Sky Garden or Garden at 120? Both of these London rooftop gardens offer beautiful views of the city and are completely free, but which one is better to visit? In this guide, I’ll go over which is better in terms of the actual building, the ticketing process, space and atmosphere, seating, restaurant/bar, and ultimately, views of London.
But before we get into all the details, let’s start with a brief overview of Sky Garden and The Garden at 120 and how to get there!
Sky Garden Overview
📍 1, Sky Garden Walk, London EC3M 8AF
Sky Garden is London’s highest public garden, located on Fenchurch Street. It offers 360 views of London, which is completely free to see on Monday to Friday from 10 am to 6 pm and on Saturday and Sunday (and bank holidays) from 11 am to 9 pm.
The Garden at 120 Overview
📍 120 Fenchurch St, London EC3M 5BA
The Garden at 120 is London’s biggest rooftop terrace, just 2 minutes down the road from Sky Garden. It also offers 360 views of London and is completely free to visit. Opening times are dependent on the season, so during summer (1 April – 30 September), it’s open on weekdays from 10 am to 9 pm and on weekends from 10 am to 5 pm. Meanwhile, during winter (1 October – 31 March), it’s open on weekdays from 10 am to 6:30 pm and on weekends from 10 am to 5 pm.
How to Get To Sky Garden and The Garden at 120
Sky Garden and The Garden at 120 are on the same street, so getting there is pretty much the same principle. The easiest way to get to these rooftop gardens is via the London Underground or by bus.
By London Underground
The closest London Underground station is Monument (which serves the Circle and District lines), which is only a 3-5 minute walk from Fenchurch Street. Or you can go to Bank Underground Station (which serves the DLR, Central, Northern and Waterloo & City lines) and take a 6-8 minute walk.
If you’re unsure how to reach either station from where you are, it’s best to plan your journey on the Transport for London (TFL) website or check on the TFL Go or Citymapper apps.
You may like: How to Use the London Underground: The Ultimate Guide From a Londoner (coming soon!)
By Bus
The bus routes that go to Fenchurch Street bus stops are 35, 47, 149, 388 and 344. They’re not actually located on Fenchurch Street, but you’ll just need to walk down and turn the corner to get there. If you’re not sure what bus route(s) to take to get to Fenchurch Street, I’d highly recommend planning your journey on the TFL website, TFl Go app, or Citymapper app!
Sky Garden or Garden at 120: Which London Rooftop Garden Is Better to Visit?
Now that we’ve gone over visiting information for Sky Garden and The Garden at 120 and how to get there via public transport, let’s get into which one is better to visit. Let the battle of Sky Garden and Garden at 120 begin!
Better Location + Building: Sky Garden
As I mentioned before, both Sky Garden and the Garden at 120 are located on the same street, so neither location is better than the other. But when it comes to solely the look of the building, Sky Garden definitely takes the cake!
The Garden at 120 is located in what looks like any other office building you’ll come across in London. This almost makes it hidden amongst the other buildings surrounding it, but this isn’t automatically a bad thing, as it helps keep this garden more of a secret. Also, the rooftop is only 15 storeys high, which I think is pretty decent!
In contrast, though, the Sky Garden is located at the top of the Fenchurch Building, which was designed by the Uruguayan architect Rafael Viñoly. You’ll probably hear the building being referred to as the Walkie-Talkie building because it looks exactly like a huge walkie-talkie made of glass.
Because of how unique the shape is, it’s basically like another London landmark. I love how distinct it is and how, just by looking at it, you know it’s an interesting building to visit. It’s 38 storeys, standing 160m tall, with the Sky Garden occupying 3 floors at the top!
Better Ticketing Process: Garden at 120
For both the Sky Garden and The Garden at 120, you’ll have to go through an airport-style security check before entering; however, when it comes to the ticketing processes, they differ.
Sky Garden is a very popular attraction. According to the City of London Corporation, it welcomes over 3000 visitors per day (that’s 10 million visitors every year)! So, with the high demand, it makes sense that the waiting time to get inside is long and that the ticketing process is more rigid.
To enter Sky Garden, you need to book a free ticket via their website about 3 weeks in advance. But because of how popular it is, tickets can go quickly, and you might need to check the website regularly to secure your tickets. My best advice is to check the booking page every morning, around 9-10 am (BST/GMT).
According to the Sky Garden website, if you don’t have a ticket, they do accept walk-ins daily during public hours; you’ll just have to ask the team if there’s space to enter at the door. But this can be a risky move. Alternatively, if you’re happy to splurge on a meal, you can get into the Sky Garden without a ticket by booking a table at one of the restaurants.
However, for The Garden at 120, the ticketing process is very simple because you don’t need to book tickets in advance at all! You just show up and walk in! Plus, the waiting times are so short compared to Sky Garden. When I visited at around 11 am on a Tuesday, there weren’t any lines to wait at all! So, The Garden at 120 automatically wins for the better ticketing process!
Better Space + Atmosphere: Garden at 120
I’ll be real with you, even though Sky Garden is literally branded as a rooftop garden, it doesn’t live up to its name. Sure, it features some plants and greenery, but it’s as much a garden as an airport is a garden, if you get what I mean? It’s more of an observation deck with some plants to fill up space than an actual rooftop garden. Sky Garden does cover 3 floors, though, meaning it has tons of space to walk around and explore, including its open-air terrace (which will be discussed in more detail in the “Better Views” section of this guide).
But again, because of how popular it is, the atmosphere reflects the busyness of London as a city. The atmosphere feels very much like an airport with tons of people around every corner, either walking, standing around, sleeping on the seats, or getting work done on their laptops. The vibe doesn’t give garden, which is a shame because of its name and how it’s branded.
But if you want to visit a rooftop garden that actually looks and feels like a garden, then it’s better to visit the Garden at 120. It features rows of hedges, over 30 fruit trees, 85 Italian wisteria trees, and a 200ft long flowing water feature. Since it’s only 15 storeys too, the whole rooftop is an open-air space, giving it that extra garden feel.
The atmosphere at The Garden at 120 is very tranquil, too. This is probably because it’s more of a hidden space with fewer people visiting, but I think that’s what makes it great! You can freely wander around the rooftop space without tons of people getting in your way every second.
Better Seating: Tied
Both Sky Garden and The Garden at 120 have seating that satisfies every person, which is why I think they’re tied.
Sky Garden has tons of seating on each of the 3 floors it occupies. On the first floor, where the foyer is, there are tons of chairs and sofas where you can sit while drinking a coffee, a cocktail, or any other beverage of your liking. On the second floor that’s mostly occupied by the huge trees and greenery, you’ll find seats close to the stairs that overlook the foyer and provide more views of the city.
Then, if you head up the last flight of stairs, you’ll reach another floor featuring the restaurant (more info on this in the “Better Restaurant + Bar section below) with one of the best backdrops of the building and city in the background! You’ll love the seating at Sky Garden if you want to enjoy the experience of chilling at the top of a skyscraper while drinking a coffee or cocktail (or just admiring the sky-high views)!
The Garden at 120 also has an abundance of seating. They have much more relaxed seating with benches almost all around the perimeter of the garden. For seats overlooking the city, sit on the benches by the water feature, and if you just want to chill and enjoy the atmosphere, sit on the benches by the green areas. For those who admire peaceful, quiet time on a bench while admiring the surrounding greenery, then you’ll prefer the seats at The Garden at 120
Better Restaurant + Bar: Sky Garden
Both Sky Garden and The Garden at 120 offer a restaurant and bar. Well…kind of. The Garden at 120 doesn’t actually have a bar and restaurant in the garden. Instead, you’ll have to go downstairs to the floor below for the restaurant, bar, and deli called 14 Hills.
14 Hills offers modern European dishes and has a luxury vibe. However, since it’s on the floor below The Garden at 120, you can’t expect to get the same lovely views as the rooftop. And with its botanical garden interior (which is beautiful btw), the greenery blocks a lot of the windows, making it difficult to see the views of London too.
In contrast, Sky Garden offers multiple restaurants and bars. The City Garden Bar is in the foyer, offering alcoholic drinks as well as tea, coffee, sandwiches, salads and desserts. There’s also the Sky Pod Bar situated amongst the gardens, which offers cocktails, music and the best views from Sky Garden.
Darwin Brasserie restaurant is on Level 36, offering all-day dining with British dishes. There are window tables that you can book, allowing you to dine while enjoying the city views!
The other restaurant, Fenchurch Restaurant, is on Level 36, offering lunch, counter dining, a tasting menu (5 courses), and an a la carte menu. It’s fine dining vibes, so perfect for a fancy dinner!
What makes Sky Garden’s restaurant and bars better than the Garden at 120 isn’t just that it has more, but it’s also the experience. Because Sky Garden is located at the top level of the whole building, fine dining here is just unmatched. I honestly think that although Sky Garden lacks the “garden” aspect, it compensates for the fact that it is one of the highest points in London where you can fine dine and have a drink while overlooking the city.
Better Views: Tied
Some might be shocked when I say that I think the city views from Sky Garden and The Garden at 120 are equally amazing. But hear me out, I have my reasons!
Sky Garden has a roofed observation deck where you can see more of London; however, as I mentioned earlier in this guide, they do have an open-air terrace. It’s quite a restricted strip of terrace since it doesn’t go all around the building. But from there, you can get a view of the Thames, HMS Belfast, Tower Bridge and The Shard. If you go back inside and walk up the stairs, you’ll find that some of the glass windows have a marker on more landmarks you can spot in the distance from that specific point. For example, despite Wembley Stadium being located far in northwest London, you can see it from Sky Garden because you’re so high up!
Since The Garden at 120 is only 15 storeys high, you get more close-up views of London’s landmarks, including Tower Bridge and The Shard. It also offers the best views of the Walkie-Talkie building and the Gherkin.
Both Sky Garden and The Garden at 120 offer amazing views, just from different angles, which is why I think they’re tied!
Sky Garden or Garden at 120: Final Thoughts
As you can see, both the Sky Garden and the Garden at 120 are amazing rooftop gardens that offer stunning views of London! Ultimately, if you’re deciding between Sky Garden or Garden at 120, it all depends on your preference. For more of a rooftop experience with fine dining, choose Sky Garden. But if you prefer a tranquil garden in a relaxed space, then pick The Garden at 120! I hope this guide helped you decide which rooftop garden is better for you to visit!
See more of my London travel guides to help you plan your trip:
- The Ultimate First-Timer’s Guide to London (START HERE)
- Where to Stay in London for First-Timers
- Where to Find Colorful Houses in Notting Hill + Map
- Kings Cross to Little Venice: Regent’s Canal Walk
- 25 FREE Things to Do Near London Bridge + Map (coming soon!)
- The Ultimate London Bucket List: Top 50 Things to Do in London (coming soon!)
- How to Visit Kyoto Garden in London (coming soon!)
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