The Shard Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of ways to experience The Shard. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• High-Speed Thames River Speedboat in London

• Lunch River Cruise on the Thames with 2-Course Meal

• London in a Day: Tower of London, Westminster, and River Cruise

• London Sightseeing Walking Tour with 30-Plus Sights

• Speedboat Sightseeing: Embankment OR Westminster Pier - 45 Minutes

The price to visit The Shard varies depending on which ticket price you choose. General entry starts at £19 and goes up to £32 depending on which slot you book. Children under 4 years can enter for free, and there are family packages available for families of four, for £69.

Yes, The Shard is worth visiting, especially if you manage to come on a clear day or at sunset. Once inside, you can access 360-degree panoramic views of London that reveal as far as 40 miles (64 kilometers) away. Prebooking entry is the perfect way to save time waiting in long lines, and some visitors come as part of a wider London highlights tour to check off many key landmarks.

Per one customer who booked the London Sightseeing Walking Tour with 30+ Sights, "Matt was an awesome travel guide. He was interesting to listen to and full of fun facts about London.  I have done other types of tours but I definitely learned the most on this one. Definitely a great tour and I would do it again."

The Shard is a skyscraper in London, located just south of the River Thames. Designed by architect Renzo Piano and completed in 2012, it’s not just the tallest building in London but in all of Western Europe. True to its name, the sharp, reflective skyscraper looks like an enormous shard of glass.

The Shard stands a whopping 1,016 feet (310 meters) high, and spans 95 floors (72 habitable), offering some of the best views of London. Its creator, Renzo Piano, described the skyscraper as a “vertical city,” and it brings together everything from office spaces and hotels to restaurants and bars. Its observation deck is the landmark’s highlight attraction for visitors.

Yes, you can visit The Shard, and there are several ways to enjoy this iconic skyscraper. The most popular attraction is The View from The Shard, featuring an open-air observation deck on the 72nd floor. It’s open daily, with hours that vary depending on the season. The main indoor viewing platform on the 69th floor offers breathtaking 360-degree views, stretching up to 40 miles on clear days.

You can also dine at one of The Shard's bars or restaurants, which combine stunning cityscapes with world-class cuisine. Many London Shard tours include skip-the-line tickets and pair your visit with a walking tour to other top London landmarks for a complete experience.

Conveniently, the Shard stands right above one of London’s busiest transit hubs: London Bridge Station. The Station serves the Northern and Jubilee lines of the London Underground and also hosts numerous mainline trains, offering excellent connections throughout London and beyond. A number of local bus lines also serve the area, offering one more way to get there.

The Shard offers stunning views overlooking London; it’s best to aim for a clear, bright day so you can see as much as possible. The best time to visit The View from The Shard observation deck is at dusk when you can enjoy stunning views of London as the city lights up.

Yes, there are a number of dining options at The Shard. Popular choices include Hutong (which serves Chinese fine dining), Oblix (modeled on New York), and Aqua Shard (which specializes in contemporary British fare). For a refined afternoon tea, head to TĪNG at the Shangri-La Hotel on the 35th floor. There are also high-end cocktail bars, relaxing lounges, and more casual dining options, too.

There are tons of fun things to do when you're done visiting The Shard. According to travelers, these are some of the top attractions in London:

• Buckingham Palace

• Tower of London

• Westminster Abbey

• London Eye

• Houses of Parliament and Big Ben

View Viator's guide to all the best attractions in London.