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Royal Westminster and Changing of the Guard: Get Intimate with London’s Majestic Royal Sights
4.6
134 Ratings
Greater London
Experience the majesty of London's royal sights on a walking tour. Get up close to Buckingham Palace, witness the Changing of the Guard, and explore Westminster Abbey's rich history.
Duration:
2 hours, 15 minutes
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- Changing of the Guard - Begin your tour with a journey through Royal London, witnessing some of the most famous Royal Houses and Palaces such as St. James’ Palace, Clarence House and Buckingham Palace. Enjoy the iconic Changing of the Guard Ceremony as you march down the Mall with the Queen’s footguards or marvel at the impressive horses of the Household Cavalry (daily itinerary is dependent upon the schedule of the British Army). Enjoy a leisurely stroll through the beautiful St James’ Royal Park to finish the first half of the tour.
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Westminster - Our journey continues through historic Royal Westminster.
We pass Churchill’s War Rooms and onto Westminster Abbey - the site of every Royal Coronation since 1066, it is the most important church in England.
Explore Parliament Square with its array of impressive statues immortalizing such historical figures as Mahatma Gandhi, Abraham Lincoln and Winston Churchill. Overlooking Parliament Square is the most famous sight in London - Big Ben. Admire the stunning gothic architecture of the Houses of Parliament before heading down to 10 Downing Street, home of the Prime Minister.
Capture the perfect photograph with the horses of the Queen’s Guard before exploring Horse Guards Parade. - Trafalgar Square - Finish the tour at Trafalgar Square, home of Nelson’s Column, one of the most impressive sights in London.
What's Included
- Expert-guided walking tour
What's Not Included
- No Food or Drink included
- Gratuities
- Entrance to inside of attractions
Additional Information
The Royal Westminster and Changing of the Guard walking tour offers an unrivalled, immersive experience into London’s most iconic Royal attractions. Be amazed at the grandeur of Buckingham Palace, walk alongside the King’s Guards on the Mall, and explore royal traditions at Westminster Abbey, the venue for all coronations since 1066.
Your guide will not only provide you with comprehensive information and interesting tales, but also assist you in finding the optimal spots to observe the globally acclaimed Changing of the Guard Ceremony. A significant number of individuals without guides find themselves in less favourable locations every day.
*Please review the following additional information for complete details about the Changing of the Guard.
Experience the charm of standing under London’s most renowned landmark, Big Ben, one moment, and touching one of the Household Cavalry’s horses the next. All of this and more awaits you on this unforgettable journey.
- There will be access to public toilets halfway through the tour.
- The Changing of the Guard (Foot Guards) ceremony at Buckingham Palace occurs on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday
- On Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, the tour will witness the Changing of the King’s Horse Guards at Horse Guards Parade ..
- The Changing of the Guard Ceremony operates at the discretion of the British Army. It can be changed or cancelled without notice. This is beyond our control.
- In the event of bad weather the Changing of the Guard Ceremony may be cancelled. The tour will endeavor to watch the Changing of the Horse Guards on these days.
- Not recommended for those with walking difficulties as the tour can be a brisk walk in parts.
Location
Colicci Ritz Corner
The tour starts from the Goddess Diana fountain in Green Park, next to the Colicci refreshment stand. Enter Green Park via the entrance gates next to the Ritz Hotel.
If taking the underground, disembark at Green Park Station. The Green Park/Buckingham Palace exit will lead you to the fountain.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.6
(134 Ratings)
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Lisa_p
Jun 27, 2024
So Worth It! We saw the King and Queen! - Started so skeptical using a 3rd party. Our guide was incredible (Denver cap). Learned a ton, so much fun!
Review provided by Viator
Tamara_p
Jun 23, 2024
Our favorite London experience - We had the best experience! Mic was so informative and interesting making each location come to life. He was so kind to take all of our family members photos capturing the most amazing memories. We had a variety of ages and all were blown away with our tour.
Review provided by Viator
Lynn_g
Jun 18, 2024
Multiple changing of guards all in one tour! - Harry did a great job of navigating us to each of the guard changing events. It was really fun seeing the band warm up prior to marching to the palace. He was very knowledgeable. I think a quick prep talk to walk through all the movements that we are going to be seeing and the logistics of them would be helpful so we were prepared for the movements and timing.
Review provided by Viator
Daniel_h
Jun 18, 2024
Much more than expected - John was our guide and fantastically informative. This tour gets you to places we had no idea existed or were happening.
Review provided by Viator
Nancy_c
Jun 15, 2024
Changing of the Guard: Allen is the best guide! - Allen was an outstanding tour guide! I highly recommend this tour, and Allen!very educational! We were well positioned in locations to see the King!
Review provided by Viator
Wendy_m
Jun 14, 2024
A Royal Treat - Great experience overall. Two king sitings in one day made for a very exciting tour. No pictures of KC because I only had video, but what a time!!! Harry was fantastic 👍🏾
Review provided by Viator
Moussai712
Jun 14, 2024
Great tour - Alan was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. He was always able to line us up for all the perfect photos, too! Great tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
David_h
Jun 13, 2024
Westminster Walking Tour - The entire walk was very informative. Very good guide. Very informative and gracious guide…frequently answering questions
Review provided by Viator
Wendy
Jun 8, 2024
Great tour - The tour was great. John was very knowledgeable and made sure we saw a bit of everything dealing with the changing of the guard including the horse change of guard. He was also friendly.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Casey_s
Jun 18, 2024
It was so crowded that we... - It was so crowded that we couldn’t see anything. Our guide was good, he provided a lot of history. Just not what I was expecting.
Review provided by Viator
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