city from a variety of perspectives. It helps if you know the city a little, so that you can pick out landmarks, but in any case, it is not to be missed.

The upstairs cafe in the Tate Modern has good views back across the Thames. <BR>It is usually busy and a bit expensive.

I'll second Primrose Hill. There is also a great view of the Docklands and the east of London from the Greenwich Observatory.

I'll second Primrose Hill. There is also a great view of the Docklands and the east of London from the Greenwich Observatory.

What tube stop do you use to get to Primrose Hill? Is it marked well enough to find it easily? Is it an obvious walk up the hill?

Chalk Farm tube station is about .5 from Primrose Hill .

.5 mile !

Someone pointed the OXO tower out to me. It's on the south bank, near the rebuilt Globe theatre.<BR><BR>They said it had the &quot;OXO&quot; embedded in the tiles on the tower face - The name of the soup cube people. This got them around the London ban on large advertising signs way back when...<BR><BR>I don't know if there's a restaurant or observation gallery in it. ?

I favor Parliament Hill on Hampstead Heath. Take the tube to Belsize Park, and ask the locals for directions to the east heath. A nice area to wander, since it's mostly locals.

The top of tower bridge.

THe view from the bar at the top of the Park Lane Hilton is good. The bar is pricey but nice and you can see all over London.<BR><BR>There's a cracking view from the top of the Monument but there are an awful lot of stairs!<BR><BR>

Re: the OXO Tower. Yes it does have great views, and a bar, brasserie and restaurant. However, the brasserie and restaurant are a famous rip-off with not very exciting food for the price (you'll pay top London prices in the restaurant - $100 each, slightly less in the brasserie). Instead, just go to the bar for a cocktail.<BR><BR>For perhaps the best view in the City, there's a champagne bar called Vertigo on the top floor of Tower 42, which is the tallest building in the City (42 floors, as you probably guessed). You'll need to book in advance, as they have limited space and, as you can imagine, strict security. You'll also need to take photo ID (passport) but it's worth it.<BR><BR>Check out http://www.worldsbestbars.com/city/London/Vertigo.asp<BR>for address, description and contact number.

London Eye definitely. If you book in a trip as dusk begins to fall, the London lights are beautiful. Its a half an hour trip and rotates very slowly, but its worthwhile.

A good view - although not aerial - is from the middle of Waterloo Bridge both upstream to Westminster and down towards the City!