City Tour, Skyscrapers, Bank of England and The Shard - 4 km Route
- Philip Carey
- Oct 13
- 4 min read
Updated: Nov 10
This detailed set of guides for runners and striders will provide all the information you need to do this self-guided route in one place, so that you can explore the Tower of London, Fenchurch Street, Aldgate, City Skyscrapers, the Bank of England, Cannon Street, the Monument and London Bridge at your own pace.
The Familiarisation Guide provides all the route information.
The Sightseeing Guide and Virtual tour guide add points of interest and 360-degree information.
The Connoisseur's Guide offers recommendations for places to eat, drink, and be entertained, as well as suggestions for exploring the surrounding areas and 'add-on' routes.
THE EXPERIENCE
The route starts at the Tower of London, which has stood as a symbol of London and its power for almost 1000 years, and then heads towards Aldgate - the old eastern gate to the City of London. It then continues to the skyscrapers around Cornhill, which represent the modern financial quarter of the City of London, and its historic centre at the Bank of England. The route then returns to the river, passing the Monument to the Great Fire of London and finishing at the Shard.
THE ROUTE FAMILIARISATION GUIDE (Level 1)
This guide provides you with the essential information you need to become familiar with the route before you arrive.
An overview map, My Google Map, and Strava Map to help guide you along the route
A video showing you what the route looks like as if you were running it at over 40 km/h..
Information to bear in mind along the route.
Follow on route options
MAP OF THE ROUTE
The links to My Google and Strava Maps are designed to help you keep on track and limit the chances of getting lost. They don't provide turn-by-turn directions, but they do show your location relative to the route. They will open in a new tab.
The Google map shows the main route in red
HIGH SPEED VIDEO OF THE ROUTE (5:00)
The high-speed video of the main red route is designed to get you visually familiar with the route ahead of your visit. It shows you a runner's view as if they were doing it at over 40 km/h
THINGS TO BEAR IN MIND
The route can get crowded, so it's best to do this route in the early morning – especially at the weekend when it is quiet, the light is at its best, and you have the whole day ahead of you
The route will mainly be on City of London roads, so take care of your safety and be aware of traffic, pedestrians, and crowded areas.
If you plan to do the Around the Tower London extension, please bear in mind that the Tower Wharf Opening times are normally 7 am to 7 pm – exceptions can be found here https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/visit/opening-and-closing-times/
There are several buildings, such as The Monument, The View from the Shard, The Garden at 120 Fenchurch Street, and the Sky Garden at 20 Fenchurch Street (the "Walkie-Talkie" building), which offer high-level panoramic city views
THE ROUTE SIGHTSEEING GUIDE - (Level 2)
Once you are familiar with the route, the next time you take it, why not get familiar with the sights you can see along the way, take photos, and learn a bit about the area's history? The sights include:
Tower of London
Fenchurch Street
Aldgate
Leadenhall Market
The Gherkin and the Lloyd’s Building
The Bank of England,
Royal Exchange,
Mansion House,
The Monument,
Borough Market,
The Shard,
London Bridge
For more information on these and other sights nearby, see the gallery and the supporting text below.
A Virtual Tour Guide of the Route
This virtual tour guide is designed to help you familiarise yourself with the route and enhance your memories of 'being there'. Clicking on the picture will take you to a new page showing a map of 360 locations in the area. Click on the location icons, and you will be transported to an interactive 360-degree view of that area - in a new tab.
THE ROUTE CONNOISSEUR'S GUIDE - (Level 3)
Once you are familiar with the route and its sights, why not become a connoisseur of the area and explore the surrounding routes that will uncover new things to see, places to eat, drink, and be entertained?
FOOD AND DRINK LOCATIONS
This map shows you some of the places to eat and drink -
Borough Market and Watling Street offer the most in terms of eating and drinking venues, followed by Leadenhall Market and Cannon Street. The area around the Tower of London has a number of good hotels and pubs.
THINGS TO DO LOCATIONS
There are also several venues worth visiting, which are shown below.
Attractions include places to get high-level panoramas of the city at the View from the Shard (7), The Monument (5) and two locations on Fenchurch Street (6): the Sky Garden and the Garden. Other attractions include the Tower of London (1), the Bank of England Museum (4), Leadenhall Market (3) and Borough Market (6)
ROUTE EXTENTION
The map below and the My Google map link provide three extensions to the main route, helping you explore the area and find places to eat and drink. These are:
Tower of London Perimeter Extension (1.1 km)
Leadenhall Market Extension (0.8 km)
Walting Streer and Cheapside Extension (1.2 km)
The Google map shows the main route in red and the additional extension routes in blue. A video and a more detailed explanation of these routes will be added shortly.
FOLLOW ON ROUTES
If you want a follow-on route, try the 'Borough Market, The Globe, Tate Modern, Millennium Bridge and St Paul’s Cathedral' 2.1 km route.
