Sky Garden is a free indoor garden and viewing area at the top of 20 Fenchurch Street, from the 35th floor up, in the City of London. Entry costs nothing, but you need a free timed ticket, and new tickets are released every Monday morning for the week three weeks ahead.
The building is the tall glass tower that widens towards the top, designed by the architect Rafael Viñoly and nicknamed the "Walkie-Talkie" by Londoners. At the top, under a huge glass roof, are terraced beds of plants, two bars, two restaurants and an open-air terrace. The official site describes it as London's highest public garden, about 155 metres above the street.
Because it is free, it is popular, and the most convenient weekend slots go quickly. The good news is that there are several ways in when tickets are gone, and a couple of free alternatives a few minutes' walk away. This guide explains how the booking system works, what to expect on the day and what to do if you missed out.
Sky Garden essentials
- Price
- Free with a timed ticket
- Ticket release
- Every Monday morning (not bank holidays), for the week three weeks ahead
- Public hours
- Monday to Friday 10am-6pm; weekends and bank holidays 11am-9pm
- Time limit
- One hour inside from the time you enter
- Walk-ins
- Sometimes, if there is space; never after 5pm on weekdays
- Entrance
- Philpot Lane, south-west corner of 20 Fenchurch Street (1 Sky Garden Walk, EC3M 8AF)
- Nearest Tube
- Monument, a short walk away
What is actually up there
After security at street level, a lift takes you straight up to level 35. You step out into a tall, light space that fills the top of the tower. Planted slopes climb up either side, with stairs and lifts leading to higher levels and observation decks. The planting was designed by the landscape architects Gillespies and uses mostly drought-resistant Mediterranean and South African species, so there are agapanthus, red hot pokers, birds of paradise and lavender rather than English lawns.
The view is the reason people come. Looking south you see the Thames, Tower Bridge and the Shard directly across the river. To the east are the Tower of London and, further out, the towers of Canary Wharf. To the west the dome of St Paul's rises above the City. Because the building stands a little apart from the main cluster of skyscrapers, you look across at many of them rather than up.
There is also an open-air terrace. It is open from 10am to 6pm on weekdays and 11am to 6pm at weekends, and security can close it without warning in bad weather. The garden itself is naturally ventilated, so it is roughly as warm or cold as the weather outside. Bring a layer in winter.
How the Monday ticket release works
Sky Garden releases free tickets once a week. According to its official help centre, "Free tickets are released every Monday morning (excluding bank holidays) three weeks in advance for the whole week." In practice this means that on a Monday you can book any day in the week that falls three weeks later. If Monday is a bank holiday, the release moves, so check the website that week.
The site does not publish an exact release time, so we would simply check early on Monday morning, UK time. Remember the time difference if you are booking from abroad: London is on GMT in winter and one hour ahead (BST) in summer.
- Go to the booking page on the official Sky Garden website. This is the only place to get the free tickets.
- Choose your date and a time slot. Each slot is the time you should arrive at the queue.
- Book one ticket for every person, including children aged over five.
- Wait for the confirmation email. The site says it can take up to 24 hours to arrive.
- If your plans change, cancel the ticket online so someone else can use it.
Weekday mornings are the easiest Sky Garden slots to catch. Weekend slots and the hour before sunset are the first to disappear. If you only have a weekday, you have a far better chance, and a 10am or 11am slot is often easier to get than the late afternoon.
Because people are asked to cancel tickets they cannot use, slots can reappear after they first sell out. It costs nothing to look again a few days before your visit and on the day itself.
Choosing a time slot
The public garden is open to ticket holders from 10am to 6pm on weekdays and from 11am to 9pm at weekends and on bank holidays. That makes weekends the only free option for a view after dark in autumn and winter, which is one reason they sell out first.
- Morning: usually the calmest time, with the sun lighting up the river to the south-east.
- Around sunset: the most popular slot. In winter the sun sets well before 6pm, so even a weekday late-afternoon ticket can give you dusk.
- Weekend evenings: you see the lights of the City and the river, but the bars get busy and under-16s cannot enter after 9pm at weekends (or after 6pm on weekdays).
For more ideas for after-dark London, see our guide to evening things to do in London.
On the day: queue, security and the one-hour rule
Having a ticket does not mean you walk straight in. You still queue, and the queue for pre-booked tickets is on the right-hand side, starting from Fenchurch Street and Philpot Lane. Sky Garden says that if you join the queue more than 15 minutes after the time on your ticket, it is "highly unlikely" you will be let in, and you will have to book another day.
Security is airport-style, with bags going through an X-ray machine. Some rules catch visitors out:
- No large bags or suitcases. A small cabin-size case is allowed only if it fits through the X-ray machine (maximum 615 x 410 mm). There are no lockers and staff will not look after bags, so use a left luggage service if you are on your way to or from a station.
- No outside food or drink, except baby food and milk. Alcohol brought in will be confiscated.
- No tripods or large photographic equipment. Handheld cameras and phones are fine.
- Bring photo ID if you look young. Sky Garden runs a Challenge 25 policy, so anyone over 18 who looks under 25 should carry a passport, a photo driving licence or a PASS card.
Once inside, your ticket gives you one hour from the time you enter. That is enough to walk the whole garden, see the view from every side and have a drink, but not to settle in for the afternoon.
No free ticket left? Other ways in
Missing out on the Monday release is common, and it does not have to end your plans. Here are the realistic options, from free to paid.
Try your luck as a walk-in
The official booking page says that if there is space, staff "may be able to accept walk-ins", but it cannot promise anything and there is no ideal time to try. Walk-ins are not accepted after 5pm on weekdays. A quiet weekday morning outside school holidays gives you the best chance. Ask the team at the entrance.
Book a table in a restaurant
If you have a reservation at Darwin Brasserie or Fenchurch Restaurant, both inside Sky Garden, you do not need a separate access ticket. You can arrive up to 30 minutes before your booking to get through security and walk around the garden. Restaurants take bookings up to 60 days ahead. Note that Larch, the restaurant on the first floor opposite the entrance, is not inside Sky Garden and does not include access. For other places to drink with a view, see our guide to London's rooftop bars.
Pay a little for an early morning or evening entry
Sky Garden also sells tickets at the door outside the free hours. According to its help centre, early morning tickets cost £11.50 per person and include a hot drink and access to the gardens, and evening tickets with music and a welcome drink start at £15.50 (September 2026). Both depend on availability, and physical ID is required for evening walk-ins. Check the current offer on the Sky Garden help centre before you go.
Go to a free viewpoint nearby instead
Two free alternatives are within a few minutes' walk. The Garden at 120, on the 15th floor of 120 Fenchurch Street, needs no booking at all, and Horizon 22, at the top of 22 Bishopsgate, is higher than Sky Garden and also free with a timed ticket. We compare these and more in our guide to London's best free viewpoints. If you would rather pay for a guaranteed slot, the two big paid options are The View from The Shard and the London Eye.
Why Sky Garden is worth the effort
- Free, with no pressure to buy anything
- Views of the river, Tower Bridge and the Shard in one sweep
- A real garden with seating, not just a viewing platform
- Open until 9pm at weekends for free
What can disappoint
- Weekend slots go fast
- You still queue, even with a ticket
- One-hour limit
- You look through glass, except on the terrace
Closure days and a current warning
Sky Garden is sometimes closed to the public for private hire and maintenance, even when the restaurants stay open. It publishes these on a closure dates page. When we checked in September 2026, it listed, among others, a full-day closure on 24 September 2026, maintenance days on 5 October and 16 November 2026, and several afternoons closed from 4pm for private events. The page says maintenance normally happens on the first Monday of the month, though not every date listed follows that pattern.
A broken visitor lift has cut capacity. In mid-September 2026 the official website warned that one of its visitor lifts was out of service, that capacity had been reduced and that some ticket holders "may be unable to access the Sky Garden at their booked time". It advised flexible visitors to rebook for a later date. Check the website the day before your visit for an update.
Bank holidays follow weekend hours (11am to 9pm), but no tickets are released on a bank holiday Monday. Our overview of bank holidays and opening hours in London lists the dates.
Children, groups and step-free access
Children are welcome during public hours, but under-16s must be with an adult aged 18 or over, and one adult may bring a maximum of three children. Every child over five needs their own free ticket. Children under 16 cannot enter after 6pm on weekdays or after 9pm at weekends. For a family day in the area, our guide to London with children has more ideas.
Groups of up to 30 people can book through the normal ticket system. Larger groups are only accepted on community days, which Sky Garden schedules for the second Wednesday of every month, and they must use the separate group booking form.
The visitor route is step-free. Lifts from street level on Philpot Lane and Rood Lane lead to the entrance level, and further lifts inside connect the garden levels. Assistance dogs are welcome; other animals are not. You can contact the team in advance if you need support. For wider advice, see our guide to accessible London.
Getting to 20 Fenchurch Street
Monument station (District and Circle lines) is the closest, a short walk away. Bank, Tower Hill, Aldgate and Mansion House are all less than 10 minutes on foot, and Fenchurch Street, Cannon Street and London Bridge stations are close by for rail services. Bus route 40 stops nearby. If you are new to the Underground, our visitor's guide to the Tube explains how to pay and change lines.
The entrance is on Philpot Lane, on the south-west corner of the building, and there are signs around the base of the tower. Do not go to the main office entrance on Fenchurch Street.
Building a half-day around your visit
Sky Garden sits in the middle of the City of London, the historic Square Mile, and combines easily with the sights below you. A good plan is a morning at the Tower of London, a walk across Tower Bridge and back, and an early afternoon slot at Sky Garden to see where you have been from above. Leadenhall Market, with its Victorian glass roof, is only a few streets north.
If you enjoy the river view, our walking guide to the Thames bridges takes you along the water from Westminster to Tower Bridge. And if you are building a low-cost trip, Sky Garden belongs on any list of free things to do in London.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sky Garden really free?
Yes. Entry to the public garden is free during public hours, from 10am to 6pm on weekdays and 11am to 9pm at weekends and on bank holidays. You need a free timed ticket from the official website. Food and drinks in the bars and restaurants are paid.
When are Sky Garden tickets released?
Free tickets are released every Monday morning, except on bank holidays, for the whole week three weeks ahead. The website does not give an exact release time, so check early on Monday morning UK time. Cancelled tickets can reappear later, so it is worth checking again closer to your date.
Can I visit Sky Garden without a ticket?
Sometimes. Staff may let in walk-ins when there is space, but this is never guaranteed and not possible after 5pm on weekdays. A table booking at Darwin Brasserie or Fenchurch Restaurant also includes access, and paid early morning and evening entry is sold at the door.
How long can you stay at Sky Garden?
A free public ticket allows one hour inside from the time you enter. You should also arrive on time: if you join the queue more than 15 minutes after your booked time, you are unlikely to be let in and will need to book another day.
Can I bring a suitcase to Sky Garden?
Only a small cabin-size case that fits through the security X-ray machine, which takes objects up to 615 x 410 mm. Large bags and suitcases are not allowed, and there is no storage in the building, so leave luggage elsewhere before you arrive.
Sources
- Sky Garden - Booking your visit (checked September 2026)
- Sky Garden - Help Centre (FAQs) (checked September 2026)
- Sky Garden - Plan your visit and opening hours (checked September 2026)
- Sky Garden - Closure dates (checked September 2026)
- Sky Garden - Getting here (checked September 2026)
- Sky Garden - What is Sky Garden? (checked September 2026)