London is a beautiful city, particularly during the height of summer and mid-Fall. The atmosphere before the colder winter air sweeps in is magical. Before, you get forced to take shelter in warm and dry pubs, museums and galleries, see some awe-inspiring views from a rooftop bar. Below are a variety of rooftops bar from around England’s vibrant capital city.

The Sky Lounge

Address: Level 34, 31 St Thomas Street, London
Closest Underground/Train Station: London Bridge

This recently refurbished bar is located inside London’s tallest hotel, Shangri-La Hotel at the Shard. It provides an array of drink choices, excellent views of the city and an elegant setting to enjoy your vacation. This luxurious bar is a little pricey, but if you are looking for glamour and perhaps some champagne with oysters, this is the place to visit.

Bokan Rooftop Bar

Address: Floor 37-39, 40 Marsh Wall, London
Closest Underground/Train Station: Heron Quays DLR

No matter when you arrive in London, Bokan is a great option for outdoor entertainment, all the year round. With a comfy sheltered area and an open terrace, it’s the perfect place to kick back and relax. After a day of touring the city, admire the London city skyline in the trendy Canary Wharf. The only negative point is that you cannot make reservations. They operate on a walk-in only basis, so the possibility of not getting a seat is possible. However, if you arrive before the after-work crowd, at around 5 pm, you should be ok.

Rumpus Room

Address: Mondrian Hotel, 20 Upper Ground, London
Closest Underground/Train Station: Blackfriars

Situated on the Southbank, close to the National Theatre, this elegant and stylish hotel rooftop bar is a spectacular place to feast your eyes upon the most epic part of London. Feast your eyes on St Pauls Cathedral, Waterloo Bridge, and Somerset House. With a smart/casual dress code, which excludes those wearing trainers and flipflop, Rumpus Room has become a trendy bar popular with the local city workers. Visit the Rumpus Room to feel like a local.

If you’re in the area on a Wednesday, pop in to listen to some modern live music and enjoy a champagne-themed cocktail. It opens at 5 pm, Tuesday-Saturday and closing times vary.

Roof East

Address: Floors 7 & 8, Stratford Multi-Storey Car Park, Great Eastern Way, London
Closest Underground/Train Station: Stratford

This former car park has been transformed into a stylish community hangout, using eco-friendly and recycled materials. The decking is made from the Olympic Park footbridge and 3 cars have been filled with earth and now have trees growing in them. When you have tired feet, Roof East is the perfect place to unwind with a drink or a roof yoga class. You can even chill out watching a movie, in the summer, with the city of London as the backdrop.

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Aqua Spirit

Address: 5th Floor, 30 Argyll St, Soho, London
Closest Underground/Train Street: Oxford Circus

With two large terraces ideally located within the shopping district, this is a great rooftop bar to visit when the sun makes an appearance. Aqua Spirit is surprisingly peaceful even though thousands of shoppers are hustling and bustling through the streets, less than 6 floors below. The menu includes light snacks, classic cocktails and even some inspired by Japanese and Spanish culture, so best to eat beforehand.

The Boundary Project

Address: 2-4 Boundary Street, Shoreditch, London
Closest Underground/Train Station: Shoreditch High Street

Within the heart of exciting and thriving Shoreditch, you can enjoy an afternoon or evening in the rooftop bar and grill of The Boundary Project. It is open from 11:30am until 11:00pm. In all weathers, you can absorb the city’s rich ambiance in this extremely comfortable and affordable bar. The heated terrace is open from Easter until the end of Summer.

These 5 great rooftop bars were selected because of their location. They are dotted around the best sites in London, so hopefully, whichever part you are exploring there will be a rooftop bar nearby. Adding a rooftop bar visit to your itinerary will not only provide you with spectacular city views and a refreshing drink. You will also rest and recuperate so that you can continue your London whirlwind adventure.