Think you've seen it all in London?

Thanks to the opening of The Shard, there’s now the opportunity to see the sights from a totally different view and breathe in the city air at 800ft with its partial outdoor viewing area.

With prices starting at £25, the entry fee is almost as steep as the striking structure but visiting at dusk provided the perfect place to watch the sun set and see the bright city lights.

Looking down on the Tower of London, the top-to-bottom glass windows offer a fantastic 360-degree perspective of the city with digital telescopes providing options to see the same view during the day, night and hundreds of years previously.

New ‘Meet the animals’ experiences at London Zoo are also giving tourists a different perspective.

We p-p-picked up their penguin encounter and got up close to Ricky the rockhopper (who has clocked up more than 11,000 fans on Facebook) and Pringle the humboldt penguin.

Warrington Guardian: Hannah and James Lord enjoyed the penguin encounter at London Zoo

Our knowledgeable guide talked us through the birds’ daily routine and with only a handful of visitors allowed to take part in the experience each day there was even the opportunity to give our new friends a tickle.

It was fascinating getting so close to one of nature’s characters and added to a memorable day at the zoo spotting everything from aardvarks to zebras.

Newborn cubs at the recently opened ‘Tiger territory’ will no doubt pull in huge crowds but visitors also shouldn’t forget the many bar-free enclosures including the monkey walk-through, indoor rainforest life and meerkat feeding area which make the zoo so popular with families.

And as new attractions at the Olympic Park now open their doors again, the London Eye is a great place to get a glimpse of the ever-changing London skyline.

Skip the queues by booking online and have your camera at the ready to snap some of the city’s most famous landmarks including Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace at a stately 26cm per second.

Warrington Guardian: The London Eye

While there are no futuristic telescopes or champagne option at the London Eye, our 30 minute ride on the capital’s most popular paid-for tourist attraction did leave us on the doorstep of a number of other favourite destinations on the South Bank including Sea Life London Aquarium.

Spotting sharks, rays, gentoo penguins, seahorses and a massive green sea turtle in more than two million litres of water ensured our visit went swimmingly... but I won’t carp on.

 

LONDON FACTS:

Prices for The Shard start at £25

Fast track adult tickets to London Zoo are £27 for adults and £20.50 for children with a range of ‘Meet the animals’ experiences including lions, giraffes and meerkats starting at £60.

Tickets for the London Eye on the day start at £29.50 for adults with 10 per cent off the online price.

Entry to Sea Life London Aquarium is £25.20 with combination tickets available with the London Eye.

And for an alternative dining view, Dans Le Noir is a must. Tuck into one of their surprise menus in the pitch black surrounds of the Clerkenwell restaurant served by blind waiters.

A truly unique experience with two courses and wine costing around £50 each.