London Eye at night

The London Eye, which receives more than 3.5 million visitors a year, is one of the most visited attractions in the British capital. It has been for years the highest viewpoint in London. It has now been surpassed by The Shard, a 95-story skyscraper located in Southwark. Even so, the London Eye does not lose its charm.

The night offers the best scenery to enjoy with that special person. Also if you just want to clear your head and go at a time when you do not run into the crowds of people who go during the day. Learn everything you need to know about the London Eye at night. I show you all the advantages of going to visit at this time of day. Will you join me?

The most complete option

London Eye Tickets

Enjoy an unforgettable experience from one of the capsules of this iconic Ferris wheel.

Seeing the British capital from above is a proposal that you can not miss on your trip to the British capital. In addition, you can enjoy the silent 4D short film about the creation of the London Eye to learn all the details of this attraction.

From $42 at Hellotickets

With these tickets for the London Eye selecting the night schedule you can see the British capital in a special light from the highest observation wheel in Europe. You will have the opportunity to see countless points of interest in the city such as Big Ben, Westminster Abbey or even Buckingham Palace and, in addition, you can discover all about the origin with the 4D silent short film included in the tickets.

Why I like this option... you will know London in all its splendor. Seeing the main monuments and sites of London under the lights at night is truly spectacular.

Recommended if... you go at Christmas and on summer nights when the weather is nicer.

Tickets for the London Eye: they have the same price if you go up during the day or at night. If you want to buy them directly there, what you should do when you arrive at the foot of the London Eye, is to go to one of the ticket offices and queue to buy the ticket. The prices of the London Eye change depending on whether you buy combined tickets with another attraction or if you want a private booth. They accept digital or printed tickets.

These are the approximate prices for standard tickets:

• General admission: 30 €.
• Children under 16 years old: 24 €.
• Children under 4 years old: free.
• General admission without queues: 42 €.
• Children under 16 without queues: 36 €.

And if you want to go up at night:

• General admission: 32 €.
• Under 16 years old: 26 €.
• Children under 4 years old: free.
• General without queues: 45 €.
• Children under 16 without queues: 40 €.

In London the time of nightfall varies depending on the time of year. In winter the nights are longer, so it gets dark at 16:00 pm and during the summer months at 21:00 pm.

• The opening hours of the London Eye in June, July and August is from 10:00 am to 20:30 pm.
• The rest of the year is from 11:00 to 18:00 hours. Sometimes the schedule changes depending on the time of year or some other factor. To be informed you can visit the official website of the London Eye.
• The time to be at the top is 30 minutes, the same as if you go during the day.

Although visiting the London Eye at night is a personal decision, you will not be disappointed. You can see the main monuments and sites of London under the lights of the night. And if you go at night and still do not know the places of the city that you will see through the windows of the viewpoint, do not worry, in each cabin you will find a tablet with a menu of options in several languages (also Spanish), which shows you what are the most outstanding landscapes that you are observed from above.

• Special packages are available at night: There is a special package under the name "Champagne Experiences". You can relax and enjoy a champagne while watching the lights of the whole city. To do this, you must book in advance. The cost is about 47,50 € per person (maximum of 4 people allowed).
• It can be a romantic plan and you can combine it with the Cupid's Pod: It is a special ticket that I recommend for the evening because it would give even more romance to the atmosphere. You can admire the views of London accompanied by a Pommery Rosé Champagne. Ideal for Valentine's Day, proposals or anniversaries. This package is priced at approximately €550 per pod.
• You will enjoy summer nights and Christmas views in winter: If you go to London in summer it does not get dark until 19 - 20 hours, so you can take a walk around the city and then go at that time to the viewpoint; an ideal way to extend the summer nights. On the other hand, going up to the London Eye coinciding with London at Christmas is also an ideal plan.

The views from the London Eye are wonderful and it is worth paying to go up there. Even from the observation deck you can see the following places that I am going to mention, and who knows, you can take a close look at them when you leave the London Eye:

• Attend the key ceremony at the Tower of London: This is surely the oldest ceremony in the world. Every night at 9:53 pm for the last 700 years, this ceremony is held to close the door of the Tower of London, where the British crown jewels are kept. In order to attend, you must book 6 to 12 months in advance on the official website of the Tower of London, as tickets are free and sell out easily.
• Attend a Twilight Tour at the Tower of London: At the Tower of London you can also take a guided night tour, where some historical facts and curiosities about the Tower are taught. It takes place only a few Sundays a year at 7 pm and you can buy your ticket in advance. Check the prices of the Tower of London.
• Visit the Sky Garden: The Sky Garden is a garden that is located on the 35th floor of another skyscraper in London known as Walkie Talkie for its shape. It has a viewpoint from where you can still admire the beauty of the city at night, usually closes at 21 hours and the best thing is that the entrance is free.

• I remind you that it is best to buy your tickets before your trip to London to avoid the queues and if you buy one without queues you can simply arrive at the time you specified in the purchase and enter.
• The weather in London in winter is usually very cold and it can be drizzly. Therefore, I recommend you to dress warmly (it is not a good idea to catch a cold in the middle of the vacations).
• You can go up with your cell phone or digital camera and take pictures from the cabin.
• Take the best pictures from outside the London Eye on the Golden Jubilee Bridge. This flying Ferris wheel is illuminated in different colors at night offering a perfect frame to capture its splendor.
• You can go on weekdays from Monday to Thursday to avoid the crowds.
• London in June, London in July and London in August is full of tourists, so it is recommended that you purchase your ticket in advance if you go on this date. This will save you time and you will have your ticket secured for the day you plan to go.
• If you visit London in December, it doesn't matter if it gets dark at 4:00 pm, because admiring the Christmas lights from the London Eye is something wonderful.

London is the city that never sleeps, for this reason it has several bus and subway lines that operate during the night. In case you decide to visit the London Eye at night, you will also find out how to get around. London's night transport is most frequent on Fridays and Saturdays, as the London Underground does not close on these two days of the week. The other days of the week, the subway works from 5 or 6 in the morning until 11 or 12 at night.

There are also several bus lines that can serve as a bridge between two points in the city. On weekdays these services are more limited for getting around in the evenings. Therefore, you will probably need to use a cab or a bus line that operates at night.

Cab service is more expensive than public transport, but has the advantage of dropping you off at the door of your accommodation. Prices can be from 56 € to 105 € depending on the distance.

You can find places to eat near the London Eye after visiting the attraction. One option is to go to Gillray's Steakhouse & Bar which is only 0.2 km from the London Eye. The food served there is somewhere between Churrascaria and European and British dishes. You also do well to go to La Cucina Di Mamma which is a good place to go with the family. This restaurant offers Italian food and is also about 0.2 km from the London Eye.

Do you want to enjoy a drink on your way out of the London Eye? In that case, go for a drink at the All Bar One Waterloo. They also offer food: British dishes, special diets, vegan and gluten-free options.

I hope you take my recommendations into account and do not leave London without seeing for yourself the wonderful views of the city from the London Eye.