There’s a new building in town, and at 310m (1016ft) high, it’s hard to miss The Shard’s pointy addition to the London skyline.

Last night, Western Europe’s tallest building made its presence even more well-known with a laser lightshow to celebrate its inauguration.

The heady heights of The Shard aren’t just for the residents, office workers and hotel guests who will move in next year. Visitors can also enjoy panoramic views of London from as high as 244m (800ft) above street level.

The View from The Shard experience takes guests as high as Level 72 of The Shard and includes a ride in the high-speed “kaleidoscope” lifts and the chance to look up to the shards of glass that form the top of the building.

Tickets are on sale now to enter The Shard from 1 February 2013 onwards. Tickets cost £24.95 for adults and £18.95 for children. Find out more and book tickets at www.theviewfromtheshard.com

Did you see the lightshow, and will you be taking a trip to the top of The Shard next year?

Adventure-seekers will be able to get a unique view of London from the top of The O2 this summer.

Up at The O2 opens on 21 June and allows visitors to ascend to the top of The O2 via a 190m fabric platform.

Climbers will be decked out in a jumpsuit, safety harness and special shoes and given a safety briefing before starting the exciting climb. The experience is described as “a suitable challenge for virtually anyone at least 10 years old (and at least 1.2m high) who is medically fit with a sense of personal adventure”.

Up at The O2 will be open all year round, weather permitting. Tickets cost £22 for adults and children aged 10 and above.

Got a head for heights? Tickets are available at www.theo2.co.uk/upattheo2 from today for O2 customers and to the general public from 30 May.

Champagne with a view is what Vertigo 42 offers customers who shoot up the ear-popping lift to the top of Tower 42.

But for those who are bored of plain old bubbly, the bar has introduced an autumn bellini menu, created by Vertigo 42′s mixologist.

The five new cocktails, priced at £14 each, offer a new take on the classic bellini with the following fruity flavours:

• Yuzu and cranberry
• Lychee and hazelnut
• Raspberry, passion fruit and cacao
• Orange and raspberry
• Rose and plum

So that’s five good reasons to visit, but what about the view? Even on a misty winter evening, the view over London was spectacular and I could make out St Paul’s Cathedral, the OXO Tower and City Hall. On a clear day, you can apparently see as far as the Olympic Park.

Jenny was a guest of Vertigo 42.

What’s your favourite view over London?

We love this video, made by Matt Gosden and Rob Rackstraw in just 12 hours.

Look out for the tiny, toy-like buses, trains, diggers and helicopters they’ve captured moving around London. It somehow makes the city look like a children’s play area!

The London cityscapes were shot with kind permission of The Paramount Restaurant, Centerpoint Tower, London (www.paramount.uk.net).