The View From The Shard

A few months ago we received a Buyagift Smartbox. If you have heard of Buyagift you will know that they offer 100's of experiences throughout the UK. The Smartbox which is perfect for couples had over 500 experiences to choose from but after a lot of thought we decided to use our voucher on our recent visit to London.

Once you decide to use your voucher it is very simple to access the experiences available. We finally decided on The View From The Shard. As the Voucher is for couples it was a little disappointing as the actual cost for the two of us was a lot less than the cost of the Smartbox. A family ticket was the same price as the Smartbox cost but they wouldn't budge when we arrived.

We took along our voucher and also a copy of the email they sent us. Little J was free as he us under 4 and big J cost £25. It would have been a little cheaper if we had of pre booked online.

Once you are ready to go up The Shard you have to go through a bag screening and also body screening. Very similar to an airport.

Once we had been checked it was time to go up. I was actually very excited as I love high buildings. The shard claims to be the highest in Europe.

To get up to the view from the shard we had to go in two lifts. The first took us up 33 floors and the second took us up to level 68. Both lifts were enclosed so you couldn't see how high you were going.

Once up you step out the lift you soon realise just how high you are. It was quite foggy when we first arrived but did clear a little later.

The views of the city of London are stunning. We tried to spot all the famous landmarks such as the London Eye and Big Ben. It wasn't very busy so we had full views.

There is another level you can walk up to which has a coffee shop on. We enjoyed a nice hot drink while looking out over London.

The whole experience lasted just over a hour although once up you can stay as long as you like. There were no seats available to sit down so you do have to stand whilst drinking your coffee or champagne if you have opted for a champagne experience.

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Handy Hints For Your Visit To The Shard

If driving there is a car park close by - it's situated on Kipling street which is approx a 5-10 walk. Once you leave the car park to walk to the Shard you need to turn right to the end of the street and then left till you see the entrance to Guy Hospital. This is actually a road so you can cut through and once you start on this road you will see The Shard just ahead.

Early morning visits seem to be less busy although even on a bright day it can be foggy in the city. Please keep that in mind if you want clear views

Pre booking will save you a few ££'s although you can just turn up on the day.

Be prepared for the bag and body scanning. This can take time especially if travelling with lots of bags, children, pram etc.

There are no seats when you go to the viewing desk although foldable chairs may be available on request.

If you have booked a champagne experience this is available on level 69 and a coffee shop is situated on the top floor.

Before you leave make sure you visit the Loo's with a view. Small toilet cubicles with a view of the city.

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We had an amazing visit to the Shard and we are already looking forward to our next visit. To find out more about Smartbox by Buyagift you can visit the website here.

For more ideas of what to do in London with the kids check out Family Travel With Ellie



*we received a Smartbox by Buyagift for the purpose of this post - all thoughts, opinions and photographs are our own*