Take A Tour Of The New Sky Garden At The Top Of London's Infamous Walkie-Talkie Building
<img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/54bf988bdd08952a7f8b45c4-1200-924/skygarden-20-fenchurch-3.jpg" border="0" alt="SkyGarden 20 Fenchurch 3">
The Walkie-Talkie building in London's financial district, which became infamous last summer for melting cars, opened its top-floor sky garden to the public at the start of January.
Business Insider got a sneak peak of the new attraction (free tours are already fully booked until early April), which boasts three restaurants and offers some of the best rooftop views of the capital.
<h3>The Walkie-Talkie building is located at 20 Fenchurch Street. Let's head to the top. </h3>
<img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/54bf988cdd08952a7f8b45c6-400-300/the-walkie-talkie-building-is-located-at-20-fenchurch-street-lets-head-to-the-top.jpg" alt="" />
<h3>The Sky Garden sits about 150 metres above the city, giving you unique views like this one. </h3>
<img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/54bf988cdd08952a7f8b45c7-400-300/the-sky-garden-sits-about-150-metres-above-the-city-giving-you-unique-views-like-this-one.jpg" alt="" />
<h3>The terrace is 35 floors above street level, which looks impressively far away from up here. </h3>
<img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/54bf988cdd08952a7f8b45c8-400-300/the-terrace-is-35-floors-above-street-level-which-looks-impressively-far-away-from-up-here.jpg" alt="" />
<h3>The whole area is really spacious and can fit up to 450 people. </h3>
<img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/54bf988cdd08952a7f8b45c9-400-300/the-whole-area-is-really-spacious-and-can-fit-up-to-450-people.jpg" alt="" />
<h3>The place is bursting with lush tropical plants.</h3>
<img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/54bf988cdd08952a7f8b45ca-400-300/the-place-is-bursting-with-lush-tropical-plants.jpg" alt="" />
<h3>This is made possible by a staff of award-winning gardeners who start watering them as early as at 6 a.m.</h3>
<img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/54bf988cdd08952a7f8b45cb-400-300/this-is-made-possible-by-a-staff-of-award-winning-gardeners-who-start-watering-them-as-early-as-at-6-am.jpg" alt="" />
<h3>Plants will rotate throughout the year based on the season.</h3>
<img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/54bf988cdd08952a7f8b45cc-400-300/plants-will-rotate-throughout-the-year-based-on-the-season.jpg" alt="" />
<h3>The Walkie-Talkie building was designed by Uruguayan archistar Rafael Viñoly. It feels like a space station from the inside.</h3>
<img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/54bf988cdd08952a7f8b45cd-400-300/the-walkie-talkie-building-was-designed-by-uruguayan-archistar-rafael-violy-it-feels-like-a-space-station-from-the-inside.jpg" alt="" />
<h3>The best views are at dawn and sunset, with magnificent lights and shadows.</h3>
<img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/54bf988cdd08952a7f8b45ce-400-300/the-best-views-are-at-dawn-and-sunset-with-magnificent-lights-and-shadows.jpg" alt="" />
<h3>This is how sunrise looks from the top floor.</h3>
<img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/54bf988cdd08952a7f8b45cf-400-300/this-is-how-sunrise-looks-from-the-top-floor.jpg" alt="" />
<h3>The rooftop has three different food venues: a bar, a casual eatery, and a formal restaurant.</h3>
<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/54bf988cdd08952a7f8b45d0-400-300/the-rooftop-has-three-different-food-venues-a-bar-a-casual-eatery-and-a-formal-restaurant.jpg" alt="" />
<h3>The three venues sit on top of each other at the very centre of the terrace.</h3>
<img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/54bf988cdd08952a7f8b45c5-400-300/the-three-venues-sit-on-top-of-each-other-at-the-very-centre-of-the-terrace.jpg" alt="" />
<h3>At the bottom on the terrace level is the casual and cool Sky Pod Bar.</h3>
<img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/54bf988cdd08952a7f8b45d1-400-300/at-the-bottom-on-the-terrace-level-is-the-casual-and-cool-sky-pod-bar.jpg" alt="" />
<h3>For a more formal dinner, you can head to the Fenchurch Seafood Bar and Grill, at the very top of the building.</h3>
<img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/54bf988cdd08952a7f8b45d2-400-300/for-a-more-formal-dinner-you-can-head-to-the-fenchurch-seafood-bar-and-grill-at-the-very-top-of-the-building.jpg" alt="" />
<h3>There's also the Darwin Brasserie, a laid-back modern British and European restaurant.</h3>
<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/54bf988cdd08952a7f8b45d3-400-300/theres-also-the-darwin-brasserie-a-laid-back-modern-british-and-european-restaurant.jpg" alt="" />
<h3>The food is a triumph of colours and tastes. </h3>
<img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/54bf988cdd08952a7f8b45d4-400-300/the-food-is-a-triumph-of-colours-and-tastes.jpg" alt="" />
<h3>The drinks aren't bad either. Here's a delicious ice coffee.</h3>
<img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/54bf988cdd08952a7f8b45d5-400-300/the-drinks-arent-bad-either-heres-a-delicious-ice-coffee.jpg" alt="" />
<h3>In the evening, you can enjoy your favourite booze. The Sky Pod bar becomes a fancy cocktail bar at night. </h3>
<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/54bf988ddd08952a7f8b45d6-400-300/in-the-evening-you-can-enjoy-your-favourite-booze-the-sky-pod-bar-becomes-a-fancy-cocktail-bar-at-night.jpg" alt="" />
<h3>The staff is capable and knows how to make you feel at home. </h3>
<img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/54bf988ddd08952a7f8b45d7-400-300/the-staff-is-capable-and-knows-how-to-make-you-feel-at-home.jpg" alt="" />
<h3>You can even rent the whole space for a private party.</h3>
<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/54bf988ddd08952a7f8b45d8-400-300/you-can-even-rent-the-whole-space-for-a-private-party.jpg" alt="" />
<h3>Like the garden's plants, settings and furniture change throughout the season as well. Now it's winter, so time for fur blankets. </h3>
<img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/54bf988ddd08952a7f8b45d9-400-300/like-the-gardens-plants-settings-and-furniture-change-throughout-the-season-as-well-now-its-winter-so-time-for-fur-blankets.jpg" alt="" />
<h3>The toilets may seem claustrophobic, but they are very clean. </h3>
<img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/54bf988ddd08952a7f8b45da-400-300/the-toilets-may-seem-claustrophobic-but-they-are-very-clean.jpg" alt="" />
<h3>To regulate the temperature in the summer, the glass roof is partly retractable — those dark grey parts can be opened at request. </h3>
<img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/54bf988ddd08952a7f8b45db-400-300/to-regulate-the-temperature-in-the-summer-the-glass-roof-is-partly-retractable--those-dark-grey-parts-can-be-opened-at-request.jpg" alt="" />
<h3>The outside terrace is closed until March, but the view of the Shard is still impressive from behind glass.</h3>
<img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/54bf988ddd08952a7f8b45dc-400-300/the-outside-terrace-is-closed-until-march-but-the-view-of-the-shard-is-still-impressive-from-behind-glass.jpg" alt="" />
<h3>Here's London's iconic Tower of London with Tower Bridge on the right.</h3>
<img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/54bf988ddd08952a7f8b45dd-400-300/heres-londons-iconic-tower-of-london-with-tower-bridge-on-the-right.jpg" alt="" />
<h3>On the other side is the City, with St Paul's Cathedral and Westminster in the background. </h3>
<img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/54bf988ddd08952a7f8b45de-400-300/on-the-other-side-is-the-city-with-st-pauls-cathedral-and-westminster-in-the-background.jpg" alt="" />
<h3>From up here you can see three of London's most famous skyscrapers all at once. From left to right is the London Stock Exchange, the Cheesegrater, and the Gherkin.</h3>
<img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/54bf988ddd08952a7f8b45df-400-300/from-up-here-you-can-see-three-of-londons-most-famous-skyscrapers-all-at-once-from-left-to-right-is-the-london-stock-exchange-the-cheesegrater-and-the-gherkin.jpg" alt="" />
<h3>And Business Insider's office is somewhere down there near Old Street.</h3>
<img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/54bf988ddd08952a7f8b45e0-400-300/and-business-insiders-office-is-somewhere-down-there-near-old-street.jpg" alt="" />
<h3>Ready for your own visit?</h3>
<img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/54bf988ddd08952a7f8b45e1-400-300/ready-for-your-own-visit.jpg" alt="" />
<h3>London has lots of amazing things to offer.</h3>
<img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/54bf988ddd08952a7f8b45e2-400-300/london-has-lots-of-amazing-things-to-offer.jpg" alt="" />
<h2>Sorry, New York, But London Is Actually The World's Real Capital City »</h2>
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