Forgot the London Eye and the Shard with their eye-watering prices, one of the best views of London can be enjoyed for free from the Point in Greenwich.
At one end of a pleasant enclosed park ringed by trees, the ground drops steeply away to reveal a panoramic vista of the city of London. In the foreground, the DLR trains snake between buildings, and on the horizon the iconic landmarks of the London skyline are visible, from older monuments like St Paul's Cathedral (and, if you look really closely, Big Ben) to the pods of the London Eye glittering in the sun.
What's really interesting about this view is that you can see how London has changed over the last few decades. The etched metal sign identifying the highlights of the view dates from 1984, so obviously there are a few things missing. Most noticeably, the landmarks of the East End featured on the sign are now obscured by the towers of Canary Wharf (though through the gaps you can see the newest addition to the East End, the Olympic stadium).
The park itself is also a great spot for a picnic, or just to get away from it all. The Point is about a ten minute walk from Greenwich DLR/mainline station, up the picturesque (if steep) Point Hill, and if picnics aren't your kind of thing, check out the nearby coffee shops and pubs on Royal Hill on the way up.
London may not always be the prettiest of cities, but it is pretty darn spectacular, as the view from the Point shows.