Summer in London – Skylight rooftop bar

Summer in London – Skylight rooftop bar

by | May 6, 2018 | Event vlogs, Expats explore London, Explore London (vlogs), London views, Rooftop and views, Rooftop vlogs, Spring and summer in Europe, Travel blogger destinations, United Kingdom

This past week we had the chance to attend the summer launch party for Skylight rooftop bar at Tobacco Dock in east London.

We didn’t know Skylight rooftop bar existed but wow, what a venue! We’ll definitely be back. Spread across three huge levels, Skylight includes undercover spaces (for when London weather isn’t playing nice), games, comfortable seating and unbeatable views over London.

Summer in London is here, and it means our rooftop bars are beginning to open their doors again, just in time for May’s first long weekend. After a long cold winter, we are ready to play.

Take a look around Skylight …. see you soon for summer in London.

 

Find out more about Skylight London

 

London’s best views – 5 reasons to visit Monument

London’s best views – 5 reasons to visit Monument

by | Feb 15, 2016 | Expats explore London, Explore London (vlogs), London views, Travel blogger destinations, United Kingdom

I’ve been lucky enough to live in this great city and have experienced many of London’s best views over the past few years.

But I have never experienced the Monument, Sir Christopher Wren’s  202 feet (61 m) stone column built to commemorate one of the most famous events in the city’s history, the Great Fire of 1666.

London’s best views | 5 reasons to visit Monument

History

The world’s tallest stone column just outside Monument tube station pays homage to the Great Fire and the rebuilding of the city. Apparently if you lay the column on its side, it measures the exact distance between it and the house of Thomas Farynor, the king’s baker in Pudding Lane where the fire started at 2am on Sunday 2 September.

Before the fire was finally extinguished it destroyed 13,000 houses and 90 churches; including part of Saint Paul’s Cathedral.

Monument - street travellivelearn

Waiting time

Unlike many attractions in London where you have to line up in long queues regardless of the weather, I only had to wait six minutes for entry to the Monument. Better than what I anticipate the wait at the London Eye is!

Monument view travellivelearn

Cost

Entry into the Monument is only £4 for adults (as at February 2016) compared with the Shard (over £25) and London Eye (over £20).

Exercise

If you’re an active person you’ll love the 311 step climb to the top. It’s a great way for toning your bottom and legs while experiencing London’s amazing skyline.

That said, don’t worry if this sounds daunting, it’s actually a pretty easy climb, the average person taking around four minutes to make it up to the top (not counting if you have to wait for children loitering in the stairwell along the way).

Monument stairwell travellivelearn

Views

As you exit the stairs onto a small ledge you’re met by a simple wire fence separating you from the 166 drop to the ground below and magnificent 360 panoramic views of the London skyline. The Monument offers wonderful views of the Shard (hard to miss), Tower Bridge, Saint Paul’s Cathedral, Gherkin (30 St Mary Axe), Leadenhall Building (affectionately known as the Cheese Grater) and Canary Wharf in the distance.

London skyline Travellivelearn 2

There’s plenty more to do in this part of London too. Monument is a very short stroll from a brilliant free attraction, the London sky garden, also featuring some of London’s best views.